Here are just some casual observations of the present NBA season so far:

• The New York Knicks (19-26) are only one game worse than the defending champion Miami Heat (19-24) while being closer (3 games) to first place than the champs (6 1/2)
• The present #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, Washington Wizards, would be the #7 seed in the Western Conference
• Steve Nash has won two consecutive MVPs and is playing his best basketball this season.  Will voters be afraid to vote Nash into the pantheon of 3 time MVPs along side Chamberlain, Jordan, Jabbar, Bird, Magic, Moses Malone, and Bill Russell?
• Gilbert Arenas recently said he'd give up an NBA season to go back to school and score 85 against Duke in response to Coach K cutting him from team USA.  Wouldn't it be easier for Duke to join the NBA's Eastern Conference?  That way we could see Agent 0 go for 85 a few times in the Conference Finals against Cameron's Crazies.
• Jerry West, an all-time legend as a player, GM, and most notably the logo, cannot go out like this! 
• If David Stern ever has an inferiority complex when trying to compete with the NFL this time of year, he should consider the fact that it could be worse.  He could have to play his All-Star Game on a Wednesday night up against American Idol.
• Isiah Thomas isn't THAT bad of a coach.
• As sad as it is to say, Shaq may be done.  He looks. . . well . . .we don't know how he looks.  He never plays anymore!
• Just how bad is it for Miami?  They beat the Knicks on Monday without Shaq and Wade, then proceeded to lose to the Knicks on Friday WITH Shaq and Wade.
• If the Grizzlies (11-34) could use just their winning percentage against Eastern Conference teams, they would be playing .315 ball which would still put them in last place in both the Central and Southeastern divisions in the East.
• Phoenix has had 2 winning streaks that each total more wins than Memphis, Boston, and Philadelphia have all season.
• When is someone going to finally realize that fans have no business voting for the All-Star starters.  Steve Nash coming off the bench would be like having Elvis Pressley as an opening act for Kenny Loggins. 
• Kevin Garnett has fallen from "best player in the league" to "NBA star" faster than any player I can ever remember.
• Luol Deng is one of the most underrated players in the league.
• This A.I. /  'Melo thing may work.

Yesterday the New York Knicks officially said goodbye to the disaster that was the 2005-2006 NBA season.  After financially settling with Larry Brown and cutting Jalen Rose, the New York Knicks are officially ready to turn to page toward Wednesday's opener against Memphis and the rest of the NBA season.

In order to fix any problem, one must first diagnose the problem.  The laundry list of Knicks problems is both long and distinguished.  However, I have narrowed the Knick problem down to three major statistics.  Today's fan love stats, well here are some that may just blow your mind, especially considering that little or nothing was done to correct these problems. 

Problem stat #! -  The Knicks are notorious for having too many "shoot now and ask questions later" guards.  There is no question that Jamal Crawford, Steve Francis, and of course, Starbury himselt fit this description to a "T".  To further this point, the Knicks only had one player rank in the top 50 in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ration.  This statistic is the single most accurate in determining a players ability (especially a point guard) to run the offense efficiently and get his teammates involved.  Stephon Marbury ranked 27 (which is still extremely low for a starting point guard getting his minutes) in the league, which was NY's only top 50 representative.    Conclusion - Someone MUST step to the plate and get this surprisingly talented roster involved without sending half of the passes to Spike Lee and friends in the stands.

Problem stat #2 -   Jamal Crawfork averaged .5 steals per turnover last season.  That ranks 45th in the NBA in that stat.  Sound bad?  It is, especially when you consider that he actually led the Knicks in this stat.  This tell us many things about the offense.  First is that big men are turning the ball over way too much.  A solid big man should have good numbers in this category, not because of his high number of steals, but his low number of turnovers.  For example, some of the names ahead of Crawford are:  Shawn Marion, Rasheed Wallace, Shane Battier, Rashard Lewis, Antawn Jamison, Kevin Garnett, Chris Webber, Michael Redd, Stephen Jackson, and Andrei Kirilenko to name a few.  Not necessary people known for steals (some are), but rank high in this category due to a lack of turnovers.  Conclusion - the Knicks have to maximize on stealing the basketball to capitalize on the open-court talent that they have while limiting the turnovers that obviously plague them severely.  Basketball is more like football than one might think here.  The team that wins the turnover battle usually wins the game.

Problem stat #3 - Somethings in basketball take little effort and can be mastered by people who have the work ethic to make it happen.  To me, blocked shots are one such stat.  Eddy Curry led the Knicks in blocks last year.  I know what you're thinking!  "Curry doesn't play any defense."  You're right!  Fourty-five players in the NBA blocked more shots per game than did Curry, unfortunately none of those 45 play their home games in Madison Square Garden.  This screams to a lack of defensive hustle and effort.  Solution - The Knicks must get more serious about defending their own basket.  They did address this somewhat with the acquisition of Jared Jeffries, but he's out until December so someone else will have to step-up until then.

Outlook for the Knicks.  People that are enthusiastic about the Knicks this season rationalize that by saying that the Eastern Conference is so bad that New York can "talent" its way into playoff contention.  That's a dangerous line of thinking because people who say that are underestimating how bad the Knicks can be at times.  Others believe that the Knicks would love nothing more than to rub a playoff run right into Larry Brown's $50 million face.  While this maybe true, Isiah Thomas doesn't exactly lead to insomnia to any opposing coach I've heard of.  The 2006-2007 Knicks will be better than last year simply because they can't be worse.  Will they be good enough to make the playoffs or at least contend?  I think they might.  Why you ask?  That's the question I can't answer, but if they turn the ball over less, steal and move the ball more, and get more aggressive on the defensive end, they will be the story of the upcoming NBA season. 

As the days are marching on toward the opening of another brutally long, however exciting NBA season, the NBA preview/prediction blogs are coming out of the woodwork.  That's great.  Everybody loves predictions, and the best thing about them are, when you're wrong, no one remembers except for you.  They are risk-free.  However, please spare us, the reading public, the same boring information time after time after time.  So, I've gone to not-so great lengths to come up with just a few sets of criteria for you before you post an NBA preview.

Rule 1 - Whatever you decide to list, make it original.  If you think the Heat, Mavericks, Spurs, or Suns are going to win the NBA title, save it!  We can read these previews on ESPN, Fox Sports, the Sporting News, or countless other media outlets that hire better writers than you to make better points than you that come to the same boring conclusion.

Rule 2 - Don't tell us how good LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are.  We already know.  You can't give us a stat we haven't already heard, and even if you can, it won't change our opinion.  If you want to slurp someone, pick Kobe, Tim Duncan, or better yet Elton Brand or some other fresh face.  Yes, we've heard Kobe and T.D. before too, but its certainly not as played out.  We all watched the playoffs last year.  Wade and LeBron are good.  Next!

Rule 3 - If you picked the Dolphins to go to the Super Bowl, then don't bother trying to convince me that the Bulls are going to the Finals.  While its better than picking the Heat, not much.  The sheik pick isn't much more appealing than the defending champs.  Heaven help us when we've come to the point that talking about the Pistons would be a refreshing change. 

Rule 4 - Don't pick on the Knicks.  I know.  I know.  It's your favorite, not-so-secret little dirty, but it's over.  The Knicks are a dead story (but please still read my Knicks preview coming soon :-).  Starbury and Franchise have enough to worry about without some other amateur ripping them for the 728,458th time.  Please, give it a rest!

Rule 5 - If you're going to "break-down" the conferences, then BREAK THEM DOWN!  I don't want to read two sentences about how I should watch out for the Middle American Hornets because Chris Paul is better than the sophomore jinx.  I'd rather read one analysis about one team that teaches me something than a blurb about every team with information I could get from clicking on NBA.com. 

Rule 6 - Finally, have the bias of a fan, unless you're not.  The thing that seperates amateur bloggers from professional sportswriters is our (amateurs) unwillingness to give in to what we're "supposed to say" and lay it on the line like, dare I say, a fan.  We're fans for P.J. Carlisimo's sake!!  We say what we want.  If you think Steve Nash sucks, then say it (please provide some data to back up your claim, but in this day and age you can make stats say whatever you want).  Don't be afraid.  So what's the worst that can happen?  Steve Nash will win a third MVP and you look like an ####?  Relax and read my introduction.  Everyone will forget anyway. 

With that in mind, 

New York Knicks over the Memphis Grizzlies in 6 games!

MVP - One word. . . STARBURY

As is always true this time of year, many NBA personalities have reached the top of their personal and professional mountain.  These deserving people will be so honored.

Shaq – Shaq has done it.  He has achieved the post-Kobe title that he has so desperately longed for, really since Kobe title #2.  The Diesel was so desperate for such a ring that he encouraged his own diminished role, allowing Dwyane Wade to lead the Heat to the trophy.  Shaq is not any higher on the all-time centers list now than he was before, but this was personal for him.  Many players cannot humble themselves from their once-great status to be a second option.  Shaq has openly and more than willingly done just that.  No one is a bigger winner here than Shaq.

Dwyane Wade – MeanD has already said it all about Wade.  He effectively moved from one the best to the best player in the NBA.  Congrats to D-Wade.

Pat Riley – The biggest historical winner of all.  Riles is now on the Mount Rushmore of NBA coaches with Phil and Red.  There is something special about winning championships in two locations.  Now he is the third coach to achieve such a status.  Pat Riley effective made a team full of former #1 or #2 options and convinced them that their diminished roles would lead them to the Promised Land.  The only thing missing on this Heat team was a 12^th man Charles Barkley holding on for a ring.  Maybe Patrick Ewing can be an assistant coach in Miami next year?

Gary Payton, Alonzo Mourning, and Antoine Walker – They have their rings.  Maybe they’ll go away now.  Unfortunately, we’re not that lucky.  I wouldn’t mind Alonzo hanging around.  I don’t like Payton but it’s not physically painful to watch him play like it is with ‘Toine.  It amazes me that in all of his years in basketball, he still doesn’t know that he can’t shoot, finish near the basket, play defense, or really bring anything positive to the table other than enthusiasm, decent ball handling out of the #4 spot, and an occasional good pass.  World Champion Antoine Walker should encourage people like Steve Francis.  If you surround yourself with enough talent, you can be a champion.  Greg Oestertag did play in the NBA finals after all.  Keep your head up Steve.  You just need to change your nickname to “Stevie Role” because “Stevie Franchise” will continue to make you “Stevie Trade Deadline Move Because I’ve Led My Team To Yet Another Lottery Pick”.

Isaiah Thomas – It’s official.  Everything Isaiah has been working for all of these years has finally happened.  Isaiah is back on an NBA sideline (as much as the Knicks can be considered an NBA team).  Someone please explain the thought process that makes someone believe, “I think we’ll be better of if Isaiah Thomas coaches our team instead of Larry Brown.  In fact, I’ll pay Larry $50 million to not be our coach.  That way I can hire Isaiah.  This is a great idea; I’ll do this today.”  MeanD’s “BDG” series may have inspired me to write my own, “Why I should run the Knicks” series.  Anyway, congrats to you Isaiah, you are now the Head Basketball Coach of the New York Knickerbockers basketball franchise.