Knicks Game 1 Recap

Score - Heat 115- Knicks 93

Record - 0-1

After months of anticipation and the building of hopes and dreams, the Knicks came out of the gates with an ugly showing, losing to the Heat by 22. The game was close for a while, but the Heat ended the first half on a 10-1 run, and the Knicks never recovered. The starters really blew it this time, looking half asleep, especially on defense, at the start of the second half. The defense was porous, allowing easy uncontested dunks, and the first team stuttered and stammered on offense. It is just one loss, but a very disappointing start to what will be a looonnggg season if the team plays like it did last night.


On the bright side of things, Danilo Gallinari had a stellar showing, scoring a career high 22 points on 7-14 shooting from 3 point land. Gallo was cold early, starting 0 for 3 and bricking from downtown, but he went on a tear in the 4th quarter, scoring 12 of his 22. Gallo also chipped in with 6 rebounds and didn't turn the ball over. It shouldn't be long until the Rooster is in the starting lineup.

David Lee had a good game on the offensive side of the ball, scoring 22 points on 9 of 13 shooting. Where Lee didn't show up was on defense, where he was repeatedly baffled by simple screen and roll plays, leaving Jermaine O'neal wide open on rolls to the hoop for easy stuffs. The Knicks were switching on nearly every screen, and Eric Spoelstra seemed to have the right gameplan after halftime to exploit this strategy. The Knicks should stop with the gimmicky switch on everything defense, and try to play more straight up, fighting over screens and helping eachother.

Darko Milicic also impressed in his Knicks regular season debut. He left the game late with a bump on his knee, but he should be fine. Darko got it going early, scoring like a boxer, with a left hook, followed by a right hook, both from the right block. He did his best to fill up the box score in only 17 minutes, with 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 assists, and 4 points. On one play Milicic was caught after a switch guarding Daequan Cook beyond the arc. Cook tried to shake and bake the big man, but Darko picked his pocket nicely for the steal. I would like to see Darko take the place of Jeffries in the starting lineup soon.

Speaking of Jeffries, he put on a pitiful showing, as expected. In 36 minutes, Jeffries managed just 2 points and 5 rebounds, pitching in 3 turnovers. Twice he stepped out of bounds after catching a pass in the corner, and he was also emphatically rejected by Joel Anthony and fell to the ground like a rag doll. And what of Jeffries new shooting form? He attempted 2 wide open 3 point attempts, and both ended up with the ball clanking off the rim and bouncing over the backboard. I've seen enough. At least Larry Hughes didn't play.

Dwyane Wade and a spry looking Jermaine O'neal led the Heat to victory. O'neal was particularly unguardable, scoring easy post jumpers over Lee, or rolling to the hoop for vicious dunks. He finished with 22 points on 10-12 shooting, and added 12 rebounds. Quentin Richardson fittingly faced the Knicks in his first game since being traded for Darko, and he looked like a whole new man. Q-Rich apparently lost 25 pounds and his face looked bony, unlike the chubby mug Knicks fans got used to. Too bad he couldn't be in tip top shape as a Knick.

Lastly, Jordan Hill made his regular season Knicks debut in garbage time of the blowout, and immediately showed what he is made of. On his first touch, in the high post, Hill caught, pump faked, spun around a few times, and took a wild contested fadeaway jumper that missed the rim completely.

This was a dissapointing, disturbing, disheartening game, but at least the season is here, and we can again watch Knicks basketball and admire Clyde's suits. If the Knicks would look to get Gallinari more involved in the offense, and played a little smarter and tougher on defense, they can be ok, but last night they stunk. The Knicks take the court for game 2 on Friday night in Charlotte. The Bobcats looked woeful last night, managing a meager 59 points against the Celtics, so that is a game the Knicks should be looking to win and win big.

You can't read too much into the first game of the season right? Just try and stay positive.