If you didn’t already know the New York Knicks hired Derek Fisher, you’d think Jeff Van Gundy was still angling for their head coaching position.
During an interview with Anthony Donahue for his Internet radio show on The Knicks Blog, Van Gundy said some pretty nice things about the Knicks. Like, for instance, he thinks they’ll make the playoffs next year.
Here’s what he said exactly per ESPN New York’s Ian Begley:
Van Gundy thinks the Knicks will be a playoff team this season in the competitive East.
“I thought Mike Woodson did a great job under trying circumstances,” the ESPN analyst said. “I think they’ll be a playoff team this year. I think they’ll have a good year. How far they go — a lot is going to depend on matchups. Obviously the Eastern Conference has gone under some major changes.”
Mic drop.
Okay, not really.
This isn’t that bold of a statement in all reality. People make the Knicks out to be worse than they are.
Last season was a shitshow, don’t get me wrong. It was awful. They were bad. Their defense was broken, their direction nonexistent.
But they picked up their play at season’s end. When you factor in the implementation of an actual offensive system and a change in culture, this team has improved. That’s not even considering the actual additions they’ve made, mind you. Losing Tyson Chandler might sting, but ending up with Jose Calderon Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Cleanthony Early is, collectively, a huge victory. They still have that guy Carmelo Anthony too, just in case you’re wondering. He’s enough to keep them within striking distance alone, given how up-for-grabs the Eastern Conference remains.
AP Photo/Seth Wenig
And speaking of Anthony, Van Gundy had some things to say about him as well:
Van Gundy also thinks Carmelo Anthony should continue to play power forward.
“I think in today’s game he’s a 4 man. I think he’ll continue to be a 4 man as he gets older in his career too,” the former coach told Donahue. “I think he defends 4s better. I think he has advantages over 4s. You’ve got to pair him with the right defensive center because obviously you need basket protection.”
Where was this talk last season when Mike Woodson was running the Knicks aground with his traditional and ineffective lineups?
Anthony can still thrive as a power forward, but Jackson has never run small lineups, so it’s unlikely Fisher will either. Perhaps there will be times when Anthony plays the 4, but you get the sense Jackson and Fisher plan on him playing the Kobe Bryant role, but at small forward.
The difference may have mattered in Woodson’s archaic and uninventive offensive system. Within the triangle, it shouldn’t be as prevalent. As long as the ball is moving, Anthony should have adequate chance to work off the block and hit three-pointers galore once again.
Amar’e Stoudemire is imperative to the latter. The triangle can be run from the inside out. If STAT proves healthy and more willing to pass out of the post, Anthony should see plenty of spot-up opportunities, an area in which he absolutely dominated last season.
If all goes according to plan, then, Van Gundy’s right.
The Knicks will indeed be a playoff team next year.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
