QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Jul 9 2007, 11:49 PM)
On paper you would think so, but that's just not the case. They have too many shoot-first-pass-rarely players and are a bad defensive team that just got even worse, and also has a tendency to turn the ball over at a high rate. Curry and Randolph has got to be the worst defensive post combo in the league, probably by a wide margin. Their rebounding will also suffer a bit with Randolph eating up a lot of David Lee's minutes. Artest would be the ONE good defender they have, with Lee as borderline.
Plus you gotta remember the stats are going to drop with guys splitting time/opportunities more. No way in hell Randolph gets 18.8 shots a game with their guard combo and Curry taking a lot of post opportunities, even the 16 he got the few years before that are a stretch (Crawford led the Knicks last year at 15 even). You'd have a lineup with 5 guys that think they're #1 options, which really hurts their effectiveness and drops their production.
What they need is 2 or 3 more guys like David Lee that'll do the dirty work and not force their shot attempts, not another shot-happy wing player (even if he does play very good D).
That's exactly why I'd be in favor of a deal that sent Artest to the Knicks. They'll continue to be dysfunctional until, as you said Zoom, they get some role players that'll play D and do the dirty work. Having 5 guys who think they're #1 doesn't work. We all saw how the Lakers did that one year with Shaq, Kobe, Malone, and Payton in the lineup. Sure, they made the playoffs, but they didn't win a Championship, which is what really matters. Plus, the Knicks lineup would be nowhere near as talented as that Lakers one, so I don't see how that team would work...