ducks
11-24-2006, 10:16 AM
LINEUP FLIP'S A FLOP FOR KNICKS
By MARC BERMAN
November 24, 2006 -- The smile is gone now. The optimism is evaporating. Isiah Thomas looked heartbroken late Wednesday night at Minnesota's Target Center.
"This was unacceptable," Thomas said after the Knicks were blown out from start to finish, 107-89, by the mediocre Timberwolves. Never did Thomas look so sad as after his backcourt shakeup from earlier in the day blew up in his face.
There are a slew of questions facing the crashing Knicks, who at 4-9 desperately need a victory tonight in Boston. The turkey tasted bitter yesterday for the Knicks and Thomas had to wonder if he was close to losing his team, if not his job.
Owner James Dolan proclaimed during the summer Thomas has a full season to show the club has made "significant progress." Not half a season. Not one month. Surely, Dolan can't reach a conclusion until he sees this team with Jared Jeffries, who is injured.
With November's rough schedule and no Jeffries, Thomas has warned fans the Knicks might be six games under .500 entering December. But they could reach six games under by tonight and still have the Bulls tomorrow at the Garden and road games in Chicago and Cleveland before the month ends.
Thomas' backcourt move - benching Steve Francis for Jamal Crawford - seemed to rock the team's psyche. The Knicks played like they didn't care, on both ends. Quentin Richardson didn't take a shot or have a free-throw attempt. They were selfish on offense (11 assists) and uncaring on defense as Minnesota shot 53 percent for the game, and raced out to a 29-10 lead. The Knicks never got closer than 12 in the final three quarters.
The breakup of the Stephon Marbury/Francis backcourt has its positives and negatives, but Wednesday it was only negative. By taking Crawford off the gritty reserve unit, the Knicks no longer got the big bench spark that often carried them back into games.
"We didn't play with any intensity at all as a team," said Marbury, who got a new green light by Thomas to attack the basket, but looked overanxious, trying to be "Starbury."
The Knicks' disjointed offense spawned a lack of energy on defense. The Knicks have backcourt blues and a fraudulent frontline of Eddy Curry and Channing Frye, who were completely passive in Minnesota as the team showed no fight.
"It was definitely uncharacteristic of the effort and desire we've played with all season," Curry said. "We went away from what we were doing to keep us in games."
No matter what Francis and Thomas say, Francis seemed bummed by the benching, and spoke to the team before the game. Thomas hinted Francis suggested the idea. That's doubtful.
"I told Coach, told the players," Francis said. "They respect my decision and move on. It might not help us tonight. Hopefully in the long run, it will help us get better."
KNICKS at CELTICS Tonight 7:30 MSG ESPN (1050)
[email protected]
By MARC BERMAN
November 24, 2006 -- The smile is gone now. The optimism is evaporating. Isiah Thomas looked heartbroken late Wednesday night at Minnesota's Target Center.
"This was unacceptable," Thomas said after the Knicks were blown out from start to finish, 107-89, by the mediocre Timberwolves. Never did Thomas look so sad as after his backcourt shakeup from earlier in the day blew up in his face.
There are a slew of questions facing the crashing Knicks, who at 4-9 desperately need a victory tonight in Boston. The turkey tasted bitter yesterday for the Knicks and Thomas had to wonder if he was close to losing his team, if not his job.
Owner James Dolan proclaimed during the summer Thomas has a full season to show the club has made "significant progress." Not half a season. Not one month. Surely, Dolan can't reach a conclusion until he sees this team with Jared Jeffries, who is injured.
With November's rough schedule and no Jeffries, Thomas has warned fans the Knicks might be six games under .500 entering December. But they could reach six games under by tonight and still have the Bulls tomorrow at the Garden and road games in Chicago and Cleveland before the month ends.
Thomas' backcourt move - benching Steve Francis for Jamal Crawford - seemed to rock the team's psyche. The Knicks played like they didn't care, on both ends. Quentin Richardson didn't take a shot or have a free-throw attempt. They were selfish on offense (11 assists) and uncaring on defense as Minnesota shot 53 percent for the game, and raced out to a 29-10 lead. The Knicks never got closer than 12 in the final three quarters.
The breakup of the Stephon Marbury/Francis backcourt has its positives and negatives, but Wednesday it was only negative. By taking Crawford off the gritty reserve unit, the Knicks no longer got the big bench spark that often carried them back into games.
"We didn't play with any intensity at all as a team," said Marbury, who got a new green light by Thomas to attack the basket, but looked overanxious, trying to be "Starbury."
The Knicks' disjointed offense spawned a lack of energy on defense. The Knicks have backcourt blues and a fraudulent frontline of Eddy Curry and Channing Frye, who were completely passive in Minnesota as the team showed no fight.
"It was definitely uncharacteristic of the effort and desire we've played with all season," Curry said. "We went away from what we were doing to keep us in games."
No matter what Francis and Thomas say, Francis seemed bummed by the benching, and spoke to the team before the game. Thomas hinted Francis suggested the idea. That's doubtful.
"I told Coach, told the players," Francis said. "They respect my decision and move on. It might not help us tonight. Hopefully in the long run, it will help us get better."
KNICKS at CELTICS Tonight 7:30 MSG ESPN (1050)
[email protected]