Jared Jeffries Sucks

If this blog had started up at the beginning of the basketball season Jared Jeffries would have been my whipping boy from day one (it's always fun to have a whipping boy on every team). I didn't like the signing at the time and was left scratching my head over giving the mid-level exception to a 6-11 player that can neither score nor rebound. His only saving grace was that he was considered a "defensive stopper", a fairly unquantifiable claim. Well as usual I was right. Mr. Jeffries is probably the least effective player in the NBA. He is averaging 4.2 pts and 4.4 rebs in almost 25 minutes per game. He has recorded zero double-doubles this year. That's about how many double double I would have put on the stat sheet this year had I been playing in the NBA this year. Check this stat line out- In a March 26th loss to Orlando, Jeffries put up an absolutely scorching 3 pts, 0 rebs, 0 asst performance in 23 minutes of play. I'm positive that I could have been almost as effective and I am a 5'8 caucasian with a spotty jumper, no vertical, and no left hand. What makes matters worse is that in an effort to justify the signing, Isiah has given Jeffries minutes at the expense of the more productive Ronaldo Balkman. In 10 less minutes per game, Balkman is averaging slightly more points and slightly less rebounds than Jeffries. Granted the Knicks are horrible and the team has many problems besides Jeffries, but it is frustrating that he has gotten a relatively free ride from the press and fans. Oh and as far as his defensive stopper status goes, he makes the perenially soft Allan Houston, the last Knick to don #20, look like Bill Russell.