Shumpert needs more time to be the player he was last year, he needs to be groomed back slowly.
Kidd has lost his shot and no longer has to be guarded, he is also defensive liability against young guards.
Copland can flat out score, but is a defensively a liability in terms of quickness, but not as a big a defensive liability as Novak. JR Smith can play defense, his intensity is a constant, his offense has grown increasingly erratic and bad.
This team was built to win, not develop:
Starting 5:
C. Chandler
PF. Anthony
SF. Copland
SG. Smith
PG. Felton
2nd Unit:
C. Thomas/Camby/Wallace
PF. Stat
SF. Shumpert
SG. Kidd
PG. Prigioni
Complimentary Reserves:
Use Novak against teams that collapse in the middle for 10-15 min. only
Use Brewer as a defensive "shutdown" specialist when needed
The 2nd unit would feature more rapid ball flow, and a faster offense
The first unit would be a more cogent offense, difficult to hedge on any one player. Copland has shown a knack for blocking shots, although he lacks lateral quickness. Smith would bring an urgency and a pulse to the first unit, and that would play well off Felton.
100% Agree about the lineup needing changes, but disagree about the starting lineups bc your second unit would lack sopme serious offense and the 1st unit would lack defense.
I do think JR or STAT should be inserted into the starting lineup and I would tend to lean toward STAT, but Kidd has looked so bad lately, that I would pick JR.
1st unit
Tyson
Melo
Shump
JR
Felton
6th - STAT
2nd Unit
KT/Camby/Sheed
STAT/Cope
Novak/Brewer
Kidd
Prig
The 2nd unit looks rough, but it comes with the assumption that the Knicks make some moves (ie getting another big). and getting guys back. The offense, as it stands now, seems to always come outta the gates running either Felton trying a PnR lob to Tyson or Melo iso ball. This way, JR starts the game, possibly gets outta his funk, and Shump can focus more on his intangibles w/ more offense around him. If he continues to suck starting games, give him the quick hook for STAT and shift Melo to the 3 (where he should be).
colorfl1 wrote:Shumpert needs more time to be the player he was last year, he needs to be groomed back slowly.
Kidd has lost his shot and no longer has to be guarded, he is also defensive liability against young guards.
Copland can flat out score, but is a defensively a liability in terms of quickness, but not as a big a defensive liability as Novak. JR Smith can play defense, his intensity is a constant, his offense has grown increasingly erratic and bad.This team was built to win, not develop:
Starting 5:
C. Chandler
PF. Anthony
SF. Copland
SG. Smith
PG. Felton
2nd Unit:
C. Thomas/Camby/Wallace
PF. Stat
SF. Shumpert
SG. Kidd
PG. Prigioni
Complimentary Reserves:
Use Novak against teams that collapse in the middle for 10-15 min. only
Use Brewer as a defensive "shutdown" specialist when needed
The 2nd unit would feature more rapid ball flow, and a faster offense
The first unit would be a more cogent offense, difficult to hedge on any one player. Copland has shown a knack for blocking shots, although he lacks lateral quickness. Smith would bring an urgency and a pulse to the first unit, and that would play well off Felton.
I like this starting 5. It gives them some size. Shump needs to stay at the 2 for now. Kidd should guard the 3.
I really feel the team needs JR Smith in as the starting SG.
He brings an energy to the game that the Knicks have been lacking at the start of games, and he has the quickness and physicality to close off penetration.
This allows the forwards to stabilize the back, anticipate blocks and be better prepared to rebound.
The second unit can manufacture offence with rapid ball movement between KiDD and Prigioni, and pick and roll with Amare.
