Getting to Know the Opponent with Daily Knicks’ Alex Horowitz

The Milwaukee Bucks will play their last road preseason game tonight in the Big Apple against the New York Knicks. To better get to know tonight’s opponent, we look to Daily Knicks writer Alex Horowitz to answer all you need to know about the New look Knicks and their patented triangle offense.

BTBP: If you look at the Knicks roster compared to last year, and you look at the system that Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher have perfected — there is a lot more promise for this team in our opinion. What are your thoughts on the new look Knicks in relation to running the Triangle offense?

Horowitz: The way the team is currently constructed, there definitely is tons of potential to succeed in this new “Triangle offense” system. The key move, in my opinion, was replacing Raymond Felton at point guard with Jose Calderon. History has told us that in order for the triangle to be run effectively, a smart and reliable point guard is needed, and Calderon brings just that. Another offseason pickup I really like for the Knicks in relation to the triangle offense is Jason Smith. Formerly a guy off the bench in New Orleans, Smith has played so well in the preseason that he is contention for the starting power forward spot, along with Quincy Acy (another solid pickup who brings a great deal of intensity to the Knicks, something they were lost when they traded Tyson Chandler to Dallas). Smith has proved that he can fit in the triangle well, as he is adept at shooting, passing, and setting screens, all while being a towering presence on the court.

Then, of course, you have Carmelo Anthony. While not necessarily a “new” face of the team, the only reason he is still with the Knicks this season is because he signed on to a new five-year deal to remain in New York. Keeping Melo was Jackson’s number one priority entering the off-season, and to no surprise. Jackon’s past teams under the triangle offense have all featured elite, top-of-the-league scorers, most notably Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. While Melo is no MJ or Kobe, he can compete with them when it comes to scoring the ball, so the fact that he’s back in orange and blue represents a huge win for the entire Knicks organization. If the team hopes to effectively execute the triangle offense, it will all start and end with him.

BTBP: The Bucks and Knicks are similar in the fact that they have a recently removed point guard running the show. Your thoughts on Derek Fisher so far and how important has it been for him to use the preseason to get a feel for situational basketball?

Horowitz: This preseason, and even the regular season, will be a learning process for Fisher, no doubt. However, I can say comfortably that he is an upgrade over Mike Woodson. So far, this preseason has been a good way for the Knicks to get adjusted to the triangle offense, which Fisher played in for years with the Lakers under Jackson. However, most of the players themselves are unfamiliar with the offense itself, so it will take several months at least for the team to get this system down pat.

Since Fisher is a first-year head coach as well, he will need to learn on-the-go what it takes to be a successful head coach, but luckily, he has two things already going for him. For one, he is a former point guard (like Kidd), so he already has many of the leadership and play-calling skills that are vital for any head coach to have. Second, he will be under the wing of Jackson, so he has a “helping-hand” per say, if he ever needs some guidance during the season. Jackson himself even said that it was hard for him at times to resist stepping in during training camp and voicing his own opinion, but he realizes that on the court, this is Fisher’s team, while Jackson himself will really only be in charge of the front-office related decisions.

Oct 8, 2014; Hartford, CT, USA; New York Knicks head coach Derek Fisher (right) talks with guard J.R. Smith (8) during a break in the action against the Boston Celtics in the second half at XL Center. The Celtics defeated the New York Knicks 106-86. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

BTBP: Speaking of point guards, It seems like Jose Calderon is going to have to carry this team when it comes to minutes. His style of play is perfect for that offense. Is there anyone you can see giving him any type of spell in games and what’s his role in this offense.

Horowitz: I could not agree more about Calderon. This was one of the most underrated pickups in the NBA this offseason, and his presence in New York will be felt immediately, on both ends of the ball. However, on the offensive side, he is especially an upgrade over Felton, as the triangle offense places such a major role on the point guard position. From watching the preseason, and reading other reports about the team, Calderon has been the Knick most knowledgeable about the triangle thus far, which is a great sign to hear if you’re a Knick fan.

On the defensive side of things, Calderon is nothing special, but it will be hard for him to be worse than what Felton was last year. Game in and game out, Felton was beat by opposing point guards, who constantly drove to the lane to get easy buckets. This occurrence was especially frequent in late-game situations, costing the Knicks a number of contests, which they otherwise should have easily won.

So while Calderon will provide a slight upgrade in this area, he will not be able to do it on his own. They have two players competing for the back-up point guard spot, a role which will surely be able to spell Calderon each game, when needed.

What is ironic about this back-up point guard competition though is that the two players battling for the spot, Shane Larkin and Pablo Prigioni, are basically complete opposites. Larkin is a young, quick, athletic guy that will look to shoot often, while Prigioni is the eldest player on the roster, and rarely looks to shoot, even when he is wide open. I would prefer Larkin to win the backup job, because he is moreso in the Knicks future plans then Prigioni is, so having Larkin playing increase minutes now would bode well for his future potential as well. Regardless, Prigioni is still a very solid point guard, especially considering his age, and his veteran presence is a much needed asset to a Knicks team that is trying to establish a chemistry with one another.

BTBP: One of the glaring weaknesses of this team seems to be a lack of rim protection. Andrea Bargnani and Amar’e Stoudamire just aren’t serviceable in that department. That’s why you have to love the acquisition of Quincy Acy. He was making great progression for the Kings late last season and even in Summer League this year. Will Acy see major minutes to protect the rim?

Horowitz: Acy will definitely see major minutes this season, and in fact, he may even be starting at power forward come opening night. As stated earlier, Acy is in competition with Jason Smith for the starting power forward job, but even if Acy loses out on the starting role, he will still be a very valuable asset of the bench.

What I like most about Acy is the energy he brings each game, each play even. He never seems to take a play off and is going all-out for the entire time that he’s out there on the court. This has enabled him to rack up rebounds that might not always directly fall right into his hands, and it is especially useful on the defensive end of things.

Acy’s style of play has given the Knicks a dominant presence around the rim that they were severely lacking last year, aside of Chandler. Now that Chandler is gone though, an even greater amount of responsibility will fall on Acy, who never expected to start when he was first traded to New York. He is the type of player that the fans will fall in love with instantly, and I believe the Garden crowd will feed off of his energy often. Look for Acy to be a major factor in the Knicks plans this season, and although he is a relatively unknown name to casual fans, don’t forget him, because he’s not about to fall back into mediocrity.

BTBP: Doesn’t it seem like the Triangle could bring the best out of Bargnani and Stoudemire offensively?

Honestly, I don’t personally see Bargnani and Stoudemire benefiting specifically due to the triangle. While my knowledge of the system is fairly general, I do understand that the offense requires players to be moving around constantly, and these two players simply are built for such requirements. With the Knicks, they have been primarily catch and shoot players, especially Bargnani, who is a stretch four and is similar to Ersan Ilyasova.

As for Stoudemire, he is a very solid mid-range jump shooter, and can be dominate around the rim, but knee issues have deprived “STAT” of the stardom that he once had as a member of the Phoenix Suns, and even in his first year or two with the Knicks. Like Bargnani, I just don’t see Amare being able to move around the amount that the triangle will acquire, and sometimes in the past, he has looked lost on offense when the ball is not in his hands. In addition, neither player is a splendid passer, which is important for big-men playing in this system.

Despite these flaws, both players are in contract years, so they’ll need to prove themselves after down years in 2013-14, in order to earn some big money this summer. With that added incentive, look for Stoudemire and Bargnani to put up improved stat lines compared to last season, even if they are primarily coming off the bench.

BTBP: There is a lot of young talent on this roster. We’ve seen some good basketball from Tim Hardaway Jr. and Iman Shumpert. The Knicks might have got a steal though by selecting Cleanthony Early in the second round of the draft. What can this young trio bring to the table this year?

Horowitz: What I love about the Knicks most this season is their incredibly athletic group of young players. Iman Shumpert went through some difficult stretches last season, but with the flat-top back this season, I believe his game will improve as well. All jokes aside, 2013-14 was his first full season following a devastating knee injury in the 2012 playoffs, but now that there are no doubts about his health at all, I believe Shump will really prove haters wrong this season. His ability to contribute on both ends of the ball will allow him to make the most out of his immense potential.

Tim Hardaway Jr. is just in his second-year in the association, but during his rookie year, he put up an underrated, yet stellar season. Averaging 10.2 points on .363 shooting in 23.1 minutes, Hardaway made both the Rising Stars game during All-Star weekend and was elected onto the All-Rookie 1st team.In an article this summer for Daily Knicks, I wrote that Hardaway should start at shooting guard this season, over J.R. Smith and Shumpert. His shooting ability gives him the chance to really become a star in this league in the near future.

Lastly, there is the rookie out of Wichita State, Cleanthony Early. He hasn’t had much success thus far in the preseason, but due to the Knicks being thin at small forward, he’ll most likely be the backup to Carmelo Anthony. I still see promise from him though, and the pressure isn’t too great, because he was only a second-round selection (a steal, no doubt though.) Look for Early to be an effective wing player on both offense and defense, while infusing some extra youthful energy into this Knicks squad. As a whole, this trio has the capability to be one of the best young trios in the entire league, and their athleticism can’t be beat by many others. All three are able to move around the court exceptionally well, and thus should thrive in the triangle offense, once they get an understanding of the system, though.

Alex Horowitz is a writer and contributor at Daily Knicks. For his great basketball insight on the Knicks and other teams across the association, follow him on twitter.