New York Knicks Shoot For .500 Record Next Season

New York Knicks Shoot For .500 Record Next Season Image

The New York Knicks have been one of the worst NBA teams of the decade – hopefully the start of a new decade will bring better fortune. The last season the Knicks finished with a winning record was 00'-01' going 48-34. The Knicks hit bottom in 05'-06' with a 23-59 record. With new head coach Mike D'Antoni the Knicks had a run & gun style and averaged 105.3 points per game for 4th in the NBA. Too bad they had one of the worst defenses in the NBA giving up more then 107 points per game. The Knicks had 9 different players who averaged more then 10 points per game also.

The Knicks were dead last in the Atlantic Division with a 32-50 season. Besides the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers (41-41) every team in the Atlantic Division was under .500. It is the most competitive division in the NBA so that gives the Knicks hope that they can come close to a .500 record. Nine teams out of fifteen in the Eastern conference in 08'-09' were under .500 and 2 had 41-41 records.

The Knicks are still recovering from Isiah Thomas who nearly destroyed the franchise. Bad move after bad move took the Knicks from a respected franchise to a laughing stock. The Knicks haven't been a real team in many, many years. A lot of high paid players but little to show for it. The Stephan Marbury fiasco took more of the spotlight from on the court to off the court. Al Harrington was the leading scorer fro the Knicks averaging 20 points per game.

The run & gun style might make for exciting basketball at times – but that style won't win many games. If the Knicks ever hope to be at least a .500 team they must play defense. Mike D'Antoni is a very good coach but he will have his work cut out for him in 09'-10'.