Category: New York Knicks Blog

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Did Curry guarantee win over Pacers tonight?

NY Newsday reports: Talk around the Garden is that Eddy Curry has guaranteed a Knicks victory over the Pacers tonight. I don’t know who he said this to, but it had to have happened before I spoke with him. Curry never mentioned the Pacers when I talked to him this morning at the shoot-around, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t say it to another reporter.
The Pacers locker room was a-buzz with Curry’s apparent prediction.

InsideHoops.com update:

No, Eddy Curry did NOT make any sort of guarantee that the Knicks would beat the Pacers in New York today.

Apparently, what happened is, a Knicks beat writer JOKED to another reporter that Curry made a guarantee earlier today. Some eavesdropping media member or two heard it and word somehow spread, even reaching the Pacers before the game, who didn’t know it was a joke.

David Stern won’t punish Thomas, Knicks for role in sexual harassment trial

The Associated Press (Brian Mahoney) reports: NBA commissioner David Stern won’t punish Isiah Thomas or Madison Square Garden for their role in a sexual harassment trial that embarrassed the Knicks and the league. “Instead, we are going to continue to focus our attention on a league-wide program ensuring that all teams have appropriate policies, clearly communicated to their employees, focusing on respect in the workplace including the prohibition of sexual harassment,” Stern said in a statement. On Monday, Thomas and MSG settled the case brought by former team executive Anucha Browne Sanders for $11.5 million. A jury awarded her $11.6 million in punitive damages in October — a trial Stern wanted the Knicks to avoid, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

MSG sexual harassment case settled

The Associated Press reports: Madison Square Garden and New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas have settled the sexual harassment case brought by a former team executive who was awarded $11.6 million in punitive damages. Terms of the settlement were not immediately disclosed. “I am extremely pleased that we have reached a settlement,” Anucha Browne Sanders said in a statement.

Knicks may soon use Jerome James

The New York Post reports: With Eddy Curry turning into a November disappointment on both ends of the court, Knicks coach Isiah Thomas is – believe it or not – eyeing center Jerome James’ return with anticipation.  Though James is at least one month away from returning, The Post has learned he had a heart-to-heart talk with Thomas after James’ foot surgery to remove a cyst-like growth. Thomas told James he is still in Thomas’ plans, and that the coach hopes to go get James into the rotation.

Marbury’s father dies

The Associated Press reports: Stephon Marbury played the second half of New York’s loss to Phoenix on Sunday night unaware his father had been taken to a hospital, where he died before the game ended. Don Marbury was taken from Madison Square Garden to St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center during halftime, reportedly because of chest pains, but a family member advised a Knicks official not to inform Stephon Marbury at the time. Stephon Marbury learned of his father’s death from a family friend minutes after the game. “It’s a terrible thing that happened to him and his family last night,” Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said Monday after practice. “For any parent watching their son or daughter perform, and to have something like that happen, anyone who has kids would sympathize with the son and you also sympathize with the family.”

Was Isiah close to being fired?

Was Isiah Thomas close to being fired recently?

The New York Daily News reports: According to a source, before the Knicks’ dramatic comeback victory over Milwaukee, at least two assistant coaches said that if the team suffered another blowout loss they were convinced that Thomas and the coaching staff would be fired. Three hours later, the Knicks overcame a 17-point, second-half deficit and won in the final minute. Garden chairman James Dolan, who has not spoken publicly on Thomas’ job status since last March, was not seated in his customary baseline seats at the Garden for a third straight home game. There is a possibility that Dolan could have watched any one of the last three home games from a luxury suite. Garden president Steve Mills also was conspicuously absent.

Review of Knicks record under Isiah Thomas

The New York Post reports: “The Knicks are 116-185 since Thomas arrived, 36-58 since he became the head coach, 7-24 since he received a contract extension. The are also 1-6 since the last time they held a team (Miami) under 80 points, a stretch that curiously caused a coach-GM who hasn’t drafted and traded much for defensive players to start threatening to bench them because of a lack of defense.”

A walk around Knicks-Wolves pregame

Pregame –

Isiah Thomas talks for five minutes or so, mainly questions about Zach Randolph, Eddy Curry. He also reiterates his “whoever is playing the best” mantra, which basically means he plans on rewarding good play which could lead to wins. He also addresses the fact that Al Sharpton canceled his protest.

Randy Wittman, who some of you may or may not know is a former teammate of Isiah Thomas from their days at Indiana. He does his pregame business in a much more informal setting, sitting on the scorer’s table while his team shoots around. He says he is there for his friend and that famous smile needs to return.

After the meet and greet with a few reporters, I relate to him my autograph story about how in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I used to mail away cards to get autographed and I have his from when he played with the Pacers. I said, I often wondered if they were legitimate or if some intern signed them and he says that I’ll have to show him the card.

As this informal conversation is happening, Antoine Walker is shooting and I must say he looks kind of thinner, which kind of contradicts Pat Riley’s contention that he wasn’t in shape. (Of course I could be wrong as I’m not a fitness guru).