When the New York Knicks announced this past summer that they were signing former Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni, many speculated that although D'Antoni was a very good coach, the contention was that his running style of play would not work with the current Knickerbockers' personnel.
Although it is certainly too soon to be making room for any banners in the Madison Square Garden rafters, the Knicks have made a statement by getting off to a 6-3 record, their finest start in a decade.
The Knicks are actually still in the playoff hunt, which sadly enough hasn't been much of an option nine games into the season in recent seasons, as New York typically has proven itself to be a roster of overpaid underachievers by the end of the first month of play.
Instead, the Knicks find themselves in second place in the Atlantic Division, just two games behind the World Champion Celtics, who are off to a hot start of their own at 9-2.
They are 4-1 at the Garden and 2-2 on the road. That is generally what you ask of your team, to win at home and to play .500 on the road. That normally qualifies as a recipe for success, especially in the NBA, where half of the league makes it to the post season. And anything can happen once the playoffs begin.
13.3 million-dollar-man Zach Randolph has begun to earn his paycheck, as he is both scoring and averaging 12.3 rebounds per game, third in the NBA.
Nate Robinson continues to electrify the crowd, sitting at fifth in the league with 2.4 steals per game.
The Knicks also have balanced scoring. You won't find a Knickerbocker in the top 10, or even the top 15 of the league in points per game, but both Jamal Crawford and Randolph are averaging more than 20 points per contest, with Crawford leading the team at 21.9 and Randolph at 20.1, and the Knicks have three other players averaging double digits.
And don't forget Chris Duhon, who has done a fine job of running D'Antoni's offense and dishing out nearly seven assists per game.
And all of this is being done without perhaps the most selfish, unhappy, overpaid player in the league: Stephon Marbury.
The Knicks have begun talks with Starbury about a buyout, because they are in such a tough situation due to the astronomical salary that Marbury brings to the table, and his being somewhat of a distraction, or better said, a cancer, in the locker room. It's a lot of baggage, and with every team in the league knowing that, a trade is nearly impossible. So, the Knicks are left with the option of buying him out, since he has not played a minute yet this season, and is making a quarter of a million dollars per game to be a spectator.
Although Duhon has served the Knicks well thus far, D'Antoni is still shopping for a point guard, so who knows what the future will bring.
They may not win 50 games this year, but the 2008-09 Knicks are making things interesting, and after several years they are finally giving the Madison Square Garden crowd something to cheer for, and some hope for the future of the organization.
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