All time favorite Knicks- #9: Anthony Mason

Sorry for not posting in a while- been very busy trying to graduate. So I have found some free time in this busy time to post another of my top 10 favorite Knicks- and this guy has some NYC flavor.

#9. Anthony Mason-

Mase is easily on this list for many reasons. Hailing from Springfield Gardens in Queens, Mason came to the Knicks in the beginning of the 1991-92 season, and by the time he left after the 1996 playoff loss to Chicago, Mason was in the hearts of every Knicks fan.

He teamed with Charles Oakley, Xavier McDaniel, Charles Smith and Patrick Ewing to bring toughness to the team, and they made the game physical and brutal for an opposing team. He played with a swagger and cocky attitude that the fans loved and opposing teams hated.

Mason's best statistical season with the Knicks came in his last one, where he scored 15 points a game, and grabbed 9 rebounds a game and started all 82 games. However the team grew tired of Mason and traded him to Charlotte for Larry Johnson. After three years with the Hornets, Mason played for the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks before retiring after the 2002-03 season.

Mason retired with careers averages of 11 points and 8 rebounds a game, and left a mark on Knicks fans- part of why the 1990s were so fun around MSG.

So let me know what you think so far about the list- 10. David Lee, 9. Anthony Mason, always like to hear what your thoughts are.

Lucky Allan?

Yesterday it was announced that Allan Houston will once again represent the Knicks at the draft lottery this year. As everyone knows (especially the guys over at The Knicks Blog) Houston was on the dias in 2003- aka the LeBron draft- and the Knicks ended up with Mike Sweetney.

Obviously that isn't Allan's fault, as he didn't make the pick, he just sat at a table. The team this time around has a 10% chance of getting into the top 3, and just under a 3% chance of getting Blake Griffin- I mean the #1 pick. So Houston wont be working with great odds- atleast not like last year's odds which would've been even better in this year's NBA.

I never really care who is on the dias representing the team, because it hasnt mattered really- the team has never moved up since they've been in the lottery, and the one year they did they had to give the pick to Chicago in the Eddy Curry deal (Still upset about possibly having LaMarcus Aldridge on this team).

I like Allan though, even though his knees ruined his career. Allan was my favorite Knick of the late 90s besides LJ (that might make an appearance later in my top 10 knicks...). So here's to Allan, and hopefully the karma gods are on his side, because they HAVE TO get into the top 2, it would only seem fair after all these years in the lottery.

FYI- check out the guys over at The Knicks Blog (www.theknicksblog.com)- I read them everyday, and they're die-hard Knicks fans- just like me.

All time favorite Knicks- #10: David Lee

So I promised to start this this week, so here it is. Editor's Note- these are my 10 favorite knicks, not who I think is the greatest Knicks ever (although I'm sure it might equal out).

10. David Lee, PF

- The first entry on this list, Lee is a guy who does all the dirty, grunt work for the Knicks, and averaged a double- double this year. Lee has been on the team since 2005, when the Knicks drafted him with the last pick in the first round.

Lee has become a fan favorite as his role expanded since Larry Brown confused everyone with yanking around Lee's minutes. Lee played in six straight games after the New Year that year, and the Knicks won all six. Lee then barely played the rest of the year and the team fell apart and finished with 23 wins.

Now, with Lee a restricted free agent, Donnie Walsh has to decide whether to keep the workmen- like player in Lee, or the flashy super small Nate Robinson (also a restricted free agent). Both players have become fan favorites the last couple of years, and fans would love to see both stay.

However, one is probably going to be part of a sign and trade for either expiring contracts, draft picks or another player (Ben Gordon perhaps?). My vote is to keep Lee- the team is undersized as is, and Lee is your best rebounder. That one stat is what makes David Lee a fan favorite, an extremely important to the future of the team.

LeBron to win MVP-

According to multiple sources, LeBron James will be named NBA MVP today.

Shocker. James posted 28 pts, 7 rebs and 7 assists for the Cavaliers this year, helping them to a number one seed in the Eastern Conference with 65 wins. Cleveland also went 39-2 at home this year.

James is the first Cavalier to ever win the MVP award, and the 2nd youngest player since Wes Unseld.

- Now, if LeBron were to win a title this year, plus his MVP award, not sure what else is needed to be done in Cleveland...

NBA Playoffs thoughts-

I know, I know- it's a Knicks blog, but the NBA Playoffs are going on- and I am an NBA fan.

There's two games on today: Miam- Atlanta and Denver- Dallas. Now, Game 7s are usually very exciting and one of the biggest events in the sport. However, someone forgot to tell the Heat that. Atlanta used a huge second quarter to beat Miami 91-79- even though the game wasn't even that close. The Hawks led by as many as 26 points in the third, and Miami wasn't really in the game in the second half.

Joe Johnson erupted in the game, scoring 27 points and hit 6 threes. Josh Smith also added 21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block for the Hawks, who will move on to face LeBron and the Cavs in the second round (you remember them, right?). Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 31 points, but probably saw his MVP chances go down the drain with the loss (although i thought the same two years ago when Dirk Nowitzki lost in the first round and still won MVP, so who knows).

In the second game, Denver and Dallas will officially open the 2nd round with Game 1 of their series. I like Denver in this series in 6, and think they will win Game 1 at home (even though as I write this Dallas leads by 9- so again, what do I know?).

Anyway- starting next week I will hopefully begin my top 10 favorite Knicks, and then start with draft stuff as the lottery is quickly approaching. Should be fun- continue to stop on by

My plan to fix the 2009-2010 Knicks...

Ok, so there is one more year before the summer of LeBron, and some might argue that this summer is almost as important. Last year at this time, the Knicks were closing out a 23-59 season, just hired Donnie Walsh to oversee the rebuilding of the franchise, and he still hadn't come up with a coach, and had a roster full of untradeable contracts.

Fast forward a year and the Knicks improved by 9 games (23 to 32), have a coach in Mike D'Antoni that plays a style the players love to play- and managed to clear cap space for the LeBron summer by dealing Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph- ON THE SAME DAY!

So when you look forward to this summer, the Knicks will have to make two big decisions, and still have to save cap space for LeBron. I, therefore, have come up with a plan to make the Knicks more competitive next year, and save money for atleast LeBron-

STEP 1: Hope David Stern comes through and gets the Knicks from the 8th slot to either 2 or 1...and get the them either Blake Griffin or Ricky Rubio. Either one would give the Knicks a legit piece to build around. The move here is to go with Rubio if they get #2 (obviously Griffin goes 1 no matter what). Rubio gives the Knicks a superstar point guard at just 18 years old, and allows Chris Duhon to come off the bench. Rubio is the perfect point guard to play for D'Antoni, and would be an enticing piece of the puzzle for LeBron.

STEP 2: Sign David Lee.
- Lee is a fan favorite, and really is the heart of this team. While he may not be worth 10 million a year, he's definitely worth 7-8 million. His ability to grab rebounds is sorely needed on the team, and with the added players and talent around him he wont be as beaten down by the end of the year.

STEP 3: Trade Nate Robinson to the Bulls for Ben Gordon
- Gordon would give the Knicks a go-to guy at the end of games, and a lights out scorer who has shown he can come off the bench and light it up. Both players are restricted free agents, so the contracts could even out. Gordon would probably command more, so perhaps Robinson and Jared Jeffries could get it done. Robinson would give the Bulls another scorer in the Gordon mold, and they could focus on Loul Deng and getting him paid.

And of course, I will personally take Jared Jeffries to the airport and see him off.

Step 4: Sign Dmitrius Nichols and Patrick Ewing Jr.
- Nichols and Ewing Jr would provide energy and scoring off the bench, respectively, and both showed glimpses. Nichols averaged 20 points a game in the summer league for the Knicks a couple years ago, and Ewing Jr had Knicks fans in love with him during the pre-season last year.

This would then make the roster look like this:

PG- Rubio
SG- Gordon
SF- Chandler
PF- Gallinari
C- Lee

Bench: Quentin Richardson, Al Harrington, Chris Duhon, Pat Ewing Jr and Demitrious Nichols.

That, with D'Antoni coaching, would make the playoffs. And be enticing to a certain player in Cleveland...

First Post Fun!!

Hey everyone, thanks for checking out the Blog! All Things Knicks will help you navigate through everything about the Knicks- news, thoughts- everything. It is shaping up to be a fun offseason for the team, and you have to be excited with Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni running the show.

So check back here often, as I will help you Knicks fans follow your team as best as possible.