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I made the distinction that he has complained less in more recent years. I will admit officiating him is difficult, but only when he is on the low block. He takes contact rather easily, so in real time let's say he's on the block, backs down and goes up, he absorbs the contact (let's say he complains), to the naked eye it it LOOKS like nothing, but it's not what he feels. So in that case I can see him talking to the ref and explaining what is going on. But in the case of him just outright driving to the basket, there should be no dispute of him being fouled because you can see him being knocked off his course, which results in a foul. This is the issue. At the end of games, particularly playoff games, if you're within 4 points or whatever inside 5 minutes, you are taught to go to the basket, at least you should be. He doesn't do this. He has to learn how to practice this over the course of the season, and learn how to work the refs, and yes you can do it. By the time April and May roll around, he would be granted that respect-if he does it consistently. I like watching good flowing basketball, but when I see him do stuff like that at the end of games, it frustrates me because I know he is capable of so much more and I see it as wasting his skill. I know he's a smarter basketball player than that, so it boggles my mind why he doesn't get more aggressive towards the end of the games that are more important. It works for now because it's November, December, etc. But at the end of games, teams are going to run guys at the 3 point line making those threes tougher to take and make, especially with no inside presence. So far, I see more the of the same offense with the Knicks, which means the end result will be the same come spring. Jump shooting teams usually don't survive.
