Let me clarify. If we’re giving Crawford 40 minutes a game in the hopes that he’ll be different, then I think we’re fooling ourselves. I think he’s shown some improvement this year, but I don’t think he’s changed enough to give him the keys to the team. Just because the rest of the team is just as (or more) dysfunctional doesn’t mean JC gets a free pass.

I think my frustration stems from seeing the same team on the floor doing the same mistakes. I’m tired of Curry not rebounding. I’m tired of Crawford missing 8 shots a game. I’m tired of Marbury’s antics. But most of all I’m tired of losing with the same team & the same excuses. I’d rather lose giving 30+ minutes to Lee, Robinson, and Balkman. At least there’s the chance that one of them will prove to be more than a 24 min guy, and the chance that this team will start to win games.

I agree to let Crawford play 40 minutes a game, but that’s because the more the Knicks lose, the better. Maybe we can find more minutes for Malik Rose too.

And can we obsess more about David Lee’s lack of a jumpshot? There are a ton of fundamental flaws on our team. The difference is that Lee is actually productive with his. I think it’s even worse to know all you have to do is keep Lee of the boards and not foul him under the rim, and it seems that no one’s been able to do it.

I am of two minds on the subject. Yes, Lee should get more minutes any time that Curry does not provide consistent scoring. As I have stated many times on this site, Curry is a one trick pony. His one trick is scoring in the low post. When he does not bring that one trick to the game, there is no need to have him on the floor. Even when Lee’s struggles to score in the paint (he has been blocked alot this year, has he lost some lift?) and on jumpers, Lee brings solid rebounding and he stays in front of his man. He is also a pretty good passer, both from the post and on outlets. So Yes, Lee should get Curry’s minutes any time Curry cant score because when Curry isnt scoring he is a zero for the team.

Lee should get more minutes as a member of the second team AND the second team should get more minutes as a unit. The Knick’s second unit of Balkman, Jones, Lee and Robinson. Gives the Knicks a unit that can push the ball, run the court and play high energy (if not effective)defense. The second unit has been a big part of the 5 wins this team has. Lee should be one of the anchors of the second unit and the entire unit should see more floor time.

On the other hand….

No, Lee should not get more minutes if he has to play the three. He is not quick enough to keep up with most SFs in the NBA. He doesnt have enough of an outside shot to remain an effective offensive weapon while Curry and Randolph are the post scorers.

Even if we do ‘ok’ this week and say win 35 games this year, where does that get you? Only place I can think of is mediocrity land.

The key is making Dolan sell the team to an owner who doesnt take media scrutiny personally and actually cares about he product on the hardwood. The only thing Dolan cares about making sure the KNICKS PR dept is doing their job spewing out MSG propoganda on how good they are and leveraging the storied past of the KNICKS for redundant shows on MSG. If they dont their act together, we will only the past memories of this franchise to fondly think of as we watch the dolans drag the knicks to new lows that I dont think I can stomach anymore.

Does it? I think it says more about Isiah’s idiocy than anything wrong with Lee’s game. This is the same coach who was starting Jerome James last season.

“Ben, ZR has a decent shot and although he takes it too often, he still needs to be defended out there. That keeps his man out of the middle so that if he passes (too rarely) there is room for guard penetration.”

I think this is part of what people are saying. The whole fact that ZR loves his jumper is what costs the Knicks potentially higher-percentage shots. This results in numerous lost opportunities each game, which make for an incredibly inefficient player. At this point, people know Randolph can make that shot on occasion, and as others have argued, he really should spend most of his time in the low post, where he’d be able to score at a much higher rate.

“Rose will also confidently take that shot and hit it enough to merit defensive concern.”

I have never seen Rose make that shot. In fact, he has only made four FGs all season in 22 attempts. I know you’ve been bringing up how much you’ve watched the actual games, but seriously, Rose has an efg% of 18% this year.

“I honestly can?t remember the last time I saw Lee make a shot beyond 10 feet, has he made any this year?”

Someone already cited Lee’s stats on hitting jumpers, an efg% of 37.5%, which is better than any non-guard on the team.

Like everyone has said over and over again here, the ability to hit a jumper is vastly overrated in the NBA, especially for big men. I actually cringe whenever I see Rasheed Wallace launching long threes.

Lol, yes, absolutely. The fact DLee is getting less time than he did last year speaks not for itself, but for the fact that Isaiah is a total nincompoop. Last year, when Lee was getting 30 minutes per bofore he got hurt, the Knicks were almost a 500 team. He had the best adjusted +/- by far on the team. Without a jumpshot, he was clearly the best player by a huge margin, and mostly on offense. The Knicks were 9 points better on offense last year with Lee on the court last year, they were 2.6 points worse with Curry on offense. Looking at the stats its pretty clear why that is the case. Lee generates so many second opportunities, converts so efficiently, and turns the ball over so little, while passing well, that his net offensive impact, when he is playing well, is much more significant than Curry’s.

Randolph actually had a better adjusted +/- than Lee last year, although I think that has something to do with the extra minutes he played, but he can be an effective player, Curry hasn’t shown that yet in his career…

IMHO of course, an opinion I have been voicing for a year now….