Thomas lectures both sides of the aisle
Mike Dougherty
December 11

Right now, Isiah Thomas doesn’t have a lot of friends at Madison Square Garden.

And that’s why all of the beat writers reacted suspiciously when Mara Altschuler showed up after the final buzzer with all kinds of vim and vigor. She is a television producer from Manhattan, and says her family’s owned season tickets since before this version of MSG was erected.

Not many people stayed around, but there were a handful of witnesses backing her story up.

“He turned around and told us it was the sixth man’s fault they were missing layups,” said Altschuler, who sat in the second row near midcourt and came to press row afterward to complain. “He told us we should be with the Knicks, not against them.”

And here’s my favorite …

“When the crowd was chanting, ‘Jeff Van Gundy,’ he turned around and said, ‘You kicked him out of town, too,’ ” Altschuler said.

Classic.

I didn’t expect a straight answer, but Thomas put one heck of a spin move on me in the postgame.

“Um, I was just trying to make sure we kept the team together and we stayed focused on what we were doing in trying to win the basketball game,” he said. “Our fans are great, they support us, and they show up and we’re glad they’re here.”

Sort of.

The players are tired of hearing it from the crowd, as well. They are getting desperate for a normal home court advantage, but I’m pretty sure this maneuver is going to backfire.

“Fans are a big part of any team anywhere you go,” Zach Randolph said. “We need the fans. We need support with us even when we’re down.”

Thomas also was accused of saying the Knicks get more support from loyalists who show up in New Jersey and Philadelphia to fuel their passion. I remember hearing boos when he was introduced last week at the IZOD Center, and recall seeing a ‘Fire Isiah’ sign at the Wachovia Center.

It’s alarmingly obvious what has to happen.

When the Knicks were floundering last night, the crowd was chanting and booing. Eddy Curry was even getting blasted. When the Knicks came back, the mood changed in an instant. They got within seven in the fourth quarter and all was forgiven.

Just win and everybody goes home with a smile.

Posted by MS:

I think what Dolan should do is keep him employed in a community relations role, no sense in firing him. Just demote him and make him suffer.

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by GodSaveTheKnicks:

I think Papabear put it best in the Mavs game thread. At this point I am rooting for Isiah to finish the season out.

All he needs is another 50-60 games to get the team to start jelling defensively. All he needs is one full season to get Zach and Eddy to work well on the same team.

If he doesn't get it done, I don't know where the blame goes.

Just remember: Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, OJ Mayo, Beasley will most likely come out after 1 season in college....

I'm ok with having Rose or Gordon to take over when Step leaves.

one question, if you are a chef, and you are cooking the dish, and you are buying the ingredients, then how do you not buy the right ingredients? why does he have to "try" and make zach and eddy work? that makes no sense. since he's coaching the team too, and he knows what kind of offense he wants to run (at least let's assume he does), then why get a square peg to fit in a round hole?

i'm still on the fence tho, i don't know if isiah is truly safe, or he's left out to hang.

but with the trial over, and 3 straight losses in a bad way, and now the comments to fans, if he's coaching this team wednesday, then when will he ever get fired?