Though the Knicks (Fred Jones in particular) deserve considerable credit for showing some semblance of determination in Friday’s 91-88 defeat of Milwaukee, there were two unfortunate consequences stemming from New York’s victory. For starters, Alex Benesowitz’ postgame wrap — the electronic version of listening to a sociopath conduct an out-loud monologue while you’re trying to sleep on the Long Island Railroad — set new standards for vacuity. Even worse, Friday’s result has emboldened the NBA’s Self Proclaimed No. 1 Point Guard. From the New York Post’s Marc Berman :
“After all the hoopla, we’ve won three of the last four,” Marbury said. “Normally when that happens, you’re getting praised.
“At the end of the season, we’ll be where we want to be.”
Thursday, Kevin Garnett may or may not have implied Marbury quit during a TNT interview with Craig Sager. Garnett said, “Steph’s different from how he was in Minnesota.” Garnett added, “You just don’t come out and quit. You’ve got to have a reason or someone has to make you quit.” Garnett was likely referring to the Knicks as a whole while praising his own team’s dominance, but it left open to speculation what Garnett meant.
“I don’t think Kevin said that I quit,” Marbury said. “Despite everything that has gone on, he’d never say that I quit.”
Marbury then challenged a reporter three times, “Do you think I quit?”
Though the Daily News’ Frank Isola hasn’t composed a blog entry since Friday night’s win, his most recent post in the wake of the debacle in Boston declared “this is what happens when you place a me-first media with a me-first team and a me-first head coach. All hell breaks loose.”
Isiah Thomas continued his pattern of lying by telling Reggie Miller before the game that he never tossed the team out of practice last week. The head coach is so lost right now that he doesn™t even know a positive story when it is read to him by some briefcase-carrying lackey.
Since Isiah is receiving the worst media advice in pro sports history I™m going to let him in on a little secret: Isiah, the fact that you showed toughness and leadership by throwing the team out of practice is a good thing and not a negative, regardless of who wrote the story.
I thought for sure that Isiah was going to begin his postgame press conference by stating œwe were a couple of plays away from only getting blown out by 30. Haven™t we come full circle? Marv Albert called the Knicks championship seasons and he just happened to be in Boston to call the most humiliating performance in franchise history.
Of course, Marv was part of a Knicks history that the current regime chooses to ignore. They act as if Patrick Ewing never happened. When Jeff Van Gundy resigned, people in the organization who didn™t like being held accountable celebrated. (Most of them are still around. Surprise, surprise.)
When Charles Oakley attended the Golden State game last week they didn™t show him on the giant scoreboard. Jerome James gets more face time on the JumboTron than Oakley. You can™t make this stuff up.
The Knicks are really in a tough spot because they are running out of people to blame for their current mess. For two years, it was Van Gundy. Then it was Latrell Sprewell, Antonio McDyess, Scott Layden, Allan Houston, Don Chaney, Lenny Wilkens, Larry Brown and the security guard who wouldn™t let Dolan drive his car up the Madison Square Garden ramp.
Quote Of The Week Award goes to The Association’s Craig Kwasniewski : “I can count all of Sasha Vujacic’s great games on one hand… after having a thumb and two fingers amputated.”