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“I love all my players, just like my mother loved me, but sometimes she snatched me out of the park and had tough words for me and did some tough things to me,” the New York Knicks coach said after Marbury rejoined the team for Wednesday’s night game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Thomas, asked about playing Marbury instead of suspending him, said, “I’ve played with people I don’t like and I’ve won with people I don’t like. We’re a professional basketball team and my job is trying to win a game. Whatever happened in the past is in the past. We move forward.”
Although Cleveland star LeBron James said he doesn’t know Marbury, he was critical of his just taking off from the Knicks.
“I couldn’t have a guy like that on my team,” James said before the Cavaliers’ 117-116 overtime loss to Orlando.
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Updated Atlantic Division Standings
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Are you all buying the BS that Steph would be allowed to miss a game to mourn an old coach ? Cmon now !!!!! As an old coach, do you think Lou would approve of Marbury deserting his team ? He’s not a family member and Steph’s team needed him(of course that part is up for debate). Why would it leak that IT and Steph had a fight if it didn’t happen ? And why would SM be so secretive about it if he was “allowed” to leave ???
You guys are looking to put a positive spin on an ugly situation. The Starbury snapple overflows here I guess. I aint buying the bull$hit.
Johny Q
I respect your opinion. I don’t necessarily believe that your are incorrect. But some stories are the results of several factors. I am as disgusted at Marbury’s lack of leadership when he abondoned his team. But if there is anything I hope Stephon learns from this tragedy in his life is to be a mentor and better leader. That’s the best I can hope for. Perhaps he’ll let us down again but there is truth to the death of his mentor. And of course what happens isn’t always black and white.
Stephon! Man up honor your mentor by becoming a leader and mentor for the team from here on out even if it is from the bench and in a diminished role.
Sorry Orange & Blue, didn’t see your post (#134) until now.
Stephon,Truly Born Again?Prove it.
“When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced… Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice” Native American wisdom
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.Common sense
On a serious note, In MHO give Zeke a pass on this nightmare!
Why? Because of all the MSM made up shit this past year, know wonder he’s punch drunk with
the Marbury decision! That aside, Rose and Marbury, both Snitch’s, must leave this team
and enter an episode of HBO’S OZ!
Marbury,Rose and Lee and a #1 for kenny Howard and Artest. It almost fits money wise!
Who in the hell was working with LEE this summer on his Jumper? Jared Jeffries or Rose?
All the rest of Lee’s game does not make up for his horrendous atempt at a jump shot!
New York must trade him before his Stock falls even further! At least Balkman can play D!
I still love my Knicks but the time has come to change this roster before we digg too deep of
a hole to get out of! If we stay positve and pat, I see a repeat of 2005-2006!
Tman,
# 152 That is the best quote I have heard in a long time.
If Isiah Must Go For Us To Get Kobe……So Be It
That’s right….You read that correctly.
Let me explain myself. ..
First and foremost I want to say that I have been an Isiah defender since his arrival in NY. From day one, I was on the ship, boat, bus or whatever you want to call it.
I still remember where I was when I heard we traded for Marbury. I was at work and I was having a bad day. I heard that news and I immediately became overwhelmed with joy and happiness.
I also devoted a website to Isiah and called the media racist in their attacks on Isiah. I still think the same but the reason why I say these things is because I don’t want people to think I’m just trying to kick Isiah while he’s down.
New York is a city that doesn’t believe in a rebuilding process. Everybody knows we were horrible when Isiah took over this team. Look at the players we had then….we weren’t even talking about a rebuilding process with that team. We never looked forward to any draft because we have become spoiled as NY’ers. We have the money to make things that wouldn’t normally happen with other teams happen with us. (I know that was a doozy).
I’m not saying I wouldn’t mind rebuilding but I think we all (defenders) want to be good NOW!!
What players out there can make us good now?
Before you answer that….ask yourself is that player available right now?
The only players I can think of are Artest, Kobe and J O’neal.
We don’t need O’neal obviously or should I say he shouldn’t be our first choice out of the 3. Everybody thinks Artest will eventually end up with the Knicks this summer when he can just sign with us. That brings us to the last option. The best player in the league BY FAR!!!!
Do you really think LA wouldn’t trade us Kobe if we sent them Curry, Lee, Crawford, Collins, Rose (salary cap purposes) and our next 2 first round picks? It would all depend on whether or not Kobe would veto the trade.
The reason why I named this “If Isiah Must Go For Us To Get Kobe……So Be It” is because I can’t see Zeke trading Curry, Lee and Crawford. Then again, I could be wrong but only time will tell.
Going by the articles in today’s paper Zeke might not have as much time as he thinks. I hope they are wrong.
For some reason, I feel Kobe would come to NY if Isiah wasn’t here. I hope Magic can talk to him and help him understand the importance of playing in the Mecca.
We have to get Marbury off this team. !!!
His attitude is disgusting and anybody that’s ever played the game with the same team over a span of months (season) knows what that type of personality would do to the team chemistry.
No explanations!!!
Kobe, Artest and Z-BO in 2008 !!!
That’s the foundation we need with Balkman and Nate still remaining.
Our bench will be alot shorter but we’ll still have more bench than Boston.
Ya Dig?
Starting 5 could be
1. Nate
2. Kobe
3. Artest
4. Randolph
5. J James
That line up is 100 times better than what we’re starting now.
6. Balkman
7. Jeffries
8. F Jones
9. Richardson
10. Marbury (hopefully not but probably will)
Davonn,
John Q is a true defender thats not buying Marbury’s Bullshit!
He’s 100% right about people trying to put a positive spin on the unspinable!
Right about now I would take Kobe in a heartbeat! I just don’t think it will happen!
If it does I will be almost as happy as you!
I know some will reply to this as being a Knee-jerk reaction! I say
it’s a freaken Amputation, not a knee-jerk anything!
JJames as our starting center?!?!
DVJ, you know I agree on your Kobe deal, but James can’t even play 5 minutes without getting winded!
James is done as a player.
If that was the scenario, then we should just start Morris and draft another servicable big man as a backup. But James is not an option at anything.
Anyone else throw up reading the comments on Assola’s blog?
Everyone talking about rough and tough Knicks basketball of yesterday and this team is one of the few teams playing power basketball left. We have one of the only team that has potential to be rough and tough.
I can’t believe Isiah rebuilt the team in this town and some folks, even media, never realized it. They reported like this was a competitive team.
Whatever man. This hysteria is comical. Isiah hasn’t lost the team. Steph was gone for a day.
ONE DAY.
And the game against LA was competitive. It was close. Q was playing hurt (you can tell). Zach cut his mourning short for the sake of the team. Even Steph ate his pride and returned to public scorn when he could have been gone longer. Balk’s out. Collins out. DVJ’s on crack. I can’t wait for the next win.
Can’t wait to talk about and read about basketball again. The MSM reads like a soap opera that everyone’s forced to keep up with.
If Isiah is gotten rid of because of the Steph situation, the media and the hysteria that followed is to blame.
It was one day. One ugly decision.
He has since returned. And no one on the team is willing to talk about what happened. Save for a snitch, it’s all being kept “internal”. And that just eats everyone up inside.
Ain’t it a bitch not to have any closure. A good drama unfolds and there’s no neat little bow to tie together all the hoopla. Suck it up soap opera fans. It’s a man’s world. They’re paid to play basketball, not live their personal lives in front of the cameras.
Suck it up. If the Knicks aren’t doing it for you, there’s 28 other teams you can catch up on. Pick a few, follow them and realize how gluttonous the Knick’s media is for content.
No matter if they field a good or bad team, the media is so excessive, the whole country knows what Isiah’s farts smell like.
“Get over it”.
It almost makes me wish someone on another team would go Latrell on a coach or something. Imagine Atlanta being compared in the newspapers to San Antonio every year and every year failing to live up to those standards. That’s what the Knicks situation is.
Looking back, its funny how much was made of Stephon’s decision to leave with so little information. All the haters came out of the woodwork. Everyone playing hokey pokey with their fanhood was exposed.
DVJ,
If Bynum comes back w/ Kobe I’m down w/ your trade proposal but how does that rid us of Marbury ? We’d still be stuck w/ the king of pout town.
JJ isn’t even a serviceable center. Bynum would have to be part of the deal.
SYD
no problem its not about who gets credit for posting what or whatnot. Were just hooking the rest of the family up with stories which they can interpret as they please.
BARF
I second your take.
Did you check out the articles by myself and SYD?
Oh, snap. A Knick story!!!
Knicks Seach for First Road Win in Sacramento
The Knicks play the third game of a four-game road trip on Friday night at 10 p.m., as they will take on the Sacramento Kings in Arco Arena. They enter this game with the sense that their 2-5 record includes many losses that could have easily gone the other way.
“We just don’t seem to have the grind right now to gut it out and get that win when we need it,” said Knicks President, Basketball Operations, and Head Coach Isiah Thomas, whose team got off to a 2-1 start and still has all of the key ingredients that led to that early success.
On Wednesday night, New York lost to the Clippers after a rough third quarter in which the Knicks were held to nine points, including a streak of 17 missed shot attempts.
“We had point-blank layups,” Thomas said. “(Eddy) Curry and (Zach) Randolph and a couple of those guys were shooting right around the basket, and that’s where we like to shoot from,” Thomas said, emphasizing that his team is better than what they have shown on the court of late.
A major reason for the recent skid is that the team has been shorthanded for several of its game. Randolph, who returned to the lineup on Wednesday, will be out again Friday as he is attending his grandmother’s funeral. In addition to Randolph’s absence, some banged-up players, including Renaldo Balkman, Mardy Collins andQuentin Richardson, have been hampered in their ability to produce on a nightly basis.
Sacramento will be feeling no sympathy however, as the Kings recently welcomed back star Ron Artest, who missed the first seven games of the season due to a suspension. They are still without Mike Bibby, who is out for 10 weeks with a thumb injury, which is one reason they are struggling at 2-6.
Artest’s return is sure to provide a boost for Sacramento’s confidence. His stifling defense and career averages of 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals per game would be welcome on any team. This Kings team has scorers, but it needs tough interior defense, which is exactly what Artest brings.
Even without Bibby and Artest in the lineup, several Kings have raised their games. Budding star Kevin Martin can score with anyone and is averaging over 26 points per game. John Salmons filled in admirably and contributes almost 19 points as well as 3.5 rebounds, 4 steals and 1.5 steals per game. Second-year pro Francisco Garcia has also been an asset, averaging over 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal per contest.
Even Beno Udrih, a castoff from the championship San Antonio Spurs, has impressed. Udrih joined the team as the season began and has already played his way into the starting point guard position. His calm play, combined with his 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and almost two steals per game, has been invaluable for the Kings.
For the Knicks to win without Randolph, their guards will have to outplay Urdih and Garcia. Jamal Crawford performance could prove to be the biggest factor. He is currently averagings 19 points and five assists per game, but his clutch ability to get a basket when his team absolutely needs one could be the difference in Sacramento.
“Jamal is one of those guys you always look to in the fourth quarter. … Even when he is not having one of his best games, he is one of those guys you look to in the fourth quarter,” said David Lee. “There are very few guys who can do what he does in the fourth quarter and finish out games. We have faith in him and he has faith in himself in those situations.”
Solid guard play is essential in Thomas’ system, and the Knicks coach has also been impressed with Crawford this season.
“He has definitely put a lot into understanding the game and the nuances of the game,” said Thomas. “He has always had great talent. He understands now how to get others involved, timing, rhythm and flow of the game and when to assert himself. He now understands team temperament. In order to be a great guard in this league you need to be able to emotionally connect with your teammates. He has been doing that for us.”
If the Knicks can get the production and leadership from their both guards that Thomas expects, they have the ability to beat the Kings, even without Randolph. Curry also has the potential to carry the team at any time and will look to step up in Randolph’s absence. He is averaging 18 points and more than seven rebounds per game this season and has been particularly impressive over the last two games — exhibiting aggression and hustle on the boards in addition to his soft hands around the basket.
“We all talk about the next step for him (Curry),” said Thomas.
For the Knicks, the next step comes Friday night, and Thomas is confident that if everyone plays at the top of their game against the struggling Kings, then the Knicks can steal a victory on the road even without Randolph in the lineup.
Oh no doubt O&B. I can read only so many negative stories though.
Some people (*cough* Peaceman) think I’m buying the “Steph left to Mourn” story. No, I’m not. But it goes to show that there’s more to the story…more to the man then what is being reported. The story just reminds me the nature of the beast that we are dealing with here. The media doesn’t care about basketball or the fans, they care about getting people to read their shit.
It just sucks that my morning reading has been contaminated with this soap opera bullshit. My routines been shot to shit.
ignorance is bliss huh boys ???? Keep your head in the ground, and maybe it all just go away.
So much spinning here I’m dizzy !!!
John Q
This just in from MSG! The Knicks will be changeing their name!
The New team name will be the same as the 70″s soul group ” The spinners.” lol
JQ
“One Life to Live” is on in an 10 minutes.
Wouldn’t wanna miss what Tammy says to Billy today. I hear Tammy been cheating on Billy with his sister. OOOOHH!!!
Pssst. You didn’t hear it from me.
Artest is going to kill us! But we should still Win!
I wonder who the starters for the Knicks will be?
BARF
Your wrong! “General Hostile” is on!
This episode is where Billy flys out of town on Tammy,
at a time where Tammy needs Billy to help pay the rent!
Funny how we’re “spinning” but, to me, all the other blogs look busier than ever. Like pigs in shit.
Mo-fudgers been waiting for this day.
You know I dont keep up with soap operas as much as you Peace. But I got the scoop from Julio yesterday at the supermarket and you wouldnt believe what he told me. His mother Esmeralda, yeah the one with the green hair that thinks that looks fly, well she told Julio who told me that Lorna, yes the one from the hair salon, well Lorna had a baby 2 weeks ago thats 2 shades darker than dusk. She says to give it a few weeks before the baby’s real color “set in”. I mean really!!!
Yes…I know. Lorna’s man is whiter than New Year’s Eve in the Arctic so you could just imagine THE DRAMA!!!
ooooh child!!!
LOL
Nah I don’t need to watch those soaps. I have “As the Stomach Turns” on MSG every other night.
“People don’t know,” Telfair said. “But that’s why Stephon left, to go to Mr. Lou. I wish I had the flexibility and the leverage to do the same, to be there for him and his family at this time.” Williams died about 3 p.m. and his son told the New York Times that by dinnertime, Marbury was there in the apartment where Telfair spent sweltering summer evenings after playing all day. Minneapolis Star Tribune
Marbury had spent Tuesday night in his native Coney Island, attending a memorial service for Robert “Mr. Lou” Williams, one of his childhood coaches and mentors. NY Post
LOL John Q!
Good AM DEFENDERS!
What a pleasure it is for Brethren and Sisters to dwell and commune together in UNITY. The upbeat and forward looking TONE on the THREAD this AM is a beautiful thing. Most of US are not lead by the THOUGHTS of OTHERS, the MAJORITY OF DEFENDERS are INDEPENDENT, THOUGHTFUL THINKERS and FREE SPIRITS, and life has taught US ALL the everything is not BLACK or WHITE, but often different shades of Gray/Grey.
The POWER OF ACCENTUATING THE POSITIVE is not denial of the truth or the facts, nor is it BLIND LOYALTY. AS STEADY”S POST clearly stated, GOOD THOUGHTS have the power and the ability to redefine, rebuild, and open the inexhaustible power and joy of the universe to re-create and give BIRTH to the NEW and THE MIRACULOUS…May we all learn to LIVE IN A STATE OF INEFFABILITY
If DEFENDERS choose to believe differently and conduct themselves according to thier belief systems, it is their RIGHT and I RESPECT THEIR RIGHT, and I will choose how and who I will engage based on THE SAME.
I have no doubt NYMSM and the mainstream MSM is reading BLOGZILLA’S/KNICKDEFENSE’S Knick Fan THREAD, along with the trolls, the haters, the naysayers, and the weak. I’ve got nothing but LOVE FOR MY DEFENDER FAMILY, but I have decided I will ONLY FOLLOW the PATH OF FANDOM with a High Regard for RESPECT, FEREEDOM, HONOR, INTEGRITY, DIGNITY, and a healthy regard for COMMUNITY, and will engage with those that can and will help to ELEVATE my LEVEL OF THNKING and BEING.
I am prayerful and hopeful the HOMEGOING SERVICE for ZBO’S Grandmother is joyous, reflective, and surrounded with the important premise, that everything that has breath PRAISE GOD, and hopefully the Family with give thnks for her presnece and essence in their respective lifes. I also hope ZBO remains with his family during their Hour of Bereavement, because the Love of God and Family is surely more important THAN A BASKETBALL GAME. I learned a long time ago that NOT IN MEN DO WE PUT ARE TRUST, NOR UPON ANY ANGEL DO WE RELY, BUT UPON THE GOD OF HEAVEN………I pray he takes time to mourn in his own way…However, Wherever, Whenever…
OUR BELOVED KNICKS have 14 other player that could possibly suit up for the next two games and STAND IN THE GAP for their TEAMMATE…The race is not given to the swift…
Here is my Humble and Earnest Prayer for our Defender Family on this Glorious Friday:
“Oh Mighty God, we have come into our daily sanctuaries to commune with thee; be thou our strength, our hope, our guide; give purpose to our work, meaning to our struggle, and direction to our striving; cause us to understand that only through Human Betterment, True Fellowship, and Deeds of Kindness can we feel thy presence; may this our daily worship/acknowledgement bring Peace to Hearts, and strengthen OUR desire to live in peace with all of our fellowman, AMEN.”
Go KNICKS! Go KNICKS! I believe we can WIN tonight’s Game, whehter we do or not is not in my hands, but I’ll be seating in front of my screen ROOTING for my HOME TOWN TEAM…It’s Game Day DEFENDERS…
Keep it POPPIN!
Defenders can someone answer me something? Armstrong from the Nets got hurt and they quickly got someone from the D-league to take his position….why can’t we bench this cancer ( Marbs ) and put him in the inactive or injured list and bring someone from the D-league that would love to have this apportunity to make the NBA, that perseon would give it his all just to be in a NBA team and especially to play at the garden.
I imagine your discontent.
Other than a sexual harassment case that even Ken Berger has written exposed no “particular damaging” evidence…and an interview where people called Stephon “on drugs”…and Stephon admitting infidelity 2 years ago…
what do you have that’s particularly ugly?
Someone said I was lost in the MSM soup the other day. This is pure soap opera stuff.
Al Sharpton realized it. Hardly anyone knows it.
Vivian Stringer realized it. Hardly anyone knows it.
Ken Berger already knows it. Hardly anyone knows who he is.
Stephon is married to the only person who should care.
No one apologizes for the stuff they write/speculate so the slate is never wiped clean. Now, fans such as yourself think they know the truth.
When the truth is, you don’t know Jack Schitt. You’ve been shut out just like the media. But don’t fret, tonight there’s a game. And tomorrow there’s another one.
Unfortunately, with every loss comes a cacophony of naysayers and dooms-dayers. And with every win, there’s a bunch of us fools who act like we’re next in line for a championship. It’s just the way it I guess.
cooley, you’re a good addition to the fam dude. peace be with you.
no not you peaceman. you leave him alone.
Knicksome,
Was the D league player one that they stashed there ? I’m almost positive that a D league player counts against your 15 allowed players. If NJ stashed someone there they would be allowed to scoop him up due to injury.
Gotcha.
Looks like the Kings have their Marbury!
Sacramento Bee
John Salmons who averaged a team high 20.9 points and 4 dimes
was benched for Ron Artest. The team lost and Salmons was so pissed he left the locker room
in the middle of Theus’s post game speech! He was followed by Artest and Security to no Avail.
Once calmer heads prevailed, Salmons said it was an internal thing!
He will be fined, and may miss the next few games!
Sounds like the Knicks and Kings can do some tradeing to me!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cooleyhigh,
Very telling words of the company that I keep in my living room. Privileged to be in yours. Civility always. Write on.
BARF,
Tu saves hermano mio. Ho’bout DLee talking about the faith they have in JCraw and the faith he has in himself. You’d think these thoughts are contagious. You gotta believe in the therapy you provide to many here.
Say Blogzilla, you can add a feature for people to pay BARF with their BC/BS HMO card for the privilege to post here. I’m sure he’d break you off a lil’ sum-sum’n.
KFLL
Peace, are you implying we pick up Salmons?!?
No way…we don’t need Marbury Jr.
Since their in Sacto already, why don’t Artest and Bibby switch uniforms with Stephon and Q?
I can hope can’t I…
Seems like some bloggers have put thoughts in other bloggers keyboards.
Hey
But whatever makes them happy.
As the winter gets cold and the snow flakes fall….so shall we fall in the standings if we don’t trade the Poison Pill.
Don’t worry DVJ, there will be nowhere to fall when we hit bottom.
Ah DVJ,
Robert Frost type Shyt 2007! I wish Lee’s Jumper would fall!
DNM, Nah
I’m talking about Artest changeing uniforms with Lee!
and Rose being a throw in!
I’m in ATL, for one weeks R&R!
I’m having fun, making fun of my team,
but I Love my Knicks! I’m also waiting to see what Hammer falls next!
It will fall, not sure about the timeing!
This is what any intellegent person would conclude from all the events that took place and from what Isiah was really saying before the press twisted evrything around.
Facts:
1. After the Nuggets game the team reverted back to playing soft basketball. Miami game was given away through lack of effort.
2.Both Isiah and Dolan were pissed and decided to shake up the team while its on the road trip (vs being at MSG) and facing the Suns without Zach and Q. This game was labeled a loss even before the season started so this was a good opportunity to do this.
3. Isiah scolded 3 starters and threatened to sit them unless they improve their defensive intensity.
4. Marbury left the team for unspecified reasons, coincedently visiting his late mentor at the wake.
( there is something fishy here and it could very well be that Marbury was allowed to do this by Isiah in covert op while the rest of the team played itself into shape against Suns and showed to Isiah what they had without Marbury. but this is just a theory).
5. Marbury returns against the Clips sitting on the bench while the starters, who voted him out of that game, proceed to shit all over themselves in the first 10 minutes of that game. Isiah fully expects to win this game because Clips are not the Suns, but seeing that the starters are not ready he puts Marbury in. They play much better with him at point and lead at the half. In second half IT calls on Marbury much quicker and the Knicks proceed to miss 17 shots in a row from point blank range before recovering and tieing the score with 1 min left in the game. All of it with Marbury on the floor.
6. In both games there is ample evidence that this shake up produced better defensive intensity from Curry, Crawford and Marbury. Curry and Zach defended Kaman into 6 for 17 and Clips shot .365 and .250 from 3. Knicks shot about the same and lost.
7. When asked about Marbury playing against his teammates wishes Isiah said he was merely trying “to win a basketball game,”
“I’ve played with people I don’t like; I’ve won with people I don’t like,” this meaning that his players can win with Marbury regardless of how they feel about him.
“My job is to try to win the basketball game,” he said. “However I feel about a person, that doesn’t matter. We’re trying to win. Whatever happened in the past is in the past, and we move forward.”
My conclusion from all of this is that Isiahs actions had a positive affect on the team with regard to effort and defense. There is also evidence that IT had Dolans blessing to shake up the team so to assume that Isiah acted on his own and will get fired for this is silly. Another thing you can conclude is that the press is completely clueless and is spinning this for their own benefit.
rush, that’s a really interesting take on it all. i’ll have to sit with it a while, see how i feel about it later, but it’s a really interesting take.
The birds fly high to stay away from the poison located at sea level.
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