New York Knicks need to sign Mike Woodson as a permanent head coach, and quickly – NBA Feature
The New York Knicks have been one of the turnaround teams of the year.
The Knicks have had a roller coaster ride this season, with injury to star player Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony’s fall and the rise of Jeremy Lin, Mike D’Antoni’s sudden departure and then the resurgence of the Knicks under interim head coach Mike Woodson.
All these events have made New York the most talked about team of the year.
But now is the time for the talking to stop and the Knicks to concentrate on the playoffs. One has got to hand it to the Knicks. With so many injury troubles and having to adjust with a new coach in the mid of the season, they have done a remarkable job of staying in contention for the playoffs.
Now, the Knicks seem to be settling down. Under Coach Mike Woodson, the Knicks are 12-4 and have nearly grabbed a place in the playoffs. They are currently 7th in the East, 2 games clear of 9th placed Milwaukee Bucks. All they need to do now is to sit together and focus on going as far as possible in the playoffs.
The Knicks may not be a contender for making the NBA Finals but do not count them out either. They have all the ingredients of staging an upset in the playoffs. Carmelo Anthony seems to be working well under the new coach. We could see that he was not comfortable with the direction and strategy Mike D’Antoni had set for the team because his numbers dropped suddenly. Now, Melo seems to be getting back to his old self, and has been averaging 30 points a game in his last 9 appearances.
The new coach also seems to have adjusted well with the team and the players he has at his disposal. A 12-4 record to start with is not bad at all. Plus, under Mike Woodson, the Knicks have finally started playing some good defense. Since Woodson has taken over, the Knicks are giving away 90.3 points per game on average, 6.2 points less than the average under Mike D’Antoni. We can see the difference on the court, with New York giving a tough time to teams such as Miami and Chicago recently.
But, amidst all the progress, there have been reports that the Big Apple franchise is looking at former greats for the coaching job – Phil Jackson and Larry Brown being the standouts. That is definitely the wrong way to go.
The Knicks need to confirm Mike Woodson as their permanent head coach as quickly as possible, and definitely before the playoffs.
Woodson has proven himself and his capabilities, and now needs to be assured that his job is secure here in New York, and he will be rewarded for all his efforts with this team. The Knicks cannot afford to enter the playoffs with Woodson still unsure about his job, because that would harm their chances of success. After all, a coach who does not know if he will get the job permanently is bound to get confused and distracted, not something the Knicks want at this stage.
They need to end this season with a statement so they can pick up from where they left off next season, when all their players will be well rested and 100% healthy. With the kind of roster they have, New York can look to become a true contender in the 2012-2013 season.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent Bettor.com’s editorial policy.
Tags: