Mr.Bottomtooth
11-26-2006, 12:08 PM
Marbury issue adds to hurt
Sunday, November 26, 2006
BY LISA KENNELLY
Star-Ledger Staff
NEW YORK -- The discord brewing between head coach Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury overshadowed everything else that went wrong for the Knicks last night.
On a night when two starters were lost to injury in the first half -- including Channing Frye for three to six weeks with a sprained left ankle -- and the Knicks turned the ball over 26 times in a 106-95 loss to the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden, that's unusual.
Still, the coach and franchise player's disagreement over the reason for Marbury's benching has become the biggest issue on a team full of them.
The point guard started last night but took not a single shot attempt and played just 19:20. He was benched for most of the second half, playing just 4:25, and did not play at all in the fourth quarter.
Why sit Marbury for the second time this week? Thomas claimed it was because Marbury had felt sick yesterday morning, and the coach was looking for more energy on the court last night.
"He didn't feel good this morning," Thomas said. "I just thought in a game like tonight where we needed some energy ... we tried it, didn't work, so I just went with the other guys."
But Marbury denied that he felt ill during the game.
"I had enough in me to play," said Marbury, whose sickness caused him to skip yesterday morning's shoot-around. "I wanted to play."
Marbury said outright that he was not happy with the benching. He said he was about to go onto the court at the start of the second half when Thomas pulled him back, with no explanation.
"He doesn't have to explain," Marbury said. "He's the coach and the president."
http://www.nj.com/knicks/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/116452332343800.xml&coll=1
Sunday, November 26, 2006
BY LISA KENNELLY
Star-Ledger Staff
NEW YORK -- The discord brewing between head coach Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury overshadowed everything else that went wrong for the Knicks last night.
On a night when two starters were lost to injury in the first half -- including Channing Frye for three to six weeks with a sprained left ankle -- and the Knicks turned the ball over 26 times in a 106-95 loss to the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden, that's unusual.
Still, the coach and franchise player's disagreement over the reason for Marbury's benching has become the biggest issue on a team full of them.
The point guard started last night but took not a single shot attempt and played just 19:20. He was benched for most of the second half, playing just 4:25, and did not play at all in the fourth quarter.
Why sit Marbury for the second time this week? Thomas claimed it was because Marbury had felt sick yesterday morning, and the coach was looking for more energy on the court last night.
"He didn't feel good this morning," Thomas said. "I just thought in a game like tonight where we needed some energy ... we tried it, didn't work, so I just went with the other guys."
But Marbury denied that he felt ill during the game.
"I had enough in me to play," said Marbury, whose sickness caused him to skip yesterday morning's shoot-around. "I wanted to play."
Marbury said outright that he was not happy with the benching. He said he was about to go onto the court at the start of the second half when Thomas pulled him back, with no explanation.
"He doesn't have to explain," Marbury said. "He's the coach and the president."
http://www.nj.com/knicks/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/116452332343800.xml&coll=1