I missed the Knicks’ 110-96 loss at Detroit last while in transit (and watching a playoff caliber last-second Magic win over Philly on Dave Checkett’s tiny airplane TV), a defeat New York suffered with only 9 available players — that is, if you consider Jerome James fit and ready to play. Nate Robinson’s groin injury has rendered the diminutive guard unavailable, while questions surrounding the heart condition of newly aquired Cuttino Mobley remain unresolved, at least to the Knicks’ satisfaction. Predictably, for the second time in 6 days, all eyes are on Stephon Marbury, with Newsday’s Alan Hahn reporting Marbury was so late in arriving for last night’s game in Auburn Hills, MI, his teammates presumed he’d already been suspended or sent home. It’s not only Mike D’Antoni and Donnie Walsh who are frustrated with Marbury, as Quentin Richardson tells the Daily News’ Frank Isola, “I don’t look at him as a teammate.”
“He hasn’t played with us all year,” Richardson added. “Regardless of what you have going on with the organization or what you have going on with your coach or whatever. You’re not going to allow your teammates to be left out there the way we were basically being left out there.
“This is directed at us regardless if you’re trying to stick it to whoever you’re trying to stick it to. At the end of the day we’re shorthanded, people are hurt. Once again, I don’t pay attention to (Stephon) because I don’t look at him as a teammate anyway.”
“Right now, he’s the furthest thing from my mind,” said Richardson. “We got a pretty good thing going. I’m trying to hold on to that. He’s not trying to be part of this team. He’s voiced that. That’s what it is. So why would I waste my time thinking about him.”
Cecilio’s Scribe points out the Knicks have committed a staggering $36,584,460.00 in ’08-09 salary to three guys who’ve not played one minute this season, Marbury, Jerome James and Eddy Curry, and while WFAN’s Steve Somers observes, “your Cablevision bill is going to go up, anyway”, I’d bet Walsh is more inclined to attempt voiding Marbury’s contract than concede on a buyout. Not counting cameos at Lincoln High practices, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to fathom exactly where Marbury plans to play basketball after his Knicks status is finally settled.