DoobieKnicks wrote:Jamal had 52. Impressive.
Yeah, that was a Bernard King-like performance. Let's hope the Knicks take care of business against Milwaukee before they play Kobe on Tuesday. I'll be at the Laker game, Doob.
DoobieKnicks wrote:Jamal had 52. Impressive.
Jeffx wrote:DoobieKnicks wrote:Jamal had 52. Impressive.
Yeah, that was a Bernard King-like performance. Let's hope the Knicks take care of business against Milwaukee before they play Kobe on Tuesday. I'll be at the Laker game, Doob.
Amphatoast wrote:That sucked, the 1 day fans can see kobe play in NYC he gets suspended. Sorry to hear that Jeffx, at least the knicks won that came (and no doubt followed it up with a lost to the bobcats)
Matt wrote:I don't know why Curry is crying. Howard is easily better, so is Okafor. Hell i'd even choose Al Jefferson over Curry for the ASG.
February 5, 2007 -- Channing Frye has been banished from the starting lineup as Isiah Thomas continues to move the chess pieces to find the right combination for his talented - if mismatched - roster.
Thomas has said he wants a stronger interior presence and will go with a two-center look of Eddy Curry and Jerome James -likely into the All-Star Break. Frye responded with 18 points off the bench in Saturday's 94-86 victory over the Magic in Orlando and played rugged defense, but he didn't sound pleased about his demotion.
"I know I earned that spot," Frye said of his starting role. "Coach wants to change stuff up, that's fine. My thing [is] do the best I can. If we're more successful with me coming off the bench and we're winning games, hey, I'll ride with it. Whatever it takes to get [into] the playoffs."
The James' insertion was the best-kept secret in Florida during their three-day stay, with the news media not finding out until 30 minutes before Saturday's tip-off. "Isiah wanted it that way," James said.
James kept the facade going before the Orlando game, telling a reporter he wasn't sure if a lot of family was coming down form Tampa because he couldn't assure them he would play.
Thomas said he's got to get more out of Frye, snubbed from the All-Star Weekend's Rookie-Sophomore Challenge. Thomas said he believes he would be better not always being on the court with Curry.
"What we've done to Channing was turn him into an 18-foot jump shooter and he's much more than that. Much better than that," Thomas said. "It gives us an opportunity in that second unit to play through Channing and get him some post touches."
Plus, Curry could use the help defensively. "Jerome brings a defensive presence to the game and it allows Eddy to roam and challenge some shots a bit more," Thomas said.
Isiah Thomas has staked his career, and the Knicks' future, on Eddy Curry. And now Curry is returning the favor.
Curry revealed that if Thomas does not return next season, he will ask the Knicks to trade him. Speaking candidly following Tuesday's convincing 102-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, Curry sounded like Patrick Ewing supporting Jeff Van Gundy when the center made it clear that he and Thomas are a package deal.
Asked if he'd be surprised if Garden chairman James Dolan fires Thomas, Curry said, "Yeah, I'll be shocked. I'll be pissed. I'll be trying to get out of here."
When asked specifically if he would no longer want to play in New York if Thomas is not either coaching the team or running the front office, Curry responded by saying, "Definitely. I'd be on my way out."
The moment was reminiscent of 1999, when there was widespread speculation that Phil Jackson would replace Van Gundy if the Knicks failed to reach the Eastern Conference finals. Jackson even began campaigning for the job, which prompted Ewing to say famously, "Go tell Phil to take his ass back to Chicago."
On more than one occasion, Ewing made it known to management that Van Gundy was his coach of choice and that he wouldn't play for anyone else. The fact that Curry would come out in support of Thomas is not surprising since it was Thomas who acquired him from Chicago in October 2005 and signed him to a long-term extension.
But for Curry to present an ultimatum of his own suggests that he is starting to embrace his new role as the Knicks' franchise player on and off the court. Barring a total collapse, Thomas will be in line for an extension if he wants it. At 22-28, the Knicks are one victory shy of matching last season's win total.
Also, when Dolan said that in order for Thomas to return the Knicks had to demonstrate "evident progress" he left that ultimatum open for interpretation. If the Knicks win between 33 and 38 games, Thomas will likely be safe.
One of the main reasons for the Knicks' improved play this season is Curry, the 24-year-old center averaging 19.6 points and seven rebounds. After battling injuries being and out of shape his first season in New York, Curry is showing signs of being a consistent low-post scorer every night. His rebounding numbers remain low and his defense is sometimes nonexistent, but in a league with few dominant centers, Curry is now in that class.
A year ago, then-Knicks coach Larry Brown called Curry the cornerstone of the franchise. Curry said he wanted to be that player but felt "I wasn't doing anything to deserve it."
"I didn't embrace it the way I do now," he added. "I didn't carry it the way I do now. It's like a badge of honor when somebody says 'this is your team, as you go we go.' And I feel like that's how it is now."
Thomas' plan, much like Brown's, was to build the offense around Curry. But there were two important players Thomas had to convince it would work - Curry and point guard Stephon Marbury.
"To be honest, I wasn't quite ready for that kind of pressure to go out there every night and say 'I want the ball every single time and if we win it's on me and if we lose it's on me,' " Curry said. "Isiah . . . he's good. He'll make you believe anything. He's made me a believer. It started with me, and once Steph said 'OK, this is what it is,' everybody fell in line."
Marbury struggled to adjust to the idea of running the offense through Curry. In fact, Curry and Marbury rarely saw eye-to-eye on most issues last season. But Curry and Marbury have grown closer, and with Marbury accepting Thomas' plan, the Knicks have functioned better on the court and inside the locker room. Despite chronic pain in his left knee, Marbury is enjoying his best all-around season since coming to New York.
"I'm sure it was tough for him," Curry said of Marbury handing him the keys to the offense. "I talk to Steph a lot. Steph has been one of the most helpful people I've had in a long time. He said, 'This is your team. You've got to do this; you've got to do that.' I know he's been in that position before so if anybody can help me he can."
Amphatoast wrote:i guess isiah will be back next year unless knicks don't mind parting ways with curry when his value is at an all time high..
Curry said. "Isiah . . . he's good. He'll make you believe anything.
scubilete wrote:I remember David Lee was booed when he was drafted, it's a good thing he has changed the opinion critics had about him. Not the case with Renaldo Balkman or whatever his name is.
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