Lazy Coaching + Lazy Playing = Loss

There is a saying that bad habits die hard and the Knicks are living proof.

After playing so well and within themselves they decide to resort to their old ways and play to the level of the competition. 

The immature play from the Knicks included going for pump fakes and getting cheap fouls called on them, Amare forcing the issue by attempting to beat his defender off the dribble, not boxing out on defense and settling for low percentage shots instead of passing the ball around for the best shot made for a very sloppy and lazy effort against the Cavaliers. The result of course was a loss to the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers who had lost 10 games in a row before tonight's gift.

It is time for D'Antoni to open up his lineup and get Mozgov on the floor late in games even if just to play the scarecrow and make the opponents think twice about penetrating for easy baskets, also to get Amare off centers on the defensive end. But as I said in the beginning, old habits die hard.

The Knicks lose again, Cavaliers 109 - Knicks 102

The Knicks Are Not Ready

The Knicks lost for no other reason than not having a two guard who could force Wade to expend energy on defense and penetrate well enough to pull the Heat off double teams on Amare.

Not having such a player allowed Wade to possess lots of energy in the second half to prance and cross up for jump shots and display spin moves which got him easy dunks and layups against Landry Fields.

Bosh was not forced to bailout Wade and defend the paint so he was able to do pretty much what he wanted and stay both fresh and out of foul trouble. In tonight's game Bosh was double teaming Amare and getting easy shots around the basket

Notice I didn't mention Lebron James because honestly when he is shooting like the way he was tonight he was going to get his points no matter what.

The way to beat the Heat is by forcing Wade and Bosh to defend which draws fouls and makes them expend energy. The Knicks have no players whose games could command enough respect to pull the double and triple teams off Amare Stoudemire and take it to Wade and Bosh making losing inevitable. Miami is just better than them.

Now the Knicks need to regroup and remember that other than Boston, the Lakers and the Heat they should whoop everyone else and get after it tomorrow against the Bulls.

The Knicks Lose Again, Miami 113 - Knick 91

The Knicks are good but not elite

The Knicks lose again but let me say that this was one helluva basketball game. The margin of losing was still a simple fundamental that is lost in today's game.

Amare played good defense several times on Garnett late in the fourth quarter that resulted in bad shots but because of poor fundamentals Amare lost track of Garnett who was able to get his own rebounds and make put back baskets.

Instead of watching the path of the shot Amare should have pivoted to place his back into Garnett's chest to box out first while turning his head to the basket to locate the ball. At the very least he would have drawn an over the back foul on Garnett at best he would have snatched the rebounds preventing the second shots.

So, although they played well it is a matter of poor fundamentals like this when it counts that will keep the Knicks from being an elite team.

Celtics 118 - Knicks 116