New York Knicks Blog – Page 156 – NBA Blog

Nate Robinson plays COD5 on XBox Live

New York Knicks point guard Nate Robinson apparently enjoys playing the video game Call of Duty 5 on XBox Live.

According to Al Trautwig of the MSG television station, Robinson was playing COD5 against some random other player via the internet, and told the guy who he was.

Naturally, the guy doubted he was playing with a real NBA player.

So, according to Trautwig, Robinson told the guy that to prove it’s really him, he’d do a COD5 salute during his next free throws.

And Saturday evening, as the Knicks were in Philadelphia playing against the 76ers, Robinson did just that, in the second quarter.

Hopefully, that gamer was watching.

New coach, another loss: Grizz fall 108-88 at NY

The AP reports: The Memphis Grizzlies looked like a team energized by a coaching change a day after their coach was fired. For about five minutes, at least. After that, the Grizzlies and Knicks resumed their streaks in opposite directions: Memphis lost its season-high eighth straight game, while New York matched its best run of the season with its third consecutive victory, a 108-88 win Friday… David Lee had 19 points and 14 rebounds as the Knicks won three in a row for the first time since early November… Rudy Gay led Memphis with 20 points. High-scoring rookie O.J. Mayo was held to 12 points, more than seven below his average, on 4-for-14 shooting.

Robinson scores 20 and Knicks beat Suns 114-109

The AP reports: The Knicks held Shaquille O’Neal to just one field goal in the second half after he had 18 points in the first. And the smaller players forced to guard him created mismatches of their own on the offensive end. David Lee led the Knicks with 25 points and 16 rebounds. Tim Thomas, saddled by foul trouble the first three quarters, scored all 10 of his points in the first five minutes of the fourth as New York pulled in front for good… The Suns made it 112-109 on Jason Richardson’s 3-pointer with 11 seconds left, but Al Harrington hit a pair of free throws to clinch the win. Richardson led the Suns with 27 points. Steve Nash had a season-high 19 assists.

Duhon burns former team as Knicks top Bulls 102-98

The AP reports: Chris Duhon scored with 31.2 seconds left to help lift New York to a 102-98 victory over the Chicago Bulls in an afternoon Martin Luther King Jr. Day game. He wasn’t sure Monday morning if he would play… Duhon has flourished in coach Mike D’Antoni’s offense, averaging 12.3 points and 8.0 assists after scoring 19 Monday… Derrick Rose has justified his draft position, averaging 16.9 points and 6.4 assists. His 20 points Monday were the most for a No. 1 overall pick making his Madison Square Garden debut since LeBron James had 22 in 2004… Quentin Richardson led the Knicks with 24 points… Rose hit two jumpers and fed Luol Deng for a dunk for two of his six points during the spurt. Deng’s slam came in transition after Joakim Noah blocked Jared Jeffries’ shot. Deng finished with 20 points for Chicago.

Jerome James season over

I am at today’s Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks game, and reporters have been told that the season of Jerome James is over. A complete bust in every way, the Knicks pay James millions of dollars per year to sit on the bench, take pre-game photos with fans, drink water and suffer injuries.

Here is New York Newsday: The Knicks revealed today that Jerome James suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon and is out for the season. Considering the severity of the injury — not to mention the complete disinterest in getting him back — we’ve likely seen the last of Big ‘Rome… Jerome will pick up his $6.6M player option for next season, but the Knicks will likely look to buy that out to free up a roster spot for 2009-10.

Jamal Crawford defending well

The Contra Costa Times (Marcus Thompson II) reports: Jamal Crawford, at 28 is entering the prime of his NBA career, and under Keith Smart’s tutelage, is learning things he’s never learned before. The dividends are already evident in his game. The results are most noticeable on defense, where Crawford has a reputation for being sub-par. He said he’s trying harder on that end of the floor, and for longer stretches, something he acknowledged he hadn’t always done. In times past, you wouldn’t have seen Crawford provide such solid help defense as he did Wednesday when he blocked a pull-up jumper by Sacramento’s Kevin Martin from behind. You wouldn’t have seen him hustle to contest a buzzer-beating attempt, as he did against Atlanta on Friday, blocking Zaza Pachulia’s heave into the stands near half-court. You wouldn’t have seen him getting excited and showing emotion when he makes a play on the defensive end, as he has lately.

76ers win 7th straight, beat Knicks

The AP reports: Two buzzer-beaters one night. Another one Saturday on something resembling an alley-oop 3-pointer. Andre Iguodala is on a roll, and so are his Philadelphia 76ers. Iguodala had 28 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and the 76ers returned to .500 for the first time in nearly two months with their seventh straight victory, 107-97 over the New York Knicks… Andre Miller added 27 points and eight assists for the 76ers, making a pair of baskets in a 10-0 burst after the Knicks had closed within one with 5 minutes remaining. Lou Williams scored 15 points to help Philadelphia beat New York for the 11th time in the last 13 meetings… Al Harrington scored 26 points for the Knicks, who welcomed back Danilo Gallinari after a 2 1/2 month absence while losing for the second time in two nights. Quentin Richardson added 19, and Wilson Chandler had 17.

Wizards use 15-0 run late in game to beat Knicks

The AP reports: Trailing 87-81 with 4:35 to play, the Wizards ran off 15 straight points to break a six-game losing streak and beat the New York Knicks 96-89. Washington has suffered 12 defeats after leading in the fourth quarter, and just two nights ago, they allowed New York to score 128 points against them. Things didn’t look promising until Antawn Jamison, who led the Wizards with 28 points, hit a layup to start the big run. Mike James added a 3-pointer and Nick Young a jumper, and suddenly the Wizards had their first lead since early in the third quarter… Mike James finished with 19 points for the Wizards, while Nick Young—who set career highs in three of his past four games, including 33 points against New York on Wednesday—finished with 13… The Knicks were led by Al Harrington’s 18 points. Wilson Chandler had 16 and David Lee had 15 points while matching a career high with 21 rebounds.

Lee helps Knicks roll past Wizards

The AP reports: David Lee had 30 points and 10 rebounds, reserve Al Harrington scored 27 points, and the Knicks handed the Wizards their sixth straight loss with a 128-122 victory Wednesday night… Quentin Richardson added 26 points for the Knicks, who have piled up the points in the first three meetings with the Wizards this season and can complete a season sweep for the first time since 2003-04 by grabbing the back end of a home-and-home series Friday in Washington… Chris Duhon finished with 17 points and nine assists for the Knicks, who scored 114 and 122 points in their two earlier victories over Washington—which fired Eddie Jordan two days after the second one… Washington’s Nick Young scored 33 points, establishing a career high for the third time in four games, and Caron Butler added 25. Mike James had 20 points, but the Wizards stumbled when he had to leave with five fouls.

Knicks-Wizards team connections

Wizards head coach Ed Tapscott served in the Knicks front office for nine seasons (1991-2000). He was named Vice President of Player Personnel in 1997 after stints as Director of Administration and Vice President of Administration.

Jared Jeffries played the first four years of his career in Washington, playing 256 games for the Wizards with averages of 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game after the club selected him 11th overall in 2002.

Wizards President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld played with the Knicks from 1982-83 to 1985-86 and served as the Knicks General Manager from April 23, 1991 through April 21, 1999. His son Dan Grunfeld went to training camp with the Knicks this past summer before being waived on October 23.

Jared Jeffries’ Indiana Hoosiers lost to Juan Dixon’s Maryland Terrapins in the 2002 NCAA National Championship Game in Atlanta, Georgia. Dixon scored 18 points and had five rebounds and three assists and Jeffries posted eight points and seven rebounds.

Chris Duhon and Wizards forward Darius Songaila were teammates in Chicago during the 2005-06 season.

Tim Thomas played in Philadelphia for parts of two seasons (1997-99) when Wizards assistant coach Randy Ayers was an assistant under Larry Brown.