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Atlantic Notes: Lottery, Knicks, Novak, Davis, Nets

April 26th, 2012 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

Typically, a matchup between a pair of 22-43 clubs doesn't make for appointment viewing, but fans of the Nets and Raptors will be watching the last game of the season with interest tonight. Of course, most of those fans will be rooting for a loss. With lottery positioning at stake, the loser of tonight's game could climb as high as third in the lottery standings, while the winner could "fall" as low as eighth. Here are Hoops Rumors' lottery standings as we head into the regular season's final evening, and here's the latest out of the Atlantic:

  • Glen Grunwald, the Knicks' new permanent GM, gave interim coach Mike Woodson a ringing endorsment yesterday and appears to be leaning toward bringing Woodson back next season, says Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Glunwald didn't want to specifically address staffing decisions, but said Woodson has done a fantastic job: "I can't give him enough credit for the job he's done. Normally, coaching changes don't result in such a dramatic improvement in the team performance, so I think that speaks very well of him."
  • Steve Novak seems to have found his niche with the Knicks this season, but Steve Kerr always wanted to bring Novak to Phoenix when he worked in the Suns' front office. Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com has the details.
  • Ed Davis is expected to see a lot of playing time in the Summer League this year. Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun says the Raptors will use the opportunity to get a better of idea of whether Davis is part of the team's long-term plans.
  • Rich Calder and Tim Bontemps of the New York Post report that the alleged Brooklyn Nets logo that leaked yesterday is indeed the real deal.
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Woelfel On Knicks, Ilyasova, Stackhouse, Fesenko

April 25th, 2012 at 8:29am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this morning, we passed along a report from Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times on Beno Udrih's decision to exercise his player option this summer. Within the same column, Woelfel also shared a few other items of interest, so let's round those up:

  • Woelfel is hearing that the Knicks will make a "major push" to hire Phil Jackson as their new coach if the team doesn't make it through the first round of the playoffs. However, a New York Post report suggests that interim coach Mike Woodson has become the odds-on favorite to earn the permanent position after the Knicks named Glen Grunwald their permanent GM.
  • The "growing consensus" among some NBA officials is that Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova will land a multiyear contract worth about $8MM annually in free agency this summer.
  • Hawks veteran Jerry Stackhouse is close to ending his playing career and pursuing a coaching position in either college or the pros. "I’m trying to transition into the next phase of my career," Stackhouse said. "I definitely want to be a head coach some day and I’m willing to pay my dues to make it happen."
  • The Bucks were interested in Kyrylo Fesenko before the big man signed with the Pacers. Said Fesenko: "I had a good workout with the Bucks. I was interested (in signing with them), but they kept asking me to wait and to wait and to wait and I couldn’t wait anymore. I don’t what they were waiting for, a magic moment or what?"
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Knicks Notes: Stoudemire, Practice

April 24th, 2012 at 9:01pm CST by Ryan Raroque
This season marks the first time since 2000-01 that the Knicks have been able to clinch a playoff spot in consecutive years. Who they will face in the first round is yet to be determined, as the Bulls, Heat, and Pacers remain possibilities. In order to obtain a matchup with Indiana, New York has to win its next two games in addition to the Magic losing its final two games. For the team to fall no lower than seventh (if Orlando keeps sixth), the Knicks would have to at least finish with the same record as Philadelphia. Otherwise, they fall to eighth and give way for a continuation of New York and Chicago's recent competitive battles. You can read more about tonight's Knicks news here:
  • Amare Stoudemire appears ready to another post-season opportunity with the Knicks, saying that last year's sweep at the hands of Boston left a "sour taste in our mouth." Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York takes a closer look at how Amare's pairing with Carmelo Anthony can work based on what he saw from New York's win in Atlanta. 
  • Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes that while some players expected a light day on the eve of a back-to-back to finish the season, coach Mike Woodson upped the intensity of practice in preparation of their playoff opener this weekend.  
  • Stoudemire plans to play the next two games as long as the Knicks have a chance to move up in the Eastern Conference standings, according to Ian Begley of ESPN New York. Begley also wrote that Amare could sit the last game of the season against the Bobcats if the Knicks can no longer improve their playoff seeding at that point. 
  • Mike Kurylo of the New York Times' Off the Dribble blog examines the possibility that the Knicks could currently be a stronger team than their overall stats this year would indicate, crediting the manner in which the team has been performing since All-Star break. 
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Odds & Ends: Humphries, Carmelo, Woodson, Paul

April 24th, 2012 at 3:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Tonight's Clippers/Hawks game will affect playoff seeding, and the Hornets/Warriors contest has lottery implications. But the one to circle on tonight's schedule is Suns vs. Jazz in Utah, a game Al Jefferson calls the biggest of his life (via Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune). A Utah win clinches the Jazz a playoff spot, while a Suns win would mean the two teams are tied for the eighth seed with one game remaining. Before the two teams get underway, let's check in on some other notes from around the NBA….

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Knicks Notes: Atlantic, Heat, Shumpert, Woodson

April 15th, 2012 at 8:45am CST by Daniel Seco

On a Sunday chock full of NBA action, let's first head to Madison Square Garden to check in on the latest news from the Knicks.

  • While some pundits question if the Knicks will even make the playoffs, the team has its sights on stealing the Atlantic Division title from the Celtics, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Knicks head coach Mike Woodson wants his players hungry and believing in themselves that they can make up the three games that separate the Knicks and the Celtics in the standings. The Knicks are 9-0 at home since Woodson took over as the interim head coach of the team on March 14th and would be the fourth seed in the playoffs if they win the Atlantic.
  • Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News says the Heat would face the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs if the season ended today but do not view them as an easy opponent. Lawrence contends LeBron James has too much respect for Carmelo Anthony as a player to publicly dismiss the Knicks' chances of giving the Heat a competitive series. The Heat head to the Garden Sunday afternoon in their lone Manhattan appearance of the season.
  • Knicks rookie Iman Shumpert sat down with New York Post columnist Steve Serby and expressed his confidence in the Knicks with the playoffs looming. Not only does Shumpert believe the Knicks will make the playoffs, but the former Georgia Tech star expects his team will be able to compete with the Heat if the two teams are matched up against each other in the first round. In what proves to be a compelling interview, Shumpert discusses his love for defense and what it's like to guard some of the top players in the league.
  • Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News makes the argument that Mike Woodson should remain the head coach of the Knicks heading into next season given his body of work. He's led the team to a 13-4 record since taking over the team and has gotten more out of beleaguered superstar Carmelo Anthony than Knicks fans ever thought possible. Lupica says Woodson has held the team accountable and developed a sound defensive system that was non-existent under former head coach Mike D'Antoni. 
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Knicks Notes: Woodson, Lin, Playoffs

April 4th, 2012 at 8:03pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Knicks remain the eighth seed after Tuesday night's eight-point loss to the Pacers in which Carmelo Anthony went off for 39 points. Up by as many as 17 points at one point, the Knicks were outscored 40-17 in the fourth quarter by the Pacers. Here's the latest news on the injury-riddled Knicks as they look to turn things around on Thursday with a game against the Magic in Orlando.

  • The chatter about Kentucky head coach John Calipari heading to the Knicks after the season doesn't phase interim head coach Mike Woodson, writes Newsday's Al Iannazzone. "It ain't about my job, my security or where I am going to be. I'm happy with me. They'll make the right decision, whatever way they decide to go. My job right now is these guys that are in uniform and the guys that are hurt, make sure they're prepared and ready to play basketball." Woodson battled with a lack of job security for years as the head coach of the Hawks even after improving the team's record each season he was there.
  • Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld says Jeremy Lin will attempt to return to the Knicks in four weeks, giving him a chance to make it back in time for the playoffs. Sidelined with a meniscus tear in his left knee, Lin was initially expected to miss six weeks but is optimistic that he can rehab quicker than expected after undergoing surgery on Monday. The former Harvard point guard would be making his playoff debut if able to return by the end of April.
  • Ian Begley and Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com predict the Knicks will secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference with the Sixers plummeting to eighth place in a must-read playoff prediction piece.
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Stein On Wilson Chandler, Coaching Rumors

March 30th, 2012 at 4:51pm CST by Luke Adams

In his latest Weekend Dime, ESPN.com's Marc Stein says that Wilson Chandler's long-term deal with the Nuggets isn't worth quite as much as had been previously reported. According to Stein, the contract is for $31.7MM in total, starting at $5.5MM this season and topping out at $7.2MM in 2015/16. Only $2MM of that final season is guaranteed, Stein adds.

The rest of Stein's rumors this week revolve around coaching positions, so let's dive in….

  • The Bulls hold a team option on Tom Thibodeau for next season, but the Chicago coach is "dismayed" that he hasn't been offered a lucrative contract extension, according to Stein. Stein hears that Thibodeau's displeasure with his contract situation is an "open secret in team circles."
  • Mike Woodson is increasingly hopeful of keeping the Knicks coaching job, though if Phil Jackson expressed interest in the position, rival teams assume James Dolan would do whatever it takes to sign the Zen Master.
  • The Clippers may be in the market for a new coach this summer, ideally one who could convince Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to remain in Los Angeles long-term.
  • If Stan Van Gundy were to be replaced as the Magic coach, Nate McMillan appears to be the top candidate, says Stein.
  • Stein spoke to "[John] Calipari experts," who suggested the Wildcats coach may not be inclined to give up his power and prestige at Kentucky to coach in the NBA.
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Knicks Notes: Anthony, Woodson, D’Antoni

March 29th, 2012 at 10:23pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Knicks have a well-earned night off after a 108-86 thrashing of the Magic on Wednesday evening thanks to a balanced effort led by Carmelo Anthony and Iman Shumpert. With the victory, the Knicks are now 8-1 under new head coach Mike Woodson, who took over for Mike D'Antoni, who resigned on March 14th. Let's take a look at what else is going on with the Knicks as they continue to deal with the injury bug.

  • Tasked as the Knicks' top scoring option since his arrival from the Nuggets, Anthony has finally stepped up as a scorer with two consecutive 25-point performances in his last two games, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
  • While Woodson once had a respectable NBA career that stretched over a decade, his foray into coaching was not something he had initially anticipated doing, says Howard Beck of The New York Times.
  • By shifting away from D'Antoni's style of play to a heightened emphasis on defense, the Knicks have become more of a complete team driven by energetic play and forcing turnovers, reports Jim Cavan of The New York Times.
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Knicks Notes: Woodson, Jeffries, Anthony

March 24th, 2012 at 7:45pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Knicks are currently battling the Pistons at Madison Square Garden after winning five of their last six games under new head coach Mike Woodson. While the team's fortunes are currently looking more favorable since the departure of Mike D'Antoni, the Knicks' schedule becomes more difficult with upcoming games against Orlando, Chicago and Miami. Let's take a look at the state of the Knicks as they look to improve their playoff seeding heading into the season's final stretch. 

  • Barbara Barker of Newsday says Mike Woodson is the right fit for the Knicks for the rest of the season and perhaps beyond given his previous experience in Atlanta.
  • While not exactly a favorite of Knicks fans given his propensity to take questionable shots, the news of losing Jared Jeffries to injury for the next two weeks did not sit well with Woodson, writes Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. The backup center makes his living by playing stellar defense and giving an all-out effort every time he is on the court.
  • Given the team's quiet approach at the trade deadline, the Knicks' success moving forward will be based on Woodson's ability to get the most out of his players, says Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com. For Woodson, the focal point is Carmelo Anthony, who is averaging over 20 PPG on the season but is shooting below 40% from the field for the first time in his NBA career.
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