While it is a shame that Shump's season debut didn't happen at the Garden, I couldn't help but feel a great sense of relief seeing him on the court warming up, getting fast break points, chatting with Sheed on the bench (hopefully planning a hip-hop collaboration album--seriously, Sheed's got some flow). Shump played 15 minutes, exactly as many as Woodson had indicated he would, and had a nice, neat stat line, nailing his first shot back and wracking up 8 points on 3/7 shooting, 2 rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block without committing a turnover. However, as always with the Shump, the stat line really does not do his contribution to the game justice. Our high-top faded friend ran the perimeter, prevented the easy hand-offs that always leave the Knicks scrambling to correct terrible mismatches, and bothered Tayshaun Prince--always a plus. Of course, after not playing since April, he showed signs of rust. He pulled up on some rather characteristic bad pull-ups, got burned badly watching the ball for a Charlie Villanueva alley-oop. He also botched a rather promising dunk attempt, showing that the youngster still has some spring to his step.
As far as the actual game goes, this was one of the roughest, ugliest 15-point victories I've seen in a while, and totally indicative of the kind of ball the Knicks have been playing of late. Red hot and playing some tight D in the first two quarters allowed the Knicks a 15-point lead going into the half. After that, the Knicks proceeded to have one of the ugliest third quarters in recent memory. Except for another corner three and a very Shumpish steal and layup from 2wo 1ne (for those of you who don't know, that's Iman's rap name), the Knicks came out ice cold to start the third quarter, and didn't really break out of it until the final minute and a half of the quarter. A defensive three seconds on Detroit and some heads-up passing from Melo, as well as general, unforced Pistons mediocrity and Knicks' substantial lead going into the quarter are the only things that allowed the Knicks to depart the quarter with a 12-point lead. Otherwise, the quarter was plagued by Melo ball-stopping, Kidd repeatedly getting burned by Will Bynam, and Amare looking lost guarding the talented Pistons big man Greg Monroe. They chucked up bad shots on offense and fouled on defense, and pretty much looked like the team they've been looking like since Raymond Felton went down.
The fourth quarter pretty much consisted of trading buckets back and forth, which allowed the Knicks to finish the game on top by 15.
Some more thoughts:
During the pregame show, Isiah Thomas remarked that because of the British excitement and the international stage, someone was going to have a very big game tonight. "This is your Michael Jackson, your Jay-Z, your Mick Jagger moment." That man was the smallest guy on the floor, the 5'9 Will Bynum (Seriously. Dude's Nate Robinson short). Bynum posted 22 points on 16 shots and generally just terrified the Knicks into what Walt "Clyde" Frazier would refer to as "Matador Defense."
Melo had a pretty good game for him: 26 points on 19 shots, some great interior passes to Tyson Chandler, and 11 efficient points in the first quarter. After that, and especially in the fourth quarter, no basket came easily for him. He made three buckets on 11 shots in the second half, but the Knicks happened to be better enough all around to make up for his struggles.
Walt's Phrase of the Game: "Swiss Cheese Defense by the Pistons." He also apparently forgot which day the game was?
Amare had his best offensive game since his return, finishing with 17 points on five shots and four rebounds and was 11-12 from the free throw line. He also finally hit that free throw line jumper that has been eluding him since his return.
A SHOT OFF THE DRIBBLE FOR NOVAK!
That's all for today. Another victory against a mediocre team that is all the more rewarding considering losses by Brooklyn and Boston last night. No Knicks game to MLK Day on Monday, so our boys in blue will have plenty of time to rest, and Shump can ice his knee or spit smooth rhymes to it or whatever he does to keep it strong.
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