By Dan Rodgers
I'll still be posting here, but I am also contributing to a new site: NY Sports Nut.
They are an up-and-coming sports media company and also have sites for other cities and are developing more.
Check out my first article, Knicks Can Win Without Lin.
Rodgers That
By Dan Rodgers
Well, last night was unfortunate. Tonight, I'm not feeling the Sweet 16 match-ups so much as a few NBA games. I'm just going to enjoy March Madness and leave the games tonight alone.
Phoenix Suns @ Indiana Pacers -3.5 = This spread is WAY off. The Pacers were down over 20 points last night in Washington and fought back for the outright win. They come back home tonight and face a Suns team that isn't playing poorly but has lost two straight and struggles on the road. The Pacers should rebound from their off-night yesterday and put together a complete game that should lead to them scoring well over 100 points. Go big on Indiana tonight. INCORRECT - Apparently, Indiana didn't feel like playing defense last night. They should be embarrassed by that loss and giving up those points to a far inferior team.
Minnesota Timber Wolves @ Oklahoma City Thunder -10.5 = The T-wolves haven't been playing very good defense, and I fully expect the Thunder to take advantage of that. Oklahoma City has scored over 100 points in four of their last five games while Minnesota has given up over 110 in three of their last five. This is just a game between two teams where one team is clearly the better team. I don't see any way Minnesota has the offense to keep up with an Oklahoma City team that tries to play defense. INCORRECT - Basically the same thing as written above, but the Thunder were able to win. Minnesota scored 140 points (in double OT, 116 in regulation). Kevin Love scored 51 points, including seven threes. He is clearly their best player and the one player OKC should have keyed in on him.
The last is another 8-point sweetheart teaser:
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Orlando Magic -1 = Once again we have the Cavs on the road against a team that is better than them. This is the same scenario and I wouldn't be surprised if Orlando covered the original nine, but we will play it safe and take them to one. CORRECT
Miami Heat -.5 @ Detroit Pistons = I got the Pistons game wrong the other night and they threw everything they had at Denver. Now they come home, most likely completely deflated because they lost at the end to the Nuggets. Miami will probably win be 20, but once again we will play it safe and make it so they only have to win. CORRECT
New Jersey Nets @ Atlanta Hawks +1 = The Hawks came through the other night when we needed them to so we will go with them again. The Nets struggle on the road, and Atlanta can even lose this game by one. The Hawks need to get their act together and play consistently if they want to put up a fight in the playoffs. CORRECT
The Knicks go into Toronto tonight looking to go 6-0 under interim head coach Mike Woodson. I wouldn't be surprised if the Knicks took care of business again tonight because they are clearly a more talented team than the Raptors. Hopefully they can keep this good defensive play going and get some confidence going into the playoffs. INCORRECT - Of course, the one night I write about the Knicks they get destroyed...
Enjoy the Sweet 16 and the NBA action tonight. I've got Baylor, UNC, Kentucky and Kansas advancing in my bracket.
Rodgers That
By Dan Rodgers
The New York Knicks have been busy in this brief time since the agreement of the new CBA. They pulled a deal with the defending champion Dallas Mavericks to get Tyson Chandler. One new clause in the CBA is called the "Amnesty Clause." Over the length of the deal (10 years), every team can cut one player without any of the usual financial repercussions to the salary cap, etc. The Knicks already used their amnesty on point guard Chauncey Billups (who has since been claimed by the Los Angeles Clippers). Billups was due over $14 million this season.
The New Orleans Hornets have been attempting to deal Chris Paul to any Los Angeles team, but the league (David Stern) apparently doesn't want Paul to go to L.A. There have been rumors linking Paul to the Knicks but nothing as of recent.
The Knicks made another temporary fix by signing Mike Bibby, who will likely split time with Toney Douglas. Second-year shooting guard Landry Fields will try to build off of successful first half last season, and the Knicks brought in more youth at guard by drafting former Georgia Tech shooting guard Iman Shumpert.
Of course, all of these signings are to complement superstars Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. If you haven't gotten the title yet: Melo is No. 7, Amar'e is No. 1 and TC is No. 6.
The Knicks made the playoffs last season but were swept by the Celtics. Now, with a revamped frontcourt, and a good mix of youth and experience at guard, the Knicks are hoping to battle it out with the Heat, Celtics, and Bulls to represent the Eastern Conference. The Hawks usually compete but they just aren't good enough. However, if the soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets keep Deron Williams and can workout a deal for Dwight Howard, they will more than likely contend.
It should be a crazy 66-game season, and I can't wait.
Rodgers That
By Dan Rodgers
Of course the day I decide to write a tidbit about the trade is the day that the trade finally get done.
Carmelo Anthony has reportedly been traded to the New York Knicks, according to the Denver Post. Apparently, the trade involves Anthony and at least two other Nuggets, four Knicks, draft picks and cash.
WOW...I'll write more when I know what players were involved...
UPDATE:
Knicks Get:
By Dan Rodgers
The NBA trade deadline is three days away and we have yet to see anything noteworthy. The big player that everyone wants to know about is Denver Nuggets Forward Carmelo Anthony.
The Syracuse product is easily a top 10 player in the NBA and he is only 26 years old. The big players are the New Jersey (soon to be Brooklyn) Nets and New York Knicks. The Nets owner has said that he met with Melo and that it went great.
Per an article from ESPN New York, "As you know, my instinct was to stay away and I still think that is [the] right decision," Prokhorov said.
Mikhail Prokhorov, owner of the Nets and Russian billionaire, called of the talks about a month ago but said the meeting went "fantastic." The Nets look to be forcing the Knicks to play their hand if they want Anthony.
The Knicks, in response, have drawn a line in the sand. They have offered the Nuggets a trade and have said they won't budge from there. The trade will likely have the Knicks give up Wilson Chandler and Raymond Felton among other players.
As a Knicks fan, I don't want them to get rid of Danilo Gallinari. Felton has been great this year but if the management thinks Toney Douglas can take over then you have to trust them. Look for the Knicks to try and force the Nugs to take Eddy Curry in the trade because his contract is ridiculous. I pray that NY doesn't give up another first round pick. Years and years ago they screwed themselves by trading picks years into the future and they are just getting past those drafts. If the Knicks can get Melo, keep Gallinari, Landry Fields and their first round pick it should be a good trade for New York.
I'll update if there are any deals worth noting.
Rodgers That
By Dan Rodgers
ESPN reported that according to a source with knowledge of the situation, Dwayne Wade will resign with Miami and he will have a new playmate in former Toronto Raptor Chris Bosh.
This move isn't a surprise, or shouldn't be, to anyone. It was fairly anticipated that Wade wanted to resign in Miami with the assumption that the Heat would being in another big name to play along side him.
This will have a fairly large impact on LeBron James' decision because now we now he won't go to Miami and he may not stay in Cleveland. James was lobbying for the Cavs to sign Bosh which could have guaranteed him staying in Cleveland. Now, he may be inclined to head to Chicago or New York.
The Bulls already have a good supporting cast with Rose, Deng and Noah. The Knicks just signed Stoudemire and will give LeBron the Garden if that's what it takes to get him. Should be interesting; tune in tomorrow night to the LeBron James special on ESPN at 9 PM.
Rodgers That
By Dan Rodgers
Today the Knicks agreed, in principle, with Amar'e Stoudemire to a five-year deal worth just under $100 million. The deal reunites the ex-Phoenix Sun with former coach, Mike D'Antoni. However, I'm not quite sure it puts the Knicks any further ahead of where they started before the free agency period.
PF/C David Lee is a free agent and they just signed a player older than him at the same position. If the Knicks can't resign Lee and also get LeBron/Wade, they might be scratching their head. New York did make sure that this would not impede their ability to go after Dwayne Wade or LeBron James in terms of . They are obviously looking for another big name player to fill-in the void.
Personally, I think Bosh is leaning towards teaming up with Wade in Miami. LeBron is probably going to want to go to Chicago if he doesn't resign with Cleveland.
I'm curious to see what the Knicks plan to do because they have a lot of old shooting guards and Gallinari/Chandler at SF...should be an interesting summer.
Rodgers That
By Dan Rodgers
This is just an introductory post to what is going to happen this summer. What many are saying is the most impressive free agent class in NBA history.
The Cleveland Cavaliers lost last night in the conference semi-finals to the Boston Celtics. That means that LeBron James, along with the rest of the Cavs player's, season is over. Which means that in a month and a half, LBJ will become a free agent along with players: Ray Allen, Joe Johnson, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh to name a few.
Now, since this is an intro post, all I'm going to say is that by rule the Cavaliers can only offer a maximum deal of six years worth around $125 million. Any other team is only allowed to go as high as five years worth around $95 million. So the Cavs to have the edge, or do they?
Other teams mentioned to be interested are the Knicks, Bulls, Nets, and Clippers. All of those teams have some reason that would be good for LBJ, but we are just going to leave it at that for now. Check back later in the summer for more on this historic free agent class.
Rodgers That