Tim Thomas seemed to be speaking for all of his teammates when the Knicks forward was asked about a certain exiled point guard making an appearance at Tuesday's game in Los Angeles.
"Who gives a shit," Thomas said. "We're trying to establish ourselves as a team and get better. If he wants to be here just to get some attention, that's on him."
Stephon Marbury was a Hollywood scene-stealer during the Knicks' dramatic 116-114 loss to the Lakers. On a night when Nate Robinson nearly outdueled Kobe Bryant and the Knicks came within one shot of posting their best win of the season, Marbury's presence cast a shadow over an organization trying to distance itself from the controversial veteran.
Marbury purchased a courtside ticket even though Knicks president Donnie Walsh ordered the veteran guard to stay away from practices and games until he is either traded or released. He spent much of the night talking on his cell phone and sending text messages. Marbury was in a jovial mood yet looked somewhat uncomfortable, especially since none of his teammates acknowledged him or even claimed to have seen him.
"I guess he was a face in the crowd," Quentin Richardson said. "Hey, I hope he enjoyed it. It was a good game."
Marbury's release - via a buyout - is not expected to take place until after Jan.1. During a halftime interview, Marbury revealed that he already has several suitors lined up to sign him, which would give him a chance to salvage his career and repair his reputation. He may even end up in the playoffs, which is exactly where the Knicks expect to be in April without him.
Back-to-back losses to Phoenix and Los Angeles left the Knicks with an 11-14 record going into tomorrow's home game against Milwaukee. Being three games under .500 is not a great accomplishment, but it is a decent mark considering the Knicks are learning a new system and have pulled off two significant trades this season. Opposing coaches and players are impressed that D'Antoni has the Knicks playing hard, playing together and sharing the ball.
"They execute so well," Bryant said. "They move the ball, they play with great pace. They're getting the system. It's coming."
Richardson calls the Knicks "a work in progress," which is another way of saying they haven't learned how to win close games, especially on the road. Their failure to execute in the final minutes against the Suns and Lakers cost them dearly. On Tuesday, they held a 15-point halftime lead before their legs gave out.
"We still have some growing to do, some maturing to do," Richardson said. "But we're not far off. We still have to work really hard to get where we need to go. We're competing, we're playing really well. And most importantly we're having fun. We're enjoying each other, laughing, smiling; guys aren't fussing with one another. We have good chemistry."
D'Antoni's personality is rubbing off on the players, but maybe Marbury's absence also has had a positive impact on the club. It may even help ticket sales at the Garden, assuming Marbury plans to keep attending games as a fan.
"To be honest, when he was traveling with us we still had the same atmosphere," Richardson said. "We were playing the same and treating each other the same whether he was here or not."
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