"I saw an old friend the other night. It's funny. Sometimes, people have totally changed from the last time you have seen them. Other times, it's like nothing has changed at all. Such was the case when I saw Carmelo Anthony, dribbling in place, gobbling up shot-clock seconds, surely causing New Yorkers to scream like Denverites did (with a thicker accent, of course): "Drive! ... OK, just pass it! ... Don't just throw up some stupid shot! ... That's a stupid shot!!!"

The Knicks lost that game Thursday night, scoring only 82 points here against the Lakers. They lost the night before too — by 14 — to a Warriors team that didn't have Stephen Curry.

I know (and you know) that it's extremely early in this NBA season. The Knicks will make the playoffs. And, with Melo, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler, they have a "Big Three." These days, they say, you need a "Big Three.""