ESPN Expert predictions: New York Knicks

VIA ESPN.COM

Predicted Finish For New York Knicks: 2010-11
ANALYST COMMENT PREDICTIONS

J.A. Adande, ESPN.com | Adande's picks
Troubling NY Post Anthony Randolph-Kenny Walker comparison aside, Amare Stoudemire, Timofey Mozgov and Raymond Felton will bring some life back to the Garden. Not sold on shooting and defense, and those are kinda important in the NBA.
Atlantic: 2

East: 7

Chris Broussard, ESPN Mag | Broussard's picks
Amare Stoudemire loves the attention as the new face of the Knicks, but he better deliver a playoff spot or that attention will get ugly fast. Amare and his nice cast of role players should reach the postseason. Their D will be typically atrocious, and that will be their undoing if they indeed miss the playoffs.
Atlantic: 2

East: 7

Chad Ford, ESPN.com | Ford's picks
Amare Stoudemire, Raymond Felton and Anthony Randolph aren't exactly LeBron and Bosh, but they'll be enough to help Mike D'Antoni finally field a proper playoff team. But Donnie Walsh will have to find a way to get a player like Carmelo Anthony to get the team back into the elite.
Atlantic: 2

East: 7

Zach Harper, Daily Dime Live | Harper's picks
The Knicks' consolation prize from free agency is far from a worst-case scenario. Amare Stoudemire might not be what New York was hoping for, but he'll give it a much-needed go-to scorer. Add Raymond Felton's ability to run the pick-and-roll, and this team can back into the playoffs.
Atlantic: 2

East: 7

John Hollinger, ESPN.com | Hollinger's picks
After two years of waiting for 2010 ... it's 2010! Party on Knicks fans, your team actually has a chance this season. The folks in MSG will be elated enough to forget that James Dolan a) still owns the team and b) tried to re-hire Isiah Thomas this summer.
Atlantic: 3

East: 8

Tim Legler, ESPN | Legler's picks
Obviously it was a letdown not getting LeBron James, but they still got Amare Stoudemire. He is comfortable with the Mike D'Antoni system. They are going to play an uptempo style and he is going to put up huge numbers. Anthony Randolph is a guy I love. Raymond Felton could have a breakout year.
Atlantic: 3

East: 9

Chris Sheridan, ESPN.com | Sheridan's picks
They have set making the playoffs as their goal, which means basically a posting .500 record while hoping Carmelo Anthony plays out his contract and becoms an unrestricted free agent. Bench scoring is going to be an issue. The defense should be stronger, but can't say the same about rebounding.
Atlantic: 2

East: 6

Marc Stein, ESPN.com | Stein's picks
Put me in the camp that dares to believe that the Knicks, with Amare Stoudemire, can sneak into the playoffs. I've said from the beginning that Stoudemire has the requisite bravado to stand up to the unique pressures of Gotham. And there's (probably) enough around him to snag one of the last two playoff slots.
Atlantic: 2

East: 7

Michael Wallace, ESPN.com | Wallace's picks
They went hard after LeBron, but ended up with Amare. At least the Knicks didn't go empty-handed like the Nets in the peak of free agency. But Madison Square Garden will be filled with mediocrity again -- unless a midseason deal can be swung to acquire Carmelo Anthony.
Atlantic: 3

East: 9

Brian Windhorst, ESPN.com | Windhorst's picks
That Jared Jerffries trade may haunt them all season as Donnie Walsh struggles to turn the Eddy Curry trade chip into something. But at least now they are actually looking at trades to get better. If nothing else, former Suns big man Amare Stoudemire makes them a playoff contender.
Atlantic: 2

East: 8

AVERAGE RANKING Atlantic: 2.3 | Standings East: 7.5 | Standings

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Fox Sports Atlantic Division Preview

More Knicks Open Practice Highlights & Coach D Interviews

2010 NBA Preseason: 10 Things We Learned About the New York Knicks So Far

 via Bleacherreport.com

With the NBA preseason in full swing, this is the best time for teams to work out their issues and come together as a team for the start of the season.

The Knicks started their first two games in Europe, but are finally back stateside to finish off the remaining slate of games before the October 27th opening night tip-off.

While most Knicks fans are cautiously optimistic for the upcoming season, there are still plenty of things they need to work on to be ready for the NBA season. However, they have all showed some promise as a unit.

Article HERE

Dime Mag Knicks ‘10-11 Preview

via DIMEMAG

Frankly, Maximus, I’m not entertained. By the New York Knicks? The last time this team peaked my interest I had stumbled upon a billboard in midtown on a sweltering summer afternoon. Staring me down was Jigga’s nose and Prokhorov’s beady billionaire eyes, not only tracking my movement, but of Dolan’s a block away. You see, I wasn’t even interested strictly by the Knicks, but of a (half-assed) rivalry, now loaded with a declaration of “Greatness” and a Manhattan tale of who can court LeBron the hardest. Except the tri-state couldn’t close for shit, so it was a moot pointAmar'e Stoudemire regardless.

Am I bitter? Yes.

Too many clowns and bozos over the years. T-shirt launching delinquents, state-of-the-art jumbotrons – really? Is this Ringling Bros. or a basketball game? It’s redundant to name names this franchise has been trying (not) to exorcise. To be honest, for a split second, I was excited about this upcoming season.

The thought of childhood memories, NY basketball and another first step into MSG brought a smile. I adore the logo, the artificial lighting lining the cramped hallways of MSG, the overpriced Ranch 1 chicken fingers, the saltiest popcorn known to man; everything about it. It’s from my childhood, what can I say? And then Media Day beckoned and I was, surprisingly, still upbeat.

It was refreshing to see new faces.

A new season to turn things around.

From the millennial Garden of Horrors.

From the losing. Oh, the losing. The embarrassment. The turnovers. The blowouts. The tabloids. It all came flooding back to me as I sat down to write this team preview.

What’s there to say? Will Amar’e dominate the paint, rustling forgotten memories of Patrick handling his business in a quieter, pre-Twitter era? Might Ray Felton and Amar’e run a respectable pick-and-roll (if Chris Duhon and David Lee can, why the hell not…right)? Perhaps Anthony Randolph develops into the consistent offensive weapon we’ve seen glimpses of? How about Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari taking it to the next level? Or Toney Douglas, Timofey Mozgov, Kelenna Azubuike and Ronny Turiaf contributing off the bench? Dare I say, might defense become evident?

Granted, there is a talented front court this franchise hasn’t rostered since Kurt Thomas, Marcus Camby and Patrick took the floor. The offensive potential of Amar’e, Randolph and Gallinari, coupled with the defensive possibilities of Turiaf, Mozgov and Amar’e actually blocking some damn shots, is stronger than years past. Throw in Felton and Douglas pressuring the ball up court and running a semi-manageable D’Antoni paced offense, and the Knicks are hopefully a .500 team. But who the hell really knows.

Everything is a might or a maybe or a wait and see with this franchise. It has been for the past decade. Honestly, nobody has a clue what these Knicks will bring to the table this year. I sure as hell don’t. With an average age of 25, new pieces and no identity, expectations are grounded. I’m just tired of the waiting. Donnie gambled hard this summer, technically coming up short, and nobody can criticize him for trying. But if this organization actually expects fans to wait any longer, it won’t be an easy drink to swallow. No more, “Just hold out, we can get (insert latest superstar free agent name here, in this case, Melo)! Just a little longer! The losing will be worth it.”

Please. I’m as loyal as they come and even I’m beginning to lose my patience. I’ve sat through everything, helplessly trying to defend what I could, but now I’m just fatigued. Of the losing. Of the uncertainty. Of the black-hole that has become Knicks tweeting, reminding me every moment of what this team isn’t and hasn’t been since my childhood.

I’ve yet to be entertained.

Article HERE