Knicks Hating

Golden State Warriors 106, New York Knicks 104
New York Knicks 89, Philadelphia 76ers 81

Isiah-in-Wonderland was on vacation over the weekend, so there was no time to sort through these two games. Things have gotten a bit scary with a 5-5 record (THE HORROR) over the past 10 games. Winning at a .500 clip is just not acceptable right now, but at least we're not facing anything quite as bad as that three-game winning streak at the moment.

On the other hand, the Knicks have only the sixth-worst record in the NBA right now at 14-29 and are only four games behind the Indiana Pacers for the eight and final playoff spot in the East. Now that's horrifying indeed.

Anyway, I'm not the only one who just can't stand the Knicks this season. Last week brought a fresh wave of assaults and insults. The first to speak up was Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy, who used the Knicks as an example of bad management.

"I would only make deals to help our future. Anything else is suicide," Dunleavy told the Los Angeles Times. "Anything else and you become the New York Knicks."

It's good to know that the Knicks can now serve as one of those management and personnel case studies. Students of the NBA years from now will have a display of the 2007-8 Knicks up in their classroom as an example of exactly what not to do in putting together a team.

When Charles Oakley talks, you listen

The other insult was far more serious because it came from someone so close to home. Charles Oakley, one of the most beloved players in Knicks history had these comments to share last week:

"They don’t have a leader. A lot of the guys on the team don’t know how to play basketball. They don’t look like they’ve been playing basketball on a day-to-day basis. I don’t think they have a lot of talent. They have a lot of guys making money. That doesn’t mean you have talent."

And then:

"Randolph is just a double-double guy and [Curry] hasn’t been in shape in two or three years. They lose the same way, by 20, 30 points. If you’re going to lose, lose going out – bodies on the floor, making an effort on defense. If you lose 30-something games by the All-Star break, it’s a disgrace."

When Oakley speaks up, you listen. Oak was a man among boys when he played in New York, one of the toughest hombres on the court. He was fearsome and intense, a hard worker who never let the other team get an easy basket. The city went into mourning when he was traded to Toronto (even though that trade netted Marcus Camby and eventually worked out pretty well).

And Oakley's words count far more than anything I, the other critics, the media or the average can can conjure. So when he lashes out at a team and players like that, it's time to either step up or leave your pride at home for the rest of the season.

Next up: Knicks at Lakers at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Best-case scenario: Kobe, feeling a bit ornery, scores all of his team's points in an 89-84 victory. The Knicks backcourt spontaneously explode in embarrassment.
Worst-case scenario: Without Bynum in their way, Curry and Randolph destroy Kwame Brown and pile on the points.