Melo Trade

[RiOtChEsS]

defensively Amare is having a breakout year but that said his defence is worth a pinch of power...
i cant see these 2 co existing without one sacrificing a massive amount of there game also from memory Billups has never been huge pick and roll PG and he is old getting a little old to play that style which is essential to Amare getting his looks and Dantoni's offenses... the east is so weak after the top5-6 teams anyway they probably squeak into the playoffs but out in straight sets...

[j959]

yea agreed. certainly recognized for offense.

yeah Maca, thought i'd weigh in on this one - i've followed Phoenix for years and he hardly played defence there at all - have heard he's improved at New York but I think it is probably a case of him being athletic and around as Andrew wrote above.

when it comes down to play-off time it'll revert to Amar'e going missing when the defensive crunch is on and even with chemistry, i'd predict in the next 2-3yrs the Knicks'd be lucky to get out of the 2nd round of the playoffs - the D'Antoni style is fun to watch and gets regular season wins but i think Phoenix only got to the Western Conference finals once (??) during D'Antoni's tenure there.

[Hulmie]

I think Billups is the X-Factor in this trade he's going to be glue for this team.

One thing though i reckon the Heat will not want to play the Knicks in the 1st round i think the matchups go against them.

[RiOtChEsS]

The East is looking strong this year and the semi finals will be amazing Boston Orlando Miami Bulls imo 8)

::) dont see it being any different than these 4

[Hulmie]

The East is out of 2 teams i reckon Celtics and Bulls.

If heat make it past 2nd round i'd be suprised.

[RiOtChEsS]

only thing that will stop the C's r injuries...

[reesbr]

Go the Knicks!

Big season next season

[Holz]

i think this trade has ruined the knicks chance of a championship, melo wa greedy and went for money instead of waiting for free agency and going to to a team that had a chance of winning it (knicks with felton, galinari etc..). PLus amare and anthony are on huge contracts so they cant picik up another star like the heat did. The knicks should have only signed up anthony if he was afree agent and it would have been better to try and get paul and howard with reduced salary like the heat as amare, paul and howard would have a great chance of winning it. Stoudemire and Anthony cant take out lebron, wade and bosh. The heat are the best team and there maor weakness is the PG and C matchuo, paul and howard would carve up the heat.

[Cicjose]

joel anthony and zydrunus ilgauskas have been serviceable at best for the Heat as the centres so that is certainly the weakness