Just kidding. But now that we have your attention, here are some random hangover-addled thoughts from last night's game:
- It's hard to take too much away from trouncing a bad and unexperienced defensive team that completely gave up in the 2nd half, but the offense looked much better last night. The spacing was vastly improved, allowing Chandler to run the pick and roll and Melo to dominate in the mid-range game. Some of this probably had to do with the Knicks' scorching start from behind the arc (8-11 to start the game after Jorts' bank shot), but having Amar'e out of the lane certainly didn't hurt either. I am not going to say that this team is better without Amar'e on the floor, but it still feels like Melo and STAT are totally redundant and limit each other more than they enhance each other. Constructing an NBA roster is not really about amassing as much talent as possible; it's about asset management and it's a waste to have 60% of your resources (in this case, cap space) devoted to two players who functionally do the same thing. Doing so leaves very little room to round out the roster with players who perform other crucial tasks to winning basketball games, like long range shooting, defense, and ball distribution. The Knicks are better with Amar'e than without him, but I think their ceiling is limited by having both Amar'e and Carmelo on the roster. Imagine having the team that was on the floor last night, with another $15 million to fill in the rest of the squad.
- JORTS!!!!! I love that guy. During the Warriors game, my wife came into the family room and said, "Who's the plodding, pasty white guy?" I lovingly explained the Legend of Jorts. She watched a few more plays and added, "He looks a lot like you." Thanks, Mrs. Mike. On the one hand, she thinks I look like a professional athlete. On the other hand, she described the player as "plodding" and "pasty." We'll call this one a push.
- Boy, the Kings are a really depressing team. They remind me a lot of the equally sad Detroit Pistons. Both teams are full of: 1) players who are under 6'4", but have no idea how to run an offense (Tyreke Evans, Jimmer, Marcus Thornton, Ben Gordon, Rodney Stuckey, Will Bynum), 2) 'Tweener forwards whose love of shooting is only outstripped by their aversion to rebounding and defense (John Salmons, Donte Greene, Charlie Villanueva, Austin Daye), 3) Undersized centers who can't protect the rim (Chuck Hayes, JJ Hickson, Greg Monroe, Jason Maxiell). That team is a hot mess.
- If there were an All-NBA Scowling/Sneering team, DeMarcus Cousins would be a first team lock every year, right? Even if he has just converted a perfect alley-oop to set up a three-point play, he still makes a face like somebody just told him he's going to have to spend the rest of the game in a fart chamber doing long division while listening to Enya's Greatest Hits. Examples of this can be seen here, here, and here. He must be a miserable player to have to root for. Smile, dude. You're living the dream.
- And finally.... JORTS!!!!!
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