Haven't a kept up with them, is Tobias still getting good minutes? How do Ellis and Jennings co-exist?
Finishing .500 plus and making the playoffs is reasonable. Anything else is asking a bit much of that roster.
Pretty much my assessment at the beginning of the season, too. I like Jennings, but just too many middling talents and journeymen as key contributors to make hay in the East this year. My worry is that we start becoming one of those teams that finish at that .500 level and remain at the 12 to 20 pick range each year.
They're probably at their ceiling right now. How many teams in recent history have been legit title contenders without a go-to player? One. 2004 Pistons. Gay is paid like that guy but isn't truly that caliber of player. Randolph and Gasol aren't going to get much better (if any) than they are now. Conley still has room to grow but he's about as good as he's going to get. If Rudy Gay could step up and be the guy to carry the team offensively for crucial spurts in the playoffs they would be legit, as it stands they appear to be a really good team that will make life difficult for whoever comes out of the West. I know this was directed towards Hat, thought I'd throw my two cents in.
This Memphis vs New York game has been outstanding. Playoff basketball in November. Plus Hubie Brown doing commentary. Doesn't get much better at this stage of the season then what is on ESPN right now.
I'm impressed by the Knicks. They've taken on the challenge of being physical. Rasheed came in and showed how to take advantage of a size mismatch in the post. Melo seems as though he is finally stepping up to the plate by doing all the little things and playing physical defense. Got to wonder how this team responds to Amare' when he comes back.
He's gotten abused in the post tonight. Of course he is completely outclassed by Melo and Wallace. Both of them can bring it down low.
It's awesome to see the Grizz playing this well, but damn the Knicks are getting ravaged by the refs right now. Don't blame them for sitting back and laughing at this.
Just seems that way because of how demonstrative they've been. They've gotten a little lazy on defense and are fouling as a bail out.
They definitely deserve blame for being immature and not fighting through bad calls (instead of running away from them, literally), but I take it as a bunch of veterans realizing it's not their game and not caring because it's November.
They've thrown the towel in for sure. Here I was impressed by their toughness. Got to adjust to the way the game is being called, after the Smith-Bayless incident they started calling it tight. Memphis adjusted, Knicks haven't.