Knicks do the unthinkable, beat the Heat

KNICKS 91
HEAT 86

It may be early in the Carmelo Anthony/Chauncey Billups marriage with the Knicks, but if the Knicks become the definition of a team, Sunday night's victory in South Beach may have done it.

The Knicks found themselves down big in the fourth quarter, but a incredible 13-2 run in the final two minutes, highlighted by a three pointer by Billups with 1:01 to go to give the Knicks an 85-84 lead, and a huge block by Amare Stoudemire of a LeBron James drive with seven seconds to go, preserved the Knicks lead, as New York came away with the win.

It was the Knicks most impressive win to date. In a season full of impressive moments this had to top it.

The Knicks got 29 points from Anthony, who was a pain for the Heat to defend all night. They got 16 points and 10 boards from Stoudemire, and 16 from Billups. In a match-up against Miami's big three of James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, it was the Knicks big three who stepped up big when the team needed it the most.

Watch out eastern conference, the Knicks are for real, and they are gelling faster than one can imagine.

NFL labor unrest: Negotiations to continue March 1

And so the NFL Players Union and NFL owners are willing to take the negotiations over a new CBA right down to the clock: to March 1 in fact.

All anyone knows right now is that both sides met for over a week, and negotiations are said to have been positive, but nothing seems imminent in completion. The current CBA runs out on March 3, and if there is no deal in place by that date, then the players will be locked out and go on strike.

A lot of the conerns revolve around players' salaries, health benefits after players retire, rookie wage compensation and, finally, the threat of an 18 game schedule which players are not high on.

The fact that talks are "positive" is a big change from a few weeks ago when NFL PA President Kevin Mawae said in an interview with the New York Post that both sides were far apart, and that fans should side with the players on these issues.

If the league goes into a lockout, it will affect a lot of business. Already NFL teams are starting to lay off workers, and some teams have placed franchise tags on some of their fee agents, i.e. the Jets with David Harris, and the Colts with Peyton Manning. But even the legality of franchise tags are being challenged by the NFL PA, but who knows whether these types of contracts will even exist when a new CBA is hammered out.

The mediation, which took over 46 hours over seven days in Washington D.C., resulted in nothing substantive completed or resolved for release to the press.

Say good bye to the 2011 NFL season? We shall see in about a week.

Carmelo Anthony brings MSG to life

KNICKS 114
BUCKS 108

It was like the 1990's all over again.

Madison Square Garden was alive and well, loud and raucous as Carmelo Anthony made his first apperance in a Knicks uniform. Anthony did not disappoint in his debut. He scored 27 points with 10 rebounds, and led the Knicks to a solid win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Anthony's first bucket with the Knicks came early in the first quarter when he connected on a two point shot to give New York a 6-4 lead.

Then Chauncey Billups got into the action draining a 25 foot three pointer to give New York a 9-4 advantage. Billups had a huge night with 21 points, six boards, and eight assists.

Amare Stoudemire took a back seat. For the first time he wasn't the guy who had to score all of New York's points. Stoudemire scored only 19 on the day, and even fouled out in the fourth quarter, but it didn't matter.

With Anthony and Billups, the Knicks have multiple guys to lead the team and score on a given night.

New York is now 29-26 and travels to 10-47 Cleveland on Friday before heading to South Beach for a Sunday night showdown with the Miami Heat.

James Dolan Denies Isiah Thomas was involved in 'Melo trade

Before introducing Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the media, Knicks owner James Dolan felt it necessary to deflect speculation that former disgraced Knicks GM and coach Isiah Thomas was involved in the negotiations.

Last week rumors spread that Dolan was taking advice from Thomas on the deal, and that current Knicks GM Donnie Walsh was against the number of players involved in the trade.

"I will also say this very directly. While Isiah Thomas is a friend of mine, a very good friend of mine, he was not at all involved in this process. He wasn't advising me or telling me what to do in any way. And any report implied that is simply untrue and fiction in somebody's minds."

Dolan went on to add that he will begin negotiations with Walsh on a new contract when time permits, that he is aware that Walsh has done a solid job in getting the Knicks out of the cap trouble created by Thomas, and that he established a culture to bring in pieces like Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.

Nets land Utah's Deron Williams in mega trade

The New Jersey Nets have finally hauled in a star player.

New Jersey completed a three team trade with the Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors to acquire point guard Deron Williams from Utah. The Nets sent over Devin Harris and Derek Favors to the Jazz in the deal.

Williams is one of the NBA's rising stars. A guy many think will test the free agent waters in 2012, with an eye toward joining Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire in New York. Well, the Nets hope they can convince Williams to stay in Brooklyn instead of going up to 34th street.

Williams is averaging 21 points per game and nine assists per game. He has been blamed in Utah as being the guy that forced David Sloan out as head coach two weeks ago.

Harris was a decent player who averaged 15 points per game. They would have looked better on paper, if they had Harris and Williams teamed up together, but nevertheless, Williams is here in the major media market of the world.

As for the Golden State portion of the trade the Nets acquired Brandon Wright and Dan Gadzuric, two decent defensive players who can help the rebound challenged Nets.

New Jersey is 17-40, with no shot at the postseason. Williams is a postseason ready player at 26 years old. He isn't getting any younger. How the Nets do the rest of this year, and what they do next season will determine if he considers staying.

BREAKING NEWS: Carmelo Anthony traded to New York Knicks

After trying their best to stay in the Carmelo Anthony trade talks over a hectic weekend, the Knicks finally got their man.

The Knicks completed a trade with the Denver Nuggets that would bring the famed forward to the Big Apple, for Dalnio Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov and draft picks to Denver. Eddie Curry will also be traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are the third team in the deal.

The Knicks also acquire Chauncey Billups and Sheldon Williams and Renaldo Balkman.

After a weekend full of news that the Nets were only a Carmelo Anthony approval away from getting him, and burning rumors that disgraced former Knicks GM Isiah Thomas was involved in the 'Melo deal, the Knicks get who they wanted.

With Anthony joining Amare Stoudemire, the Knicks will feature two MVP type stars who will get this team deep into the playoffs.

Nets & Nuggest agree in principle to Carmelo Anthony deal

The New Jersey Nets are on the precipice of making their biggest trade since they acquired Jason Kidd from the Phoenix Suns 11 years ago.

According to the Bergen Record, the Nets have agreed in principle with the Denver Nuggets to a deal that would bring Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony to New Jersey, along with Chauncey Billups, Melvin Ely, Relando Balkman, and Sheldon Williams.

The Nets in turn would send first round pick Derrick Favors, point guard Devin Harris, Troy Murphy, and Ben Uzoh and four first round picks to Denver.

The deal is pending Anthony's approval on a three year extension with the Nets. Nets owner Mikhal Prokarov is to meet with Anthony this week to see if they can agree to a deal. If Anthony doesn't want any part of Nets, then he could say no to a contract with New Jersey and the trade will fall through.

That would open the door for the Knicks who have been hot on Anthony's trail, and whom Anthony has stated he wants to play for.

It is hard to believe that Anthony will come to New Jersey to play for a team that is 17-40, and has no realistic shot at an NBA title. The Nets are still struggling to re-establish itself after they ripped apart the Jason Kidd era after the '07-'08 season.

The Knicks, 28-26, are in a better position to compete, but the biggest snag in that deal has been the Knicks reluctance to let go of Raymond Felton or Landry Fields in any deal. They want to keep both.

The final word on the Nets deal could come later this weekend.