Paige One: Be Still My Knick Heart
When you hear a crowd shouting "DEE-FENSE!!! DEE-FENSE!!!" this time of year, it's usually coming out of the Jersey swamp when either the football Giants or Jets are holding court.
The fact that the raucous chant is coming from Madison Square Garden in the month of December, in this year of 2010 and the New York Knicks are actually on the famed hardwood, means something is a-brewing in mid-town Manhattan.
You remember the Knicks. The we-have-so-many-fat-contracts Knicks. The Isiah-used-to-coach-here Knicks. The I-don't-want-your-Knick-tickets Knicks. The Eddy Curry-still-plays-here Knicks.
You remember, don't you?
After waiting about a decade for the team to be at least mediocre, the Knicks are starting to make a statement. They can beat up on the sub 500 teams, but they are also starting to beat teams with winning records.
They recently beat the New Orleans Hornets and yesterday, they out-shot the Denver Nuggets – with Carmelo Anthony – before a loud, DEE-FENSE!!! chanting crowd.
As for someone who covered the Knicks for three years during the Pat Riley era, this is a wonderful time.
The Knicks are relevant again.
I remember the Knick championship teams of Frazier, Reed, et al. I remember the talented Knick teams that made it to the NBA Finals, but came up short.
I remember the defense of both teams, especially their hard-nosed play of Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, John Starks and, of course, Patrick Ewing.
Tony Paige
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Since then, you couldn't give Knick tickets away.
I remember doing a newspaper story on the scalpers outside of the Garden during the Ewing-era and the one thing they told me was when the Knicks are good, they all made money.
I would think in this past decade, circus tickets probably were more popular the Knick tickets.
Now all Knicks fans wait to see if Anthony joins Amar'e "Mr. 30-Points-a-Game" Stoudemire to give the team the best one-two punch in quite some time.
Reports are now circulating that Anthony will only sign a three-year, $65 million extension with Denver if he is traded to the Knicks.
Somebody actually wants to come to the Knicks?
Sure Stoudemire was a free-agent pickup at a hefty price, but Anthony wants the Knicks.
Sweet!
Sure it may cost the Knicks some of their young studs like Landry Fields, Wilson Chandler or Danilo Gallinari, but that's the price of doing business.
I still think it's a good idea to keep the team the way it is and sign Anthony whenever the NBA work stoppage – which seems to be a reality waiting to happen – ends.
If you need to make a deal for a great point guard like the Hornets Chris Paul, well, then you have some pieces to work with.
Until then, let's see how the Knicks do against the big boys like the Celtics and Heat, who happen to be paying visits to the Garden this week.
I can't wait to put on the game and hear that lovely DEE-FENSE!!! chant again.
