Garden Looking Good to Road-Weary Knicks
by Tom Kertes


GREENBURGH, NY, December 11, 2005 -- Relaxation? Increased focus? A new energy? Without question, there is a feeling of “something different” in the air at Knicks practice at the team’s Madison Square Garden Training Center. In a rare floor appearance, President, Basketball Operations Isiah Thomas is coaching one group at the far side of the gym. Assistant coaches Phil Ford and Mark Aguirre are refining Jackie Butler’s power-step-then-turn-into-a-jump shot move. Later, Aguirre is working on free throws with Eddy Curry individually, with Coach Larry Brown coming over and making just the slightest adjustment on the young center's shooting elbow position.

Curry, who is shooting a shaky 58.9 percent from the charity stripe -- after hitting at a career-best 72 per cent rate last season -- suddenly swooshes six in a row, his smile wider than all of Westchester. “Perfect!” the diminutive Brown shouts after one particularly pretty make, exchanging a low high five with his 22 year-old center.

“As you can see, we’re all staying late after practice, working long, working hard, working on all the little things,” rookie guard Nate Robinson surveys the scene. “Guys are starting to come early and stay later. It’s building a confidence and a faith in each other. I think this team is ready to make a move.”

There would never be a better time to do so. With the impossible part of the Knicks schedule finally over -- 13 of their first 19 games were on the road, by far the most in the league -- six of the next seven contests are at home. “It’s time for us to string some “W”-s together,” rookie forward Channing Frye says with a smile. “This home stand is going to be huge for us. I think we’re ready. I think we’re improving. I think we’re right on the verge.”

“It’s harder to win on a road,” says Robinson. “It’s like we’re against all odds. But at the same time for a young player, the experience steels you. The coaches have shown great confidence in us. It makes you feel like you belong here. As a point guard, I’ve got to learn every position, each spot. It’s a lot of responsibility and Coach is on me all the time -- but I appreciate that. It’s making me better. I feel like I’m playing better and I’m playing harder than I ever have in my entire life.”

“I certainly don’t feel like a rookie any longer,” adds Frye. “I haven’t in quite a while, in fact. These early road trips, they’ve been a crash course. It’s been great.”

Indeed, the one long term benefit the Knicks could derive from all the early hardships -- the ridiculous schedule coupled with a new coach coupled with an avalanche of injuries -- has been the unprecedented playing time their young players earned. “When we had rallies coming back the last three games, we’ve had Nate, Channing, Trevor (Ariza), and Jackie (Butler) on the floor,” says Brown. “Four such young guys -- it was like coaching college again. Really, we’ve NEVER anticipated Nate and Channing starting at this point. That, and the fact that we have been so competitive in our last two games on the road against some of the league’s best teams…well, I’m encouraged.”

‘’Stephon (Marbury) has played all around as well as he’s ever played,” said Brown. “I just see steady improvement everywhere. I hope we can settle on some roles soon. Once getting healthy, that would be the next step.”

“We go 6-34 against the Clippers (in the second half) with a bunch of turnovers late,” Brown shakes his head. “And still had a chance to win. Then we had 23 turnovers in Phoenix -- and held them to 85 points. Those are two of the best in the league. Still, we’ve got to learn how to finish. It’ll certainly help in that area when you get some more experience. And it’ll certainly help when you get a little more set in how you play.”

“Coach tells us we’re last in the league in turnovers,” says Robinson. “That’s like a slap in the face. We’ve got to show more respect for the ball, cherish every possession.”

“We have a tendency to go for the home run every time,” smiles a self-critical Robby. “Instead of making the pass that leads to the better shot. If we just start to move the ball like Coach says…”

Than the potential to be good is certainly there. Still, even under the best of circumstances, tomorrow’s game against the much-improved 11-7 Bucks would be a tough place to begin. “They are tremendous,” says Brown. “They were a playoff team two years ago with T.J. Ford and now they have him back AND a better team around him. They add Bobby Simmons, a quality, quality player. They get the first pick in the draft and get (Andrew) Bogut. He’s terrific. He can pass, catch in traffic, rebound the ball, and he’s unselfish. Any time a big kid who can catch plays with a great point guard, it really helps. Then they get one of the best rebounders and shot-blockers in our league in (Jamaal) Magloire. They have Michael Redd -- they have a lot of pieces. That 11-7 record is not an accident.”

What will it take to beat a team of that caliber? “We’ve got to rebound the ball, we’ve got to defend, we’ve got take care of the ball, and we’ve got to get to the free throw line,” says Brown. “It seems like we do two or three of those things. But that’s not good enough. We’ve got to start doing all four.”

“And we’ve got to control the tempo, too” adds Frye. “Play slower. Against a team like the Bucks, it’s best to use a lot of ball movement and get a shot later in the clock. We’ve got to make them play our game rather than the other way around. That’s what winning teams do.”

Good article.
There's no news about Qyntel Woods. Did he practice?

I really hate these kool-aid laced articles from Tom Kertes and the kool-aid laced commentary on MSG. It almost makes me understand the vitriol some have for this team. Almost.