JR Smith Thinks the New York Knicks are Title Contenders … on Paper

On paper, and theoritically speaking, the New York Knicks are contenders for the 2012-’13 NBA championship. According to JR Smith, anyhow. From ESPN: “Right now with the talent we have, what it says on paper is championship all day. But it’s a matter of us going out there and doing it,’ Smith said. Smith says he goes into every season with a ‘championship or bust’ mentality. But that’s particularly true this season. Smith believes the moves the Knicks made in the offseason give them enough talent to ‘compete with anybody.’ ‘It’s just a matter of us being smart with our talents and making the right plays,’ Smith said. The Knicks added Jason Kidd, Marcus Camby, Raymond Felton and Ronnie Brewer Jr. this summer. They also re-signed Steve Novak and Smith and let Jeremy Lin and Landry Fields walk. Whether that’s enough to compete with the likes of Miami and Boston in the Eastern Conference is very much open for debate. New York lost to the Heat, 4-1, in the first round of last year’s playoffs. Smith says that Knicks team had enough talent to compete with the Heat but ‘injuries and mental breakdowns’ kept them from doing so. He thinks things will be different this year. ‘I never go out there for anything less than a championship. So first round, second round, third, semis, that’s not good enough until we bring that gold ball back,’ Smith said. ‘It’s my ninth year, (Carmelo Anthony’s) 10th year, we’re not getting no younger so we’ve got to start getting some Ws.'”