| Rose–y Future In New York? Authored by Moritz Wollert - May 21, 2007 - 4:21 pm
The New York Knicks were in the Eastern Conference playoff race almost until the final weeks of the regular season. This could even be seen as an accomplishment after the tumultuous 23 win season the year before under former coach Larry Brown. But it can only be viewed as the first step on the team’s way back to the NBA elite. It wasn’t just injuries that hurt the Knicks over the course of the year. Don’t believe me?! Ask Malik Rose.
“It wasn’t a season long thing but there were times we didn’t take the losses as hard as other people," said Rose. "They have to learn to care that much more. You really have to care.”
With “they” Rose was talking about the young Knicks players. He has the right to separate himself a bit from his younger teammates on who’s resumes you rarely find playoff experience or big win totals. Sure, Malik was just a role player on two of the San Antonio Spurs championship teams (1999 and 2003) but he knows what it takes to win and he knows what you have to do in this league in order to win. He has been around proven winners in Tim Duncan, Gregg Popovich or David Robinson. Players like him are considered winners for how hard they work, how much they invest, the way they play the game and the class they show as an individual on and off the court. Rose’s approach is to always give 100%, work as hard as you can on both ends of the floor and to do whatever it takes to win. He also won’t search for excuses. His mindset and his experience could prove to be golden for a Knicks roster, which ranks among the youngest in all of basketball.
The question though is if Malik Rose is even in the future plans of the Knicks. Isiah Thomas worked a lot to form a younger team with potential, upside and athleticism. Rose doesn’t really fill that category as a player. Yet Isiah will have to realize that you also need balance on your team and the young guys like Eddy Curry and David Lee need guidance along the way and someone who watches their backs. Rose is perfect for this role. Mostly limited in his minutes last season (which even caused trouble between Rose and Thomas early in the year), the late injuries gave him a chance to show how much he has left in the tank at the young basketball age of 32 years.
Surprisingly, Rose answered the call and played arguably the best basketball in his Knicks career. The 6-7 former Drexel product averaged 9 points per game (on 44.1% shooting), 8 rebounds per game and 3.43 assists per game in 29.6 minutes per game over the last seven games. From the high post, he showed tremendous chemistry with emerging Knicks center Eddy Curry. Rose not only knocked down the open 20 footer with consistency, he also fed Curry time and time again deep in the paint. His crisp passes often resulted in the big man finishing from point blank range or going to the foul line. Many of the Knicks including the guards struggled all season long with the entry pass to Curry. Rose never had trouble with it and this aspect of his game could earn him a bigger role at the start of next season.
Curry is the main man on the Knicks roster after a career year and Thomas will look to find a fitting compliment to him at the power forward spot. Outside of Rose the options currently on the roster are second year players Channing Frye and David Lee. Many people believed that Frye could thrive next to Curry on offense because of his deadly stroke from midrange. Yet his sophomore season proved to be a disaster for the former Arizona standout. After an offseason knee surgery he could never live up to the expectations from his rookie year and eventually his numbers dropped in almost every category despite playing more minutes. Lee had a terrific second year in the league averaging a double-double. He got injured late in the season though which opened up heavy minutes for Rose.
Not only does Rose compliment Curry well on the offensive end, he also is the best post defender the Knicks have. Knowing Curry’s struggles and the inexperience of Frye and Lee on the defensive end, Rose should see more minutes especially when the opponent brings a premier post player on the court. Thomas earlier tried Jerome James in that role, yet despite being a better shot blocker he has nowhere near the basketball skills and intangibles that Rose provides. One game against the Miami Heat was a perfect example as Thomas was forced to play Rose after James got into early foul trouble. Rose despite only being 6-7 did an outstanding job on Heat center Shaquille O’Neal and truly provided the team with a spark defensively.
Now I don’t want people to think that Malik Rose is the final answer to the Knicks questions up front. He isn’t. They still need a shot blocker and their young guys have to do a better job of defending the paint and limit opponent’s frontcourt. At times Rose seems a bit out of control and he plays over his head on offense trying things he just can’t do. But he still should play a bigger role on a team lacking veteran leadership and experienced proven winners. Knicks fans have to realize that the game of basketball requires more than just youth and athleticism. Rose provides help in areas the Knicks have major problems and I can only say it again how important veteran leadership is for a young team. Now it also happens that Rose can also help the Knicks on the court and shouldn’t be reduced to the 12th man cheerleader role. He is a role model for the younger guys and they should listen carefully to what he has to say and the way he plays the game. It’s just not right that Rose had a bigger role on Spurs as they won two rings yet he can’t crack the Knicks rotation. Malik Rose is definitely a keeper on this Knicks team. |
