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J.R. Smith says Knicks expect “nothing less” than title

New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith attempts to dunk the ball in their NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in New York

New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith attempts to dunk the ball in the fourth quarter of their NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden in New York, March 14, 2012. REUTERS/Adam Hunger (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

REUTERS

What else do you expect him to say?

You and I and even most Knicks fans realize they are not title contenders as presently constructed. How good they are this season depends on how Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire (and Tyson Chandler) mesh on offense. Because when all three were on the court together last season the Knicks offense was awful (95 points per 100 possessions).

But the New York Post interviewed J.R. Smith at Fashion week and when asked how the Knicks would do he gave the only answer a player on a good team should give:

When asked what fans could expect from the Knicks this season, Smith said frankly, “a championship.”

“Nothing less,” Smith said. “If we settle for anything less, we already start off losing.”


He’s right. The team needs to go in with this attitude.

On the outside we can make what should be more objective judgment of the talent and how it fits together, but in the locker room they need to believe it will work.

So, when Smith or a player says something like this, I kind of shrug.