Part 1

Part 2

For the month of February, the Knicks are not showing any signs of securing the 6th spot in the NBA playoffs.  Over the course of the last two weeks, we’ve seen them go 2 – 6, with losses that only occurred because of lackadaisical play by all.

It’s great to be vocal via the media, but there is far too much PR hype in play and not enough quality play on the court.  At 27-26, the Knicks now are faced with the daunting task of trying to win at least 40 -43 games to solidify a playoff berth.  If not for the fact that two potential playoff teams will have sub-500 records, the Knicks are not showing anyone that they are for real. (more…)

Via NY Mag:

Just as a refresher, here’s a quick rundown of the cast of characters: Landry Fields is the New York second-round pick that has taken the NBA (and the Internet) by storm in his rookie season. Andy Rautins is another Knick rookie, a Syracuse product, and a proud Canadian. Sandwiched between the two is Keenan Cahill, the pint-size performer whose lip-syncing prowess has made him something of an Internet celebrity. In the background, you’ll see the Knicks City Dancers, who are, of course, a team of talented dancing ladies who hail from the city of Knicks, New York.

Via Dime Magazine:

Dime: What has been the biggest transition for you from college to the NBA?
Andy Rautins: I think for me it is the transition to point guard. Trying to be more of a combo-guard, I’m learning everyday. I’m getting better at it, especially learning from guys like Ray [Felton] and Toney Douglas. The speed of the game takes a little adjusting to, but that comes with time.

Dime: What did you do this summer to prepare?
AR: I was training down in Dallas with a guy named Kyle Meadows. It was great. It worked for me and I hope to go back down there this summer. I just need to continue working my tail off.

If you are a Syracuse fan, be sure to check out the whole interview.

Via The Toronto Sun:

(Andy) Rautins, who came into the touranment nursing a left knee injury, played over 20 minutes in the first game and was a force throughout for Canada in a loss to Lebanon. Foul trouble kept him from being an even bigger factor.

In the second game, however, the New York Knicks second round pick was limping noticably in the first half and never really got rolling.

Head coach Leo Rautins admitted after the game, he probably should not have played him in the second half.

When the Canadian team took the floor for warmups prior to the France game, Rautins was in jeans and looking extremely dejected at the thought of not playing.

We hate hearing this news, as Rautins could really use floor time to work on his game, which was less than stellar this summer.  However, we like hearing that he looked extremely dejected, because it shows a level of heart many prior Knicks (and current, see Eddy Curry) simply lacked.

Via HOOPSWORLD:

2. New York Knicks  – Half-empty Knicks fans might bemoan LeBron James’ rejection of the Big Apple, but the team had a very positive offseason. In addition to the signings of Stoudemire, Raymond Felton and Roger Mason Jr., New York scored big by adding Anthony Randolph in a trade with Golden State.

Randolph was frustrated by his role with the Warriors, where coach Don Nelson frequently used him as a backup center. Now he can fit nicely as a power forward in coach Mike D’Antoni’s system. That means a frontcourt of three 6-10 players could start for the Knicks – not bad for a team often criticized for being undersized.

The small forward of the group, Danilo Gallinari, could ultimately determine where this team falls. The native of Italy sank 186 3-pointers last season and grabbed just under five boards per game. He’s been a pleasant surprise as a defender, but Knicks fans are still waiting for the point forward they were promised when he was drafted in 2008. With Felton aboard, it looks like he will remain in a scoring role as opposed to a playmaking one. (more…)

It’s official. Welcome aboard Andy.

Part 2 of KnicksTweets’ chat with Jon Rothstein. As an NCAA basketball and NBA draft expert, Rothstein gives us some insight into two of the Knicks’ rookies, Andy Rautins and Landry Fields.

KNICKSTWEETS:  In mid-July though, right when Las Vegas Summer League play was first beginning, you offered a synopsis on the Knicks rookie additions. With the Summer League now completed, has your opinion at all changed on the rooks?

JON ROTHSTEIN: No, I think they are what they are. If the Knicks are probably going to be a team that wins between 43 and 46 games, like everybody hopes they will, rookies, and especially rookies that are picked in the second round, you probably hope don’t play that much.

So as far as Andy Rautins, I think that he’s a better passer than people realize and he’s better at separating from his defender than people give him credit for. He reminds me of (more…)