New York Knicks hope that Carmelo and Stoudemire can get it done

The NBA draft has come and gone but it looks like the the NBA lockout is here to stay.

That’s the latest news in a nutshell from the NBA which is usually quiet this time of the year anyway but even more so since there’s no free agency activity with the lockout in place. There have been grumblings from some players about taking their talents overseas but there have been no defections yet.

Strange timing

Most NBA teams have shut down completely but a few of them are still making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The Los Angeles Lakers for example fired several long time employees ranging from secretaries to trainers to their entire scouting department including director Ronnie Lester who had been with the team for over 20 years.

The Knicks picked the early stages of the lockout to announce that ticket prices will be raised by 49% next season. Scott O'Neil, president of Madison Square Garden Sports, said that the increase in prices is due to the ongoing renovations at the Garden and had nothing to do with the addition of Carmelo Anthony to the roster. Either way 49% of zero is still zero and that’s what owners and players will get if their current labor dispute isn’t settled.

Anthony brought a glimmer of hope to the Big Apple with his trade deadline arrival but ultimately Carmelo and Amar'e Stoudemire were unable to get New York out of the first-round of the playoffs. The Knicks might be well served to use that extra ticket revenue on supporting pieces because outside of point guard Chauncey Billups and perhaps Toney Douglas, its remaining talent leaves a lot to be desired.

The list of players under contract include; Ronny Turiaf, Renaldo Balkman, Bill Walker, Derek Brown, Andy Rautins and Landry Fields and new draftees Iman Shumpert and Josh Harrellson. While the verdict is still out on the two rookies, the remainder of the list consists of players who are at best back-ups.

It’s a new game

It doesn’t do much good to speculate on NBA trades or free agent signings because there won’t be any now or in the foreseeable futures. Even when a new collective bargaining agreement all the numbers as they relate to player salaries will be different than before. Suffice to say though the Knicks needs are many.

They need a center, a point guard, back-up power forward and another scorer off the bench and did I mention defense? New York was last in the Eastern Conference allowing 107.5 points per game, ranked 25^th in 3-point defense (37.2%) and 26^th in overall field goal defense (47.2%).

Scoring was not a problem. The Knicks were second in the league in points per game (105.7) and eighth in 3-point shooting (36.8%). Anthony finished as the third leading scorer in the league (25.6) while Stoudemire was sixth with 25.3 points per game. However New York didn’t have a player ranked within the top 20 in rebounds, assists or steals. They were a very one dimensional team last season and its likely to be more of the same next season barring a change in coaching philosophy.

There’s no I in team

As the Miami Heat showed in 2011 the team with the most superstars doesn’t always win.  Just ask KG, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Kobe and Pau took an early vacation as did Carmelo and Amar'e. When it was all said and done it was one superstar surrounded by a great team that hoisted the championship trophy.

Despite being been burned once the NBA Betting Books are still crazy about the Heat making Miami a 5/2 choice to win the next NBA title. The Mavericks are apparently being viewed as a ‘one and done’ championship team with NBA odds makers listing them at 10/1. Nestled in the middle of the 2011 finalists are the Lakers (11/2), Bulls (6/1) and Thunder (15/2). The Knicks are currently listed at 12/1 in the betting odds.

If fans want to see the new-and-improved Knicks play next season they're have to pay a little extra for the ‘privilege’. But at least they’ll get a full season of Anthony.