Charles Barkley has never been a big fan of the New York Knicks. As far as he is concerned, New York is a team that creates a ton of buzz every season only to fall short of expectations. Last season, he shot down rumors of John Calipari potentially returning to the NBA to coach the Knicks by saying Coach Cal would never be drunk enough to take such a horrible job.
Sir Charles is singing a slightly different tune about Carmelo Anthony and company’s 16-5 start this year. In fact, he’s almost ready to compare them to hot women.
“Everybody in New York thinks the Knicks are Playboy bunnies, and I have been telling them for years the Knicks are a rabbit,” Barkley said according to Newsday. “They’re closer to a Playboy bunny this year but for the last few years these guys are like, ‘We have a really good team!’ And I say, ‘You really think that?’ And I say, ‘No, they don’t.’ But this is the best team they’ve had in a while.”
However, Barkley is not quite ready to crown the Knicks. While they have gotten off to a tremendous start, he pointed to their lack of rebounding and unrealistic numbers from beyond the arc.
“But when I look at their stats, they only outrebounded the teams they’ve played like twice,” Barkley said. “That concerns me. And I don’t know if they can keep shooting threes like that. That’s my only critique. It’s not a criticism, it’s a critique.”
Amar'e Stoudemire could help New York’s rebounding problem when he returns, but there have been concerns about whether or not he will throw off the chemistry and defensive ability the Knicks have established through the early part of the season. He is willing to accept a new role if needed, but how he will fit in remains to be seen. Hopefully he doesn’t turn the Playboy bunnies back into rabbits.
H/T Game On!
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December 12, 2012
