Marbury rips D'Antoni

I guess Mike D'Antoni didn't win many over in his time as head coach of the New York Knicks. That's why coaches get fired, add in the fact that he wasn't winning enough made him more cannon fodder for the critics. But I bet D'Antoni didn't count on Stephon Marbury jumping on the rip D'Antoni bandwagon. Remember Marbury played for D'Antoni while the two were in Phoenix and New York.

Now Marbury is the last person to rip anyone considering he wasn't necessarily a winning player while he was in the NBA.  

Marbury went on Twitter to call D'Antoni a coward.

"Coward's Step down men knock walls down that men like him post up. I told you'll about that dude but you'll didn't listen. #DANPHONY"  

Mighty bold words from someone who once ate Vaseline. Just because D'Antoni couldn't make things work with Carmelo Anthony and tried to trade him for Deron Williams and failed doesn't make him a coward. I just call it a failed power play. And just because Marbury could never see eye to eye with D'Antoni doesn't make him a coward. It's called a clash of egos.

Jeremy Lin rookie cards are selling high

Jeremy Lin has been the hottest name in the NBA in the past two weeks. Name me one player who's garnered more interest since the Super Bowl. That's right Jeremy Lin. With the New York Knicks upstaging Kobe Bryant and the Lakers (Lin had 38 points) last night, Lin's stock is high.

You know what else is high? The stock on Lin's rookie card. Lin's rise is one of epic proportions. No one knows how long it'll last, but for now enjoy the ride.

From Paniniamerica.com: His name is Jeremy Lin. He plays point guard for the New York Knicks. And in the last 24 hours, his 2010-11 Panini America autographed Rookie Cards have sold for as much as $1,000. Another one sold for $799. Since Tuesday, nearly two dozen have been snagged for at least $200. Non-auto cards are selling at $100 apiece.     

“That’s why people like to collect,” Panini America NBA Brand Manager David Porter said. “You never know when someone like Jeremy Lin is going to have that opportunity to play and prove himself. Less than a week ago, his cards were at the bottom of collectors’ want lists. Now, the chase is on even for his base cards. That’s what makes collecting cards so unpredictable.”


No one saw this coming and if they did I want that person to pick out some lottery numbers for me. Lin is a great story and I'd like to see his meteoric rise continue. It just goes back to what I always say. If you can play, you can play.  

Oakley Not Impressed With The Current Edition Of The Knicks

One of the tough guys from years past, Charles Oakley isn't afraid to let his opinion known about anything. That would include the current make up of the New York Knicks and how they treated him and Patrick Ewing, Isiah Thomas' role with the team, and whether Amar'e Stoudemire is the man to lead the Knicks back to the promised land.

While he was in New York to launch his clothing collection at the K1X store in SoHo, he didn't have too many kind words to say about the Knicks organization.

He doesn't think too highly of Stoudemire's game and thinks he's too West Coast to play in New York.

“Amar’e’s good, he’s good in his way,” Oakley said yesterday at the launch of his clothing collection at K1X’s store in SoHo. “He’s a West Coast player trying to translate to the East Coast. And the longer he plays in the East, the more his body’s gonna get damaged, because he’s got to take a beating now.”

Gotta disagree with Oak here. The East isn't the physical beast that it was when he played. Also the league is more athletic than it was back then which suits Stoudemire's game a whole lot better than it would've been back in the 80's and 90's. The players are more multiskilled than they were back then.It's an ongoing debate, but you must agree that the players of today are more athletic than years past.

Stoudemire might not be the player to get the Knicks to the promised land but stranger things have happened. I won't say he is and I won't say he won't lead them there, but he did seem to take more of a leadership role on the team when things started going south early in the season.

I do agree with what he said about head coach Mike D'Antoni. The Knicks will tease and excite you, but when it's time to play halfcourt ball and get grimy, the Knicks fall short. Don't believe me, watch the first two games of the series against the Boston Celtics and tell me why they lost. They can't play in the halfcourt.


“I don’t think [it can be successful], but that’s his coaching style,” Oakley said. “They knew when they signed him. ... When you go buy a Bentley, you know it’s not a Volkswagen. When they signed him, they knew what they were getting.



“That conversation should be dead, because it’s a West Coast offense playing in a hard-nosed city.


“You always give somebody a chance to prove themselves. I mean, this is his fourth year. He’s had a lot of time. ... I think it’s just more half-court offense, and they need the big, tough guy. He don’t want to play that way, but finesse, it’s not gonna work.”

“I mean, they’ve got hype,” he said. “But hype don’t win nothing.”

That should've been known when the Phoenix Suns couldn't get past the Spurs when D'Antoni coached them. Run and gun doesn't win in playoff time. Check and see how many titles Doug Moe won when he was coaching.

About the Knicks organization as a whole, he still has love for them but feels disrespected by them for not offering him a job in any capacity.

“[The Knicks] don’t want nothing to do with me,” said Oakley, who played for the Knicks from 1988-98. “I don’t know why. I tried to deal with them on several occasions. I’m not gonna keep trying.


“They don’t like Patrick, either. They won’t give Patrick a job, so I know they won’t give me a job. Patrick should have a job before anyone. He’s probably the best guy since [Walt] Frazier, [Earl] Monroe ... he’s the main guy on the list.”

“My door is always open to the Knicks,” he said. “I tell them all the time. They said something about I told LeBron to go to Miami. I was like, ‘You all have to be one of the craziest organizations in the world.’


“Y’all should have tried to call me and talk to me, and maybe we could have gotten LeBron to New York. You went to Isiah [Thomas], and some of these other guys that don’t know the guy.”

True indeed. Patrick Ewing shouldn't have to go anywhere else to be an assistant or have his name mentioned with other coaching jobs. As for Oakley, I don't think anyone would be asking you to court free agents for their team anytime soon, considering your disdain for today's players.

Last but not least was the aforementioned Isiah Thomas. He doesn't like him and I doubt he ever will. Oakley gave him a piece of his mind since he happened to bring him up.


“I don’t understand how he even got a job with management,” said Oakley, 47. “He had nothing to do with the Knicks, then he talked bad about the Knicks ... If I see him, he’d better turn around and go the other way.”

Well Charles, last time I checked Isiah Thomas never ran from anyone and never will. He was one of the toughest "little guys" to ever play the game, and considering his track record I don't think he'd be turning the othere way when he saw you. He still has that Chicago swagger in him and won't back down from anyone.

Bonzi Wells Trying For A Comeback

The New York Knicks have a void at shooting guard that needs to be filled. Right now it looks like they're grasping for straws. The Knicks had a two day free agent tryout camp that ended yesterday which drew 17 players that auditioned for a possible spot with the NBA team.

One player that seemed to stand out was former Portland Trailblazers guard Bonzi Wells. Yes that Bonzi Wells that was forgotten by many since the New Orleans Hornets cut him back in 2008. Personally, I thought he just stopped playing since then. Well he did "retire" in 2009 after playing in China and Spain. The former Ball State standout was back home in Muncie, Indiana before the playing bug bit him in the rear.

"I had a great camp," said Wells, a former Ball State standout and Central graduate. "I'm a 34-year-old guy and I got up and down the court excellent. I shot the ball great. I played pretty good defense. I did the best I could to keep those little 20-year-old guys in front of me."

Wells has been coaching AAU and I guess staying in shape. The Knicks are considering bring in Wells for a tryout. Signing him may be a different story. There is a possible lockout looming ahead so that might derail Wells' comeback. Either that or thoughts about his perceived attitude problems in the past. Wells is trying to change people's minds about those thoughts.

"With the interview process, they kind of ask you what you've been doing," Wells said. "I just told them, 'I've been playing with the local Y for the last couple years and I've been coaching AAU, so that's been my life the last couple years.' I just stayed straight forward and was very honest. Hopefully they understood my sincerity.



"(D'Antoni) said, 'I remember how young you were, and I thought you were a good guy. You were just in a bad situation, and I'm glad you're at this point in your life.' It makes you feel good when guys understand, because they've been 23 or 24 before. They know what it's like to grow up and they see my maturity."

 Good luck on this venture Bonzi.


  

D'Antoni Is A Bad Late Game Coach

New York Knicks head man Mike D'Antoni is not a bad coach. Not by any means. He can get your team to the playoffs, rack up plenty of wins in the regular season, and plays an exciting style of basketball. His only problem is that he's a bad late game coach.

Watching the Knicks melt down in the first two games in the Eastern Conference playoffs against the Boston Celtics reminded me of when he was coaching the Phoenix Suns. Suns fans probably know what I'm talking about and were probably having flashbacks watching the Knicks give away the first two games to the Celtics.

For all the flash the Suns had, they constantly found ways to lose to the Spurs, among others, in the playoffs. The Suns were always there in the end but found ways to lose it. Credit D'Antoni for that. He wasn't the greatest late game tactician. That flaw reared it's ugly head in games 1 and 2.

In game 1 Amare' Stoudamire was punishing Kevin Garnett in the fourth quarter, but for some reason he didn't see the ball down the stretch. Now if Stoudamire is the hot hand you keep going to it, don't you? I know I would, but I'm only a Playstation coach so how would I know. All plays should've been ran through Stoudamire, save for Toney Douglas' three pointer. Then you let Carmelo Anthony settle for a 30 footer for the last shot. Take your chances for overtime. I didn't watch much of game 2, but I saw enough to come to the realization that D'Antoni doesn't make the best choices late in the game.

The Knocks will be a force in the Eastern Conference in the years to come, whether D'Antoni will be there to see it through I don't know. I'm not calling for his job, but the Knicks are destined to become the new age version of the 1980's Milwaukee Bucks. Win a lot of games, but won't win big in the playoffs.    

Walsh Is Being Undermined In New York

I'm late to the party on the Carmelo Anthony trade, but I still have a little something to say about it.

For starters, I think the Knicks gave up entirely too much in this deal. Don't get me wrong it's a tremendous trade, but it doesn't make New York an instant contender and they up some quality depth to get him. Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari aren't in the same class as Anthony, but they were rounding into solid players. I mentioned in another post that I would've called everyone's bluff and waited it out an got Anthony as a free agent since he was pushing so hard to get to New York. I wasn't sold that he would resign with New Jersey or anywhere else. If Denver traded him anywhere except New York and he didn't resign, then oh well. Play your chips in the free agent market and use the remaining players to fill another hole. I firmly believe the Knicks could've had him for nothing.

The primary reason why the Knicks felt like the had to have Anthony now is because of owner James Dolan. I believe GM Donnie Walsh didn't want to make the trade because he didn't want to gut the team in the process of making the trade. But Dolan undermined Walsh in the decision making process. And now Isiah Thomas comes out and takes partial credit for the trade. Call me nuts, but Thomas may be right. I don't believe Thomas seduced Anthony to New York, but Thomas still has Dolan's ear and Dolan listened. How in the world do you fire a guy and want to hire him back, albeit a consultant. The Knicks have a man in Walsh who knows what he's doing and are undermining his efforts to build the team. If I'm Walsh I bail out after the season so Dolan can have his lovefest with Thomas, because if Dolan doesn't listen to him now he never will. I almost feel sorry for him since he was brought there to put the Knicks back together, but now no one will listen to him.

It was a nice deal but it has Dolan's and Thomas's fingerprints all over it.

The Knicks Would Be Wise To Wait On Melo

I was talking with one of my co-workers yesterday and we were talking about the neverending Carmelo Anthony rumors. More specifically about the Lakers trade rumor. The question was why the New York Knicks were trying so hard to land Anthony. I can understand the Lakers trying to pry him out of Denver. They could bridge the gap between Kobe Bryant's eventual decline and pass the torch to Melo. I can dig it. The Knicks, not so much.

I read a post from a fellow blogger whose site name escapes me right now where he put together a three team trade involving the Lakers, Nuggets, and Knicks where all three help themselves in the process. It's too much to explain so please excuse me for not breaking it down. My problem rests with New York. Melo wants to be there and the Knicks want him. It's a match. Everyone knows why Anthony wants to get out of Denver as soon as possible. It's simple, he wants to get paid before the new CBA (collective bargaining agreement). I can understand that. He'll only sign an extension with the Knicks. If I'm Donnie Walsh I just wait until the offseason to sign him and give up nothing. I know the Knicks want out of Eddy Curry's contract and can get rid of it in a trade. But why give up Wilson Chandler or Danilo Gallinari? I know the Knicks would like to get rid of Anthony Randolph, which would be good because maybe they recoup a first round pick in the process. Getting rid of Randolph makes the most sense since there is a logjam at his current position. I wouldn't be in a hurry to include Chandler or Gallinari. They've shown me something this year and if Melo comes to New York one of them would be a major player off the bench, something you always need in the NBA. The Knicks would also boast one of the better frontlines in the league.

I don't see why the Knicks are in such a to make this trade. I would wait to sign him and not give up a thing. I just don't see why they would want to give up a few core young players to get one in return. It's not like they would be a threat to win the title this year with him.The only way I make this trade is if this is the first step in some kind of master plan where the Knicks somehow get Chris Paul out of the Bayou or some other major player. Other than that, save your chips and play them elsewhere. It may get you more than you think.

Anthony: Chauncey Belongs In Denver

Who's running the Denver Nuggets? Carmelo Anthony or Josh Kroenke. Just when it seems the Nuggets are close to making a deal Carmelo Anthony starts wavering about signing a contract extension with the New Jersey Nets. Then he says that he doesn't want Chauncey Billups to be traded with him and that Billups belongs in Denver, where he's a local hero of sorts. That was after Billups went as far as saying he wouldn't want to play for the Nets and seek a buyout.

The Nuggets are assassinating their franchise. They're blowing it up without really needing to. Personally I think their window of opportunity is shut, but Kobe Bryant is due to go away and there will be a new king in the Western Conference. But since Anthony doesn't want to stick around they want to take some dynamite to their team and start over. If I were in the front office I'd make the best deal possible. Damn where he wants to go. Management holds the cards and they have to assure themselves they are getting fair value in return. Speaking of management, I won't let them off the hook either. They keep coming up with outrageous trade demands, like asking for five first round picks or trying to get rid of Al Harrington's bad contract. Anthony and his agent are driving this whole thing and the Nuggets brass is doing everything to accomodate them.

The Nuggets need to end this saga soon. Word is there is a trade to New Jersey close to being done. Deep down Anthony doesn't want to go there. He wants to go with the New York Knicks and form his own superteam with Amare Stoudemire and whatever third wheel that will agree to play with them. If I'm the Nuggets I hold him hostage until I got the best deal, not the other way around. 

Stoudemire Not Loving New York Right Now

It's gonna be a long year Amare

After the Minnesota meltdown and being kicked around by the Rockets on Sunday, Amare Stoudemire isn't liking what he sees in New York right now. Especially after fans rained boos on the Knicks in the fourth quarter.

Stoudemire says his teammates are accustomed to losing and they need to play with a sense of urgency. "It's definitely something that I'm not accustomed to. It's not fun. "We're a young team and we make mistakes but we can't keep doing the exact same thing every night. We just gotta find a way to grow up."

Well Amare, this is what you signed up for and you should've known what you were getting yourself into. A Knicks team that's going nowhere. Hey, you're the one who took the money and ran.

Stoudemire also added this.  "I don't understand why we're not playing with the urgency. I'm not used to that. "We're not playing like we're on a four-game losing streak, now five. We don't have that sense of urgency. It's almost as if it doesn't matter and it's not something I'm used to."

You're not used to it, but you better get used to it. You were the lone big time free agent that signed with the Knicks with no help on the way. You, my man, are not a one man calvary. But you're so used to winning, you should've went to Chicago. Here's more from the $100 million dollar man.

"We just can't have guys complacent and comfortable with losing. "I can't stand that. It's more attitude. It's more heart. We have to show more heart and go after it. We're still not having that sense of urgency to dig for loose balls, get down on the floor. We're not showing that we really want it. Maybe the winning mentality has never been here. "I'm used to winning."


That's right their not used to winning, but you were blinded by dollar signs. You should've checked the record and did your due diligence. I just think Stoudemire was focused on getting his money and his stats. Since he was winning in Phoenix and was going to play for a coach he was familiar with (Mike D'Antoni) he threw conventional wisdom out the window. My conventional wisdom says, take a little less and sign with a team that has a real chance of winning.

Stoudemire better mind trick himself and do it fast, because there is no immediate help on the horizon.