Stephon Marbury Stephon Marbury told The Post today that Mike D'Antoni's portrayal that he refused to play in Friday's game in Milwaukee is inaccurate.

Marbury said his initial conversation with D'Antoni didn't last long enough for him to refuse to play.

According to Marbury, D'Antoni told him in the mid-afternoon he had 20-to-25 minutes for him in the wake of the Jamal Crawford Jamal Crawford trade. The conversation took place before the second trade left the team with just seven able bodies.

"He said, 'I have 20, 25 minutes for you if you want to play,'" Marbury said Saturday morning. "I said, 'You've told me you're going in another direction and I'm not in the plans.'"

At that point, D'Antoni didn't bother to press the issue, according to Marbury. "He had a smile on and just said, 'I totally understand it, I get you,'" Marbury said.

Marbury said he didn't think D'Antoni was upset and was shocked to read D'Antoni's rough comments in the newspaper today.

Later Friday, D'Antoni called Marbury in his hotel room in Milwaukee to tell him he had to dress because they were making another trade, sending Mardy Collins Mardy Collins and Zach Randolph to the Clippers. The trades left them with just seven players and league rules mandate eight players dress. According to Marbury, at no point did D'Antoni then ask him if he wanted him to play because of their manpower shortage.

"I just said, 'OK coach, I'll dress,'" Marbury said.

Marbury said he taped his ankles in anticipation of having to be called upon, especially if players were in foul trouble.

"Refusing to play is when the coach tries to put you in the game and you say you're not going in," Marbury said. "If he asked me to go into the game, I was going into the game. That's why I taped my ankles." For Saturday night's game vs. Washington, Jerome James Jerome James rejoined the team and the club had eight able bodies. Marbury was inactive again and D'Antoni said he didn't ask Marbury if he wanted to play in that game.

When asked if Marbury had committed insubordination or had violated his contract, team president Donnie Walsh said, "I'm not completely clear with what happened. I don't know the situation. He did dress up so we can have eight players. That helped us for that trade. I'm not lauding that because we're paying the player."

Saturday night, Marbury told a large group of reporters surrounding his locker he had "no comment" on why he didn't play Friday night.

Marbury admitted he wasn't enthused about playing because he hadn't scrimmaged in two-and-half weeks before Thursday after being ostracized by D'Antoni since the season opener. Marbury hasn't played yet this season and thought a 25-minute stint might be too much too soon.

D'Antoni bristled when Marbury's name was brought up. "It's done, it's over," D'Antoni said. "I think we made it clear [Friday] and what I said was the truth. That's what happened and we're not looking back."

Walsh's chances of trading Marbury are virtually nonexistent, with the Knicks New York Knicks president saying he's most likely still not willing to take a long-term deal. Walsh is expected to resume talks with Players' Association attorney Hal Biagas about a buyout proposal this week.

After the 104-87 Milwaukee slaughter during which the Knicks wore down physically, D'Antoni was even more agitated and called Marbury "a distraction."

"This is it, it's the last time I'm answering this question," D'Antoni said angrily. "I sat him down and said. 'One of the principles are gone, Jamal Crawford Jamal Crawford , there's 30-35 minutes out there that's yours if you want them.' He said the team's gone in a different direction and he wasn't comfortable and didn't want to play. We're going forward."

D'Antoni wanted Marbury released before training camp began and was overruled by Knicks brass. Marbury believes D'Antoni made a big issue over their conversation to force Walsh's hand.

As The Post first reported, Marbury stated in a meeting with Walsh 10 days ago he is willing to take less from the Knicks as long as he clears his full wage $21.9 million. Marbury is expected to sign for the veteran's minimum of $1.2 million with another club

Posted by holfresh:


Why confuse this issue with facts...

Posted by Allanfan20:


And lets stop caring. The important thing is we got 3 new Knicks. Not how Marbury is being treated. He treated the team like sheeot in the past too, in case you don't remember. What goes around comes around.

Posted by Uptown:

So where is the part where Marbury was told that night that he still was not in the plans? Sounds to me like Marbury was the one who said it. Marb is a piece of work. When D'antoni said theres a certain amount of minutes tonight, why respond with "I thought I wasn't in the plans?" Thats junior HS nonsense. Its pretty obvious it was an extreme circumstance and he was needed by his teammates. Seriously, just tell him to stay home.

Posted by Allanfan20:

Posted by holfresh:


Why confuse this issue with facts...

And lets stop caring. The important thing is we got 3 new Knicks. Not how Marbury is being treated. He treated the team like sheeot in the past too, in case you don't remember. What goes around comes around.

Posted by holfresh:


The whole idea was to move on from all the turmoil of the past years...Our present Coach and GM don't seem adept at that...MDA jumped at the chance to throw Marbs under the bus...Had he said nothing, it would have been a non-issue...Marbs is a boob and everyone knows that...

I just puzzle at the coach and his actions...

Posted by Uptown:

Posted by holfresh:


Why confuse this issue with facts...

So where is the part where Marbury was told that night that he still was not in the plans? Sounds to me like Marbury was the one who said it. Marb is a piece of work. When D'antoni said theres a certain amount of minutes tonight, why respond with "I thought I wasn't in the plans?" Thats junior HS nonsense. Its pretty obvious it was an extreme circumstance and he was needed by his teammates. Seriously, just tell him to stay home.

Posted by oohah:

Posted by Uptown:

So where is the part where Marbury was told that night that he still was not in the plans? Sounds to me like Marbury was the one who said it. Marb is a piece of work. When D'antoni said theres a certain amount of minutes tonight, why respond with "I thought I wasn't in the plans?" Thats junior HS nonsense. Its pretty obvious it was an extreme circumstance and he was needed by his teammates. Seriously, just tell him to stay home.

Marbury said he taped his ankles in anticipation of having to be called upon, especially if players were in foul trouble.

"Refusing to play is when the coach tries to put you in the game and you say you're not going in," Marbury said. "If he asked me to go into the game, I was going into the game. That's why I taped my ankles."

oohah

I agree with Uptown on the part about Marbury saying "I thought I wasn't part of the plans" That was really childish. Unless it was a tongue in cheek type of thing which I doubt.

But if him strapping up is correct and D'Antoni decided not to play him because of those comments. I wouldn't count it as refusal to play.

D'Antoni offerd him mins, Marbury declined. Send Marbury home until they can agree on a buyout and move on.