Throwdowns > Forfeited

BigBlueBMP: STAT & 'Melo said 12/13, 06:17 PM
While already a playoff team w/o Chandler, the most recent signing of the 3rd-place DPOY vote getter has put the Knicks over the top to reach the conf. finals (as the 3rd seed, eking out an aging BOS squad who will wilt from the 66-game sked and the Rondo near-trade fiasco) for the 1st time since '99.

While the acquisition of Chandler is overstated for his potential to improve NY's defensive inadequacies, Tyson does just as much to alleviate Amare and Melo (arguably the NBA's best scorer) on both ends of the floor. Stoudemire will no longer be asked to play out of position to spell the likes of Turiaf, nor will he expound energy in chasing boards (never his strongest suit) that Chandler can instead acquire. Amare's inside-out game puts him a notch above most PF's in the league, especially against the East. Heck, Chandlers' proclivity for D likely rubs off on Amare (and the rest of the team, now assisted by Mike Woodson as DEF specialist).

Having backed off a Crawford deal, NY retains Douglas, the team's best perimeter defender. Keeping him aboard allows for a combo guard tandem (1st rd. steal and defensive artist Shumpert) to promote team defense, a perennial weakness.

BigBlueBMP: STAT & 'Melo said 12/15, 05:12 PM
With NY finishing 3rd (behind MIA and CHI, respectively...Battier does more for MIA than Rip does for CHI, honestly), they (a) avoid MIA until the ECF and (b) draw CHI, whom they match up better with.

Yes, D. Rose is a special player (with a lot of 9 for 27 shooting nights), but he carries an offensive burden that an aging Rip (who has regressed precipitously, averaging 56 GP's the last 3 seasons and a career-low 14.1 PPG last year) cannot aid without more help.

I'm not so sure CHI returns to 60-win form with an oft-injured Boozer and little in the way of scoring beyond an output of Deng (yawn), Korver (eh), Gibson/Brewer (MIN didn't even want the latter). Douglas proved he can throttle Rose, and he is part of a PG combo (Shumpert/Bibby) that isn't all that bad. Last season's 11/4 contest was sort of a coming out party for Douglas...the beneficiary of a D'Antoni offense, Toney lit up Rose for 30.

'Melo, with legendary performance against BOS in Game 2 in Round 1, can shine on the big stage. Games 1 & 2 of that series were more indicative of NY's potential even despite the L's. Now, Chandler and his trickle-down D adds spark to the type of potential, and then some