Fruit From The Oaktree After posting a mere 3 victories in December, the Knicks have seemingly reversed course and stand a good chance of playing .500 basketball in January. Home wins against the Pistons, Wizards & 76ers have shown the team is capable of playing winning basketball so long as they commit to moving the ball, controlling the glass and making a concerted effort to defend.

Despite marked improvement, the Knicks can not escape controversy. First, Larry Brown finds a way to make yet another splash in the local papers with assertions that Garden executives planted spies throughout the arena. Then Brooklyn-born, Mike Dunleavy of the Los Angeles Clippers chimed in with his rant on avoiding the Knicks blueprint for player acquisition despite leading his team to a 13-26 record. While these barbs are interesting, they pale in comparison to the "State of the Franchise" address given by Knicks legend, Charles Oakley. Oakley - who is not an MSG employee and therefore exempt from Jim Dolan's maniacal media policy - was spot on when he elaborated on why Isiah's Knicks have struggled mightily. Never known to bite his tongue, Oakley said publicly what many people have long believed including:

"They don't have a leader. A lot of the guys on the team don't know how to play basketball."

"They have a lot of guys making money. That doesn't mean you have talent."

"Curry hasn't been in shape in two or three years."

"If you lose 30-something games before the All-Star break, it's a disgrace."

As the team's enforcer for a decade, Charles Oakley set the standard for work ethic at Madison Square Garden. Following his trade to Toronto, Larry Johnson continued the tradition of inspiring his teammates on the court and in the locker room. The Knicks have yet to find another leader since Johnson's sudden retirement in 2001. Since retiring in 2004, Charles Oakley has been frequently seen at the Garden, however Dolan & Thomas have refrained from offering the former co-captain a new position with the franchise. Only John Starks & Charles Smith remain on Dolan's payroll as visible links to the 90's powerhouse teams.

With Stephon Marbury in the team's rear view mirror, the Knicks have a prime opportunity to start building camaraderie while adding to the win total. Marbury had become a lightning rod for negativity and his absence has provided an opportunity for Jamal Crawford & Nate Robinson to flourish. Removing the Starbury factor from the equation eliminates much of the selfish play that had become a staple of the offense. Not only have the assist totals gone up, but the big men have begun to set more screens and the guards are creating more plays for teammates. Crawford's Globetrotter-like dribble led to the assist of the year when he drove into the paint against the Sixers and dished off beautifully to Jared Jeffries for a two-hand slam.

While the recent string of wins is a step in the right direction, the team is still devoid of a bona fide leader and remains at the bottom of the Atlantic Division. Rather than brush off Charles Oakley's comments as yet another verbal jab from an outsider, the team should use his criticism as fuel for the second half of the season. Knowing Oakley, his harsh critique of Isiah's Knicks was probably a motivational tool in disguise. Once a leader, always a leader.

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Starting next week, Garden Grasp will begin a series of articles called "Carry On Tradition" which will highlight stories of past Knicks success while exploring ideas to improve the team going forward. Gotham Hoops Live will air a conversation on this topic on an upcoming radio broadcast.

-Greg Hutchins