The New York Knicks finally got their intended starting lineup on the court in Wednesday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets, but is it set to stay that way? Arron Afflalo returned to the court and made his season debut for the Knicks after a hamstring injury which was good news for Jose Calderon who improved as a result. With Derek Fisher getting his intended backcourt together, will he stick with it for the long haul?
A lot has been made about the backcourt for the Knicks as Calderon struggled with Sasha Vujacic. However, that changed on Wednesday when Calderon put up 13 points and five assists to pair with the 12 points and six rebounds Afflalo had in his debut. This is what Fisher was eyeing for most of the offseason despite the rise of young talent like Jerian Grant and Langston Galloway. Fans should expect this lineup to stay put for the time being.
"That's the mentality that we have to get out of in this organization," Fisher said, via the New York Daily News. "Everybody. You can't go up and down with the sun and the moon one day at a time. Being good takes time, it's a process. Being great is not easy."
One thing Fisher does like is the energy that Grant and Galloway bring off the bench. There has been a lot of talk from people who believe Grant should be starting over Calderon. The rookie has certainly shown flashes of real talent and could be a star in the making for the Knicks team. Calderon has heard his future come into question before. The point guard noted that he is well aware of the talent he brings to the court whether that is starting or coming off the bench.
"I prefer you guys talking about me than my teammates,'' Calderon said, via the New York Post. "It's OK, keep talking about it. I'm OK with that. Whatever happens will happen. I want to win. I want to help this team, and [it] doesn't matter if I'm starting or coming off the bench. It's all right. [If] you guys [are] talking about me, [you're] not talking about the Knicks and us losing. It was good for us. I know my weaknesses. I know my strengths.''
One person happy with the current state of the Knicks is Carmelo Anthony. The star told the media that he likes the veteran knowledge both Afflalo and Calderon bring to the court which might be more valuable than flashes of talent from the rookies. For now, he believes that gives the Knicks the best chance at winning moving forward while he attempts to remain patient with the progress of the team.
"That's one thing about this team. Guys work. So that's why I do believe that it's going to turn around," Anthony said., via ESPN.com.
