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The Knicks and Miami just haven't been getting along recently.

It's where Iman Shumpert tore his left ACL and lateral meniscus, where Amare Stoudemire lacerated his left hand and where the team lost to the Heat in the first round.

Now, it's where J.R. Smith got arrested and released Thursday night around 8:30 p.m. in South Beach.

Sgt. Bobby Hernandez told ESPNNewYork.com that Smith was at 1620 Washington Avenue, the address of Fritz's Skate Bike & Surf shop. Police recognized him around 8:30 p.m. ET and knew they had a bench warrant pending against him.

According to Hernandez, Smith was not engaged in any illegal activity when he was arrested. He was then taken to a Miami-Dade County jail, where officials say he bonded out early Friday.

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

Marquette guard Darius Johnson-Odom was the most impressive perimeter defender at the Brooklyn Nets' draft combine last Saturday. He was the loudest one, calling out pick-and-roll screens and back picks, and aggressively getting up on guys and causing turnovers. His play made the GMs and scouts in attendance look at each other in mutual agreement, and then make a note.

He brought that same intensity to his individual workout with the Knicks, who have the 48th pick in the draft and lost defensive ace Iman Shumpert to a knee injury during the playoffs.

While the 6-foot-5 Shumpert can guard multiple positions, Johnson-Odom's defense could come in handy mostly against point guards -- which is still a plus because of the widespread talent at that position in the NBA. As a senior, he held opposing players to about 30 percent shooting in isolation plays, according to Synergy Sports.

After taking part in 1-on-1 and 3-on-3 drills at the Knicks' training facility with several other draft prospects -- including Scott Machado and Miles Plumlee -- Johnson-Odom sat down with ESPNNewYork.com.

Q: What were you trying to prove out there today?

A: I know what the Knicks need, so I came in with a defensive mindset. With Iman being out, with Baron [Davis] being out, I know that they need somebody who can step up and play D. Everybody knows I can score the ball; that's the least of my worries. But I want to be a player that impacts the team on defense. That's going to be my main focus throughout these workouts. If that means me playing seven minutes in the league and guarding the best player, that's what I'm willing to do.

Q: What's your defensive approach on the court?

A: Always talking, communicating. ... I'm very physical, try to be aggressive on that end -- just try to make it hard on the offensive player. I use my athletic ability. I have a pretty decent wingspan, so I just try to use it as much as possible.

Q: Are there any defensive players in the NBA who you look up to?

A: Young players. Iman was one player that I thought changed the game for the Knicks with his height, his wingspan, his strength, his speed. He was just an incredible defender. He had a huge impact on the team. I haven't gotten to meet him, but hopefully soon.

Q: Anything on the offensive side you want to work on?

A: When I was talking to Allan Houston, a great guy, he said I can play in this league, but he wants me to work on not over-dribbling. I'm going to take that into consideration because he was a great player.

Q: Are you close with former Golden Eagles Steve Novak and Dwyane Wade?

A: I just saw Novak and we were out there kicking it around, so me and Novak are real close. I talk to Dwyane Wade every once in a while. Of course, I'm close with [Bulls forward] Jimmy Butler. We're a big family, man. We usually go back to school for camps and just hang out with each other, because we know we can get in the gym whenever we want. I'm glad to be an alumni of Marquette.

Q: As you watch the NBA playoffs, the highest level of basketball, what do you take away that may help your game?

A: There are a lot of young players in the playoffs, a lot of athletic players, so you see a lot of transition offense. You can't take bad shots; you've got to be patient on offense, take care of the ball. Defense, you're not getting any more easy shots, I'll tell you that. It's not the regular season any more. A lot of guys are making it tough on guys to even catch the ball. You can see how physical the play is, see how much guys really want it, getting into each other's faces. That's the type of player I like. I've been in battles, so I know what it feels to be playing in that type of moment.

Q: What do you enjoy off the court?

A: At the pro level, you don't really hang with your teammates as much, but I love hanging with my teammates. I'm always in the gym trying to work on my game. Movies. I'm a silly guy. I might take it very serious on the court, but off the court, man, I'm probably one of the most talkative, silliest guys you're going to meet. I'm always trying to make people laugh, so they can just try to enjoy their day. That's the type of person I am.

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

Our own Stephen A. Smith explains why Mike Woodson deserves to be the Knicks' coach, next season and beyond.

Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler were named to the All-NBA third team, announced by the NBA on Thursday. The All-NBA teams were chosen by a panel of 120 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Joining Anthony and Chandler were Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo and Dirk Nowitzki.

The first team features LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul, and the second team is headlined by Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, Andrew Bynum, Tony Parker and Russell Westbrook.

Anthony garnered one first-team vote, while Chandler had none.

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

When Jeremy Lin's agent, Roger Montgomery, said earlier this week that he doesn't have "assurances" from the Knicks that his client will be back with the team, perhaps Goran Dragic has something to do with that.

Lin and Dragic are viewed as the most attractive young point guards in the 2012 free-agent class -- and Dragic appears to be the clear favorite in NBA front-office circles.

ESPN New York asked six GMs which player they would choose to be their starter now and for the future, and all of them picked Dragic. Lin's and Dragic's averages were nearly identical as starters -- 18.2 points, 7.7 assists and 2.0 steals over 25 games vs. 18.2 points, 8.3 assists and 1.8 steals over 26 games -- but GMs and scouts compare Dragic a bit more to Steve Nash, especially because he grew under the tutelage of the two-time MVP in Phoenix from 2008 to '11.

While Lin is the favorite to sign with the Knicks, don't count out the Rockets' Dragic. Even his agent, Rade Filipovich, thinks the Knicks would be a "first-class organization" for his client.

To find out more about the point guards' similarities and differences, ESPN New York consulted with a veteran NBA scout from the Eastern Conference and another from the West. Their insights about the two players were nearly in agreement.

Attacking (Advantage: Lin) -- When Lin penetrates, he's able to get lower and keep his defender out of position. "[Legendary coach] Bob Hurley Sr. always used to say, 'The low man wins, whatever sport it is,'" one scout said. "Defensively, you can't get into your stance well enough. Lin, for his size and height, is pretty impressive at being able to get low to the ground and keep his balance."

Competitiveness (Even) -- One scout was impressed with Lin's game-winner in Toronto on Valentine's Day, saying, "When you have the confidence in yourself and ability to make those shots, that's big." Regarding Dragic, another scout was taken aback by a move he put on Jamaal Tinsley in Novemer 2009, saying, "For him to go right back through Tinsley's legs, after he did it to him, was impressive. It proved to me his fight and how skilled he is."

Craftiness (Advantage: Dragic) -- While Lin has a nice left-to-right crossover, Dragic is quicker and has more lethal moves: a spin, crossover, double cross, behind-the-back and even a "Dream Shake" like Hakeem Olajuwon. "Dragic will drive baseline and then fake up, get the defender in the air and then he'll come back the other way and lay the ball in with the other hand," one scout said. "You can call it the Dragic Shake."

Finishing (Advantage: Dragic) -- They have the ability to take contact near the basket and kick the ball out to a teammate or score themselves. Dragic is slightly more explosive at the rim. Also, this past sesaon the heavier minutes impacted Lin's finishing ability. "I think his stamina was down because he was basically a backup guy playing about 35, 40 minutes," one scout said. "Stamina is definitely a factor, especially when teams are trying to trap more."

Hands (Advantage: Dragic) -- Both have quick hands defensively and play passing lanes well. On offense, the lefty Dragic can finish better with his opposite hand. Also, being a southpaw gives him a slight edge. "I think when there's a sudden change, whether it be a reserve coming into the game or maybe he gets switched on to someone who doesn't normally guard him, there's that instinct you're expecting a right-handed guy," one scout said.

Pick-and-roll (Even) -- They have a bit of Chris Paul's ability to change speeds and directions utilizing screens in pick-and-roll situations. "They can walk their defender into a screen and then explode off the screen," one scout said. "They have the ability where they actually can speed up into the screen and yet still get their defender on their back. They've got a lot of good thrust coming off the screen and then the ability to sink their teeth into the defense."

Shooting (Even) -- They're not great 3-point shooters. "They're both around 33 percent from three," one scout said. "That's still good to me, but when you have guys like Steve Nash shooting usually above 40 percent from three, that kind of raised the bar. If you get a point guard that's up around 37, 38 percent, that's really impressive. The consistency in their 3-point shooting is where you want to see a little bit of an improvement."

Transition (Advantage: Dragic) -- Not only does Dragic put pressure on the halfcourt defense, but he also constantly does it full court. "The thing that struck me was his knowledge of getting the ball inbounds, getting it up the court quickly and attacking," one scout said. "He put pressure on the defense in terms of as soon as the ball went through the hoop, he got the inbounds and he was pushing it right back at you. One of the best guys at that is Steve Nash."

Overall, both scouts said ball control is the biggest reason why Dragic is the better player right now. Lin's turnover rate was a reason for concern last season.

Will Lin -- a restricted free agent and the driving force behind the Knicks' midseason resurgence -- return to New York?

"The Knicks almost can't let Lin go," one scout said. "They would piss off so many fans. Barring something really odd, I think they have to bring him back. In the Knicks' situation, I don't think Dragic would ever fly."

Now, if Lin is granted Early Bird Rights in mid-June, the Knicks would still have a mid-level exception of $5 million to spend on someone else. That could be Dragic, who would likely get the starting nod over Lin in New York. The question is: What will Dragic's asking price be? Insiders predict he'll be in higher demand than Lin.

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

What's next for Lamar Odom?

There's no easy answer there.

The Mavs will attempt to trade Odom before June 29. Any team that has Odom on its roster by that date will be responsible for paying him the $2.4 million in guaranteed money he's owed next year.

If Dallas can't get rid of Odom in a trade, it will likely waive him and be responsible for paying Odom his guaranteed money. That's something Dallas would obviously rather avoid.

If the Mavericks are forced to waive Odom, he would become a free agent. In that scenario, the Queens native would likely be looking at a significant pay cut from the $8.2 he was scheduled to make this season.

Would he be interested in coming to New York at a discounted rate?

A source with knowledge of Odom's thinking says yes. The source says the Knicks would be "on the top of his list" if Odom became a free agent.

"Lamar is big on being comfortable," the source said. "And New York is somewhere he can be comfortable."

It makes sense that Odom would be open to a return to New York.

His versatility -- interior scoring and rebounding in particular -- would be of great value in the Knicks' second unit. He proved in Los Angeles that he can thrive off the bench in a supporting role on a team with stars in its starting five. Odom helped the Lakers win two titles in that role.

Of course, there's a risk involved with bringing Odom in -- even at the veteran's minimum or mini mid-level.

Odom had a rocky season in Dallas after being traded by the Lakers. The Mavs kept him on the inactive list for the final nine games of the regular season in an effort to sever ties while retaining the ability to trade him.

Though Odom's stint in Dallas was heavy on drama, it was light on production. He averaged career lows of 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 20.5 minutes.

The source close to Odom says that he's eager to put the experience past him. He has started offseason workouts already, with eyes on an Olympic roster spot and with the motivation to prove that he's a better player than the one who struggled through last season.

"It definitely won't be the fiasco that it was last year," the Odom source said of the 13-year veteran's approach to 2012-13. "He wants to find a place where he can end his career, and New York is ideal. He's won championships in the past and he wants to win another. And to do it there would be great."

Do you think the Knicks should pursue Odom -- either in a trade or as a free agent? Or do you think they should stay away, based on what happened with him last year?

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

The pivotal arbitration showdown between the NBA Players Association and the NBA over the Bird Rights of waived players is expected to take place in mid-June, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.

The result of that hearing will be of utmost importance for the Knicks.

At issue is whether a player obtained off waivers can retain his Bird Rights with the team that acquired him. The Knicks picked up both Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak off of waivers.

Bird Rights are exceptions that allow teams to exceed the cap to re-sign their own players.

Teams can sign a player using the Bird exception if the player was with them for some or all of each of the prior three consecutive seasons. The Early Bird rights apply to players who played for the team for some or all of each of the prior two consecutive seasons.

The union is arguing that waived players should be able to retain their Bird Rights with their new team, just as traded players do.

The league says a player's clock should be reset once he is acquired off of waivers.

If the arbitrator rules in favor of the union, it will allow the Knicks to exceed the salary cap to re-sign both Lin and Novak, because they would be eligible for "Early Bird" rights.

If the arbitrator rules in favor of the league, it becomes more difficult for the Knicks to retain both Lin and Novak.

In this scenario, the Knicks will be able to match any offer made the Lin, but they will need to use their mid-level exception to do so.

Using the mid-level on Lin would hamper the Knicks' efforts to re-sign other players or lure other free-agents.

If they use the mid-level on Lin, that would leave the bi-annual mid-level exception or the veteran's minimum as the most likely offers for Novak.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

Tyson Chandler was named Defensive Player of the Year this season.

But he wasn't good enough to make the NBA's all-defensive first team.

The NBA announced on Wednesday that Chandler was voted to the all-defensive second team.

Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka was the forward on the first team. Dwight Howard was the center.

Some felt Ibaka, based on his outsized statistics (3.65 blocks per game) deserved to win Defensive Player of the Year.

But Chandler won the award, based largely on his impact this year on the defensively-challenged Knicks.

In 2010-2011, the Knicks finished 21st in defensive efficiency, a measure of opponents' points scored per 100 possessions. This season, in Chandler's first with the team, New York finished fifth in defensive efficiency.

But why would Chandler win Defensive Player of the Year and not be named to the first team all-defense?

A select group of media votes on the Defensive Player of the Year. The NBA's all-defensive teams are voted on by NBA coaches.

Chandler wasn't the first Defensive Player of the Year to be named to the second all-defensive team.

Alvin Robertson (1986) and Dikembe Mutombo (1995) were also defensive players of the year on the second all-defensive team.

SHUMP GETS VOTES: Knicks guard Iman Shumpert established himself as one of the league's top perimeter defenders in his rookie season.

Along the way, he apparently impressed a few NBA head coaches.

Shumpert garnered four first-team votes and five second-team votes, for a total of 13 points. He was four points, or two first-place votes, shy of making the second team all-defense.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

Information from ESPNNewYork's Jared Zwerling was used in this report.

When the Knicks entered the playoffs after having won 18 of their last 24 games under Mike Woodson, many questions thrown at the interim head coach sounded like, "Do you think you deserve to be in New York full-time?"

Since the Knicks' season has ended, it's become increasingly clear that Woodson will likely be named the team's next head coach for a few years. It appears that no other sideline boss was contacted. Many fans would've liked to have seen the organization take more of an interest in Phil Jackson, but that doesn't appear to have happened. Now some are wondering, Why not Stan Van Gundy?

Here are some reasons why Van Gundy, who was fired on Monday by the Magic, was not a candidate for the Knicks' job:

When Van Gundy was in Orlando, he stressed three types of shots on offense: layups, free throws and three-pointers. Why? Because he said those were the most efficient ways to put points on the board. With an offense centered around Dwight Howard and with long-distance shooters surrounding him (Hedo Turkoglu, Ryan Anderson and Jason Richardson), Van Gundy's philosophy was maximized.

What Van Gundy didn't like were midrange jumpers, especially because if they were going to take a shot, he preferred a three-pointer for building a bigger lead on the opponent. Well, guess what? Carmelo Anthony is a midrange jumpshooter, and that's who the Knicks' offense will be run through for the next three years while he's under contract in New York.

While Van Gundy could find Anthony's play out of the post a benefit at times, Melo at his best is an isolation player from the wing. SVG has had most of his success coaching around a dominant big man: Shaquille O'Neal in Miami (from 2004-06) and then Howard in Orlando (2007-12). In addition to their different game styles, Van Gundy and Anthony's opposite personalities had the makings of combustion. While Melo is laid back, SVG is temperamental. Over time, that seemed to get to Howard, who's like Anthony.

On the other hand, Woodson is a Melo-friendly coach, and he holds players accountable on defense just as well as Van Gundy does. The question is whether Woodson can institute creative sets that facilitate better ball movement and give Melo's teammates opportunities to score that cater to each of their strengths?

Perhaps one of the biggest areas where Van Gundy could've helped the Knicks is with player positioning and getting his guys to play with pace without stalling the ball too much. For example, he allowed Jameer Nelson to play his game in transition. In addition, he enabled Turkoglu to flourish as a point-forward. If Jeremy Lin and Anthony can work off each other in the same way, the Knicks will see more daylight on offense.

While Van Gundy probably isn't the best fit for the Knicks because of how the core of the roster is currently constructed, he probably wouldn't have wanted the job anyway. After dealing with all of the drama in Orlando this past season off the court, mostly with Howard, do you really think he would've wanted to come this quickly to New York, the biggest city for theatrical moments? I'd say he needs a breather.

What are your thoughts? Leave us your comments below.

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

Here are the players the Knicks are scheduled to work out:

TODAY

Tu Holloway, G, 6-0, 190, Xavier, Senior
Scoop Jardine, G, 6-2, 195, Syracuse, Senior
Kris Middleton, F, 6-7, 217, Texas A&M, Senior
John Shurna, F, 6-9, 215, Northwestern, Senior
Michael Eric, C, 6-11, 240, Temple, Senior
Bernard James, C, 6-10, 240, Florida State, Senior

TOMORROW

Scott Machado, G, 6-1, 180, Iona, Senior
Oscar Bellfield, G, 6-2, 190, UNLV, Senior
Darius Johnson-Odom, G, 6-2, 215, Marquette, Senior
Bradford Burgess, G/F, 6-6, 225, Virginia Commonwealth, Senior
Carmeron Moore, F, 6-10, 230, UAB, Senior
Miles Plumlee, F, 6-10, 245, Duke, Senior

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

Knicks guard Iman Shumpert was named to the All-Rookie First Team, the NBA announced Tuesday.

Shumpert was joined by Cleveland's Kyrie Irving (Rookie of the Year), Minnesota's Ricky Rubio, Denver's Kenneth Faried, Golden State's Klay Thompson, San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard and Detroit's Brandon Knight (in order of most votes).

The All-Rookie Second Team featured Houston's Chandler Parsons, Sacramento's Isaiah Thomas, New Jersey's MarShon Brooks, Minnesota's Derrick Williams and Cleveland's Tristan Thompson.

Shumpert is currently rehabbing his left knee. He suffered a torn ACL and lateral meniscus in Game 1 against the Heat. He could return to action in December or January.

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

According to sources, the Knicks are expected to announce Mike Woodson as the team's next head coach in the coming days.

As far as we know, they did not reach out to Phil Jackson. A source said the Knicks were hesitant to reach out to Jackson because of his age and the hefty contract offer that it would likely require to entice him.

They also did not reach out to John Calipari, who never publicly expressed interest in the job. And they apparently never reached out to Stan Van Gundy, who was let go by the Orlando Magic on Monday.

Do you think that was a mistake? Should the Knicks have reached out to outside candidates like Jackson or were they right to focus on Woodson?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

The New York Knicks are in the final stages of contract negotiations with Mike Woodson and are expected to make him their coach in the coming days, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told ESPNNewYork.com.

The deal could be announced as soon as the end of this week, according to the source.

"They're just waiting on paperwork," the source said.

"The job's his," a second source familiar with negotiations said. "It's just a matter of time."

Woodson took over as coach on an interim basis when Mike D'Antoni stepped down March 14. Under Woodson, the Knicks finished the regular season 18-6 and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. He coached the team to a win in Game 4 of its first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, which snapped the franchise's NBA record 13-game postseason losing streak.

Click here to read the full story.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

Knicks writers Jared Zwerling and Ian Begley went through the archives to find the most memorable quotes of the season, which recap a few of the season highlights and show some of the humorous and lighter moments from the coaches and players. Here's their top 10 list (in chronological order):

Dec. 21 at the Garden -- After the Knicks beat the Nets in their last preseason game, Amare Stoudemire and Josh Harrellson, an avid hunter, had a funny conversation in the locker room. Harrellson asked where they could go hunting this season, and Stoudemire said, "South Florida." A half-amused, half-confused Harrellson asked him, "What can we hunt in South Florida?" and Stoudemire replied with, "We're hunting D-Wade and LeBron." The Knicks ended up going 1-7 against the Heat during the regular season and playoffs.

Feb. 6 at the Garden (three different quotes) -- After Jared Jeffries recorded 13 points, eight rebounds, two steals, a blocked shot and drew five offensive fouls in a win over the Jazz, Mike D'Antoni had some words for Knicks fans who routinely booed the backup center. He said, "Indulge me for one second. Anybody who boos Jared Jeffries has got to re-examine their life a little bit. I am sorry to have to say this. I love our fans. I like MSG, the arena. But here's a guy who came back to us, minimum contract, he could have gone to a lot of other teams." [To read the full quote and story, click here.]

20 minutes later in the locker room, Jeffries said he would "die" for D'Antoni. "Me and Coach have a great relationship," he said. "That's why I take charges, why I dive out there, because he's the best coach in the NBA. There's no coach in the NBA that's a better players' coach." Interestingly, during an interview on ESPN New York radio after the season had ended, Jeffries said D'Antoni was more focused on coaching plays and Mike Woodson was better at handling players' personalities.

That same night, after Lin scored 28 points and eight assists, D'Antoni said this about the starting point guard: "I'm riding him like freaking Secretariat [laughs]. I was going to take him out, and he looked at me and said, 'I don't want to come out.'"

Feb. 14 in Toronto -- After Lin hit his first game-winner of his NBA career to beat the Raptors -- a 3-pointer from the top of the key over Jose Calderon -- D'Antoni joked, "I'm just glad it went like this so we can calm the Linsanity down."

Feb. 24 in Orlando -- During his own press conference at All-Star Weekend in front of roughly 200 media members from around the world, Lin revealed the dunk that Iman Shumpert would've tried to pull off if he was healthy (the rookie pulled out due to a left knee injury). "We actually had a sweet idea," Lin explained. "Landry [Fields] was going to roll a couch out with a cover over it, I was going to be sleeping underneath it and then we were going to pull the cover. I was going to throw Iman an alley-oop from the couch, and he was going to jump over both me and the couch, windmill it and then sit down and have Landry hand him a Sprite [the sponsor of the dunk contest]."

March 1 at the training facility -- After practice, D'Antoni was asked if Steve Novak had any unique workout routine that made him one of the league's best 3-point shooters. "I don't know. I hear he eats a lot of cheese," D'Antoni said, smiling. "I have no idea." Novak, a Wisconsin native, started copying Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers' "title belt" celebration after some of his makes. He became known as Mr. Discount Triple Check.

March 26 at the Garden -- Several minutes before the Knicks PR staff closed the locker room to media access, Carmelo Anthony walked in and spoke to a small group of reporters, who broke him the news that Stoudemire would be out indefinitely with a bulging disk in his lower back. Melo's response? "Oh s---! ... For this to happen right now, at a crucial point of the season where we really need these wins and we really need all the guys out there, it's a big hit for us right now." The Knicks ended up going 9-4 in STAT's absence.

May 8 at the training facility -- The day before Game 5 in Miami, where Stoudemire suffered a left hand laceration after Game 2 by hitting the glass encasing surrounding a fire extinguisher, he said, smiling, "I don't want to look at the fire extinguisher at all, but getting a win in Miami would be huge for us." Neither happened.

May 10 at the training facility -- A day after the Knicks' season ended, a reporter brought up Anthony and Stoudemire's chemistry issues, and the normally affable Anthony grew visibly annoyed. "I get tired of hearing, 'Can it work? Will it work?'" he said. "We're here to play basketball. We'll figure it out. I don't think it's something that's that difficult to figure out." We will see about that ...

What's your most memorable quote? Leave us your comments below.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

Looking at the Knicks' top lineups from this past season (based on plus-minus), the top three don't include the Big Three of Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler (source: ESPN Stats & Info):

1. Baron Davis, Iman Shumpert, Landry Fields, Anthony and Chandler -- plus-44
2. Jeremy Lin, Shumpert, Fields, Steve Novak and Chandler -- plus-23
3. Lin, J.R. Smith, Novak, Jared Jeffries and Chandler -- plus-21
4. Lin, Fields, Anthony, Stoudemire and Chandler -- plus-20

The best lineup is further proof that the Knicks played better when Anthony operated as the power forward, Stoudemire was on the bench and Chandler became more of a rebounder and inside scorer (areas in which he's more effective than Stoudemire, based on averages and percentages). But the team needs the trio to be on the same page. How can that happen?

Combining insights from ESPN New York's Jared Zwerling and a couple of NBA scouts, below are three different offensive sets that the Knicks should run to play to the strengths of Anthony, Stoudemire and Chandler. They are intended to show how spacing is key and how the plays can be initiated catering to the Big Three's strengths (keeping in mind numerous options can be implemented afterward):

1. The Jeremy Lin-Chandler pick-and-roll. In this situation, Anthony would be on the weakside wing, Stoudemire on the weakside block or short corner and Steve Novak, for example, on the ball-side wing.

If Lin doesn't score, he can pass to Chandler rolling, which will force an extra man to leave Anthony or Stoudemire to double Chandler, making the defense switch and rotate. Then the Knicks will have the advantage to pick apart the defense by finding Novak from three, Stoudemire inside (after his defender leaves him) or kicking out to Anthony for the jumper.

What's key is that the Knicks are smart about their passing and find the open man quickly to keep the defense on its toes.

The four most important aspects of running a P&R are: 1.) a crafty point guard who can score; 2.) 3-point shooters; 3.) players who can finish; and 4.) a standout wing scorer. The Knicks have all four.

2. The Melo point-forward play. Melo would have the ball on the wing, Lin would be at the top of the key, Stoudemire on the ball-side block, Chandler on the weakside baseline corner and Novak on the weakside wing.

Stoudemire could set a screen for Anthony, or Melo could quickly dump it down to Stoudemire and he could go to work in the post. Anthony could always look to attack the middle of the lane right away. If so, he'll have Novak on the weak side; if Novak receives the pass and can't shoot it, he could find Stoudemire popping out for the jump shot after setting his screen on Anthony.

From there, Melo could set a back screen for Stoudemire and get him a look dropping to the basket. Chandler would be inside insurance when the shot goes up. If the ball is returned to Lin, Chandler could become a pick-and-roller.

3. The Melo post play. While Melo is setting up in the low or mid-post, Lin would be on the wing (delivering him the ball), Stoudemire would be on the weakside high post (foul-line area for his midrange jump shot), Chandler on the weakside block and Novak on the weakside baseline corner. The formation of the Big Three would resemble the Triangle offense. Anthony could score himself, but if he's doubled, he can find Stoudemire or Novak for open shots. Stoudemire could also set a down screen for Chandler, who could then curl inside and a pass from Melo would result in an easy two.

" " "

Chandler called the past season "crazy and difficult," based on the lockout, coaching change and all of the injuries, but he's looking forward to training camp where he'll have more time to refine his game, while learning how to blend in with Anthony, Stoudemire and the rest of his teammates.

"It's very important because that's where you kind of get your identify, defensively and offensively," he said after his exit interview at the Knicks' training facility on May 10. "I thought we did a great job of just becoming a good defensive team throughout the season without any of that. When you have a full training camp and say, 'This is going to be our system, this is how we're going to attack people,' it makes it a lot easier."

How the Big Three work together is the most critical component to the Knicks' success next season and for the next three years -- if, of course, they remain intact as a unit.

For Part 1 on ways Anthony, Stoudemire and Chandler can improve, click here.

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