12/9/12: Knicks 112 - Nuggets 106

Well arriving at 4 AM from Chicago (due to weather delays) for a Sunday night game would scream “THIS IS GOING TO BE A LET DOWN GAME.” God forbid this information be disclosed to me with enough time to wager on the first quarter line. But I digress. I was able to attend my second game of the season and you could tell that the team didn’t have their legs underneath them. The Knicks came out flat in the first quarter then battled back in the second then let the third slip away then went on a great run in the fourth to put the game on bottle service.

I politely passed on doing a rundown on the Chicago game because (1) My body felt awful (2) I would probably say mean things about Raymond Felton after I had such positive (platonic) thoughts about him following the Miami game. JR, rightfully, gets a very hard time for being the streakiest player in the history of all players but Raymond has been on an unusual clip as well. He followed up his Chicago stinker with another bizarre performance. It was a quieter 4-15 than the 9-30 Saturday performance but more consistency would be really appreciated. I also expected him to be a little more fired up playing the Nuggets for the first time as a Knick since that whole trade thing we collectively have ignored. But oh well.

Jason Kidd is awesome at getting someone in the air and then jumping into them to draw the foul. This has to be one of the most frustrating things to ever defend. You would think Jason would find a way to not have someone land on his head every time he does this though. I mean if he’s not careful his head is going to be swollen to the size of his son’s (he also tested out this at halftime http://knickerblogger.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Screen-Shot-2012-12-09-at-9.05.06-PM.png). He and Novak both sparked the run (with Melo out in foul trouble) in the fourth.

The crowd broke out into a lovely “Ball Don’t Lie” chant following a technical called on Carmleo. Carmelo now has the second most technicals in the NBA at 6, and it would be nice if he stopped doing this as much. I love so many things about this Knicks team but they are getting a little too petulant in their reactions to fouls. JR Smith does a pouting, “are you not entertained?” lap around half-court every time he gets called for a single thing. Melo really hasn’t gotten a call since the D’Antoni administration. I want to lecture them and tell them to grow up but I’m not sure when I would be afforded this opportunity.

Tyson is now shooting .709 from the field. The next closest is Serge Ibaka at .592. He had some great putbacks and alley-oops and was one of the few players who chose to rebound. Playing Carmelo at the 4 means that the Knicks are just going to give up some rebounding but Tyson did a great job on the glass again (following 18 on Saturday) pulling in 12 total and 6 offensive. JR again had an erratic shooting night but his rebounding has been such a pleasant addition this year. He pulled down 9 important boards and had 15 quiet points. I know he was especially upset about the Saturday night plane delays forcing him to cancel his table at GunBar on Gansevoort.

Corey Brewer continues to be a good basketball player that Mike D’Antoni decided to let go in exchange for shaving cream.

That’s a scrappy, albeit ugly, win for the Knickers. A day of rest today, followed by a game against that incredibly unlikable Brooklyn team. Then a home stretch of games leading up to the Christmas Day showdown with ole Mikey D and his band of unmerry Lakers.

Get well soon Iman! Get well soon Rasheed! Get well soon Marcus! Continue to work on authoring self-promoting children’s books Amare!