Accountability, Leadership Main Reasons for Knicks’ Success

The New York Knicks are currently on top of the Atlantic Division with an 8-1 record. They have quality wins at home over the Miami Heat and on the road over the San Antonio Spurs. They are beating up on the teams they are supposed to beat up, like the New Orleans Hornets. If there was any thought that this kind of start to the season might be a fluke, the Knicks are slowly yet surely convincing everyone that’s definitely not the case. Carmelo Anthony is playing a determined and all-around game that’s showing just how driven he is to win a championship. Anthony knows what kind of damage he can cause on offense, however he’s leading by example with his dedication to defense this season. He’s playing like the franchise player that he is. Head coach Mike Woodson has been the key to the success the Knicks are currently enjoying. The numbers don’t dispute that Woodson’s leadership has been instrumental. He has stepped in and held each player accountable for what they do on the court and turned them into a resilient group. Woodson has shown he’s the right person at the right time for this team. Anthony has stepped his game up to another level and even a player like JR Smith appears to be showing a newfound maturity that has postively effected his play on the court. The Knicks decided to part ways with Jeremy Lin and let him sign with the Houston Rockets as a free agent over the summer. The move sparked a major debate that so far has been silenced because of how well Raymond Felton has played since he returned to the team. Meanwhile Lin hasn’t looked anywhere near the player fans saw last season. Felton and Jason Kidd have given the Knicks a sense of stability and leadership at the point guard position that they have not had in a long time. They are veterans and that’s one area the Knicks are not short on. This team is loaded with players well over the age of 30 and near the end of their playing careers. However they also bring experience and poise to the table and that compliments the talents of their younger core players. It’s the type of mix that an old school coach like Woodson believes can win championships. This is a team that leans heavy on their veterans and Woodson is going to have a year-long challenge keeping all of them fresh while also making sure they get enough minutes to contribute. That challenge will grow once Amar’e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert are healthy and ready to return to the team. It’s still early in the season, however if you are a long-time suffering Knicks fan, then this type of start to the season has to feel extra good. The post Accountability, Leadership Main Reasons for Knicks’ Success appeared first on FootBasket.