Knick Knack, Paddy Whack…New York’s State of Mind is Wack!

I’m so-and-so, I’m this, I’m that

Huh, but they all just wick-wick-wack

 - KRS-One

Yup, just when you though things couldn't get any stranger in the Big Apple, you look at the above lyrics and suddenly realize that now, legendary rap artist KRS-One must be some sort of time-traveling musician or something.

What makes me say such a strange thing?

Because the society-conscious rapper sure described the 2013 New York Knicks perfectly with that famous rap stanza, way back in 1988 no less.

You see, on Sunday, the Knicks moved another step closer toward total self-destruction in what can only be described as an implosion against a young, rebuilding Boston Celtics ballclub that was supposed to be one of the worst teams in the league this season.

I don’t know how to describe the Knicks’ play against the C’s because words like, underachieving, selfish and individual just don’t cut it when trying to sum up New York’s lackluster performance against Boston.

Not only could the Knicks not hit a shot against the young C’s but even worse, they seemed totally uninterested in both, playing any sort of defense whatsoever or passing the ball to anyone wearing a jersey with ‘New York’ on the front of it.

Even for a guy that takes pleasure in seeing every New York team (outside of the G-Men) lose on a regular basis, I have to admit that it was brutal watching what the Knicks called professional basketball on Sunday. Unfortunately, the fall guy for all of this mess will be veteran head coach Mike Woodson, though he never dribbles, passes or shoots the ball.

However, as bad as things are with the Knicks, when it comes to dysfunction, the bumbling Knicks still take a back seat to the Brooklyn-based Nets, but hey, that’s a whole different story altogether.

Kobe’s Contract to Cripple Lakers Near-Future?

Kobe Bryant may be one of the greatest 

players in NBA history, but the Lakers

overpaid their aging leader in what could 

be a franchise-crippling move.

Don’t get me wrong Eye On Sports hoops fans, I love Kobe Bryant as a player, no matter how the Los Angeles Lakers superstar shooting guard performs in his comeback from a dreaded Achilles tendon tear. However…I’m also a realist and I have to say that I am a bit stunned that the Lakers would commit a whopping $48 million to Bryant over the next two seasons, particularly knowing the precedence that has been set for players that have suffered Achilles ruptures like Bryant’s.

Having said that, let me also throw in the fact that, even without an injury, I’d be unwilling to pay Bryant that astronomical figure as he enters the final twilight of what has been a sure-fire Hall of Fame career.

Why?

It’s simple really. By committing approximately $24 million per year to Bryant over the next two seasons, it’s undoubtedly going to be tough for L.A. to surround Bryant with the type of talent he’ll need in order to overcome the Spurs, Thunder and likely the Clippers as well, over the next two seasons.

Could the Lakers theoretically still find a way to land expected free agent CarmeloAnthony in the near future?

Yes, they very well could. However, L.A. would still find itself in big economical trouble, having to surround Bryant and Anthony with a bunch of mediocre, mid-level talent that would be willing to play for something close to the league minimum. Either way, giving Bryant $24 million a year to finish his career as a Lakers legend wasn't a very bright thing to do if this franchise is serious about getting back into legitimate championship title contention. 

Knicks Are a Complete Mess and...Melo is New A.I.!

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony is the new 

Allen Iverson.

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times. Carmelo Anthony is a bigger, taller version of former Philadelphia 76ers superstar Allen Iverson in the fact that all he’s really interested in is scoring the ball. Like Iverson before, Melo isn't very much of a team leader and I’m sure his New York Knicks teammates realized this sad fact a long time ago.

If you’re a Knicks fan, you’re likely in agony over the team’s pitifully slow start this season. If you’re a Knicks hater, then you can sit back and enjoy the rest of this season because the Knicks aren't going anywhere with their wealth of on-court faults and health issues among its older veterans.

Old-School Woodson working magic with Knicks!

If you’re an old-school kind of hoops guy, then you’ve got to love the way respected head coach Mike Woodson teaches the game. First and foremost, Woodson is a defense-first coach that learned much of what he knows from the legendary Larry Brown.

Woodson also knows that in order to win in the NBA, that he has to lean on his best players on offense. While Woodson was never able to get the Atlanta Hawks over the proverbial postseason hump, things could turn out much different for him in the Big Apple – if either Phil Jackson or John Calipari don’t come calling!

Lin, Knicks in like Flynn again!

Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks 

are back to playing solid basketball since 

former head coach Mike D'Antonio resigned.

Jeremy Lin and the resurgent New York Knicks are back in the national spotlight after ripping off three consecutive wins since veteran head coach Mike Woodson replaced former leader Mike D’Antoni just over a week ago.

I know that a modest trio of wins isn’t saying much, but New York looks like a totally different team than the one that went belly up in D’Antoni’s final days – and Lin has responded as well.

I back-to-back games against Indiana, Lin scored 32 total points on 9-for-17 shooting from the field while dishing out 11 assists – and more importantly – committing just five turnovers

For the season, Lin is averaging a fine, 14.7 points and 6.3 assists per game while shooting an impressive 45.5 percent from the field. Whether you love Lin, like most everyone on the planet – or don’t care for him very much, like the idiotic Floyd Mayweather – one thing is now crystal clear NBA hoops fans … Jeremy Lin is undoubtedly legitimate – and has as much potential as any young floor leader in the game today. 

Prime time players? Not just yet!

Jeremy Lin and the Knicks
have something to build on.

While the New York Knicks have some solid pieces to build on as they prepare for the second half of the regular season, it’s pretty clear from where I’m sitting that the still-evolving Knicks are not in the same elite class as the Miami heat and Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference. Yes, the Knicks will make a playoff appearance this season and they could very well pull off an upset or two. However, there is no way New York gets by either Chicago or Miami in the postseason. 

What are your thoughts on how the Knicks will fare for the remainder of the season? Sound off in the comments section.

Lin learns lesson

Knicks point guard
Jeremy Lin has a very bright future.

You know, I suspected a lot of haters (like the idiotic Stephen A. Smith) would come out and ‘hate’ on New York Knicks young point guard Jeremy Lin after his 1-for-11, eight-point, eight-turnover performance against the Miami Heat last Thursday, but the fact of the matter is that Lin has already established himself as one of the best young floor leaders in the game today – and one that many teams now wish they had as their own floor leader.

Yes, Lin got embarrassed on several occasions, but nevertheless, he can clearly play the game and has as bright a future as any young point guard in the game today. Just think about it … how many teams have starting point guards that you’d replace with Lin.

What are your thoughts on Jeremy Lin? Vote on how many teams Lin could start for right now. Sound off in the comments section and have a great sports-filled day!

Durant Now League’s Best Player!

Sure, Kobe, LeBron and Carmelo may all average a few more points than he is this season, but I don’t think there’s a better player – or leader – in the entire league than Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant.

The ‘Durantula’ scored 29 points while adding 10 rebounds and four blocked shots in a stellar performance as the Thunder took down the New Orleans  95-85 on Wednesday.

Kobe Bryant also checked in with a 40-point game on Wednesday – while LeBron stunk it up in a loss to Chris Paul and the blossoming Clippers.

Hostage-Holding – The New NBA

Thanks a lot LeBron James.  

Kudos to you too Carmelo Anthony!

Thanks to the idiotic antics of James and Anthony, the NBA has now become a league where players can hold their teams hostage in an extent to force their franchises to trade them to their desired destinations – or else risk losing the player without any compensation.

As I wrote in my Eye on Sports blog, the owners really dropped the ball in limiting player movement in the new CBA agreement, even though it will cost most players a lot more to make these kinds of moves.

Still, I’m sick and tired of ‘wannabe’ superstars trying to form their own ‘super teams’ which is absolutely laughable after seeing how the Miami Heat failed miserably against the superior Dallas Mavericks in last season’s NBA Finals.

This is one of the main reasons why I was with the NBA’s owners in the recently completed NBA lockout.