Why not the Knicks?
Coach Mike D’Antoni didn’t dance around the issue yesterday of whether the Knicks are ready to win a championship this season following the mammoth acquisition of center Tyson Chandler.
In his boldest statement of training camp, on the eve of their preseason opener against the Nets in Newark, D’Antoni said the current group can win a championship this June, calling it a “reasonable’’ expectation.
“I think we do have the ability to win it all,’’ D’Antoni said.
In remarks made to WFAN’s Mike Francesa, D’Antoni added, “I think we have one of the best frontcourts in the game. We’re excited about trying to win a championship. We’re one of the top-tier teams. There’s no reason not to compete night in and night out and be in every game and be very good at the end.
“If we all come together, why can’t we compete for a championship?’’
Why not indeed? The Knicks possess two of the best scorers in the NBA in perennial All-Star forwards Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire. They have arguably the NBA’s best defensive center in the 7-foot-1 Chandler, who was a key part of the Mavericks’ championship run. And they have all three of their “Broadway Bigs’’ smack in their prime.
“Maybe because Miami was there last year, you’d take them [first]. We have as reasonable a chances to win as anyone else. And if you’re talking about another team, I can make a case that we should win it,’’ D’Antoni said. “I think it’s reasonable. I think to win a championship a lot of things have to come together. We have to improve. There’s a lot of little variables that have to go positive. We do have the ability to win it all.’’
A brassy D’Antoni referred yesterday to Chandler as having potential to play the intangible defensive role Bill Russell did for the Celtics dynasty.
“Bill Russell covered up a lot of mistakes for the Celtics,’’ D’Antoni said.
Those are huge expectations set by a coach in the final year of his contract, leading a club with an inexperienced point guard, Toney Douglas, and without a deep bench. But D’Antoni knows this may be his last crack before owner James Dolan gets Phil Jackson fever.
Anthony isn’t doubting D’Antoni can break the Knicks’ 38-year championship drought with the current cast. He rejected the notion the Knicks may not be as strong as advertised because they don’t have much after their frontcourt star power.
“I could never undermine that man right there — [D’Antoni] has so many plays in his playbook,” Anthony said. “I could never undermine him. He’s very smart. Whoever he has, he had teams before [that] people thought weren’t that good and it worked out for him.’’
Anthony does not even think the Knicks need another bench piece, though they can strengthen their depth by adding ex-Nets forward Travis Outlaw and veteran point guard Baron Davis, who cleared amnesty waivers last night and is on the market. Both are targets.
“We’re going to have a fun year,’’ Anthony said. “I can already see the bond. Our goal is not just to make the playoffs, our goal is the championship. That’s we’re looking for.’’