BROWN'S DOWN ON HOW THOMAS HAS BUILT TEAM

By MARC BERMAN
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STEPHON MARBURY
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November 11, 2005 -- SAN FRANCISCO — Winless Larry Brown, in his most honest assessment of the Knicks' makeup yesterday, described a poorly constructed roster with multiple players playing out of position.
Knicks president Isiah Thomas is not present on this potential six-game West Coast calamity, but Brown's harsh views are nothing Brown hasn't told Thomas. It's still an indictment on Thomas' job performance.

The Knicks are one of three teams without a victory as they stumble into The Arena in Oakland against Golden State tonight at an embarrassing 0-4. The last time the Knicks began 0-5 was 1987-88. Thomas wasn't commenting yesterday on the Knicks' awful start.

"I talk to Isiah every day," Brown said after yesterday's practice at the University of San Francisco. "I told him from the beginning, this is a real work in progress.

"We're playing a small forward (Quentin Richardson) out of position. We're playing a 2-guard (Jamal Crawford) out of position. And I'm not sure exactly how to play Stephon (Marbury) with that kind of 3-man and 2-man. And then who do you come in as your backup point guard? And who do you bring in as a real starting small forward? It's something I'm trying to figure out."

Brown's remarks detailing the Knicks' flawed roster could be his way of pressuring Thomas into making a trade. However, deals won't pick up until Dec. 15, when free-agent contracts become tradable.

Brown tempered his comments by repeatedly saying a half-dozen times he has to do a better job coaching. But Brown still came down hard.



Journeyman Matt Barnes started at small forward for the first three losses before being deactivated. Crawford started at shooting guard in Wednesday's 95-83 loss in Portland, with Richardson sliding to small forward. Richardson has been brutal from the field (30.6 percent). Brown doesn't trust 5-9 rookie Nate Robinson as a point guard because he's a high-mistake player and not a playmaker. Brown sees Robinson as a 2.

For the short term, Brown would surely reverse last June's trade, returning Kurt Thomas to New York and sending Richardson and Robinson back to Phoenix. In Isiah's defense, that trade was made for the future, but Brown still is campaigning to bring in a veteran backup point guard.

Meanwhile, Marbury has failed to step up as their floor general so far. During Wednesday's second-half meltdown when the Knicks were pounded, 56-34, Marbury was part of the problem, not the solution, committing five turnovers. Marbury also doesn't make enough hustle plays in crunch time, his zero rebounds in 36 minutes Wednesday appalling.

Brown has said a point guard is the extension of a coach and needs to settle the offense during stressful moments. Brown knows Marbury hasn't done that. But Brown would not criticize him yesterday because he believes he's been too preoccupied learning the system.


KNICKS at WARRIORS Tonight 10:30 - MSG

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"I don't think right now what I'm asking him to do, he's completely comfortable and familiar with," Brown said. "Until I feel he can't do it, I'm going to continue to work on him. He's never showed me he won't try."

An unusually candid Marbury said learning Brown's system is akin to learning how to ride a bike. "Once it starts to click and everyone goes on the same page, it becomes like riding a bike," Marbury said. "Right now we're still trying to learn to ride the bike and we're falling off."

"We talk about running plays, slowing down," Brown said. "We don't seem to get in that mode. Whenever teams make runs at us, we kind of become individuals on offense and lack mental toughness on defense. So there's no organization."

Are you listening, Isiah?

"I don't think right now what I'm asking him to do, he's completely comfortable and familiar with," Brown said. "Until I feel he can't do it, I'm going to continue to work on him. He's never showed me he won't try."

djsunyc translation: marbury doesn't get it!!!

well they have to meet and play to Brown's advantage and Marbury's as well.

If and when Marbury is not scoring, his game is non existent, when he is just looking to set up his teammates.

oh well, but we knew we would hear Brown wanting to make comments about the roster, he was mentioinig something in the media, that it is up to Thomas, when George Lynch became available.

Brown doesn't trust 5-9 rookie Nate Robinson as a point guard because he's a high-mistake player and not a playmaker. Brown sees Robinson as a 2.

where does the writer get this? Is this an LB quote or the writers analysis of what he thinks LB is thinking?

The bad plays that Nate has made are ones that you expect from a rookie. I actually think he's shown nice flashes as a pg.