New York Knicks: Royally Flushed In London
By Owen Sanborn
The New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks were chosen to play in the NBA’s overseas showcase game in London on Thursday because when you want to show off your product you make sure to send them only the best.
In fairness to the Bucks, they put on a good show for the London faithful, playing their fun style of basketball that has become routine under the tutelage of head coach Jason Kidd. Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to show off his freakish athleticism in the open court by throwing down some alley-oops.
He looks a lot like one of those wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube men you see perched out in front of car dealerships to grab your attention.
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I apologize to those of you who actually watched that clip. You will no doubt have that remix stuck in your head all day.
Anyways, the Knicks went on to lose the game in London, scoring only a putrid 79 points. Carmelo Anthony returned and actually played well, scoring 25 points on an efficient 7 of 12 shooting from the field, but even he can not overcome the rest of the Knicks’ stink at the moment.
I was watching TNT’s Inside the NBA on Thursday night, waiting for the crew to go through the agony of the Knicks and Lakers highlights. Predictably, two seconds in, Shaq and Charles Barkley were going back and forth about how bad a condition a team would have to be in to lose to the Knicks.
Earlier on the show, Charles (jokingly, I think) claimed that you would have to have a heart attack to lose to the Lakers at this point in time. Shaq immediately bursts with laughter (causing me to burst with laughter) and Kenny Smith asks Charles what it would take for a team to lose to the Knicks at this point.
And well, just watch this:
A COMA! Man, when it comes to Charles and the Knicks, he sure doesn’t hold back any punches.
This is where New York Knick basketball is at this point in time. They have stolen the championship belt away from Philly and are the laughing stock of the league with a D-League roster, an iconic (and perhaps overmatched) team president and ailing superstar with bad knees.
As if things could not get worse for New York, they will be hosting All Star Weekend in less than a month; allowing network analysts, former players and even some of Hollywood’s elite to further relish in their mediocrity.
Instead of mocking over the internet, everyone will get a chance to take a jab in the Knicks’ backyard. Maybe TNT can arrange to have Sir Charles and The Zen Master sit down for a dagger exchanging one-on-one interview where each of them slap backhanded compliments onto on another in continuation. What glorious television that would be.
Again, I really wish I could give you readers a post breaking down the X’s and O’s of the Knicks struggles. But at the same time, there really is no point. More than half of the roster is going to axed, whether it is via trade, waived or because they are free agents. They are not running a compelling offensive scheme, and they struggle to stop the other team from putting the ball into the hoop.
Jason Smith had a Carmelo Anthony pass hit off of his foot, kick forward 10 feet and land straight into the hands of a Bucks player to trigger a fast break on Thursday.
I think Jason Smith is a good guy and is trying his best to contribute to the team (he actually isn’t a terrible role player in the right situation) but man, seeing that highlight made me feel like I was watching the Oakland Raiders of basketball or something.
Ironically, Barkley saying that a team would have to be in a coma to beat them may be their best highlight of the season so far.
Sixteen losses Knicks fans, raise your brown paper bags to number seventeen!