New York Knicks Blog – Page 171 – NBA Blog

MSG fan enters court to congratulate LeBron

Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James unleashed 50 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists on the Knicks in Madison Square Garden Wednesday night. But a potentially scary incident went down.

The New York post (Marc Berman) reports: LeBron James lit up the Garden for 50 points last night and, in a frightening moment, got a high-5 and handshake from a crazed fan who raced onto the court in the final seconds. The incident occurred on the Cavaliers’ bench after King James was removed with 23 seconds left to a standing ovation in the Cavs’ 119-105 victory over the Knicks. The fan was removed by Garden security and arrested.

Marbury expected (to watch) in MSG tonight

The New York Daily News (Frank Isola) reports: The Knicks will get back to focusing on what really matters to the organization, 100 times more than winning in fact; spinning a story.
Stephon Marbury is expected to be at the Garden tonight for the first time since he had season-ending ankle surgery and after the Daily News reported on Thursday that Isiah Thomas had told Marbury not to attend home games… As for Marbury, he has no interest in being around Thomas or James Dolan and the feeling is mutual. But because the season is already in the toilet and the subject of Marbury’s future and his absence from home games is becoming an issue, the Knicks – who are paying him $180,00 per game – are making Marbury show up for work tonight (now there’s a radical concept) to put an end to the speculation.

Latrell Sprewell losing home, yacht

Many of you reading the title above will assume this is just yet another joke about former NBA star Latrell Sprewell, who made many millions of dollars playing in the NBA yet insisted he needed money to feed his family. But he actually does have economic problems. The AP reports:

Former NBA star Latrell Sprewell’s home is up for foreclosure and his yacht sold at auction to help pay off the $1.3 million he owes on the boat, according to court filings. Sprewell, who once turned down a three-year, $21 million contract extension from the Timberwolves, saying, “I’ve got my family to feed,” apparently has fallen on tough times.

RBS Citizens NA, or Citizens Bank, filed a foreclosure suit last week in Milwaukee County for the $405,000 home Sprewell bought in the Milwaukee suburb of River Hills in 1994. In court documents, the bank said Sprewell owed $295,138 in outstanding payments plus interest. Sprewell failed to make his monthly mortgage payments of $2,593 from September 2007 to January 2008, the documents said.

I can tell you that when InsideHoops.com buys mansions and yachts, we pay cash, in full, with no mortgage. That’s just how we roll, son.

‘That’s What Manu Does’ – Gregg Popovich

The San Antonio Spurs were trailing the New York Knicks in the final seconds of regulation when Manu Ginobili began his pursuit of the basket. From a defensive point of view, the conventional thinking would be one of two things.

Foul him. Or, let him score. So long as the passing lane was contained, and any Spur beyond the three point line was covered.

Fred Jones and Zach Randolph converged, but were late in arriving. Tim Duncan screened Renaldo Balkman, who dropped off his man -Michael Finley, alone in the right corner- to defend Ginobili. Less than two seconds remained, and the guard was still in control of the ball.

As Ginobili’s momentum pushed him past the end line, he released a pass to Finley, who promptly sent the game into OT.

“It was designed for Manu to do what he did,” said Gregg Popovich, the Spurs coach, startled that someone would dare ask him about such a risky play, albeit one that the champs have executed to perfection in the past. “That’s what Manu does.”

The fact this was a set play -the Spurs call it ‘Hammer’- is believable. The fact that it still worked despite Isiah Thomas’ warning, following a timeout, is unbelievable.

Well, maybe not that unbelievable.

“Yes, we talked about that,” Thomas said, after the Knicks lost their eighth straight game. “It didn’t happen but that’s okay. We will learn [from this], and move on.”

Sam Cassell talks Knicks

NY Newsday (Ken Berger) reports Sam Cassell discussing the Knicks: “New York fans are far from fair-weather fans, but if you don’t play hard for them …” Cassell said at his locker after the Clippers wasted the listless Knicks, 103-94. Cassell didn’t finish the sentence. Didn’t have to.
“They want effort,” he said. “They want guys diving on the floor for loose balls like the early ‘90s. They want guys getting at it, making it a tough basketball game. That’s what New York is all about – battling, like the Giants in the playoffs. But when they don’t see that, they tend to get discouraged. Tickets are very expensive in New York. If you’re paying $1,000 a seat, you want to see effort every night.” “They’ve got Isiah over there, their best three guys played, it pays well,” Cassell said. “Damn, what more you want? You’re playing in New York City. Damn, I wish was like eight years younger and had the opportunity to come to New York to play. Shoot, every night to play in the Garden? Damn, there’s no place like it.”

Charges against Sprewell dropped

The AP reports: Prosecutors are dropping their case against former basketball star Latrell Sprewell, who was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their children. Lucian Chalfen, spokesman for Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore, said Monday the charges will be dismissed in a year if Sprewell stays out of trouble. An order of protection against Sprewell on behalf of Candace Cabbil remains in effect, Chalfen said.

Balkman suspended for elbowing Vujacic

New York Knicks forward Renaldo Balkman has been suspended for one game without pay and assessed a Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two for elbowing the Los Angeles Laker’s Sasha Vujacic in the jaw, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 7:07 remaining in the second period of New York’s 120-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at Staples Center. Balkman will serve the suspension tonight when the Knicks visit the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena.

Knicks handle Sixers in New York

It wasn’t a pretty game, but Friday night in Madison Square Garden the New York Knicks, thanks to a balanced scoring effort and a good game from Zach Randolph, beat the Philadelphia 76ers 89-81.

For the Knicks, who have played well lately, Jamal Crawford (just 6-of-19) had 18 points and 5 assists. Zach Randolph (8-of-12) had 16 points and 15 rebounds. David Lee (6-of-8) had 14 points, Nate Robinson 13, and Eddy Curry 11.

For the struggling Sixers, Andre Iguodala (10-of-20) had 24 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals, Willie Green (just 5-of-13) scored 13 points, Samuel Dalembert 12 with just 5 rebounds, and Andre Miller had 10 points with 6 assists.

Both teams struggled from the free throw line and three-point range. The Knicks controlled the glass. And they had 22 assists, while the Sixers only totaled 14.

“I just think, right now, we are playing again with a lot more trust,” said Knicks president and head coach Isiah Thomas. “We have good shot distribution. Everyone feels a part of the game.”

Randolph was especially impressive. “He had a nice offensive game,” said Sixers head coach Maurice Cheeks.

Iguodala recognized Crawford’s scoring ability: “Crawford is good. He can shoot.”

Crawford continues to nail tons of tough, off-balance, outside jumpers, often with time running out on the clock. It’s an impressive skill.

Fred Jones didn’t play for the Knicks. He has flu-like symptons. Also, Stephon Marbury is out for a long time after surgery.

The Knicks are now 10-14 at home. And the Sixers have now lost 7 of their last 8 road games.

New York now heads out West for a five game road trip. They face tough competition and could rack up several losses.

Only the Miami Heat are lower than the Knicks and 76ers in the Eastern conference standings.

Larry Brown says Knicks spied on him

The AP reports: Coaching the New York Knicks made Larry Brown feel like he was being watched. Brown accused the Knicks of having “spies throughout the arena” during his one season with the team in a story in the February issue of “Philadelphia” magazine. Brown also complained about the way he was treated by the organization. “Imagine when you get to work, they don’t talk to you,” he said. “They had security people standing close to me in press conferences, and spies throughout the arena.”

Barbosa victim of trade hoax

The East Valley Tribune reports: By the end of the day, Leandro Barbosa was laughing about a practical joke that had him scurrying around the team’s Beverly Hills hotel Thursday. But for a while, a phone hoax that had Barbosa believing he was traded to the New York Knicks was no laughing matter. Barbosa, who made the mistake of registering under his own name, was in his room when he received an anonymous phone call “informing him” of a trade, and telling him he needed to meet Suns general manager Steve Kerr in the hotel lobby.