boutons_
02-28-2006, 12:12 PM
February 28, 2006
Spurs 121, Knicks 93
Francis Finds Way, but Knicks Remain Lost
By JON PAUL MOROSI
SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 27 — Isiah Thomas (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/t/isiah_thomas/index.html?inline=nyt-per) leaned on the railing of a tunnel at the AT&T Center on Monday night, wearing a sharp beige suit. His hand was positioned near his chin, with a weary gaze fixed ahead, as if he were a college student enduring a lecture he did not want to attend.
Thomas, the Knicks' (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/newyorkknicks/index.html?inline=nyt-org) president, was not in the mood to discuss what was happening on the court before him. He declined comment when approached during one timeout in the third quarter, during which the Spurs (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/sanantoniospurs/index.html?inline=nyt-org) outscored his expensive, incongruous team by 21 points.
There was not much to say, really, about what became a 121-93 defeat, the Knicks' fourth in a row and fourth since the acquisition of guard Steve Francis. The Spurs (44-12) shot 62.5 percent from the field, nearly 20 percentage points better than the Knicks.
James L. Dolan, the Madison Square Garden chairman, sat two rows behind the Knicks' bench as they lost for the 20th time in 22 games and fell to 15-41. It is now a matter of mathematical certainty that they will not finish with a winning record. That, however, has been a foregone conclusion for the Knicks, who have won one road game since Dec. 6.
"I've never been in a situation where I didn't know, in my heart, we were going to get better — and I ain't giving up here," Knicks Coach Larry Brown (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/larry_brown/index.html?inline=nyt-per) said. "But it's embarrassing."
Earlier in the day, it seemed possible that neither Stephon Marbury (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/stephon_marbury/index.html?inline=nyt-per) nor Francis would play — Marbury because of his sore shoulder, reinjured Saturday night; and Francis, because his 6-month-old daughter was sick in Orlando, Fla. In the end, both played. Their efforts helped little, as the teams played to their identities — San Antonio as the defending N.B.A. champion, the Knicks as the league's second-worst team.
"We cut it to 7 at the beginning of the third quarter, and then I don't remember us making a pass," Brown said, "except to them."
In Francis and Marbury, the Knicks have two point guards known for their scoring. The Spurs have one, Tony Parker, and he scored 14 points in the first half, then rested for much of the second half. He finished with 20 points — 6 more than Francis and Marbury combined.
Marbury also spent much of the second half on the bench; Francis ran the team instead. He had some individual success (12 points) but not nearly enough to overtake the Spurs. Jamal Crawford, the backup guard, was running the point by the end of the game.
Marbury, who told Brown before the game that he wanted to play despite the injury, scored 2 points in the first quarter and none thereafter, to finish with his lowest point total of the season. He was 1 of 9 from the field and played 24 minutes 23 seconds.
As Brown gave instructions before the second half, Marbury was seen on television, standing behind Brown, yawning, and looking up at the scoreboard.
Because Francis and Marbury make about $30 million between them, playing them together would be cost-effective unless the intent is to showcase them individually for possible off-season trades.
Brown often kept them apart Monday, especially in the first half. He played them together in the third quarter, when the Spurs' halftime lead more than tripled, to 30 from 9.
The distinction of who was the point guard and who was the off guard seemed to change arbitrarily as long as Francis and Marbury were on the court together. The one who brought the ball up ran the offense, and the other often lurked, without the ball, on the other side of the court.
Midway through the third quarter, Marbury did find Francis on the wing. Francis penetrated for a sweeping layup. It was a pretty play. But it was also insignificant. The score was 78-59, the Spurs already home free.
Francis walked into the Knicks' locker room less than an hour before the game, the end of a 48-hour odyssey that began after Saturday's loss at Washington. He was excused to take care of personal business in Orlando on Sunday, because he had been traded while on a trip. While he was there, his daughter, Shailyn, fell ill.
A pediatrician saw Shailyn on Monday morning and told Francis it would be all right for him to leave, according to a representative for Francis. By then there were no available commercial flights to San Antonio that would arrive in time for the game. A private flight was arranged.
Brown said after the shoot-around that he did not think Francis would make it, but he arrived with 54 minutes to spare. He shook Brown's hand as he located his locker and began to dress.
Several hours later, he sat at that same locker stall, and reflected on a chaotic day for him and another lost night for his employer.
"It was tough," Francis said. "Real tough."
Howard Beck contributed reporting from New York for this article.
Copyright 2006 (http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/copyright.html)The New York Times Company (http://www.nytco.com/)
Spurs 121, Knicks 93
Francis Finds Way, but Knicks Remain Lost
By JON PAUL MOROSI
SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 27 — Isiah Thomas (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/t/isiah_thomas/index.html?inline=nyt-per) leaned on the railing of a tunnel at the AT&T Center on Monday night, wearing a sharp beige suit. His hand was positioned near his chin, with a weary gaze fixed ahead, as if he were a college student enduring a lecture he did not want to attend.
Thomas, the Knicks' (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/newyorkknicks/index.html?inline=nyt-org) president, was not in the mood to discuss what was happening on the court before him. He declined comment when approached during one timeout in the third quarter, during which the Spurs (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/sanantoniospurs/index.html?inline=nyt-org) outscored his expensive, incongruous team by 21 points.
There was not much to say, really, about what became a 121-93 defeat, the Knicks' fourth in a row and fourth since the acquisition of guard Steve Francis. The Spurs (44-12) shot 62.5 percent from the field, nearly 20 percentage points better than the Knicks.
James L. Dolan, the Madison Square Garden chairman, sat two rows behind the Knicks' bench as they lost for the 20th time in 22 games and fell to 15-41. It is now a matter of mathematical certainty that they will not finish with a winning record. That, however, has been a foregone conclusion for the Knicks, who have won one road game since Dec. 6.
"I've never been in a situation where I didn't know, in my heart, we were going to get better — and I ain't giving up here," Knicks Coach Larry Brown (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/larry_brown/index.html?inline=nyt-per) said. "But it's embarrassing."
Earlier in the day, it seemed possible that neither Stephon Marbury (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/stephon_marbury/index.html?inline=nyt-per) nor Francis would play — Marbury because of his sore shoulder, reinjured Saturday night; and Francis, because his 6-month-old daughter was sick in Orlando, Fla. In the end, both played. Their efforts helped little, as the teams played to their identities — San Antonio as the defending N.B.A. champion, the Knicks as the league's second-worst team.
"We cut it to 7 at the beginning of the third quarter, and then I don't remember us making a pass," Brown said, "except to them."
In Francis and Marbury, the Knicks have two point guards known for their scoring. The Spurs have one, Tony Parker, and he scored 14 points in the first half, then rested for much of the second half. He finished with 20 points — 6 more than Francis and Marbury combined.
Marbury also spent much of the second half on the bench; Francis ran the team instead. He had some individual success (12 points) but not nearly enough to overtake the Spurs. Jamal Crawford, the backup guard, was running the point by the end of the game.
Marbury, who told Brown before the game that he wanted to play despite the injury, scored 2 points in the first quarter and none thereafter, to finish with his lowest point total of the season. He was 1 of 9 from the field and played 24 minutes 23 seconds.
As Brown gave instructions before the second half, Marbury was seen on television, standing behind Brown, yawning, and looking up at the scoreboard.
Because Francis and Marbury make about $30 million between them, playing them together would be cost-effective unless the intent is to showcase them individually for possible off-season trades.
Brown often kept them apart Monday, especially in the first half. He played them together in the third quarter, when the Spurs' halftime lead more than tripled, to 30 from 9.
The distinction of who was the point guard and who was the off guard seemed to change arbitrarily as long as Francis and Marbury were on the court together. The one who brought the ball up ran the offense, and the other often lurked, without the ball, on the other side of the court.
Midway through the third quarter, Marbury did find Francis on the wing. Francis penetrated for a sweeping layup. It was a pretty play. But it was also insignificant. The score was 78-59, the Spurs already home free.
Francis walked into the Knicks' locker room less than an hour before the game, the end of a 48-hour odyssey that began after Saturday's loss at Washington. He was excused to take care of personal business in Orlando on Sunday, because he had been traded while on a trip. While he was there, his daughter, Shailyn, fell ill.
A pediatrician saw Shailyn on Monday morning and told Francis it would be all right for him to leave, according to a representative for Francis. By then there were no available commercial flights to San Antonio that would arrive in time for the game. A private flight was arranged.
Brown said after the shoot-around that he did not think Francis would make it, but he arrived with 54 minutes to spare. He shook Brown's hand as he located his locker and began to dress.
Several hours later, he sat at that same locker stall, and reflected on a chaotic day for him and another lost night for his employer.
"It was tough," Francis said. "Real tough."
Howard Beck contributed reporting from New York for this article.
Copyright 2006 (http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/copyright.html)The New York Times Company (http://www.nytco.com/)