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Twenty-seven. The amount of games the New York Knicks have lost since acquiring the highly sought star small forward from the Denver Nuggets.

Since the fiasco that was the Anthony trade, the Knicks have lost 56 percent of their games. That's right folks, your New York Knicks, the second most valuable franchise in the NBA, valued at $780 million by Forbes, have a losing record since they made the trade to acquire the savior of the franchise.

Melo was seen as the second savior of Knicks basketball behind Amar'e Stoudemire. The beloved power forward-center hybrid, super-freak of nature, who above all other teams clamoring for his services chose to come to play in the Mecca of basketball that is Madison Square Garden.

The swap that essentially turned the Nuggets into Knicks-West or Knicks 2.0 or whatever you want to call it, may have been the downfall of the Knickerbockers' return to basketball glory. If you win in this city people will adore you. You'll become a legend in the eyes of all New Yorkers (see Walt “Clyde” Frazier or Willis Reed).

But when you lose, public approval, along with forgiveness, does not come easy. No matter who you are.

The Knicks traded away a trio of young promising players who were exceeding expectations in the first half of last season.

Raymond Felton. Danilo Gallinari. Wilson Chandler. All gone. The players that the New York faithful had come to love were sent to Denver basically for the services of one man. Truthfully, the Knicks did get decent production out of Chauncey Billups and adequate bench play from Anthony Carter, but that was just a bonus.

The Knicks signed Felton to a two-year $15.8 million deal before the 2010-2011 campaign. He had some trouble getting his pick-and-roll down with Stoudemire, but once that was polished and nearly perfected, the Knicks were a force to be reckoned with. Stoudemire rattled off 30-10 games night in and night out, dominating the competition while helping the Knicks win 13 of 14 from November 17 to December 12.

Stoudemire was showered by choruses of “MVP” chants during his streak of exceptional play, but those chants are now long lost in the catacombs of newly renovated Madison Square Garden.

Gallinari was the sixth pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, based on heavy lobbying from Mike D’Antoni, and averaged 16 points per contest last season before he was sent away. The Nuggets just signed "Gallo" to a four-year, $42 million deal. All that you talent and promise gone for the great Carmelo.

And now we have poor Wilson Chandler. He was averaging over 16 points per game playing on Broadway, and now this poor man has been relegated to obscurity due to the NBA lockout, playing for Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association. 

Countless New Yorkers are clamoring for Mike D'Antoni's head game in and game out, but the blame cannot be entirely put on him.

As currently constituted, the New York Knicks are far from a team. They don't play team basketball. You seldom see the spectacular ball movement and backdoor cuts that turn a mediocre team into a good one and a good one into a great one. Their game play consists of catching and shooting, better known as the Melo show. Unfortunately this season’s Melo show features a sub-40 percent shooting display from the field.

D'Antoni has feebly attempted to change his mantra into defense first. Funny joke, right? A D'Antoni-coached team would rely on defense to win games? No chance. Not even the arrival of Tyson Chandler, completing one of the best front-courts in the league (on paper at least), could save the Knicks.

Catch and shoot. That's the Melo show. Toney Douglas dribbles the ball up court and either passes it to Melo or finds a way to take a contested running jumper. Well, it used to be Toney Douglas until his productivity plummeted into oblivion while rookie Iman Shumpert’s stock soared through the roof.

Melo then proceeds to do his usual shake and bake followed by a turnaround, fade away jump shot or a lame attempt to drive the lane. That's not basketball. Where is the offense that was once powered by Stoudemire’s stellar interior play?

Yes, Tyson Chandler is now down low, creating a bit more traffic than “STAT” is used to, but if an injury-plagued Chandler helped the Bobcats make the playoffs in the 2009-2010 alongside Gerald Wallace, he can surely make this work with Stoudemire. Offense needs to be a team effort and not a constant (and easily stopped) game of one-on-one.

The problem isn't just on the court as it seems STAT and Melo aren’t on the best terms off the court either. Stoudemire recently ripped some players for not studying the game plan before the games and who exactly do you think he was calling out? My guess is that he's pretty unhappy with Melo.

Stoudemire isn't the only one frustrated with the course of this season. Chandler told reporters this after a January 28 loss to the Houston Rockets: "I refuse. I refuse. I refuse to have a losing season like that. We have to do what it takes, I don’t care what is, I really don’t. Like I said, we have to man-up."

Not only does Chandler refuse to accept the present state of the New York Knicks, he refuses three times over.

Just a little tidbit of information for you here: The Knicks beat the Charlotte Bobcats by 33 on January 24. Melo registered only one point in 30 minutes of game time. However, the more impressive statistic is that he took a measly seven shots from the field. Meanwhile, Stoudemire and Chandler shot a combined 72 percent from the field and Landry Fields even threw in 18 points, his second highest output of the season.

Fields averaged double-digit points per game before the Anthony trade but his point production, along with rebounding numbers, tailed off notably after his arrival. Of course you expect the scoring of your players to go down when a new star comes around, but a player who is seen as a superstar should make everyone around him play better overall.

As the saying goes, statistics are everything. If you go by statistics in this instance, the Nuggets got the better of the deal. They are 14-6 this season and trail only the Oklahoma City Thunder for first place in the Western Conference while the Knicks are trying to stay relevant early on, compiling a dreadful 7-13 record, struggling to keep their heads above water. 

Could it be that the Knicks are better off without Carmelo Anthony? Perhaps management could work a possible Melo for Deron Williams deal. Trying to win the NBA championship without a point guard is the same as trying to win the Super Bowl with no quarterback. Teams without a field general simply cannot compete with superior guard play. 

I do believe the Knicks will find a way to turn things around and avoid an unprecedented letdown of their fan base. However, a few locker room and on-court issues need to be worked out before the front office, players and fans are comfortable with the state of the Knicks franchise.

And it all starts with No. 7.

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Twenty-seven. The amount of games the New York Knicks have lost since acquiring the highly sought star small forward from the Denver Nuggets.

Since the fiasco that was the Anthony trade, the Knicks have lost 56 percent of their games. That's right folks, your New York Knicks, the second most valuable franchise in the NBA, valued at $780 million by Forbes, have a losing record since they made the trade to acquire the savior of the franchise.

Melo was seen as the second savior of Knicks basketball behind Amar'e Stoudemire. The beloved power forward-center hybrid, super-freak of nature, who above all other teams clamoring for his services chose to come to play in the Mecca of basketball that is Madison Square Garden.

The swap that essentially turned the Nuggets into Knicks-West or Knicks 2.0 or whatever you want to call it, may have been the downfall of the Knickerbockers' return to basketball glory. If you win in this city people will adore you. You'll become a legend in the eyes of all New Yorkers (see Walt “Clyde” Frazier or Willis Reed).

But when you lose, public approval, along with forgiveness, does not come easy. No matter who you are.

The Knicks traded away a trio of young promising players who were exceeding expectations in the first half of last season.

Raymond Felton. Danilo Gallinari. Wilson Chandler. All gone. The players that the New York faithful had come to love were sent to Denver basically for the services of one man. Truthfully, the Knicks did get decent production out of Chauncey Billups and adequate bench play from Anthony Carter, but that was just a bonus.

The Knicks signed Felton to a two-year $15.8 million deal before the 2010-2011 campaign. He had some trouble getting his pick-and-roll down with Stoudemire, but once that was polished and nearly perfected, the Knicks were a force to be reckoned with. Stoudemire rattled off 30-10 games night in and night out, dominating the competition while helping the Knicks win 13 of 14 from November 17 to December 12.

Stoudemire was showered by choruses of “MVP” chants during his streak of exceptional play, but those chants are now long lost in the catacombs of newly renovated Madison Square Garden.

Gallinari was the sixth pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, based on heavy lobbying from Mike D’Antoni, and averaged 16 points per contest last season before he was sent away. The Nuggets just signed "Gallo" to a four-year, $42 million deal. All that you talent and promise gone for the great Carmelo.

And now we have poor Wilson Chandler. He was averaging over 16 points per game playing on Broadway, and now this poor man has been relegated to obscurity due to the NBA lockout, playing for Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association. 

Countless New Yorkers are clamoring for Mike D'Antoni's head game in and game out, but the blame cannot be entirely put on him.

As currently constituted, the New York Knicks are far from a team. They don't play team basketball. You seldom see the spectacular ball movement and backdoor cuts that turn a mediocre team into a good one and a good one into a great one. Their game play consists of catching and shooting, better known as the Melo show. Unfortunately this season’s Melo show features a sub-40 percent shooting display from the field.

D'Antoni has feebly attempted to change his mantra into defense first. Funny joke, right? A D'Antoni-coached team would rely on defense to win games? No chance. Not even the arrival of Tyson Chandler, completing one of the best front-courts in the league (on paper at least), could save the Knicks.

Catch and shoot. That's the Melo show. Toney Douglas dribbles the ball up court and either passes it to Melo or finds a way to take a contested running jumper. Well, it used to be Toney Douglas until his productivity plummeted into oblivion while rookie Iman Shumpert’s stock soared through the roof.

Melo then proceeds to do his usual shake and bake followed by a turnaround, fade away jump shot or a lame attempt to drive the lane. That's not basketball. Where is the offense that was once powered by Stoudemire’s stellar interior play?

Yes, Tyson Chandler is now down low, creating a bit more traffic than “STAT” is used to, but if an injury-plagued Chandler helped the Bobcats make the playoffs in the 2009-2010 alongside Gerald Wallace, he can surely make this work with Stoudemire. Offense needs to be a team effort and not a constant (and easily stopped) game of one-on-one.

The problem isn't just on the court as it seems STAT and Melo aren’t on the best terms off the court either. Stoudemire recently ripped some players for not studying the game plan before the games and who exactly do you think he was calling out? My guess is that he's pretty unhappy with Melo.

Stoudemire isn't the only one frustrated with the course of this season. Chandler told reporters this after a January 28 loss to the Houston Rockets: "I refuse. I refuse. I refuse to have a losing season like that. We have to do what it takes, I don’t care what is, I really don’t. Like I said, we have to man-up."

Not only does Chandler refuse to accept the present state of the New York Knicks, he refuses three times over.

Just a little tidbit of information for you here: The Knicks beat the Charlotte Bobcats by 33 on January 24. Melo registered only one point in 30 minutes of game time. However, the more impressive statistic is that he took a measly seven shots from the field. Meanwhile, Stoudemire and Chandler shot a combined 72 percent from the field and Landry Fields even threw in 18 points, his second highest output of the season.

Fields averaged double-digit points per game before the Anthony trade but his point production, along with rebounding numbers, tailed off notably after his arrival. Of course you expect the scoring of your players to go down when a new star comes around, but a player who is seen as a superstar should make everyone around him play better overall.

As the saying goes, statistics are everything. If you go by statistics in this instance, the Nuggets got the better of the deal. They are 14-6 this season and trail only the Oklahoma City Thunder for first place in the Western Conference while the Knicks are trying to stay relevant early on, compiling a dreadful 7-13 record, struggling to keep their heads above water. 

Could it be that the Knicks are better off without Carmelo Anthony? Perhaps management could work a possible Melo for Deron Williams deal. Trying to win the NBA championship without a point guard is the same as trying to win the Super Bowl with no quarterback. Teams without a field general simply cannot compete with superior guard play. 

I do believe the Knicks will find a way to turn things around and avoid an unprecedented letdown of their fan base. However, a few locker room and on-court issues need to be worked out before the front office, players and fans are comfortable with the state of the Knicks franchise.

And it all starts with No. 7.

Read more New York Knicks news on BleacherReport.com

So far throughout this abbreviated 66-game 2012 NBA season, fans and viewers across the nation have seen a disappointing season emerge thus far at Madison Square Garden. The Mike D'Antoni directed roster has pieced together a sub .500 record, despite raised expectations following the acquisition of C Tyson Chandler.

The team is 21st overall in points allowed per game; a regularity in teams managed by Mike D'Antoni, as defense has never been his strong suit. But for his team to be 17th in PPG (94.3 PPG), 16th in rebounds per game (with both Amare Stoudemire AND Tyson Chandler on board), and ranking an absolutely appalling 26th in assists (just barely 18 a game) is inexcusable. This team needs an adjustment, badly, if they even want to contend in this year's postseason.

Despite all the hoopla going down in NYC, Dwight still has this team on his imaginary media-enhanced 'trade wish list'. He might be the necessary adjustment to surge this team into postseason contention. Negotiations between the Orlando Magic and the New York Knicks reportedly involve dealing Amare Stoudemire and the recently acquired Chandler to Orlando.

This is not the correct adjustment.

This would simply substitute one All-Star power forward/center (Stoudemire) for an All Star true center (Howard). We've all witnessed the lack of impact Amare is providing this season in the win-loss column. We're seeing first-hand that Stoudemire is receiving less shots in the paint in this isolation offense that revolves around the success of Carmelo Anthony. Although Carmelo Anthony is averaging over 25 points per game this season, Stoudemire isn't even tacking 18.

Anthony is also shooting 40 percent from the floor.

40 percent.

The alteration necessary for a successful Dwight/NYC scenario is a deal involving the departure of Carmelo Anthony, and his inefficienies. The 6'8" wing-man has tremendous scoring capabilities, grabs over 7 boards a game, shoots 81 percent from the free throw line in his career, and is a piece that any team across the league could use. Unfortunately, he has simultaneously been the downfall of the Knicks, and is the key piece that's denying New York of a potential dynasty (besides a truer point guard than Iman Shumpert, that can make the surrounding players better).

If the Knicks swap out Stoudemire for 'Melo, and still include Chandler in a package deal, that means New York would have the best frontcourt the league has to offer. A Knicks starting five with (insert a true veteran point guard's name here), Toney Douglas, Landry Fields, Amare Stoudemire, and Dwight Howard could stand atop an Eastern Conference that includes the star-studded Miami Heat, a Chicago Bulls team led by the reigning MVP, an emerging Philadelphia 76ers team, and an always underrated Atlanta Hawks roster.

It would bring back an aura Knicks fans haven't felt since the Ewing Era of the early '90's. Except unlike Ewing, Howard and company still have time earn a ring.   

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Fans are now beginning to have buyer's remorse with 'Melo. This is shortsighted.

The Knicks did not trade for Anthony to contend this season; they made the trade to contend for the next six to eight seasons, and hopefully this season. This was primarily a long-term move.

The Knicks have a much better shot at winning a title with Anthony as their best player as opposed to Amar'e Stoudemire. Whether they could have passed on 'Melo and then paired Amar'e with Chris Paul, Deron Williams or Dwight Howard in the summer of 2012 is speculative and not something the Knicks should have been thinking about at last year's trade deadline.

Had the Knicks not traded for Anthony, they may very well have been a better regular-season team this year. They almost certainly would have been more fun to watch. But that team would have no chance of upsetting Chicago or Miami in the playoffs. If Baron Davis can eventually give the Knicks good point guard play, then this team has a good shot of doing just that, despite the lack of talent outside the starting five.

Stoudemire is a great player, and put this team on his back for a good portion of last season. That is why he should and will continue to be the final player announced in the starting lineups at the Garden. But the Knicks were not doing anything special with him as their main guy.

In the playoffs, when everything breaks down, you need someone to just throw the ball to and say "score." That is not Amar'e. He is a slashing, pick-and-roll power forward with little to no post game. More so, because so much of what he does is based on athleticism, he probably only has about three really good years left.

You most definitely can give the ball to Anthony and say "score." In fact, he's arguably the best in the league at it. In Game 2 against the Boston Celtics last year, with Chauncey Billups and Amar'e out, 'Melo came about as close as you can to beating a team by yourself, with 42 points and 17 rebounds. People seem to forget this.

And Carmelo's game is based on quickness, strength and finesse, not explosive athleticism. Because of that, he has at least six more years of elite play in him. It his highly likely that Carmelo will be with the Knicks much longer than Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler.

After a decade of futility, it's hard to look five, six years down the road. But that is what you have to do when assessing the Anthony trade. The Knicks are thin and they're not comfortable playing with each other yet. So be it. That will come with time.

Over the years the Knicks will gladly pay the luxury tax and continue to add pieces. In the post-Isiah Knicks, I do not question the Anthony trade. What I do question, is whether after it became apparent LeBron James was not coming, maybe the Knicks should have counted their losses, passed on Stoudemire, collected assets and made acquiring Anthony their sole focus and then building around him.

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But injuries and adjustments to new personnel have plagued the Knicks, leaving many ready to hit the panic button. It may be difficult, but patience is key, as it is highly likely the Knicks turn things around as the season progresses.

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Things have been rough for Big Apple basketball fans, but the team's undeniable talent this year has a buzz building around the league. The question that remains lingering around the city is, "just how much hype do the Knicks deserve?"

Standing at 6-5 with a few brutal home losses under their belt, it's clear that New York is not quite at championship caliber yet.

New York's weaknesses were on full display in last night's double-digit defeat to Memphis. This doesn't mean that the Knicks' loyal following should throw in the towel, though...

Far from it.

New York's presence as a title contender will depend on a few internal adjustments, as well as perhaps a key personnel move or two.

Here are a few things the Knicks can do to get back on track towards earning their first ring since the 1972-73 campaign.

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A franchise emerging from a decade of poor front-office decisions and increasing local criticism, this was supposed to be the year that the Knicks returned to relevancy. However, their 3-4 record through seven games has the Big Apple faithful less than enthused.

Amongst their four defeats are a blowout to the Stephen Curry-less Warriors and home losses to the sub-.500 Raptors and Bobcats. However, New York has plenty of time to make adjustments and find ways to utilize their undeniable front-court talent.

The masses at Madison Square Garden may remain impatient, but here are eight reasons that Knicks fans should not worry about their team's slow start this season.

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The shocking part of the Knicks' 1-2 start is that the offense has struggled mightily during their recent two-game, West Coast skid.

They shot only 31.3 percent from the field and knocked down just six of 22 shots from three-point range last night and weren't much better the night before in a loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The main problem has been the guard play, mainly point guard Toney Douglas.

Douglas, like every other Knick at the moment, is struggling from the floor, but cold shooting will eventually come around.

The main problem is the lack of flow and rhythm in the offense at the moment.

Douglas has only 11 assists compared to five turnovers, and he can't seem to get the team settled into the offense.

It's apparent that this Knicks team won't compete until Baron Davis returns from injury, and even that's a big if. That all depends on what Davis the Knicks get.

Do they get the motivated playmaking point guard that can get this team going, or do they get the lazy version that Davis sometimes becomes?

For the Knicks' sake, they need the good one and need him soon.

Head coach Mike D'Antoni's offense revolves around a playmaking point guard, and Douglas isn't that.

The pick-and-roll is also a staple.

What's happened to that? It's been almost nonexistent.

With Douglas at the helm, the Knicks have essentially become a one-on-one team that features nothing but isolation.

It's not all the fault of Douglas though.

D'Antoni has tried Carmelo Anthony as a point forward, and he can't get the team into the offense either.

Then there's Mike Bibby, who looks like he doesn't have much left in the tank.

The Knicks' version of the Big Three should be able to dominate opponents, but they need someone to set them up and get them the ball in position to have success.

Then there are guys like Landry Fields, who absolutely need a productive point guard to get them going.

The Knicks gambled and used the amnesty clause on Chauncey Billups. Through three games, it appears that gamble has backfired. They just don't have someone to fill his shoes.

Davis can't get healthy soon enough for New York, but he's still weeks away.

Until then, the Knicks offense could be very inconsistent.

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The Knicks are hoping that their fourth-quarter woes will not be a continuing trend.  On Wednesday night, they entered the fourth quarter tied with the Golden State Warriors. The Knicks were outscored 28-14 by Golden State and lost the game 92-78.  New York only made 5-of-19 shots in the fourth quarter against the Warriors. In the last two nights, the Knicks are a combined 8-of-33 and have been outscored 47-24.  

After their exciting comeback on Christmas afternoon against the Boston Celtics, it looked like the Knicks were going to start the season very strong.  New York had trailed 87-79 going into the final twelve minutes, before they clicked and scored 27 points and made seven of their 12 shots.  Carmelo Anthony stepped up and scored 17 in the fourth, matching the total of the entire Celtics team.

It is imperative that the Knicks define themselves as a team that flourishes in the final minutes of the game rather than a team that self-destructs at the end of games.  Although they had not led since they were up 19-17 against the Lakers, it was a close game.  It did not have the feel of a game that was out of reach for the Knicks, until the fourth quarter. 

It is still early for the Knicks, who have new pieces and not as much practice as they should have had in a normal season.  But every team is going to have to deal with it this year, and the best teams will be those that can come together the quickest as the season progresses.  

The New York Knicks (1-2) continue their West Coast swing against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night and might have to take the court without Amare Stoudemire, who is day-to-day after leaving the game in the final minutes with an ankle injury.  

The Los Angeles Lakers (2-2), who started 0-2, face the Denver Nuggets at home on Saturday afternoon and look for their third straight win.

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