There are no plans for a parade
Put your hands down and step away from the confetti.
It was only the Sixers.
We heard every cliche in the book afterward in the locker room. So let’s just say it was a noteworthy win only because the Knicks have not done a good job dispatching beatable opponents this season.
“In the past, these are the kinds of games we kind of laid down early,” Eddy Curry said.
At some point in the coming weeks, Philadelphia is going to fall past the Knicks and hold a fire sale.
There is one simple point Isiah Thomas made afterward I kind of agree with, making certain everyone gets to play along seems to result in a better effort. I don’t see anybody suffering statistically because of the more unselfish play.
“We’re playing with a lot more trust,� he said. “We have good shot distribution. Everybody feels a part of the game. Everyone gets to touch the basketball. When you get to touch it and maybe make a basket, on the other end defensively, you play a little better.�
• My spies tell me Larry Brown was nowhere in sight.
• Did you see the nifty touch pass Zach Randolph sent down to David Lee for a dunk in the last minute of the third quarter? “They’ve asked him when he gets double-teamed to try to be a little more unselfish and he’s done a good job with that,” Lee said. “He’s such a good scorer, he can usually score against two guys. That’s what’s tough for him sometimes, is he knows he can pretty much score at will. I haven’t seen anyone this year who can stop him.”
• Quentin Richardson played eight minutes in the fourth quarter without taking a shot. He was simply in the game to harass Andre Iguodala. It’s been a rough season for Richardson, but he really does only care about winning.
• I’m beginning to wonder if Nets coach Lawrence Franks is going to start catching real heat. Or maybe Rod Thorn will find a playoff contender will to deal for an oversized contract and start over.
January 26th, 2008 at 4:49 am
I guess we are not going to get a high draft pick after all.
January 26th, 2008 at 9:24 am
I wouldn’t say that jay. Just as easy as they have gotten hot they could go cold again. The last two seasons they have always played well at this time of year, then it has been a freefall to the finish.
January 26th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
yeah Jay.
Don’t you know David Lee and Crawford will get injured every year just as the team start to come together and play well?
January 26th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Hey Mike
This recent bout of Knick’s success, has many a fan who still hopes the team makes the playoffs pretty excited. I’m glad to see the team fight through tough patches when other teams rally and also see them scratch and claw for wins.
While I understand that there are good arguments out there regarding Marbury’s absence, and its effects on the current run of Knick success, do you think Marbury’s loss may hurt the team in the long run for this season. If so, do you think the Knicks mgt/braintrust ought to do anything to address that concern?
What I mean is that althought the team has been on a good run w/o Marbury, a healthy Marbury (mentally emotionally, physically, which might be too much to ask for) IMHO increases the Knicks chances of getting to the post season than he would do to hurt them. Note again the qualification of a healthy and centered Marbury.
However, now that marbury is out it seems that Zeke is shifting the weight on Crawford. Crawford now is logging heavy minutes for the team, and those minutes might contribute to wearing him down for the time the Knicks need him the most- In the clutch. This leads me to the question of whether Zeke will attempt to either a) seek and injury exception to land a point gaurd off the Dleague, or a free agent such as earl boykins; or b) work on a trade that can land him a competent PG to relieve Crawford and Nate who appear to be carrying more of the scoring load than before.
What are your thoughts Mike? Have you run this question by Zeke?
Peace out!
January 27th, 2008 at 12:21 am
Marbury is a cancer. He is selfish and not a leader. This team has been lacking a leader for a while now. Just as Crawford is becoming that leader you want Marbury back? There has been some continuity with crawford running the offense. When Marbury was running it everything was out of whack. Marbury will never be the player averaging 20 and 8 again even if he is completely healthy.
January 27th, 2008 at 8:33 am
I can’t believe there are some Knick “fans” that are rooting for the team to lose. Unreal.
January 27th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Trevor
If you read how I qualified my statement you would know that I was referring to a healthy and mentally balanced Marbury and not the current Mebury. Also what I really was trying to get at was that Jamal logging heavy minutes could wear him down for when he is needed at his best- ergo the last quarter. To that end I believe there is a need for a point gaurd to provide some relief so that Crawford could be better rested for the final quarter and those back to back games.
Also while it is unlikely that it will happen, Mighty Mouse aka Damon Stoudamire and the Grizzlies have agreed to terms of a buy out. Stoudamire has to clear waivers, and he is noted as preferring to a championship calibur squad such as the Celtics and has been courted by the Suns and Hornets, but I wonder if Isiah would try to pursue him of waivers and petition for the NBA injury exception now that Marbury is on the shelf.
I certainly hope so, with the injury exception the Knicks can offer him more than Boston, and we would deprive the Green Leprauchans from getting another piece to a championship puzzle.
I say cock block those fning Bostonians!
January 27th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I see what your saying but, what are the odds of a “mentally balanced Marbury”?
January 27th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Trevor
Zero to none. Mebury’s flown off the deep end. But not with that said can’t the team pursue the injury exception, and try to get a gaurd who can provide some steady minutes so that Crawford isn’t running on vapors coming into the fourth quarter? I hope so, just remember, when Crawford wore down last season and had to step out our slim playoff chances slipped further. This year were about 4 games from a playoff slot, so I don’t want Crawford going out fatigued nad hurt when we need him.
So certainly Marbury going down allowed Crawford to emerge as a leader but placed a heavy onus on him which Zeke should address by getting an additional gaurd.
January 27th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
The Sixers have more talent than the Knicks, so if anything, the Knicks should hold the fire sale. But they won’t.
Mediocrity today. Mediocrity tomorrow. Mediocrity forever.
xryanx January 27th, 2008 at 8:33 am
I can’t believe there are some Knick “fans� that are rooting for the team to lose. Unreal
What’s unreal is that you can’t see is that losing is the only way to get rid of Isiah and to add a star player in the draft, as a result of the cap problems and immovable contracts that strangle roster flexibility, thanks to Isiah’s incompetence.
January 27th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Black and Blue,
Way to hang in there and fight to back up your beliefs. I do think at some point the Knicks are going to miss Marbury, but they might be a little better off in the long run just because the locker room seems at peace. Isiah keeps saying he’s going to use what’s in the locker room, but I do believe he needs to use somebody to give Jamal a rest here and there.