New York Daily News: Trade a Spur to Nazr

[whottt]

NY Post


Trade a Spur
to Nazr

Ex-Knick happy for chance at le

BY DARREN EVERSON
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER


Knicks' Malik Rose (l.) drives on Nazr Mohammed in matchup of players traded for each other.

The Knicks beat the Spurs last night in their first meeting since their trade deadline deal, so Malik Rose had the last laugh - at least for the time being.
He grinned as he described his butterflies and recounted his reunion with his ex-coach. "Yeah, I spoke to him," Rose said of Gregg Popovich. "He sent me a death threat."

Over in the visiting locker room, Nazr Mohammed surely wasn't laughing. In his first game at the Garden since the trade, he had seven points and seven rebounds, while watching a red-hot Stephon Marbury seemingly flip 700 floaters over his flailing arms.

Mohammed, as Marbury and Isiah Thomas have bluntly reminded Knicks fans, is no Patrick Ewing. They said so in the wake of the deadline trades, as Thomas drew criticism for taking on $31 million in additional salary.

In the end, though, it might be Mohammed who has the last word. Although the Knicks beat the Spurs, 88-75, last night, as Rose (18 points) had a strong game, it's obviously Mohammed's team that has the brighter future.

Tim Duncan's ankle injury notwithstanding, Mohammed could soon draw another distinction from Ewing: He might actually win a le.

"I'm just excited about having the opportunity to have a legitimate shot at a championship," said Mohammed, who had seven points and seven rebounds.

So the center had nothing negative to say about the Knicks on his initial return to New York. For one thing, it simply isn't in the mild-mannered veteran's nature; for another, what's to complain about when you're 50-17?

Sure, Thomas traded him after just one year and Marbury subsequently said, "It's not like we traded Patrick Ewing" - a sentiment first expressed by the Knicks' president. Mohammed didn't take it personally, though.

"I didn't take it as any disrespect, because the truth is, it's not like I was here a long time," said Mohammed, whom the Knicks traded Feb. 24 along with Jamison Brewer for Rose and two first-round picks.

"When I first got here, if someone would've said that you would've gotten two first-round picks for me, you guys probably would've laughed at that," Mohammed said, "so it wasn't a slap in the face. I know you've got to support your guys. He made the trade to make the team better."

Whether it ultimately does no longer is Mohammed's concern. Fully recovering from his groin injury is, as are pitching in during Duncan's expected 2-4-week absence and satisfying his new team's defensive demands.

"Defense is what we hang our hat on," Mohammed said. "That's all we talk about ... It's an atmosphere where guys criticize each other and try to make each other better. There's no ill will. We just try to make each other better."

[whottt]

I gotta say...Nazr is classy, and nothing really seems to phase this guy, he'll probably do as well as can be expected being thrown into the fire like this. In a way I would like it more if he was pissed off about what they said though... le being on the line and all that.


I think some of the comments from the Knicks players make them look bad...but at the same time...they got absolutely ripped in the press for this trade and they are better team with a better future because of it.

[boutons]

"It's an atmosphere where guys criticize each other and try to make each other better"

The next 4 weeks will test not only the Spurs ability to play basketball, but also their ability to maintain the respectful good-will, trust, and team-first spirit.

[whottt]

I'm not worried about them keeping their team first spirit...I am worried about them keeping their balls...the road to the le is going to me much tougher than anticipated and the Spurs no longer can be called the favorite to win the le.

This one is going to be tougher to win than either of the first two.

[boutons]

Knicks getting "better" wasn't very hard.

With Isaih's GM record famously trailing and an unproven coach, the Knicks' future is hardly assured.

[whottt]

Don't get me started boutons...point is that no one was saying this trade made them better at the time...they were acting like it was the worse trade in NBA history.

[Solid D]

I gotta say...Nazr is classy, and nothing really seems to phase this guy, he'll probably do as well as can be expected being thrown into the fire like this. In a way I would like it more if he was pissed off about what they said though... le being on the line and all that.


I think some of the comments from the Knicks players make them look bad...but at the same time...they got absolutely ripped in the press for this trade and they are better team with a better future because of it.

Amen, Whottt. Very true.