Who two No. 1 players in Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, D’Antoni has played match maker all season instead of running this basketball team. That’s why they sit at 8-15 right now.

Many people are claiming that the lack of team success is the fault of the coach, but unless he can get on the court himself to spread the ball around or come off the bench to support their lack of depth, he is doing the best he can.

Marc Berman from The New York Post is reporting on the Knicks' plans for their head coach:

According to NBA sources, D’Antoni will not be fired today despite back-to-back, last-second losses to Chicago and Boston, disputing a report earlier this week. But with the club at 8-15, his job security is in heavy question, and D’Antoni may not be able to afford losing to the Nets tonight in the last game of their back-to-back-to-back set.

Instead of punishing the head coach for not being able to corral both of the egos on his team, New York should be looking to add another piece to make the combination work. They need a facilitator.

Maybe Steve Nash?

There are always talks that the Phoenix Suns may be considering a trade for Nash, but I understand the Knicks have little to nothing to give. If they could pull this move off somehow, though, problem solved.

With D’Antoni, Stoudemire and Nash all working together before, the offense would run without a glitch while fitting in Carmelo Anthony wherever he wants to be. With a passer like Nash, ‘Melo and Amar'e would be able to have 25 points each game.

The bottom line is that without more pieces, it doesn’t matter who is coaching the Kicks because they will lose. It’s rather simple.

Check back for more on the National Basketball Association as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s NBA Page to get your fill of all things basketball.

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Lin ran the show effectively for New York, posting career highs with 25 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two steals. He gave the Knicks what they haven't had all season: a point guard who can dictate the pace of their offense and keep it organized as well.

And he did all that against one of the premier point guards in the league: Deron Williams.

The Harvard grad is getting his chance to play in recent nights because of the three games in a row the Knicks have had to play. Coach Mike D'Antoni is trying not to over-exert his players with the compressed schedule and his bench is becoming more and more necessary as the season goes on.

But while New York waits for the return and eventual debut of Baron Davis, can we possibly consider Lin as the answer at point guard?

At this point, no.

One career day against the Nets and their top point guard isn't enough to crown the Lin a starting NBA point guard, but it will certainly be enough to open people's eyes to the fact that Lin has the potential to be one.

That type of thought process could be helped along greatly if he can perform like this against one of the NBA's elite teams.

With this win over the Nets, he's gained credibility as a guy who deserves to be here. Lin has earned the right to get more looks in the future considering the Knicks have yet to find the solution at point guard any place else. It's a "wait and see" approach at this point, but it's one that coach D'Antoni will be willing to take.

With his back against the wall, D'Antoni's job might have been saved with the win last night. With all the talent and superstar power New York has on it's roster, I find it incredible to see that it was Lin who might have saved his job and not one of his more famous teammates, Carmelo Anthony or Amar'e Stoudemire, amongst others.

Lin is quickly becoming a fan favorite because of his small stature and underdog persona that is naturally connected to one of the players who sit at the end of a NBA team's bench. He will have the support of the Madison Square Garden faithful moving forward.

It just remains to be seen what Lin will actually do with this golden opportunity he's created for himself. For the sake of the Knicks and their fans, let's just hope he's the diamond in the rough New York has been waiting for.

Just stay cautiously optimistic, Knicks fans.

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The relentless chants of the jam-packed Madison Square Garden crowd resonated throughout the arena, as the disgruntled fans finally had a reason to cheer.

Coming into Saturday night, the New York Knicks were desperate for a win.

Coach Mike D'Antoni's job security was shaky, Carmelo Anthony's jumper's been raggedy and Amar'e Stoudemire's been the focal point of several trade rumors.

But things were bound to change, and from an unlikely source.

Harvard graduate and second-year PG, Jeremy Lin, had career-highs all across the board, putting up 25 points (10-19, 5-7 FT), seven assists, five rebounds and two steals in 36 minutes of play, leading the Knicks to a 99-92 home victory in the third game of a back-to-back-to-back, Saturday night.

Lin entered the game with just over eight minutes remaining in the third quarter and never saw the bench again.

Anthony, who played with a wrist injury, shot a poor 3-of-15 from the field for 11 points, and Stoudemire got into early foul trouble, but it was Lin's ability to penetrate the lane and finish at the basket that helped the Knicks get a desperately needed victory.

With Lin on the floor, the N.Y. Knicks looked like a completely different basketball team. No longer were they pushing the tempo and taking early, ill-advised shots.

Lin ran the Knicks offense beautifully. He moved the ball around, sliced and diced to get into the lane and even ran the extremely rare pick-and-roll with STAT and Tyson Chandler...successfully!

Even more importantly, Lin only turned the ball over once and held Deron Williams scoreless in the fourth quarter, limiting him to 21 points on 7-of-19 shooting from the field, along with 11 assists.

Jared Jeffries also had his best game of the season, dropping nine points and 11 rebounds, as well as playing physical defense and taking charges when his team needed them.

The New York Knicks (9-15) are still searching for answers, but this kind of production from a bench player is a ray of sunlight on a cloudy day.

While anything done to the Nets defense should be taken with a grain of salt, seeing someone finally step into the limelight that is New York City is a breath of fresh air for Knick fans.

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Earlier this week, I wrote that New York should trade for Steve Nash.  But Nash would be difficult to acquire for two reasons: It would be nearly impossible to match contracts and the Phoenix Suns are still reluctant to deal their franchise icon.  

Ramon Sessions would a surprisingly effective second option for New York. Trading for him would be very easy: He costs only $4 million and the Cleveland Cavaliers would likely part with him for only a future pick and cash.   

The Knicks are a pitiful 8-15.  They have elite offensive weapons in Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire and a star defensive center in Tyson Chandler.  But they have no elite distributor, so there is currently no one on the roster who can take the keys to the car and drive New York to the playoffs.  

Few NBA fans know of Ramon Sessions, but he is a young, surprisingly effective point guard. 

Many die-hard fans consider him the most underrated guard in basketball.  Sessions broke out with Cleveland last year and posted an average of 13.3 points, 5.2 assists and three rebounds per game, with an excellent assist-to-turnover ratio while starting only 38 of 81 games.  

In those he did start, Sessions was impressive offensively and showed a knack for both penetration and particularly distribution.  

He is exactly what the Knicks need: a gifted young passer who can orchestrate Mike D'Antoni's offensive system and get the ball to Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire.  

Sessions is not perfect.  Despite his evident offensive skills, teams remain reluctant to commit because he is an atrocious defender.  

But in this case, the positives far outweigh the potential problems.

Sessions is large enough to play both guard positions, which means he can play alongside a healthy Baron Davis and make sure the Knicks have an offensive orchestrator when Davis is (inevitably) injured.

The Knicks have plenty of talent but little on-court direction.  Acquiring Sessions will give them an offensively gifted point guard who can solve their distribution issues.

At this point, what do they have to lose?  

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Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire will try to find an answer to their recent struggles, while Deron Williams and the New Jersey Nets are hoping to pull of an upset.

The showdown in the Big Apple features a plethora of All-Star talent, yet both teams have found their fair share of struggles this season.

The Knicks come into this contest playing as poorly as any team in the NBA. Anthony and company have lost 11 of their last 13 games, as the downward spiral only seems to be getting worse for this team.

An inability to defend and a lack of movement on the offensive end has put the Knicks' playoff hopes in serious jeopardy. The team ranks No. 24 in assists per game and No. 20 in rebounds per game.

The Nets are looking for the team's second win in three games. New Jersey will have a chance to prove their worth in what will be a telling game in determining rest of the team's season.

Here is everything NBA fans need to know about this marquee matchup.

Where: New York, New York @ Madison Square Garden

When: Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 @ 7:30 PM EST

Watch: MSG, YES

Listen: WFAN 660, ESPN 1050 (New York)

Betting Line: According to Predictem.com, the New York Knicks are three-point favorites heading into the matchup.

Key Injuries: The Knicks are still without their PG Baron Davis, while Stoudemire continues to play while still dealing with an ankle injury.

The Nets have SG Anthony Morrow listed on the injury report, as he is also tending to an ankle injury. In his last outing, Morrow scored a whopping 42 points.

What They're Saying: Let it be known that the Nets just might have a chance in this one. The absence of Baron Davis has been evident for the Knicks this season, as the offense has looked stagnant and not fluid enough to produce for four quarters.

Most Important Player to Watch: Anthony Morrow.

In his last outing, Morrow went off for 42 points and made Deron Williams and himself look like the most dynamic back court in basketball. The two combined for 54 points, 16 assists (14 by Williams) and nine rebounds.

Expect big things from Morrow if the Nets decide to pull off the upset in this one.

Prediction: Despite the Knicks' major struggles as of late, it will be all the more reason to beat a team that they are clearly more talented than. The Knicks and Nets don't differ much in record, but talent-wise, the Knicks undoubtedly have them beat.

After taking the Celtics down to the final seconds, expect the Knicks to take care of business and beat a team they should and will beat.

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According to Howard Beck of the New York Times, the New York Knicks are one of those teams with interest.

OK, yeah. I like it. The Knicks are pretty thin at the guard position, they have enough solid defenders so they could make up for his lack of defense and they could really use an instant-offense type of pla—wait a minute!

The Knicks?

The same team that is trying to split up time between Iman Shumpert, Landry Fields, Toney Douglas, Bill Walker, Mike Bibby, Jeremy Lin, Baron Davis, Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell, Stephon Marbury and John Starks?

The same team that has Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, two guys who already account for 87 percent (made that number up, but it's scary close) of the team's shots?

The same team that is giving up a league-average 95 points per game (although that would be closer to 105 without Tyson Chandler)?

Yup, the same team. But hey, who am I to jump to conclusions? Maybe J.R. Smith is the prescription to this team's 8-14 fever.

Let's take another look at those three problems. First up, guard depth.

Well, no, he doesn't help that. Moving on.

Second, are there enough shots to go around? Considering Smith just dropped 60 (off the bench!) in a game in China, I'm going to go ahead and say he probably hasn't changed the way he plays the game. It's likely the offense will still stop once the ball touches his hands.

Considering the Knicks have all kinds of trouble moving the ball on offense already, Smith doesn't quite seem like the right fit here. 

OK, on to the defense.

Well, he doesn't play anything that resembles team defense, so I would call that another no.

There's no question that J.R. Smith and his unique talents will make a team (somewhat) happy. When he hits that groove once every two weeks, no one in the NBA can stop him. He's a good player.

But on the New York Knicks he would be a painfully, comically bad player.

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The Knicks are a pitiful 2-13 over their last 15 games and it's been a stretch that the "new" Knicks thought they had left behind with the "old" Knicks. That being said, it's hard to make the case that D'Antoni even remotely still deserves this job at this point.

What was supposed to be his strong suit, offense, has been the Knicks' biggest weakness. Blame it on whoever you want, in the end, it always comes back on the coach and, in this instance, D'Antoni must be the fall guy.

Not to mention, two straight, last-second losses at the hands of good teams and horrible play-calling has given New York two consecutive tough losses.

Against the Chicago Bulls, D'Antoni felt it necessary to have his power forward, Amar'e Stoudemire, take a game-tying, three-point attempt which didn't go down for the Knicks. That was followed by Carmelo Anthony jogging the ball up the court with just seconds left on the clock as if he had a minute.

Then against the Boston Celtics, the Knicks looked completely disorganized for the last play of that game as well. When the Knicks' options didn't open up on the in-bound, the only option they had left was Steve Novak who hadn't played a single minute in the game.

It just seemed that once things didn't go the way they planned, all hell broke loose and Novak ended up missing the game-tying shot for another loss. It's that kind of disorganization which further proves D'Antoni is not leading this team in the right direction.

The only person who seems to be getting anything out of this team is Woodson who was brought on to help the Knicks defensively. Again, the Knicks are not a great defensive team by any stretch, but they are better than they were last season.

It's very feasible that if he's given more power on this team, Woodson can turn things around quickly seeing as how he's already made strides with his players as an assistant this season.

With the Atlanta Hawks, he improved the team's record every year before his firing after Woodson's team lost to a better Orlando Magic team with a first-round sweep in the playoffs. I take that with a grain of salt considering this Knicks team has more talent than that of the Atlanta team Woodson coached.

With the skid New York is in, things can't get much worse and I feel as though a change is absolutely necessary to turn things around. It's time for D'Antoni to face the music and it's time for Woodson to get his chance.

At this point, even ol' Herb Williams is looking like a better option.

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Not to play the “I told you so” card, but I saw this coming. Who remembers the beginning of the 2010-2011 season? I do. Ray Felton, Amar’e, Landry Fields, Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler were lighting it up. The Knicks were back, and in a way that they hadn’t been back in a decade at least. Amar’e was the star of New York City, and his supporting cast did just that: support.

With Felton running the point, Amar’e was in his glory, getting touches and great looks like there was no tomorrow. The rookie Landry Fields had breakout games and gained recognition and popularity as a starter for one of the biggest market teams in the world. Wilson Chandler obliterated the boards as one of the most aggressive big men in the league. Gallinari gained the respect of a nation over the course of his 2.5 year stint with the Knicks.

And then: Melo. 

Melo to the Knicks was going to happen. It was the most talked about trade of early 2011, and no one doubted that Melo would be wearing the Knicks’ orange and blue by the 2011-2012 season. Here came the problem: the Nuggets didn’t want a LeBron-leaves-Cleveland-with-the-worst-team-in-the-NBA-and-little-else situation on their hands. The Knicks could have waited to sign Melo. Fuck it, they SHOULD have waited for his free agency to start over the summer. But the instant gratification mindset of…wait, EVERYBODY in New York City led to the premature signing of Carmelo Anthony (and precious one other piece) for a solid percentage of the Knicks’ bench, and the majority of their starting lineup 

Denver got the better end of that trade. 

Friends of mine, die-hard Knicks fans, refused to believe that. They railed on me via Twitter for being unsupportive of the trade for Melo. Don’t get me wrong, Melo is one of the best shooters and scorers there is. He’s proved that for years. But when you’re gaining an offensive power, adding him to a different kind of offensive power, and sacrificing most of your starting lineup (as well as the majority of your defense), you don’t get a powerhouse team; you get a clash of the titans. And not the good Miami Heat vs. L.A. Lakers kind.

Answer this for me: who was running the point when Ray Felton was unceremoniously shipped off to the Mile High city? (Can you tell I’m still bitter about this? I think Felton did more for Amar’e’s stardom in New York City than Amar’e did.) The answer is, the only other piece that was of any value to the Knicks from the Nuggets: Chauncey Billups. And where is Mr. Big Shot now? In L.A., where the big shots go. But that's another story.

And now who’s running the point for the Knicks? A quietly out of place and inconsistent Toney Douglas? A hot shot rookie who takes more shots than he earns in Iman Shumpert? A recent D-League call-up in JEREMY LIN? For God’s sake. It is impossible to construct a decent offense when no one is in charge. Not only that, but Amar’e and Carmelo are both ball stoppers. They make buckets. They’re not role players; they’re superstars.

I'm going to come right out and say it. The Knicks have bad chemistry. Do you know why LeBron, D-Wade, and Bosh are winning games? It's because they have chemistry. Good chemistry. If the Heat’s "Big Three" are the paper-mâché volcano of the NBA "Big Three" model, with lava smoothly oozing down the sides in perfect distribution, the Knicks are like an accident-prone bottle rocket project—taking off with admirable force, but inevitably shooting off into the unsuspecting owner’s crotch. An F+, if you will, in the world of acquiring NBA talent (what that means is that they tried really hard, it just blew up in their faces). 

What Knicks management has failed to realize is that acquiring a "Big Three" means nothing if the teamwork isn’t there. Getting into salary cap trouble, gutting the roster, and signing the big name instead of the key player, all for the sake of claiming a "Big Three" isn’t worth the breath you used to say it. Not yet anyway.

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The Knicks gave it their all in Boston, but it ultimately wasn't enough against the talented starting lineup the Boston Celtics have.

Though the Knicks starters played pretty well, the Knicks received only nine points off their bench, something they should not be happy with.

The refs had a few lopsided calls, but also had a call with 16.1 seconds remaining that went the in the Knicks' favor. The call was that Paul Pierce didn't get his three-point shot off in time, sinking it right after the shot clock expired. That bucket would have made the deficit by four, instead it was one.

Landry Fields, who has been playing some very good ball as of late, missed a wide-open three and the Celtics tacked on two more points at the foul line. With under five seconds remaining, Steve Novak, who came in just for that play, took the ball from Fields, as no one else was open, and heaved up a Hail Mary that wasn't close to falling.

That was another loss to the Knicks' awful record, setting them seven games out of .500.

The Big Three on the Knicks combined for 72 of the 91 points, but Tyson Chandler could have added plenty more for the Knicks.

Every time down the floor, he was wide open, however, Iman Shumpert didn't see him most of the time. Yeah, a few passes found Chandler for the emphatic jam, but the ball didn't find him enough.

Because of the New York point guard struggles, Jeremy Lin saw seven minutes of action, scoring just two points and one assist.  He was ultimately a non-factor, but did show some signs of being a legitimate guard.

With Baron Davis not even making the trip to Boston, Lin might see even more minutes tomorrow when the Knicks play the New Jersey Nets in the last game of their back-to-back-to-back stretch.

This game hurt the Knicks. They wanted it badly, and D'Antoni needed this win to back up why he belongs to stay. Even though the Knicks lost their last two games, the Knicks have played much better and D'Antoni, I would assume, will continue to be the coach of the Knicks.

Fatigue was the real issue for the Knicks tonight, and coach D'Antoni needs to manage his players better then that. His rotation needs to be better, as he gave every starter at least 35 minutes in tonight's game.

They were tired, and at times weren't able to recover defensive rebounds, which led to more opportunities for the Celtics. And when you give more opportunities to the Celtics, they'll burn you, and the Knicks learned that tonight.

The Knicks also need to start playing like the Celtics. They need to be more aggressive on defense, and knock down their open shots. There's no better team then the Celtics when it comes to knocking down open shots. The Knicks had plenty, and they missed them.

Another obvious weakness for the Knicks tonight, and mostly every night, is that they move the ball around in the first half very well, but forget how to in the second half. That's mainly because the fourth quarter is "Melo Quarter" which means isolation.

Anyway, the Knicks are showing improvement and look to finally get another win against another struggling and injured team in the New Jersey Nets. D'Antoni isn't gone yet, but a loss to the Nets might be the trigger for owner James Dolan.

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The Knicks (8-14) travel to Boston to take on the Celtics (11-10) on Friday night. 

The two teams last met on Christmas Day, when the Knicks beat the Celtics 106-104, in a game that was close throughout. We can only hope this game will be no different from an excitement standpoint.

Where: TD Garden. Boston, Massachusetts

When: Friday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. EST

Watch: ESPN; Streamed on ESPN 3; MSG in New York; CSN in Boston. 

Listen: ESPN 1050 in New York; WEEI 850 in Boston. 

Betting Line

Celtics (-6.5) according to Sportsbook. 

The Celtics are playing much better than the Knicks, and with the game being at home in Boston, they are a good bet to come out with the win and cover that spread. 

Key Injuries

Per USA Today.

Knicks' G Baron Davis and C Josh Harrellson are out. 

Celtics' G Keyon Dooling is doubtful.

Celtics' G Rajon Rondo and G Marquis Daniels are questionable.

What's at Stake?

Both of these teams need to get a lot better to get to an elite level.

As it stands now, both are in danger of missing the playoffs. 

The Knicks are 2.5 games out of the No. 8 spot. If they don't get on track, New York will be watching the playoffs from home. 

The Celtics are in the playoffs as of right now, but can't afford a slip or they will be in the same spot. They are also six games out of the top spot in the East, and 4.5 games back from the 76ers for the Atlantic Division lead.

No teams currently stand between the 76ers and Celtics in the division, so a win here could trigger a nice winning streak, bringing a Top-three seed in play. 

What They're Saying

Marc Berman of the New York Post was critical of the Knicks, who don't have a shooter. He felt that flaw was exposed in a loss to the Bulls, where power forward  Amar'e Stoudemire was forced to try a three-pointer that would have tied the game in the final seconds, which he missed. 

"After the dizzying amount of moves made since November 2008, it is amazing the Knicks still don’t have a point guard or a starter who can be considered a very good 3-point shooter, a staple in Mike D’Antoni’s speedball offense. Carmelo Anthony probably would agree that it is not his strong suit. Maybe Baron Davis changes both."

Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald wrote that he was encouraged with the team's blowout win against the Raptors on Wednesday, thinking it was a sign that the team is on track, in the right direction.

"Look, the Celtics will obviously need to get a whole lot better to concern anyone in the upper half of the Eastern Conference bracket come springtime, but as long as they can continue to clean up against the NBA flotsam, they can go about their internal business without the draft lottery gun at their head...It is still impossible to picture this team getting by a Miami or a Chicago in the playoffs, but they are no longer listless."

Knicks Player to Watch

PG Iman Shumpert.

With Rajon Rondo possibly not playing, the Knicks will need a good game from Shumpert at the point. If Rondo does play though, the Knicks will need Shumpert's defense to slow Boston's offense down. 

Celtics Player to Watch

SG Ray Allen.

He is in a favorable matchup against Landry Fields. That is a favorable showdown for the Celtics that they will need to exploit.

Key Matchup

Carmelo Anthony vs. Paul Pierce. 

Each leads their team in scoring, so this is pretty simple.

The Knicks will need Anthony to win this by a lot, but If Pierce keeps it close, the Celtics will win easily. 

Prediction: Celtics 97, Knicks 85

In Boston, the Celtics have a big advantage in this game.

They are playing better basketball now than they were early in the year, and the Knicks have dropped four of five.

The fortunes of each team will continue. 

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