Text Messages and Google: Knicks and Nuggets React to Blockbuster Trade

(Staten Island native, Renaldo Balkman, is back home for a second stint with the Knicks. He's ready to contribute!)

With the Melodrama finally coming to a close late last evening, the reactions have been pouring in. Seems like just about everyone who's ever seen an NBA game has an opinion about this blockbuster trade.
So we figured we'd give you a break over here at No Regard and instead of waxing poetic about whose gonna take the last shot for the new-look Knicks (it will be Chauncey, FYI, not because that's how Mike will draw it up but because Billups thinks he's the man), we've decided to hypothesize the sorts of texts messages and Google searches the different individuals involved with the deal have been firing away in the last 12 hours.

David Lee Draws Blood

Since time immemorial David Lee has been a fan favorite. My personal admiration of Lee began in 2001, during the McDonald's High School All American All Star Weekend. What I learned then was that he was a prospect on his way to Billy Donovan's resurgent, once again relevant Florida Gators and that he was also the only white dude to enter the Dunk Contest. Going against future college stars, among them Julius Hodge and Jawad Williams, a goofy and wily Lee outshone them all.

He possessed a mixture of pure athleticism (see where he catches the ball mid-air for the now classic through the legs one handed jam), old school creativity (see his standing at the foul line, bounce passing it to himself off the board for a reverse jam) , and affecting, perhaps unintentional humor (see the dunk where he passes the ball to himself, briefly struggles to take off his jersey, revealing straight up boxers--not compression shorts, not even briefs--with his shorts sagging almost below his ass, as was the style at the time). Kid looked like the teenager that he was and celebrated like one, with unbridled enthusiasm. It was a sporting moment that probably only a handful of people saw, but I'm sure no one who did forgot it. Something made it memorable.

Knicks Remain Undefeated!

Last night, my beloved Knicks visited the Toronto Raptors for their season opener, and I am very happy to say that the Knicks are now currently tied for first place in not only the Atlantic Division, but in the entire Eastern Conference. Way to go, guys!

The 'Bockers achieved a 98-93 victory on strong performances from Wilson Chandler (22 points on 10 for 18 shooting) and A'mare Stoudemire (19 points, 10 rebounds, but also a LeBronesque 9 turnovers). Gallinari and Felton also looked solid, and Landry Fields justified his starting status by hitting three 3-pointers.

The most unfortunate part of the evening may have been rookie big man Timofey Mozgov's four fouls in seven minutes. Timofey, you need to stop that! I am no mathematician, but I'm pretty sure that is almost two fouls per minute! Too many! Luckily, Ronny Turiaf was able to come in and give the Knicks the inside defensive presence they needed, racking up four crucial blocks. Turiaf may just end up being the Knicks' sneakiest offseason acquisition.

Lastly of note is the regular season debut of Wilson Chandler with hair:

Very handsome! I don't know how it took me so long to figure this out, but Wilson Chandler is a lot cooler than I am. He has cooler hair, cooler tattoos, cooler weed possession arrests, and probably a cooler girlfriend (just kidding, this is a test to see if my girlfriend is actually reading). All I'm saying here is: Wilson, I think you're a really cool guy and I like the way you play basketball.