Schmeelk: Streaking Knicks To Face Real Test Wednesday Night
By John Schmeelk
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The Knicks are on a four-game winning streak, but Wednesday night will be their first real test since they lost to the Thunder on Nov. 28.
The Knicks' last four opponents have a combined record of 26-57, and New York did exactly what it was supposed to do: win all four games.
The intention here is not to take any credit away from the Knicks. Winning games that they're supposed to win is just as important as beating good teams if they want to make it into the playoffs. In fact, it's essential. But when the defending champion Cavaliers come to town Wednesday, it's a whole new ballgame.
The intensity in Madison Square Garden will be off the charts. LeBron James is always trying to put a show on when he comes to the Garden, and that will be doubly the case this year because of Phil Jackson's "posse" comment last month. Aside from Jackson's comments, James always wants to play well against his rival (dating all the way back to high school), Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks point guards will have to guard Kyrie Irving, the only dynamic point guard they have seen since Russell Westbrook.
Most jarring for the Knicks will be the level of defensive intensity the Cavaliers bring to the table. The Kings and Timberwolves are two of the worst defensive teams in the league, and the Heat are in the middle of the pack (though they were missing many of their starters). Surprisingly, despite being 14-5, the Cavaliers are ranked 19th in defensive rating this season. Their intensity coming to play in New York, however, should be at a different level.
We know the Knicks aren't a bad team anymore. They are improving and getting better, but how much better? Are they just a bottom-rung playoff team that will hover around .500, or a team that can actually make some noise in the playoffs? We start to figure that out Wednesday against the Cavaliers and will continue to during their subsequent five-game road trip. Hopefully Derrick Rose will play (left with back spasms Tuesday), so the test is a true one. It should be a lot of fun.
Schmeelk's Snippets
• I was an advocate early in the season of benching Kyle O'Quinn to shorten the big-man rotation, but that is no longer an option. His weight loss in the offseason has made him more mobile and a better shot blocker and rebounder. The difference is easy to see when he gets above the rim to grab rebounds or protect the rim. The Knicks have also started using him differently on offense. They give him the ball far less frequently in the high post, where he can get himself into trouble by taking long jump shots or squeezing passes into small spaces. Give O'Quinn credit for becoming a better player this offseason. Recently, he has been better than Joakim Noah.
• Rose has become far more consistent with his floaters and mid-range jump shots in the past couple of weeks. It could just be a hot streak, or it could be Rose finally finding his rhythm after missing most of the preseason due to his trial. Either way, he has been a more efficient scorer and better player. He still needs to improve at finding the open man faster off screen-and-rolls, whether rolling to the basket or open for a jumper, but that might still come to.
• Lance Thomas and Mindaugus Kuzminskas are both useful players off the bench at small forward, and coach Jeff Hornacek is going to find it a challenge to get both playing time. It might become irrelevant because of Thomas' chronic plantar fasciitis, but for now both guys need to play. If it means more Anthony at the three, that's a good thing for the team.
• Kristaps Porzingis is in his first shooting slump of the season. Whether 3-pointers, mid-range jumpers or even bank and hook shots, the ball just isn't going in for him right now. He's just 14-of-45 in his last three games, including 3-of-16 from behind the arc. He has not lost focus on defense, however, grabbing 26 rebounds in his last two games and blocking eight shots in his last three. He is still impacting the game, the sign of a very good player.
• Finally, give some credit to Hornacek. He has the Knicks playing pretty darn good basketball on offense, and he is slowly figuring out his substitution patterns. The defense is still inconsistent, but at the very least the team is fun to watch.
For all things Knicks, follow John on Twitter at @Schmeelk
