With a 6-14 mark entering Wednesday night’s game with Orlando, Knicks coach Larry has finally settled on a starting lineup, along with what should be a rather strict 9 man rotation. From the NY Post’s Marc Berman.
Brown indicated his probable starting lineup will have Stephon Marbury and Quentin Richardson in the backcourt, Trevor Ariza and Channing Frye (above) at forward and Eddy Curry up front. Average age: 23.4 years.
If the Knicks are going to lose, at least the young guys will cut their teeth.
Brown has befuddled his players, using 14 different starting lineups in the first 20 games, and using an 11- to-12-man rotation.
The Knick coach made more damning remarks about Isiah Thomas’ roster yesterday, indirectly taking a poke at Marbury’s floor leadership, and for the first time he even questioned the team’s toughness.
In referring to when 5-foot-9 Nate Robinson, battling for rebounding position, got splattered by Buck center Dan Gadzuric, Brown said, “We didn’t match their physicality. Nate gets knocked down and nobody reacts. It was like, ‘No big deal.’ Your toughness can’t come from the littlest guy on the court.”
On his lineup, Brown yesterday made two things clear: he won’t play Richardson at small forward again, moving him to starting shooting guard. Robinson, after five straight starts, goes back to the bench.
Brown has settled on Ariza as his starting small forward and ” in a shocker ” newcomer Qyntel Woods as the backup three.
Indeed, the young guys get the better of this, as it could mean the benchings of Malik Rose, buyout candidate Antonio Davis, Maurice Taylor and Jerome James, who could be traded under league rules beginning tomorrow. Penny Hardaway is clearly on the outs.