Category: New York Knicks Blog

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MSG-produced Knicks game to be in HD on NBC4 HD

This is local news for the NYC area:

MSG, a premier sports and entertainment network, will partner with NBC4 HD in New York to air the New York Knicks game against the Boston Celtics on Monday, January 21 at 1:00 p.m.

The matchup will be produced by MSG and air in high-definition. MSG announcers will call the action, with Mike Breen on play-by-play and Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier serving as analyst. After the game concludes on NBC4 HD, a half-hour post-game show will air on MSG followed by an “In 60” version of the matchup.

New York Knicks basketball is directed by Howie Singer and produced by Spencer Julien. Jeff Filippi serves as coordinating producer for the Knicks.

Wizards-Knicks connections

Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld was formerly the Knicks’ top personnel executive from 1991-99…  Knicks forward Jared Jeffries was drafted by Washington 11th overall in 2002…  Eddie Jordan was an assistant coach in New Jersey when current Knicks guard Stephon Marbury was a Net…  Antonio Daniels was teammates with Knicks forward Zach Randolph in Portland in 2002-03…  Daniels and Knicks forward Malik Rose were teammates in San Antonio from 1998-2002…  Daniels and Jerome James were teammates in Seattle from 2003-05.

Chauncey Billups On The Knicks:

The question was put to Chauncey Billups after Detroit was beaten by 24 points on Sunday at MSG.

“Are the Knicks really as bad as their record indicates?”

“No, no, no,” he replied adamently.  “They’ve got some really good players over there.  Really good players.  For them, it’s just about finding the right mix.  They are as talented as anyone in the league -from 1 to 15.  But, talent [alone] don’t win too many games around here.  You’ve got to become a unit.  That’s what makes a great team.  

“When I got here [2002], Detroit already had what it took to be a great team; that’s the reason I came here.  I felt like I was one of the players who could continue what they had going on.  The year before, they had won 50 games.  They had the Coach of the Year in [Rick] Carlisle, Sixth Man of the Year in Corliss [Williamson], and Defensive Player of the Year in Ben [Wallace].  They were on the way up; personally, I was on my way up, too.  I thought it would be a perfect marriage.  As soon as I got here, man, I realized the culture in this locker room, and how Joe Dumars did it.  There’s a trickle-down effect.  I have believed that ever since.

[Note: Dumars would win Executive of the Year the following season]. 

“I don’t know what [the Knicks] have got going on over there.  So, I can’t speak for them.  But, they have talented players, and they’ve got a coach in Zeke, who has seen every battle, and every war.  They can learn from him.  That’s all I know.  I’m on the outside looking in.  I can’t speak for anything else, to be honest.”     

          

Another Gem From The Prophet Isiah…

“The bright spots still come from our younger guys, in terms of their energy and effort.  How long will it be [before we are successful] ?  I can’t answer that.  What we will continue to try to do throughout the remainder of the season is set the standard of work ethic in terms of who plays out on the floor, and how hard they play.  If we can continue to try to build on that, and find players who just want to give all out effort on every single play, future generations will reap the benefits from this culture we are trying to build here.  Hopefully, there will be a championship that follows that, but we have to build a culture.”     

Random Thoughts on Isiah, Knicks

Recently, Isiah Thomas said the NBA is geared toward smaller, quicker teams.   Thomas, with a propensity for going against the grain, decided it was prudent to team Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry.  Thomas’ statement seems to contradict his logic, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Randolph’s acquisition has defied expectations.

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More on Curry and Randolph.  It seems to me that there is only one tangible resolution for working these two in the line-up.  Play them separately, and have D Lee on the floor with Curry to protect the boards.  It is clear that Randolph and Curry each need the ball to be effective.  While neither one passes particularly well, at least they’ll both be interested parties instead of watching what the other will do.

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I asked Thomas two questions over the last two pre-game conferences, and each question was promptly rejected by the coach.  On Friday, vs. the Raptors, I wondered [aloud] if he has any intentions of playing Wilson Chandler or Randolph Morris any time soon.  I thought it was a fair question. 

“Not right now,” Thomas said without much thought. 

After all, Thomas did tout these kids as 1A and 1B among his draft picks.  With the Knicks currently at 10-26, and not on the playoff map, wouldn’t he want to know if these guys can play?  

If they haven’t shown much during practice, it could be because some athletes are just better ‘game’ players than ‘practice’ players.  So, why not give ’em some playing time?  There is absolutely nothing to lose -aside from more games, which the Knicks will more than likely do anyway. 

Same ol’ story.  The guy with the big contract will usually get the big minutes.  If Thomas feels obligated to play the guy who makes more, that’s certainly his perrogative.  

But, keep in mind, that during Lee’s breakout season [2006-07], he was the second lowest paid player on the Knicks.

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The other question was asked yesterday, before the tip vs. the Pistons. 

“Have you regretted any moves in assembling this present roster?

“We can talk about that in the summer,” Thomas replied.  “Not tonight.”

I’ll be there to ask the question again.  But, will he be there to answer?

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Judge dismisses petiton against future Brooklyn arena

The AP reports: A judge threw out a petition by neighbourhood groups to stop the US$4 billion redevelopment of Brooklyn’s Atlantic Yards, where construction of an arena for the NBA’s New Jersey Nets is planned. U.S. State Supreme Court Justice Joan Madden ruled Friday that developers of the 22-acre site did enough studies on the impact of traffic, crowds, potential terrorism and other environmental factors on the area to satisfy legal requirements. The petitioners, a coalition of 26 neighbourhood groups, had claimed they would be “directly affected” and “harmed by the substantial adverse environmental impacts of a project of such enormous scale.”

The Story Behind Isiah’s Ejection

Yao Ming had tortured the Knicks last night. In more ways than one. It wasn’t just the 36 points. It was the five dunks and four lay-ins, and the way he would linger in the paint on the offensive end. All of it was too much for Isiah Thomas to take.

The Knick coach had complained to the officials that Yao should’ve been called on a number of three-second violations, but to no avail. Danny Crawford hit him with a ‘T”, then wasted no time in tossing him.

Afterward, a much more subdued Thomas explained his stance, after getting bounced 41 seconds into the fourth quarter, with the Rockets ahead 77-74.

“In the second quarter,” recounted Thomas, “I spoke with [Crawford] and asked if they could watch Yao in the lane. I also said that, if you are not going to call [a violation], would I need to get a technical foul to bring your attention to it?

“I wasn’t trying to get ejected. But, I was trying to get a technical, because I did want to bring it to [the officials’] attention.

“I was close enough to [Crawford’s] ear that he could hear me. I didn’t bump him, or anything like that. You can look at my reaction two ways –I could have been given a tech, or be thrown out of the game. I have shown, that I am not a guy who complains a lot. I just needed to make a point, because there was no way that we could guard Yao in the lane that long.”

Thomas paused briefly.

“Even out of the lane,” he joked, “we couldn’t guard him.”

Subsequently, Yao converted the ensuing free throw, fueling the Rockets’ 78-74 advantage, and the Knicks were effectively beaten after that.

Would Mikki Moore Have Helped Knicks?

Mikki Moore, the Sacramento Kings’ back-up center, knows all about persistence. He is in his 10th NBA season, and with his ninth different team. Job security was never something he took for granted. Last season, with the NJ Nets, he averaged a career-high 9.8 ppg and 5.1 rebounds, and became the only undrafted player since 1976 to lead the league in field goal percentage.

Over the years, he has gotten to know Isiah Thomas, the Knicks’ coach.

“Me and Isiah, and Joe Dumars, have been talking for years. My first team was Detroit. He has been wanting me on his squad for a long time, ‘cause he respects my hard work, and how I play –old school. No lay-ups. Foul, if you have to, but not to end someone’s career. That’s how I was raised –on old school basketball. And he likes that.”

Imagine that. A big man who defends the paint.

“Me and him see eye to eye on a lot of things. I’ve told him, “Keep your head right. Don’t let this crowd get you out of your element. All this picketing, and all that stuff -you turn these boys around, [the fans will] be kissing your butt by the end of the season. He already knows that. That’s just how it is.

“You have hard times, and you struggle. Just keep on trying hard. Don’t look at what happened yesterday. Think about tomorrow.”

Perhaps, had Thomas made a play for Moore during the off-season, he would’ve had more tomorrows to pursue his vision of a championship.