I have
consistently refused to acknowledge that this is a rivalry. You cannot artificially
create a rival just because one team had apathetic fans in a broken down arena
in the swamp of New Jersey. But man these last two games have felt like there
was a little something extra. The Nets fans were flat for the most part (and
Knicks fans took over on a few occasions) but the players were going prettttty,
prettttty hard at one another throughout.
I felt that
the only team that could give the Knicks real trouble, due to their post
presence, was the Grizzlies (and the Lakers if they were still alive) but the
Nets have really had the Knicks’ number in the paint. Granted, the Knicks were
super sloppy with their rotations in both games and played fairly lackadaisically
but still. Blatche and Evans really had their way down-low, causing switches
and creating mismatches that led to very easy baskets. If Deron Williams or Jerry
Stackhouse or Joe Johnson hit anything from the outside that game could have
been ugly. Well I guess it was very ugly but the score could have been ugly.
The Knicks
battled back from down 16 in the first quarter to draw even to let the lead get
back to double digits to then come back and win. And for Melo, Kidd and Earl I
am thankful. Melo started slow and then kicked into a frenetic MVP pace. He
finished with 45 on 15-24 shooting (5-7 from 3 and 10-11 from FT) and willed
the team through stretches. But that would have been for naught had Kidd not
been as beautiful and bald and white mocha colored as he was. I hate that we needed
Kidd to play 37 minutes to win a game on December 11th but we did
and I’ll get over it. Kidd finished with 18 (all from 3) including an
icy-smooth peppermint, shaken game winner that caused me to irrationally make
noises that I imagine a tapir to make. Lord we need Iman back to take some
minutes away from him. And Earl Meets World battled through painful back spasms
to add 16 of his own.
I think I
saw Sheed hit two timely 3s but that was it. No other Knicks played. It was 3
on 5. And that was enough.
The @nyknicks
twitter account was taken over by Vinny from the Jersey Shore. I cringed when I
heard it and then thoroughly enjoyed his tweets throughout the game. He signed
each with the hashtag #VinnyTakeOver, which may catch on as the new,
progressive “Ball Don’t Lie”
I
consistently forget how silly Avery Johnson sounds when speaking.
The Knicks whining
finally paid off, getting a critical Blatche tip-in call reversed and wiped off.
I know I said
no other Knicks played but I should acknowledge Felton had the weirdest play in
the history of plays when he let the ball slip out and then geyser straight up
in the air. It was weird and thankfully didn’t matter.
Bill Kennedy
is too bad and Dick Bavetta is too old to be reffing basketball games. That got
out of hand a few times, namely when Gerald Wallace torpedoed into JR Smith. I’m
just asking for safety out there. After the torpedo, the Knicks decided to keep
playing 4-4 then Smith gets back up and it’s 5 on 4 then Melo just wipes
himself down and hits a critical shot.
The Knicks stole
that one and now are on a tremendous homestretch led by Mikey D’s return on
Thursday night. What a win! What a steal! What a night! Man that was fun. It's great to play like dogshit on occasion and still win. Onward and upward.
Get well
soon Iman! Get well soon Marcus! [xxxxx] Amare!
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