(this, along with half price tickets, is how the Spurs have chosen to commemorate Veterans Day)

The 102-points-per-game-averaging New York Knicks are about to tip off against the Spurs, and with Bruce Bowen coming off the bench for the first time in his San Antonio tenure, who better to school us on Tim Duncan’s supporting cast than Pounding The Rock? In this case, the resume of former (and future?) Austin Toro Ian Mahinmi is dissected by Aaron Stampler :

Key Stats: (From his NBA.com D-League Player Bio)

PPG: 17.1, RPG: 8.2, APG: 1.4, BPG: 1.7

Born: Nov 5, 1986 Height: 6™9″ Weight: 230 lbs. College: France

What This Means: There’s only two noteworthy pieces of information here. One, under “college” it lists France, which means he’s a soft, mentally weak, fromage binging disappointment waiting to happen. I’m highly suspicious of the intestinal fortitude of any foreigner who’s not Argentine, because Argentines are crazy. Despite all that, I am still aroused intrigued by his potential. Two, he was born on “Guy Fawkes” day, which makes him even cooler to me. If you didn’t like V for Vandetta, I don’t want to know you, to borrow a Simmons line. P.S. Can you imagine if there was a University of France? Holy shit. Even the Princeton team would intimidate them.

The New York Daily News’ Frank Isola notes that Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry both appear on the newly issued NBA All-Star Ballots, and suggests the duo,  “could (each) start the All-Star Game even if they don™t play one second before the voting ends.”

Here™s a wild scenario; the Knicks have the best record by the All-Star break which means that Mike D™Antoni and his staff coach the East. Marbury is voted onto the team only to be benched for the entire game. Of course that won™t happen because Dwyane Wade, Richard Hamilton, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard will be voted on as starters¦and the Knicks won™t have the best or second best record by the break.

So the scenario isn’t nearly as “wild” as it is improbable.  But you’ve got to love the first comment to follow Isola’s attempt at comedy :

As a NYK fan, I pledge my support to get Steph into the allstar game…So far, this season, he has shown utmost professionalism beyond his peers.. Say what you will about his attitude (those are high school games. Grown men shouldn’t do that.), once again he’s sacrificing his game for the benefit of his teammates (albeit all of it). I don’t know about Snacks tho..