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SugarRayRichardson
Posts: 21557
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Joined: 8/28/2006
Member: #1169
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Well it looks like I'm not the only one thinking he has a chance.
: Curry is playing like an All-Star
Thursday, December 07, 2006
BY DAVID WALDSTEIN
Star-Ledger Staff
NEW YORK -- So, who's talking about Tyrus Thomas, now?
Remember last spring, when the Bulls were preparing to use the Knicks' top pick in the draft to select Thomas out of LSU? The Bulls got that pick in the Eddy Curry trade, and a common refrain from Knicks fans at the time -- and probably then-coach Larry Brown, too -- was, "Oh, man, we could have had Tyrus Thomas."
Perhaps 10 years from now the Knicks might indeed regret the deal. But on Dec. 7, 2006, there's no comparison.
"Eddy's going to make the All-Star team this year," teammate and fellow center Jerome James declared last week. "He's already carrying us, and he's going to get hot in December. He's getting ready to go off, you watch."
In fact, Curry has already begun to take off. Curry has scored at least 20 points in each of his last eight games -- averaging 23.5 points and 9.0 rebounds. More impressive, he's registered double-doubles in each of the past three games.
And though the Knicks were unable to win their second consecutive game at home, losing to the Wizards, 113-102, Curry had another impressive outing. He finished with team highs of 22 points and 11 rebounds. On the season, he's averaging 16.9 points and 7.3 rebounds.
Thomas, on the other hand, is a rookie who deserves more than five weeks to show what he can do in this league. But before facing the Philadelphia 76ers last night, Thomas averaged 3.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in 11.4 minutes off the bench for the Bulls, who have the depth to work him in slowly.
One day the 6-9 forward, over whom Brown openly gushed last year, might evolve into the next Kevin Garnett, for all we know. But to the great relief of Curry and Isiah Thomas -- the man who risked that draft pick on Curry 14 months ago -- he's not even on the radar screen right now.
Curry, meanwhile, has become the focal point of the Knicks offense, a force in the middle worthy of his 6-11, 285-pound frame, and a legitimate candidate to be named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team. For the first time since Patrick Ewing left, the Knicks have a presence in the middle.
That's not to say Curry doesn't have work to do. He's had only seven (actually he has ten not seven) 20-point games this season, not 40. He still has trouble at the foul line (56 percent), he should rebound more for his size, his hands are bad and he could do more on defense.
But Curry, who defiantly declared last spring that he would be better than anyone the Bulls drafted in the Knicks' spot, looks as if he is trying hard to prove that the Knicks made the right move.
He'll allow his performance on the court to do the convincing. When asked about the comparisons between him and Thomas now, Curry was magnanimous as well as self-confident.
"I'm not thinking about that at all," Curry said. "We're just trying to win games here, and that's the only focus. Tyrus Thomas is a very talented player and the future is very bright for the Bulls. But the future is very bright for me and the Knicks, too."
That future can be a lot brighter if Curry continues to play the way he has the past couple of weeks and makes it to the All-Star Game in Las Vegas, as James predicts.
The Knicks haven't had an All-Star since Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell made it in 2001, and it won't be a slam-dunk for Curry, either -- not with Dwight Howard and Shaquille O'Neal on the ballot.
Howard is the Monster of Mickey Mouse Land right now, playing like an MVP for the surging Orlando Magic. He had averages of 17.2 points and 13.5 rebounds and a 60 percent field-goal shooting clip heading into last night's game against the Pacers. Howard is the top center in the East right now, with O'Neal likely out until the New Year with torn cartilage in his left knee.
Regardless of his injury, O'Neal could get voted in as the starting center, even though he may not be able to play. Meanwhile, Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal are on the ballot as a forwards, and Ben Wallace, Andrew Bogut, Zaza Pachulia, Nenad Krstic and the rest don't match up to Curry as of now.
"He's been great," said Isiah Thomas, who is pushing the idea that Curry suddenly found a work ethic. "There's talent there. There's a commitment there, and there's hard work and understanding. He's working at his game, he's understanding his game and our team has shifted toward his game. He's delivering."
Thomas's biggest assist to Curry may have been convincing Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis and the other perimeter players to pass the ball to Curry once in a while, especially late in games.
"One of the subtle changes that's happened with our team is that the focus and direction of the ball is more inside," Isiah said.
A year ago, the Knicks would routinely start games by diligently working the ball inside to Curry. But by the second quarter they would usually lose interest in that plan of attack, leaving a frustrated Curry watching as a shots were hoisted over his head from the perimeter, or sitting on the bench next to Brown.
Curry averaged only 26 minutes per game last season under Brown, who never warmed to the big man's defensive limitations. But Thomas has shown more faith, giving his centerpiece 31.9 minutes per contest, and leaving him on the court at the end of games.
"I wasn't even in the game in the fourth quarter last year," Curry said. "I was on the bench cheering for my teammates."
Now it's his teammates who are rooting for him, and predicting more good things to come.
http://www.nj.com/knicks/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/116547019467970.xml&coll=1
I LOVED how Curry just exploded in the 4th, speaking as a fan of the Raptors, Curry looked well, scary I think is the word. Or Shaq-like
Curry: 19.1ppg-7.3rpg-58%fg
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12/7/2006 1:42 AM
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