NBA Power Rankings week 7 – OKC Thunder ascend the ladder

Offense: (102.0)  30th
Defense: (112.5)   24th
Net: (minus -10.5)  30th

Games Week 7: (0-3) Lost to Bucks, Nuggets, Pacers
Games Week 8 (4 games): Tues at Blazers|  Weds at Warriors | Fri at. Kings | Sun at Nuggets

The New York Knicks continue to do things their way – which is entirely different than their counterparts. Case in point -following a blowout loss to the equally struggling Cavaliers on November 10th Knicks President Steve Mills, and General Manager Scott Perry held an impromptu emergency press conference to discuss the unacceptable performance of the club and how they were underachieving.

Although owner James Dolan was never cited as the mastermind behind the presser it was widely assumed he was.

Cut to week seven of action and following back to back shellackings by the Bucks (88-132) and Nuggets (92-129), Head Coach David Fizdale was fired.

Ironically this grander action by the powers that be didn’t dictate a meeting from the brass or explanation — everyone was simply left to process the action as Mills ‘take that for data’ moment.

Assistant coach Mike Miller was promoted to ‘interim’ head coach and he was left to address the media pre and post game versus the Pacers which was lost by a single point because Julius Randle failed to hit a second free throw to send the game to overtime.

In retrospect, Fizdale never had a chance and that was due more to the ill-fitting roster Mills and Perry assembled.

Already the New York media is on the fire Mills, hire Masai Ujiri bandwagon but there is that little problem of the contract the Raptors President is under. Plus the presumption, or should I say pipe dream that Ujiri would leave an organization and fanbase who adores him to take the reigns of a franchise with so much turmoil is comical.

Dolan could back up a Brink’s truck, provide additional funding and exposure for Ujiri’s wonderful Giants of Africa program and promise complete autonomy. Yet, one resounding fact remains —- similar promises were made to Phil Jackson and a host of others along the way and the enigmatic owner never kept them – so WHY would Ujiri ever believe anything he has to say?

The NBA would be better served by a competitive Knicks franchise however as long as James Dolan is the owner it’s hard to fathom anything ever changing in the Mecca.

There are teams who performed worse this week and whose rosters aren’t as deep — but the Knicks land in 30th for the drama (and NOT the good kind) they plague the Association with.