With the start of the 2013-14 NBA season rapidly approaching, we thought it only fair to share what makes each team so exciting. Ontologically speaking, all 30 teams deserve our eyeballs this season. Even disastrous lineups still present oodles of plays, personalities, highlights and headaches. Here are five things to keep in mind for each team before flipping the channel.
Next up, the bright lights, big city New York Knicks.
[5 Reasons To Watch: Kings, Lakers, Knicks, 76ers, Bobcats, Cavs, Magic, Warriors, Timberwolves, Nuggets, Clippers, Clippers, Rockets, Bulls, Pistons, Bucks, Nets, Pacers, Wizards, Thunder, Heat, Mavericks, Celtics, Raptors Hawks, Spurs, Trail Blazers, Grizzlies, Suns, Jazz]
Hello, NBA fans! As we patiently wait for the 2013-14 NBA season to begin, I would like to personally congratulate all of you for making it through another offseason. Yes, it can be rough for numerous die-hard fans. Many minds need to consume basketball 24/7 to keep from going insane. I hope DIME has kept your blood flowing over the summer heading into the fall.
Hoo-rah! Basketball is back! Not just because pre-season is here, though, and we get to dissect media interviews and create new hopes of optimism. But the golden egg of NBA television, NBA League Pass is available for purchase! As I can’t help but grin while I renew my subscription, and the NBA grins at my hard earned cash flowing into their back pocket, there are tough decisions to be made. 30 NBA teams and so many given games on a particular night, who do you tune into? Why watch this team? Should I check that team out this year?
Before you give yourself convulsions and mini-panic attacks because 12 games in one night threw you off your recliner through basketball-empowerment, relax. We at DIME care about our readers and actually thought about this for you. Our 2013-14 League Pass Alert Preview gives you all the reasons you need to check out any specific team on any night.
So let’s get started. Today, I will give you answers to all your “so what” and “what’s so good about them?” questions regarding the New York Knicks, capped by many as must-watch TV in the New York Metropolitan area. I will let you know why many believe the Knicks are must-watch TV, for both reasons on and off the basketball court.
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Postgame Interviews With Metta World Peace
There used to be fine line between The Late Show and professional basketball. That is, until Metta World Peace crossed it. If anyone is able to make postgame shows practical it’s World Peace, who can take a winning or losing interview and make it funny. So, even if you aren’t a fan of the Knicks, but enjoy tacky jokes while sarcasm is the basis of your first language, give good old Metta a check-in every now and then.
We won’t leave out how much World Peace will also help the Knicks on a basketball-playing level. His defense and veteran leadership is a nice hook for the Knicks to hang their hat on. But I’m sure the media will also have a field day with headlines throughout the season. He’s also a pretty decent interviewer too!
Carmelo Anthony Game-Winners
Besides the actual shot going in and the Knicks winning a game and all that little stuff, who really wants to miss the opportunity for Mike Breen to scream “BANG!” on your broadcast? Yeah, consider that a bonus along with Carmelo Anthony’s killer instinct late in games.
Opponents have seen this time and time again: ‘Melo drops game-winners like clumsy waiters drop plates. As of 2012, Anthony has the highest percentage in the NBA for game-winners (dictated by making a go-ahead basket inside of seven seconds) at 51 percent. I’m no mathematician, but Anthony is winning the game single-handedly in better than half of such opportunities. Close games with under two minutes left will almost certainly be must-watch basketball for the Knicks this year. So don’t hesitate!
Click page 2 for the next three reasons to watch the Knicks this year…
“THREEEEEEE-POINT GOAL”
You won’t get tired of this call anytime through the season. Knicks PA announcer Mike Walczewski has become notorious for his 3-point calls, sporting a long, carried out three-point slur. The call has become as trademark as Madison Square Garden itself.
But that’s not the end of it. Yes, Walczewski’s voice will be nice to listen to, but the viewing aspect involves watching the Knicks rain three pointers. It’s sure to be just as entertaining. Last year, the Knicks led the league in 3-pointers made and attempted. Sometimes this strategy backfires if your shots aren’t falling, but when they are, it is a fun brand of basketball to watch.
Mike Woodson implied early on in training camp that this year’s team would not shy away from the three ball, and that is a strong point in their game. So buckle up, and start smacking the side of your temple with three fingers.
Iman Shumpert’s Star Ascending
Young talent has been a sight for sore eyes for Knicks fans in recent years. It’s either been irrelevant, old veterans brought in via trade, or other perishable items. But the Knicks have a gem in Iman Shumpert, the athletic, defensive shooting guard entering his third year.
Both fans and players can’t stop raving about Shump. Metta World Peace is already on the record calling Shumpert the “best shooting guard in the league,” as well as the funniest Knick. Last year, in New York’s second round matchup against the Indiana Pacers, Shumpert was the best player on the floor for extended periods of time. Now with a full offseason under his belt, and fully recovered from ACL surgery, the Knicks are banking on him to take the next step this year and be a consistent threat every night.
This year, he’s expected to increase on his 8 PPG from last season. The Knicks desperately need another consistent scoring option and they are hoping Shump fit’s that bill. If you are enjoy watching young talent emerge, look no further than Iman Shumpert and the Knicks this year.
Walt Frazier’s Metaphors
If you’re really into the commentary of your games, and some people are, NBA League Pass is now offering the option of choosing which broadcast to listen to this year. So now it doesn’t matter if your team is home or away, you can hear your favorite announcing group. If the Knicks are your choice for basketball, there is no doubt you go with the smoothest color-commentator on record, Walt “Clyde” Frazier.
“Swishing and dishing,” “moving and grooving,” “posting and toasting,” and somehow managing to relate words like neophyte and matador to the game of basketball, Walt brings a cool-cut angle to the game while enthralling with his vocabulary skills. He’s a walking thesaurus, so take notes. Frazier has become a staple in Knicks broadcasts over the years and is absolutely worth a listen.
What do you think?
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