It is often said in sports that if seasons can't be won in the early going, they certainly can be lost, and perhaps no team is about to test that theory this season like the Knicks.
At the conclusion of their 31-point home defeat to San Antonio on Sunday, which dropped the Tyson Chandler-less Knicks to 2-4, I took a look at the team's upcoming schedule to find that things will almost surely get darker before any hope of dawn in Gotham.
The schedule lightens up a bit on December 6 (with a couple of home games against the Magic and Celtics), which is just over four weeks from when Chandler went down with an injury that is expected to keep him out 4-6 weeks, but between now and then, New York plays seven of 11 games on the road (in Atlanta, Detroit, Washington, Portland L.A. for the Clippers, Denver and Brooklyn) and their four home games during that stretch come against the Rockets, Hawks, Pacers and improved Pelicans.
With the way the Knicks have looked so far (23rd in offensive efficiency, 18th in defensive efficiency, 28th in rebound rate and 25th in net rating), and minus Chandler, I can't see them winning more than two of those seven road games or more than four out of the 11 games overall, and that might even be me being generous.
That means the Knicks should be looking at a best-case scenario of 6-11 after 17 games with Chandler ready to return, but with a real possibility of 5-12 or worse and Chandler still a couple of weeks away. That's not the end of a team's playoff hopes in the weak Eastern Conference, but James Dolan's delusional view of this team had him reportedly telling members of the organization that this was a championship or bust year.
So while another few weeks of struggling to come may not be the end of New York's playoff aspirations, it could force the impulsive Dolan to pull the trigger on a desperate move, like say firing Mike Woodson or trading the franchise's lone valuable young asset, Iman Shumpert, in another poorly thought out attempt to rapidly improve.
James Dolan just guaranteed a Knicks win "in the next game." This is friggin awesome
— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) November 11, 2013
It seems crazy, but with Carmelo Anthony set to at the very least test free agency and the Knicks without a first round pick in June's NBA Draft, the next three weeks of seemingly routine early season basketball may very well define the next chapter in Knicks history.
About last night...
Spurs 120, Knicks 89 - Andrea Bargnani grabbed one rebound in 26 minutes of action, bringing his grand total through six games up to 17.
Thunder 106, Wizards 105 (OT) - Bradley Beal scored a career-high 34 points on 13-of-23 shooting in the loss.
Suns 101, Pelicans 94 - While everyone raves about the surprising 76ers, the equally tanking Suns have actually bested Philadelphia's start at 5-2.
Timberwolves 113, Lakers 90 - Ricky Rubio recorded his second career triple-double (12 points, 14 assists, 10 rebounds, 5 steals) and the T-Wolves hung 47 points on the Lakers in the first quarter.
Line of the night: Kevin Durant - 33 Pts (12/23 FG, 1/4 3PT, 8/9 FT), 13 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Blk, 5 TO in 46 mins.
Play of the night:
Bonus highlight:
The Fast Break Player of the Week: Kevin Durant - 31.0 PPG (28/54 FG, 4/9 3PT, 33/37 FT), 8.0 RPG, 7.7 APG, 1.7 SPG, 3-0 record
Previous winners: Kevin Love
On tap tonight: With nine games on the schedule this evening, two stand out to me in terms of intrigue. The Pacers, looking to go 8-0, host the similarly built Grizzlies, while the Clippers host the Timberwolves in what is surely seen as a potential early statement game for Minnesota.
Nash breaking down: Steve Nash is set to visit a back specialist today after being 'shut down' last night against the Timberwolves. It's a sad reality for one of the NBA's most entertaining talents of the modern era, but those who have watched Nash over the last year or so know his time on the court is nearing a painful end.
Delfino out for the year: I'm not sure whether this helps or hurts the Bucks in their quest for never ending mediocrity, but Carlos Delfino says he'll miss the entire season while recovering from a broken foot suffered in last season's playoffs.
McGee out: JaVale McGee has been ruled out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his left leg (tibia). With the Nuggets off to a disappointing 1-4 start and a lack of size in their frontcourt now without McGee, perhaps Denver can make a push for a surprise appearance near the top of the lottery.
