With a team sporting a roster of Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, Iman Shumpert, and Andrea Bargnani, one would think the Knicks would be better than their 3-8 record.
But alas the Knicks are way below .500 and are looking like pretenders instead of contenders in the East. And that s enough for J.R. Smith to already be hitting the panic button.
"We're frustrated," Smith said of where the team is mentally, despite most saying it's too early to panic. "Like you say, it's too early to panic, but me, personally, I'm panicking. I don't like this.
"I don't want to play 3-8 basketball," Smith continued, in regard to the Knicks' record. "I don't want to play 50-50 basketball. If we're going to be a championship-caliber team and call ourselves that, then we've gotta play like that. It can't be no other way."
Yes the Knicks are at 3-8 and things do not look good… right now.
The NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint and considering the East is not as stacked as the West, the Knicks could sneak in the playoffs at the four or five spot even with a sub-.500 record.
Smith needs to focus more on improving the team's morale and winning ways before hitting the panic button. This is way too early. With new players in the fold, a struggling Amar'e Stoudemire, and Smith coming back from suspension, it will take time for the Knicks to develop some chemistry.
Now if New York is still sitting below .500 after the All-Star break, then Smith (and perhaps Knicks fans) will all be panicking.
