Defensive Dividends As the Knicks prepare to embark on the 2007-08 regular season, never has there been such a level of immense scrutiny surrounding the team before a single game has been played. David Stern's recent comments to ESPN echo the sentiment that many have voiced e.g. the team's lack of success starts at the top. Jim Dolan may be universally loathed by many, but apparently has no interest in relinquishing his power. To compound

matters, Steve Mills' decision to convince Dolan to hire Isiah Thomas seems to have yielded depreciating annual returns.

A quick review of this history surrounding Isiah's hiring reminds us that Magic Johnson was actually Mills & Dolan's pick to replace Scott Layden. The goal was to inject life back into the organization, much like when David Checketts introduced Pat Riley to the Garden faithful with a Big Red Apple in hand. Once Johnson removed himself from consideration, he recommended Isiah Thomas for the post. Thomas seemingly has gone from being a stoic, presidential figure (standing in the tunnel with a menacing glare) to an embattled head coach fighting to save his reputation.

Isiah has 19,763 reasons to get the team off to a good start. If the Knicks can secure a few early victories, the Anucha Browne Sanders saga will be old news. If the team comes out flat, the Garden faithful will become restless and the media onslaught will begin.

After watching countless games at MSG, I believe it's safe to say that there is no more disheartening sound in sports than booing at the World's Most Famous Arena. It's the sound of disappointment mixed with vintage New York sarcasm & genuine disdain for guaranteed contracts. Garden cheers on the other hand are euphoric and invigorating. Who can forget the reverberating sounds of the crowd following John Starks' career defining dunk over Jordan's Bulls or Larry Johnson's 4-point play? Moreover, the DE-FENSE chant was perfected at MSG and led to countless Anthony Mason stops, Charlie Ward charges and Derek Harper steals. There were glimpses of Garden magic last season with Jamal Crawford's 52 point explosion and David Lee's last second heroics. Can we expect more of this? Only if Isiah and the coaching staff can rally the troops on the defensive end.

Offensively, the Knicks are a team loaded with scorers. Defensively, they have struggled to get interior stops or guard the 3 point line since Don Chaney was handed Jeff Van Gundy's clipboard. Some may argue that defense is all effort, but Isiah has assembled a team that is defensively challenged. Renaldo Balkman's return should help matters, but Isiah's vision of Jared Jeffries roaming the court for steals & Jerome James intimidating those who dare enter the paint was merely a dream turned mid-level exemption nightmare.

If Isiah wants to win the crowd, he need only take a page from Van Gundy's 1999 playbook. When the team is flat, go with a wholesale substitution. Van Gundy would routinely insert Sprewell, Camby & Childs together when the team needed a boost. Isiah has the luxury to pull 3 starters for David Lee, Renaldo Balkman & Mardy Collins and jumpstart the defensive effort. With Lee's board work, Balkman's athleticism & Collins' defensive prowess in together, they can create turnovers, run out on the break and fire up the crowd. If the projected starting lineup fails to click defensively, Isiah must take charge and make the switch to his young, aggressive subs. If he tries to please the starters with minutes, we can only expect more isolation plays, jumpers launched early in the shot clock and poor defensive rotations.

Only time will tell how Zeke will run the team, but at some point talking about winning must be replaced with a winning record. If the starters are truly willing to sacrifice for the team goal, then this season may finally produce a positive return on investment.

-Greg Hutchins