The world of basketball

Chapter 144 The New Knicks
After the Knicks signed Leonard and Irving this summer, they became the top power in the league. Even in ESPN's rankings, the Knicks overwhelmed the Celtics to be elected as the number one seed in the East.

I have to admire the operation of the Knicks management. They let go of many players, traded away Hardaway Jr. and Coney Lee, and exchanged for more cost-effective role players.

The most important thing is that they renewed Porzingis' contract for 1000 million in five years. This contract was nearly 5000 million US dollars lower than the No. [-] pick Karl-Anthony Towns in the same year, but Porzingis accepted the contract.

He is very capable, even selected to the All-Star team, but years of injuries make every team dare not give him a big contract, let alone a long-term contract, but it is like being selected with the fourth overall pick back then. Like him, the Knicks chose to believe him again and renewed him with a not-so-small contract.

However, this contract is really not that big, 1000 million in five years, an average of 2000 million per year. After the salary cap rises, a high-quality blue-collar center seems to be able to get such a contract.

Both sides made concessions. The Knicks let go of their hesitation and hesitation. No one knows whether Porzingis' ankle and knee will cost him another season. Porzingis let go of a large part of the money.

So they had room to sign Irving, signed Irving for 4000 million in four years, and then signed Leonard again for 4000 million in four years, which is really a big deal.

Of course, the Knicks signed a contract with the Nets and got a small card in the form of a sign-and-trade-the Knicks traded Cornie Lee, Hardaway and Ntilikina plus the first round picks for two consecutive years. Xiaoka and role player Zanan Musa.

It can be seen that the Nets are determined to rebuild, and with Russell as the core, otherwise they would not be able to let go of Dinwiddie, who performed well last season.

The Cavaliers, the Nets, and the Eagles, this is the Big Three in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks' operations this summer seem to have been planned for a long time. They let go of many guards, but they have many excellent guards they have cultivated.

In addition to Irving, they used Dotson to play the second position in the starting lineup. This young man was only selected as the 44th pick at the beginning, but he did not expect to explode last season, averaging 10.4 points per game, and his three-point shooting percentage Achieving 40.00%, is a very good role player.

The third position uses a small card, and the fourth position naturally uses Knox, who performed well last season. After a season in the league, Knox has become more mature and has a higher three-point shooting rate. The breakthrough skill near the free throw line of the frame is still not lost, and has been reused by the team.

Boshen is currently used as the fifth position, and the team was a little hesitant. After all, Boshen has the attributes of a glass man, and he is worried that he will not be able to adapt to such a fierce confrontation when playing the fifth position.

But so far this season, Porzingis has adapted very well, and the main insiders and Knox will help him defend.

In addition to starting, the Knicks' bench is also very young and very capable.

They renewed the contract with Burke, the small guard who is very similar to Iverson. Their second position also has Trier, who also performed well last season, averaging 11 points per game. The fourth and fifth positions are a very important compensation for the inside line. After all, Boshen can't play the fifth position for a long time, so sometimes Mitchell Robinson has a lot of playing time and has been fully performed.

Mu Xiaobei and Mitchell Robinson used to have an intersection, and that was when Mu Xiaobei and Robinson faced off during the Lakers' trial training. It was considered a blow to Robinson, but I am afraid that the person in charge of the Lakers' trial training at that time did not think of Robinson. able to grow so much.

In the Knicks last season, Robinson averaged 6.7 points + 6 rebounds per game. His ability to protect the frame is good, and he is fully qualified to be a substitute for the fifth position.

This Knicks team is full of youthful vigor, full of talent and talent, with sufficient offensive firepower, three-pointers, superstars, and defense. What is lacking is experience and tacit understanding.

But their core player Boshen signed for five years, Irving for four years, and Kaka for four years.

Facts have proved that Fizdale is a very good coach, and Irving is very fond of the ball. Although the head coach Stevens has fully developed his organizational talent, he still doesn't like playing off the ball.

Kaka also needs the ball. Although he started off the ball, if he wants to play Kaka’s strongest strength, he has to let Kaka play singles with the ball. Porzingis also needs the ball. The most criticized Boshen in a season is the lack of confrontation ability and low efficiency.

Yes, Porzingis had a lot of shots last season, but the shooting percentage was indeed a bit low.

At the beginning of this season, the Knicks did not start as expected by the fans. The running-in of the lineup was a bit bumpy. It was obvious that they lacked an experienced veteran player.

The so-called family has an old man like a treasure. Any team must have an old player. Maybe his role on the court is not so obvious, but off the court, especially in the locker room, the role of this big brother is indispensable.

Like the Warriors' Iguodala, like the Heat's James Jones Ray Allen, like the Spurs', well, well, the Spurs were very old back then.

So the Knicks are actively seeking a deal with the Eagles. They want to get the old Carter, yes, Carter has not retired yet.

But as the game progressed, they gradually found a feeling. The reason why Fizdale is great is because he can well adjust the cooperation between the Big Three and the allocation of ball rights without causing conflicts among his players.

When a team has a good atmosphere, it is much easier to win, because there is more trust between each other, and they are more willing to share the ball.

Just like the Spurs back then, like the Kecun Nursing Home and Golden State Kindergarten in the previous four years, James, Irving, Love, Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, JR Smith, Shumpert, Terry Stan Thompson, Mozgov, Dellavedova, etc., their team atmosphere is very good.The relationship between the Golden State Splash Brothers, Green, Iguodala, and Livingston is also very good.

Just like this year's Spurs, old players guide young players like seniors. Young players respect their seniors, and young players are also very good friends. For example, the relationship between Mu Xiaobei and Kuzma is very good. iron.

Team atmosphere is the basis for a team to win. Even Kobe and O'Neal respected each other when they won three consecutive championships. When they fell out, they didn't win the championship together, and O'Neal left .

After Gasol came, the relationship between him and Kobe has always been very good, even now is very good, this is the basis for their two consecutive championships.

The same is true for Janeway. Although their configuration was very good during the Heat, if Wade does not give up power, they probably won't win two championships.

Now the Spurs team atmosphere is very good, their lineup depth is also very good, there are also superstars, it seems that they have the strength to win the championship.

It seems so.

(End of this chapter)