Schmeelk: Knicks Further Prove Their Mediocrity By Being No-Shows In DC
By John Schmeelk
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After their best home win of the season on Wednesday, the Knicks did what mediocre teams do: not show up on the road the next night.
They might have only lost by seven points to Washington, but that was only because of a 47-point fourth quarter that was too little, too late. It was a blowout by any standard.
Effort is an intangible thing, and it's something anyone covering a team should be wary of challenging. Not trying is as bad of an insult to a professional athlete that can be muttered. But Thursday night, the Knicks' players and coach made it easy.
"We look like we were tired from last night and weren't getting up on guys," coach Jeff Hornacek said. "The fight defensively wasn't there."
"No excuses. We're pros," point guard Derrick Rose said. "That's what we get paid to do. If anything, if we were tired, that's when someone else is supposed to pick your teammate up. That's what we were trying to do, but it didn't work for us.''
Backup point guard Brandon Jennings gave his teammates the worst of it. He indicated that the Knicks' focus wasn't on learning and executing the game plan.
"When coaches are doing the game plan, we got to listen," he said. "When the coach is writing the play, everybody's got to pay attention. There's a lot at stake for us.''
Jennings went on to compare how the Wizards played like a desperate team, while the Knicks showed up and showed none of the same fervor.
What the Knicks did against the previously 2-8 Wizards is what fringe playoff or lottery teams do. There are far too many veterans on this team who know how to win to let the team give that sort of effort against a struggling team.
It is not a unique occurrence, either. Hornacek complained earlier in the season that his team wasn't following his game plans. The Knicks are the worst defensive team in the league and have the fourth-worst defensive rebounding percentage despite often playing big, which reflects effort and willingness to sacrifice.
Those things fall partly on the coach, but given the fact the Knicks have struggled under a seemingly infinite number of regimes, especially on defense, some blame must also go to the players. Joakim Noah was supposed to be a tone setter and leader on defense. He has had his moments (against the Bulls and Pistons), but just as often his legs look tired. The team's defense has been worse when he is on the floor, and the Knicks play their slowest basketball when he is their center.
Carmelo Anthony has taken a step back this season defensively -- and he has never been a leader on that end of the floor. He leads by example in the locker room, and by his own admission, is not a vocal guy. He needs to set a better example defensively and show his teammates that it needs to be a bigger priority. (Anthony should also be used more at power forward, which would hide some of his defensive deficiencies, but that's a different blog for a different day.)
In fact, the two most vocal critics of the team have been Jennings and Rose, two newcomers in the last years of their contract. Neither of them are high-end defenders, either. But both have showed a consistent annoyance with the Knicks' inability to get stops and play with constant energy.
This is a team with veteran players that is designed to win now. In a very competitive Eastern Conference, the Knicks cannot afford to simply give away games like they did Thursday night. The players and coach know that, but for some reason they showed up not ready to play anyway. Nights like that can't come too often if the team wants to play into May.
SCHMEELK'S SNIPPETS
The Knicks should keep a close eye on what Chasson Randle is doing up in Westchester for their D-League team. In two games since returning from a fractured orbital, he is averaging 26.5 points on 45.5 percent shooting. He is hitting 3's, getting to the rim and drawing fouls. The Knicks have lacked a scoring punch off the bench, and Randle could provide it down the road if they decide to play small more by moving Justin Holiday to small forward from time to time. Ron Baker (much more likely) or Sasha Vujacic could be sacrificed if the Knicks decide to make that move.
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