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Pharzeone
Posts: 32183
Alba Posts: 14
Joined: 2/11/2005
Member: #871
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Here you go, Bonn I found one of the articles from the Daily News. The one I read before was from the Post.
Jamal Crawford has longest drought
BY FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Sunday, March 30th 2008, 4:00 AM
Cataffo/News
Jamal Crawford, who has been in the league for eight years, has the longest streak of any NBA player to not play in a single playoff game.
If Jamal Crawford were a reality show, he'd be The Biggest Loser, NBA Edition.
That label is a bit harsh for someone with Crawford's raw ability, work ethic and ebullient personality. But that regrettable title fits because Crawford has the record to back it up.
"Honestly," he says, "it's tough."
When the Knicks were officially eliminated from playoff contention with Friday's 103-95 loss to the Raptors in Toronto, Crawford extended his streak as the NBA's most tenured active player without a postseason appearance to eight years. That's his entire pro career without a single playoff game.
By comparison, Patrick Ewing appeared in 53 playoff games by his eighth season, Michael Jordan 92 and Stephon Marbury, whose playoff resume has been mocked and criticized, 18. Crawford has zero.
"It is something I obviously want to change and it is not because you hear you are the longest-tenured player without a playoff game," Crawford says. "I want it to change because I want to be in the playoffs. It is the highest level of basketball."
Crawford's playoff drought can be attributed to a number of factors, starting with the dreadful teams he's played for. He was drafted by the rebuilding Chicago Bulls in 2000 and four seasons later he joined the rebuilding Knicks in a sign-and-trade agreement.
His timing has been bad. The year before Crawford arrived in New York, the Knicks reached the playoffs despite having a losing record. Meanwhile, Chicago qualified for the playoffs the next three years once Crawford departed.
He has never played in a stable environment. Crawford has had eight different coaches, including the last two years with Isiah Thomas. It is the first time he's played under the same coach for two consecutive years since high school.
"No excuses," Crawford says. "But when I was drafted by Chicago (out of Michigan), the Bulls were the youngest team in the league. My second year I was hurt and the third year I was sharing time with Jay Williams. In the fourth year we were supposed to be good, but that year it didn't work out. Last year I thought we had a chance until we had all those injuries."
There is no denying that Crawford has ability. He along with Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade, Baron Davis and Chris Paul are the only players in the league 6-5 or smaller who are averaging at least 20 points per game. There are differences, however. Iverson, Wade and Davis have all led their teams into the playoffs while Paul, an MVP candidate, has New Orleans fighting for the best record in the Western Conference. All but Crawford have been to at least one All-Star Game.
[Edited by - Pharzeone on 10-02-2008 6:48 PM]
I don't like to play bad rookies , I like to play good rookies - Mike D'Antoni
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10/2/2008 4:13 PM