Knicks Struggles Continue in Chicago

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Thursday, October 31^st, 2013

New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls

Post Game Recap

The Knicks fought hard on the second night of a back-to-back but came up short in the end in Chicago against the Bulls, losing by a score of 82-81 thanks to a Derrick Rose floater with 5.7 seconds remaining in the game. The Knicks showed some good resolve tonight as the Bulls enforced their will upon the Knicks but they never gave in. The Knicks went to their best player in Carmelo Anthony for the last possession but he clanked a long jump shot off the rim, a common theme for Anthony tonight against a tough Chicago defense. The Knicks will have a couple of nights off before returning home to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves Sunday night at Madison Square Garden at 7:30 PM ET.

Player of the Game: Andrea Bargnani

Howard Simmons/New York Daily News

Bargnani got the nod for the starting lineup tonight and looked like a disaster at the start. He struggled to get anything going again on the offensive end as he committed three offensive fouls and missed all three of his shots. Woodson showed some much needed confidence in Bargnani going back to him to start the second half and he responded in a big way. He knocked down four of his five shots for nine points and kept the Knicks in the game. He also played and competed hard enough on the defensive end that Woodson was able to get Tyson Chandler some rest at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth by pairing Bargnani with Amar’e Stoudemire. It was a positive night for Bargnani on a night that the Knicks did not have many things go their way.  

-Positives

Knicks Take Season Opener In Sloppy Game

Wednesday, October 30^th, 2013

Milwaukee Bucks vs. New York Knicks

Post Game Recap

It was a tale of two halves for the Knicks tonight as they were able to send the fans home happy opening night with an ugly 90-83 win over the Bucks. The Knicks put on a Jekyll and Hyde performance for the ages as they held as much as a 26 point lead in the first half but struggled to keep up the intensity in the second half as the Bucks came storming back. It was not pretty but in the end the Knicks were able to get a victory to start the season and will have a quick turnaround as they will fly to Chicago to play the Bulls Halloween night at 8 PM ET.

Player of the Game: Tyson Chandler

Jim McIsaac/Newsday

Chandler was a huge difference maker on both sides of the court tonight for the Knicks. He thoroughly outplayed Bucks starting center Larry Sanders all night as Sanders was in foul trouble, playing only 12 minutes and recording five fouls. Chandler anchored the Knicks defense tonight as he challenged shots and made life difficult for the Bucks in the paint. He also added five blocks and three steals to the stat sheet. Chandler also made an impact on the offensive end with highlight put back dunks while showing off his new jump shot, knocking down one of his two attempts from 15-plus feet. Chandler would not let his team lose tonight and was a part of all the good things the Knicks did tonight. Chandler also had the second highest +/- tonight on the team with a +18.

-Positives

New York Jets Team Grades: Week 8

nytimes.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

October 27^th, 2013

Week 8 New York Jets Team Grades

The New York Jets suffered their worst loss of the season on Sunday to the AFC North Cincinnati Bengals, who dominated the Jets, and handed them their fourth loss of the season. The Jets record now half way through the season is (4-4), which is a bit better than most people probably would have predicted at this point.

Passing Offense Grade (F)

Sunday was not an easy day for the Jets passing offense led by Geno Smith, who had one of his bad games against the Bengals good defense. Smith finished throwing for 159 yards on 20 for 30 passing, but the big problems for Smith were the two interceptions he threw, both of which were returned for touchdowns. To Smith's defense one of the interception might not have been his fault, as there was a clear mis-communication between him and Jeremy Kerley. The poor play from Smith, and the lopsided score led to Matt Simms getting some action, and Simms finished up in mop up time throwing for 17 yards on three for seven passing. The one bright spot for the passing offense was the nice game put together by David Nelson, who caught eight passes for 80 yards.

Logical Breakdown of the Vanek-Moulson Trade

Earlier the Islanders traded Matt Moulson, a first round this year and a second round pick next year for Buffalo Sabres winger Thomas Vanek. Fans are in up-roar moaning about giving up fan favorite Matt Moulson and two picks, some are saying the Islanders got “fleeced”. Before any opinion is made lets try and breakdown the trade very logically.

Before getting down into the actual moving parts of the trade lets just breakdown the players.

Matt Moulson is soon to be 30 years old and an unrestricted free agent. Knowing the GMs in the NHL and similar players, it is very conceivable Moulson could get around 6 million dollars per year in the free agent market. Matt Moulson has played 99% of his ice time with John Tavares since joining the Islanders. He was a no show while playing with Tavares in the playoffs, which forced a line change to remove him from that line. Earlier in this season Moulson was not playing well with Tavares in 5v5 situations, which again forced Head Coach Jack Capuano remove Moulson from that line. Most of the damage Moulson has done this year as been on the power-play, where he has 5 of his 6 goals and 2 of his 3 assists. In other words he is not making plays when the situation is even strength. Moulson is also not known for his skating ability, puck handling ability or his defense. He is essentially a one-dimensional player that doesn’t fit the Islanders current play style.

Thomas Vanek is also a soon to be 30 year old unrestricted free agent. He too is a player that could command around the 6-7 million dollar per year mark in the open market. He too has tallied 9 points on the season. He has 4 goals and 5 assists playing for the inferior Buffalo Sabres. However only 4 of his points have been on the power play and only on of those points are a goal. Vanek is 6-2 220 pound, skilled skater, defender, puck handler the Islanders needed to put with Tavares. Scored 20 goals every year he has played in the NHL and was on pace for 40 goals last year in the shortened season. In short Vanek is the far superior player.

Now to the part everyone seems to be moaning about. The traded of draft picks. The Islanders traded a first and second round pick along with Moulson to get Vanek. Here is a question, would you rather trade prospects instead of the draft picks. Would you rather trade players closer to competing at the NHL level, say a player like de Hann? Or even a player who is currently on the team like a Matt Donovan? The draft picks were the best things the Islanders could have given up. They are unknown players who won’t even begin to contribute to this team for  several years. They will also be road blocked by the core of Islanders already locked up, plus the likes of Andres Lee, Brock Nelson, Ryan Strome, Griffin Reinhardt and Ryan Poulock.

The Islanders traded more than fair vaule for Thomas Vanek. Last year Jerome Iginla was traded for a 1^st round pick and two prospects for LESS games than the Islanders will have Vanek for. The most important piece of the trade is that the Islanders now have the inside track to give Vanek an extension. Vanek will have 70 games or so to see if he truly likes playing with Tavares and the rest of the Islanders crew. If Vanek does choose to re-up with the Islanders, it is no brainer that the Islanders won the trade. The only possibly scenario in which the Islanders lose the trade is if they fail to make the playoffs AND Vanek does not re-up with the Islanders. This was a good trade for the Islanders and it brings them one step closer to making that deep playoff run.