Results tagged “knicks”

When we previously noted on the Knicks burgeoning interest in signing free agent guard Allen Iverson, it seemed as though it was a long shot to happen. But new reports have come out in the last two days that are making us question everything.

• Knicks 110, Pacers 103: What's this? A Knicks win? Al Harrington handed it to his former team, scoring 26 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter to help the Knicks snap a six-game losing streak. He wasn't the only one to fill up the stat sheet. Larry Hughes had 22 points, Wilson Chandler had 18 and David Lee had 17. Even Eddy Curry, playing for the first time this season after a calf injury, had 10 points in 12 minutes. The Knicks outscored the Pacers 56-34 in the second half. That kind of performance will end a lot of losing streaks.
Continue reading "Last Night's Action: Knicks Double Win Total"

Since 10-time All-Star guard and former Philadelphia 76er Allen Iverson was released from his one year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this week (he only played in three games with them, off the bench, this season), all the talk has revolved around whether or not the dismal 1-9 Knicks might sign him to a short term contract. The Knicks GM Donnie Walsh had flirted with signing "The Answer" briefly last summer, and cautiously said on Monday that they'd "look into it."

When Isiah Thomas returned to the tri-state area, bringing his Florida International team to play NJ's Monmouth College, the home crowd decided to go nostalgic with their jeers. According to the Daily News, they yelled, "sexual harassment," "take Lunesta," "Anucha Sanders," and "Magic hates you." Thomas took it in stride, "I'm used to being in a hostile work environment as athlete and former Bad Boy, every place we went to was this kind of environment... It's all in good spirit and good fun, that's what being a fan is all about. ... I thought the students were well in line and in bounds with the chants that they were saying."

No one was expecting the Knicks to be good this year, but their 1-9 start has exceeded even the most pessimistic projections. They don’t play defense, allowing opponents to shoot 50.7% from the field and they don’t look like they are even trying for long stretches of the game. Yet somehow, Mike D’Antoni escapes criticism.

What's a good sign your team isn't going to win? Larry Hughes tallies the most minutes. He did that Monday with 41, and his the Knicks lost, 95-93, to Utah. The Knicks continued their 2009 trend of falling behind early (by nine after one quarter and 17 at the half) before rallying furiously only to come up short. Does anyone see a pattern forming here? Toney Douglas (pictured) surprised with 21 off the bench for the Knicks, who also got 17 from Wilson Chandler. New York checked Deron Williams' scoring -- the point guard had only five points -- but not his passing. He had 16 assists.

• Bucks 102, Knicks 87: Where to begin on this one? The Bucks shot 74 percent from the floor. They went on a 23-2 early to ice the game .They outscored the Knicks, 40-22, in the first quarter. Brandon Jennings, whom the Knicks passed over for Jordan Hill, had 22 points and eight rebounds. David Lee's 18 points led the Knicks, now 1-6 and losers of three straight.
Continue reading "Last Night's Action: So How Bad Are the Knicks?"

• Cavaliers 100, Knicks 91: Is finishing within nine points of the Cavaliers a moral victory. What about holding LeBron James to 33 after he scored 53 in his final trip in the building last year. To answer the first question, not when the team trailed by 23 at the half. As for the second, James shot 12-for-17, had eight rebounds and nine assists, so he was hardly in check. Larry Hughes had 18 (Larry Hughes!) and David Lee led the Knicks with 21. The Knicks, now 1-5, have Milwaukee on the road on Saturday.

     

Yankees 7, Phillies 3: For the first time since 2000 and the 27th time in franchise history, the New York Yankees are the World Champions of baseball. The Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies four games to two behind the bat of Hideki Matsui and the solid pitching of Andy Pettitte. Matsui was 3-4 in the game, including two two-RBI hits off Phillies starter Pedro Martinez and two more RBI against Phillies reliever Chad Durbin.

• Philadelphia 8 Yankees 6: AJ Burnett went on three-days rest and he blew up in a huge way. Burnett couldn’t record an out in the third and he ended up surrendering six runs, the big blow coming on a three-run homer from Chase Utley. The Yankees actually had a chance in the ninth. Trailing by three runs, they put the first two runners on, but Derek Jeter grounded into a double play, which did score a run. Johnny Damon singled and Mark Teixeira came up as the tying run, but struck out to send the series back to the Bronx.

You know that the Yankees are thrilled to be in the World Series, but the Knicks should be equally thrilled that the Yankees made it. The World Series is distracting attention from their miserable start. Last night may have included a great fourth quarter comeback, but the fact remains that the Knicks allowed Philadelphia to shoot an astounding 61% from the field. Even the most optimistic Knicks’ fan has to realize the bitter truth- LeBron isn’t going to come to this team unless something radical changes.

• Yankees 8, Phillies 5: Things looked bleak when Andy Pettitte gave up three runs in the second inning. But Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the fourth that was originally ruled a double, but then reversed by the umpires with instant replay, and then the Yankees -- helped by an Andy Pettitte RBI single -- scored three in the fifth. They added a run each in the sixth, seventh and eighth and now own a two games to one lead in the World Series. Hideki Matsui and Nick Swisher also had homers, and Johnny Damon had a critical two-run double.

• Bobcats 102, Knicks 100 (2 OT): A rally from a 21-point deficit and a 14-point margin at the start of the fourth quarter didn't give the Knicks anything more than a moral victory. They didn't lead until the second overtime, but some shaky defense gave the game to the Bobcats. Chris Duhon played 55 minutes. Danilo Gallinari had 16 off the bench, and Nate Robinson had 17 before fouling out. David Lee had the line of the game with 17 points and 18 rebounds. This game won't score any style points, but it did provide late drama. The Knicks open their home campaign Saturday against Philadelphia.
Continue reading "Last Night's Action: Knicks Drop A Heartbreaker"

• Philadelphia 6 Yankees 1: The Yankees looked like a team totally overwhelmed by circumstances while Cliff Lee looked like Orel Hershiser in 1988. CC Sabathia was good, allowing only two runs, both solo shots to Chase Utley, but Lee was much better. He dominated the Yankees, going the distance and he probably would have had a shutout if Jimmy Rollins hadn’t airmailed a throw in the ninth. The Yankees bullpen imploded in the 8th and 9th with Phil Hughes and Brian Bruney the chief culprits. New York will have to hope for a better result against Pedro Martinez in Game 2.

For basketball fans in New York, the upcoming NBA season is really all about next year. July 1, 2010, to be precise; the exact moment when free agents like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh hit the market. It’s a strange year because you won’t have much to root for and apart from a few core players; the Knicks and Nets will be willing to trade away players in exchange for cap space next summer. And don’t forget Knicks’ fans, former GM Isiah Thomas traded away the 2010 number one pick for Stephon Marbury, so the draft lottery isn’t a possibility.

After three-week vacation, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart came back last night. Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James was the interview guest, and Stewart made a plea from suffering Knicks fans, hinting that King James could come to New York and enjoy the splendors of Shake Shack and the American Museum of Natural History. Oh, and an "I Love NY" mug.

A day after the Knicks' pugsy point guard Nate Robinson was bashed for his flip tweets while being pulled over and arrested in The Bronx, sources tell the Post that his attitude wasn't limited to his 24,000+ followers. The paper says that when Robinson got pulled over, he "cranked up a rap song when the cop walked off to check his license, and then sang along when the officer returned." Maybe Nate was singing along that he wished he had a girl who looked good so he could call her. When the cop came back, the flashy dunker then apparently mouthed off at the officer, "Well, I'm Nate Robinson from the Knicks," to which the cop replied, "OK, Nate Robinson from the Knicks, you're under arrest." While there's been much speculation that the incident won't help Robinson gain any leverage in contract negotiations with the Knicks, his agent said, "Whether he remains a Knick will not be effected by a traffic incident...He didn't murder anyone, didn't rape anyone.'' Nate's tweeting life is back to normal after the hub-bub, updating recently, "Just seen a girl run n wit an ipod and she fell on her face lol am I wrong for laugh n at her? Smh."

Nate Robinson hasn't been able to get signed in New York since becoming a free agent this off-season, but Tuesday he was able to get booked up in The Bronx, charged with driving with a suspended license. Cops say they pulled Robinson over for not having his seat belt on while driving down the Grand Concourse in Bedford Park, but the Knicks' two-time dunk contest champion tweeted, "Cops pulled me over cuz my windows were 2 dark (but my windows were down) lol how funny is that." Doesn't an NBA star get tinted windows specifically 95 degree days driving down the Grand Concourse? In any case, cops discovered that Robinson's license had been suspended in June for the fifth time after a series of infractions around the area including traffic violations, speeding, driving without his seat belt on and for driving while talking on a cell phone.

Is it too early to start a "Bring Starbury Back to New York" campaign? Say what you will about how he basically spent his tenure with the Knicks acting as a cancer to the team; the man knows how to make a quality YouTube clip. From our previous experience with putting a camera in front of Stephon Marbury, we knew that there had to be a few gems coming out of the former All-Star's 24-hour stint doing a video podcast a couple weeks back. It may have taken a little tinkering, but sure enough a little dance interlude taken by Steph led to this:

James Dolan, chairman of Cablevision and Madison Square Garden, has been reviled for years for running the Knicks into the ground. And now rumor has it he wants to get rid of a beloved part of New York City—the Radio City Hall Rockettes! Dolan also owns Radio City Cityfile reported, "Much like other pricey productions—ticket sales [for the Christmas Spectacular] have fallen flat given the state of the economy," leading workers to worry. A former cast member told Cityfile, "I've spoken with people who work at the Radio City box office and they say they've never seen it this bad." Plus, "The temperamental Cablevision chief has intimated that he's prepared to scrap the Rockettes altogether and install an entirely new show in the famed venue during the holiday season. One idea he's reportedly batted around: Bringing a version of Cirque du Soleil to Radio City." Egads! Dolan's spokeperson later caught up with Cityfile, "This story is fundamentally false. We anticipate 2009 will be another successful season and look forward to creating memories for families for many years to come," but didn't say how well tickets were selling.

      

• Yankees 11, Braves 7: Derek Lowe didn't pitch quite as well for the Braves as he did for the Red Sox in Game 7 of the 2004 American League Championship Series. The Yankees got to him for eight runs in three innings. Andy Pettitte wasn't much better, allowing six runs in 3 2/3. But the bullpen work of Alfredo Aceves and Phil Coke helped the Yankees stop the bleeding and take the rubber game of this three-game series. Johnny Damon had four RBIs, as did Alex Rodriguez, who hit a homer as well.

This is the last chance for the Knicks to make a significant improvement to their team before the free agency period begins in 2010. Thanks to the Stephon Marbury trade, the Knicks will not have a first round pick in next year’s draft making tonight’s pick the last significant pick they will have to improve this team.

As soon as LeBron James huffed and puffed his way off of the court following the Cavs' elimination from the playoffs Saturday night, you may have noticed a spike in the humidity with the collective panting from Knick fans now eager to begin luring the megastar toward Madison Square Garden with one year remaining until he is eligible for free agency.

It’s May and for New York sports fans that means our attention is fixed to baseball, baseball and more baseball. It wasn’t always this way as May was once a time to watch the Knicks and Rangers make deep runs into the playoffs. It was a time when MSG was the place to be in May, but those times are a distant memory.

Stephon Marbury isn't one for keeping his thoughts to himself. Even though his season is still going with the Boston Celtics as they fight to say alive against the Bulls, Marbury sat down and talked to the ESPN news show about just went wrong with his time with the Knicks. On the transition between the two teams, Marbury said, “You go from being in hell to being in heaven...It was like being in jail."

We have two new and amazing baseball stadiums here in New York. The comforts and amenities they provide are world class, but there is one thing they don’t have; the passion of their predecessors. With exorbitant ticket prices close to the field, Citi Field and the new Yankee Stadium have prevented the real fans from being near the action. The seats closest to the action seem empty on most nights, probably a reflection of the economic downturn, perhaps a function of the cold weather. It’s too late for the Mets and Yankees to do anything about it, the stadiums are built and they will have to live with the consequences, but hopefully Cablevision is paying attention.

• Rangers 4, Capitals 3: Brandon Dubinsky scored the go-ahead goal right after Markus Naslund got out of the penalty box as the Rangers drew first blood in this first-round playoff series. Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves, and Scott Gomez had two assists. After a scoreless first period, the Rangers saw Washington strike first in the second. Then they rattled off three straight in an 11-minute span. But they gave up a goal with 49 seconds to go in the period. Luckily, Dubinsky lit the lamp in the third. Game 2 is on Saturday.
• Devils 4, Hurricanes 1: This game was not as interesting. Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner each had a goal and an assist. The Devils had a 3-0 lead by the 11:33 mark to go in the second period. Chalk up another postseason win for Martin Brodeur.
• Yankees 4, Rays 3: All things considered, a 5-4 road trip is not that bad for this team, especially after an 0-2 start. Derek Jeter scored the tying run and knocked in the go-ahead run as the Yankees took two of three from the Rays. A return home to open the new Yankee Stadium comes Thursday.
• Mets 7, Padres 2: Good Oliver Perez showed up. The Padres' bullpen imploded in the seventh. The Mets picked up their first win at Citi Field and got back to .500. Gary Sheffield's first start included nothing more notable than his grounding into a run-scoring double play.
• Knicks 102, Nets 73: Is Lawrence Frank finished? No Vince Carter and no Devin Harris made for an easy Knicks victory.
Continue reading "Last Night's Action: Off on the Right Foot"

Isiah Thomas isn't just leaving the Knicks to coach basketball at Florida International University—he's coaching at FIU for free. The AP reports, "Thomas said his salary the first year from the Golden Panthers will be donated back to the school's athletic department... FIU athletic director Pete Garcia said that when Thomas learned about layoffs and budget cuts, he told the university president that the school should keep his salary." Of course, the Knicks still owe him $12 million for the rest of his contract. Thomas told reporters, "I like rolling up my sleeves. I like taking some from the bottom and building it to the top. There's a lot of risk in that and there is also a lot of reward in that. But that's how I grew up." Remember when Isiah said he would bring a championship to the Knicks? Good luck, FIU.

The Isiah Thomas era at the Knicks is over: Florida International University confirmed that the player-turned-coach/management executive accepted a position coaching there. Thomas's reign at the Knicks has been disappointing and troubled, but last month he told reporters he was looking forward to helping Knicks president Donnie Walsh with the draft. Newsday reports, "From the day Thomas was stripped of his titles and responsibilities with the Knicks - who are owned by Cablevision, which also owns Newsday - Walsh gave him permission to seek other opportunities." Thomas issued a statement, "Coming back to the college game has always been a dream of mine, and I didn't want to pass up an opportunity to go somewhere where we can build a basketball legacy together."