New York Knicks Blog – Page 137 – NBA Blog

Qyntel Woods comeback possible

ESPN reports:

Is Qyntel Woods, at 29, playing his way back to the NBA?

The answer: Yes and no.

Talk to NBA personnel folks about Woods and you get a mixed response. Some are quick to say that Woods’ baggage — after pleading guilty to an animal-abuse charge involving dogs in October 2004 that ended his career with the Blazers — outweighs any potential payoff from giving him another shot.

Said one Western Conference general manager: “Samsonite.”

Yet Woods has also won a few admirers around the league for his willingness to go to Poland and keep refining his game after his own unsuccessful stint with Olympiacos and a stop in Italy with Fortitudo Bologna.

“He’s been playing great for Prokom,” one veteran personnel man said. “He’s been solid overseas. I think someone will take a chance on him.”

Said another GM out West: “He’s an NBA talent for sure. And he’s grown by leaps and bounds as a person.”

Danilo Gallinari getting noticed

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports:

Danilo Gallinari made a believer out of Tracy McGrady and Denver’s Carmelo Anthony after the 6-foot-10 forward scored 17 of his team-high 28 points in the third quarter of Tuesday’s win over the Nuggets. Gallinari asked to guard Anthony, and in the decisive third quarter, the two players traded shots and words in a classic duel that had the Garden buzzing.

“That was like, ‘(forget) everybody else, it’s me and you,’ ” McGrady said. “I haven’t seen (Hedo) Turkoglu and Dirk (Nowitzki) do that. They play within the team concept. That was ‘get me the ball and everybody move out of the way.’ I was enjoying it.”

Gallinari has always been one of the Knicks’ more physically and mentally tough players. He’ll play through pain, he’s not afraid to take big shots and he won’t back down from a challenge. In December, after the Clippers’ Baron Davis hit Gallinari with an elbow, Gallinari returned the favor after grabbing a rebound. Davis looked stunned.

Rumors Talk: Blatche blowing it

Since the Washington Wizards scrapped their team, two main things have happened that I can think of. First, Josh Howard’s season ended due to injury. And second, big-man Andray Blatche emerged as a legit talent. His stats in the last month or so are inflated because he tends to get the ball a heck of a lot, but still, he’s doing great.

But as you read on the rumors page today, he messed up yesterday, arguing with Flip Saunders and then reportedly refusing to play the rest of the game. By doing this, Blatche sent a message to the masses that he has maturity issues to work on. Hopefully he does the right thing, says sorry to his coach and team, and moves on positively from there. But the Wizards really don’t need any more nonsense from any players.

The Knicks don’t need Raja Bell at all this season. It’s pointless to add him. Bell should probably just hang out someplace cool, regain full health, and focus on joining a championship contender next season.

I definitely hope Don Nelson goes on to coach the Warriors in summer league play, as he reportedly plans. The more head coaches involved in those games, the better. It’ll just raise the level of everything and make the games that much better.

Madison Square Garden’s atmosphere is electric and amazing, even in losing seasons. Can’t wait to see what it’s like when they have an actual good team out there.

The Nuggets without Kenyon Martin probably aren’t a championship contender. He’s certainly not their best player, but they drop a half-rung down the ladder without him.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas returned to the Cavaliers! In equally shocking news, I ate food today, and will likely do so again tomorrow.

I laughed when hearing that Nets CEO Brett Yormark snapped at a fan. I have no followup comment. That’s just friggin funny on its own. Anyway, Yormark is a respected guy. He’s fine. Just a rough day. Or season. But the Nets should give that fan a signed jersey and a free basketball or something. Or a date with a Nets dancer.

On second thought, I’ll take the Nets dancer date. The fan can have the jersey.

Talk to you tomorrow.

This feature is an editorialized take on the day’s hot NBA rumors stories.

Stephon Marbury was successful in China

Reuters reports:

Former NBA All Star Stephon Marbury, the highest profile American import to China’s domestic league, said he would return to the country after a hugely popular stint with Shanxi.

The 33-year-old former Minnesota, New Jersey, Phoenix, New York Knicks and Boston point guard finished his two-month spell on a high with an MVP performance in China’s All Star Game last Sunday.

The New Yorker’s average of 22.9 points and 9.5 assists in his 15 regular season games failed to drag Shanxi into the playoffs, however, and he has yet to agree a new deal with the Taiyuan-based team.

Timberwolves sign Brian Cardinal

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed free-agent forward Brian Cardinal. The Timberwolves initially acquired Cardinal in a draft-day deal with Memphis on June 26, 2008. Cardinal was traded to New York in exchange for Darko Milicic on Feb. 17, 2010, and subsequently waived by the Knicks.

Cardinal, a 6-8 forward, had appeared in 27 games for the Wolves this season prior to last month’s trade, averaging 1.7 points in 9.0 minutes per game. The 10-year veteran has appeared in 354 games over his career, including 91 with Minnesota over the last two seasons, and owns career averages of 5.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

Danilo Gallinari asked to guard best opposing scorer

Tuesday night in Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks will play host to the Denver Nuggets. And at the small forward spot, it’s about to be ON!

Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reports:

Danilo Gallinari asks to guard Carmelo Anthony

How else to describe the decision to have Danilo Gallinari guard Denver’s Carmelo Anthony Tuesday at the Garden? Anthony already has hung 50 points on the Knicks this season – more than LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant or any other NBA player.

Here’s the kicker: Not exactly known as a defender, Gallinari asked for the assignment.

“I like to play against the best because that’s the only way to improve,” he said Monday after practice in Greenburgh. “It’s a part of learning. It’s a part of trying to understand where I am and what I have to do get to that level and what they have more than me. I like the challenge.”

Rumors talk: Aches and pains

In the latest shocking news, Eddy Curry continues to feel pain, tightness, sharpness, aches and whatever other unhealthy words you can think of. At this point it doesn’t really matter if he plays or not. The main thing the Knicks want to do is trade him, and that’s pretty hard to pull off if he can’t even get on the court, let alone play well.

The Bucks have gone nuts lately and while credit goes to the whole team, Andrew Bogut is big-time out there. He’s moved up a notch in the eyes of many.

I look forward to seeing how Phoenix Suns rookie Earl Clark does in the D-League. He’s not expected to be there long. Chances are he doesn’t do anything special for one or two games, and then unleashes something nasty once he gets the hang of it. And then gets called back to the Suns.

The Heat will reportedly sign Kenny Hasbrouck, who I bet at least 12 of you have heard of.

Amar’e Stoudemire is a monster out there lately.

Glen Davis and Shaq should sumo-wrestle it out.

I can appreciate Matt Bonner feeling that every shot he takes should go in. I feel the same way about my own shot. Typically, out in the park if I shoot and miss, I take the basketball, kick it out of the playground while declaring it defective, curse at everybody and call city maintenance to come measure the rims. It makes a positive impression on the guys I’m playing with and sends a clear message that my shot is not to be trifled with.

Tyreke Evans is putting up some Lebron-like stat-lines. Kid is nasty.

Talk to you tomorrow.

InsideHoops.com Rumors Talk is an editorialized take on today’s NBA rumors stories.

Knicks dominate, end 13-game Mavs win streak

The AP reports:

Bill Walker scored a career-high 23 points, Wilson Chandler added 22 and the New York Knicks snapped Dallas’ 13-game winning streak and avenged a 50-point loss to the Mavericks earlier this season with a 128-94 victory on Saturday night…

Rookie Toney Douglas had 21 points, Al Harrington added 20 points, and David Lee contributed 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks, who’d lost 14 of their previous 17 and nine straight in Dallas.

InsideHoops.com Notes:

The Knicks as a team shot 56.2%; the Mavericks hit 42.5%. But even better for New York was their incredible three-point shooting: 16-of-30. The Knicks also won the assists category, 28-14.

For New York, Walker shot 9-of-12 and hit 5-of-8 threes. Wilson Chandler scored 22 but he needed 20 shots to do it. Douglas, starting at point guard, shot 8-of-10 for his 21 points, and he dished eight assists. Harrington hit 8-of-15. And David Lee was fantastic in the middle, contributing 15 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.

For Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki had a modest 20 points and 12 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 15 points on 12 shots and not much more. Shawn Marion had a mere 14 points on 15 shots. And Caron Butler was virtually invisible in his 30 minutes with seven points, three steals and little else.

Donnie Walsh likes Avery Johnson as a coach

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports:

Avery Johnson was Knicks team president Donnie Walsh’s second choice to coach Mike D’Antoni. If D’Antoni took the Bulls job, Johnson — and not Mark Jackson — would have become the Knicks head coach in May 2008, bringing his disciplinarian, defensive demeanor.

“From what I was told, yeah [that’s the truth],” Johnson told The Post Wednesday night at San Antonio’s AT&T Center. The Knicks face the Grizzlies tonight (8:00, MSG, ESPN 1050 AM).

Johnson is a coaching free agent, unsure he will coach next season. Johnson might still be on the market if things don’t work out next season for D’Antoni, whose biggest attribute now stands as his recruiting prowess in landing the top-tier free agent class headed by LeBron James.

Tracy McGrady worn out

Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reports:

The Knicks hit rock bottom against the Nets, and now Tracy McGrady has hit the wall.

After playing nine straight games over his first 14 days as a Knick, in his most extensive action of the season, McGrady might sit out Monday night’s game against the Hawks in the Garden because he’s battle weary.

Getting blown out at home by the Nets by 20 points will do that to you, but in McGrady’s case it’s more physical than mental.

“It’s finally caught up to me, all these games and minutes,” McGrady said after practice in Greenburgh Sunday. “My body is hurting. For a while it was going, but I’m really tired.”