New York Knicks: 50-1
Whatever debate there has been about Phil Jackson’s capacity to institute a culture shift in New York is finished. He did it and could have foreseen.
J.R. Smith has seen the light.
„Trying to think about the rest of the group over myself or my scoring is something which I never really had to do before,“ Smith told ESPNNewYork.com’s Ohm Youngmisuk. „I have been in a position to score, [now I am ] able to take my time and allow the game come and let my teammates triumph more than myself, I believe that’s the ultimate triumph.“
As the year progresses, transformations in the preseason have a means of reversing themselves, but for the time being, it seems Jackson has performed magic.
Getting Smith to purchase into the equal-opportunity tenets of this triangle offense is huge, and everything then –figuring out how to coax defense from a frontcourt rotation involving Andrea Bargnani and Amar’e Stoudemire, compelling James Dolan to keep kazoos out of the locker room–should be cake.
The Knicks are not so far removed from a season in 2012-13. Jackson’s influence should help them get closer to this total than the 37 wins season was amassed by them.
Don’t expect a championship chase–Carmelo Anthony understands some real help and not until 2015 is sloughed off in by the contracts on the books.
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