Knicks Continue Adjusting and Improving
by Tom Kertes

GREENBURGH, NY, January 12, 2006 -- The Knicks were going for the sweep. At least Nate Robinson was, as the diminutive point guard -- taller-than-him broom firmly in hand -- ran, refereed, and generally lorded over a pugnacious ”post-up-moves” contest between Jackie Butler, Malik Rose, and Jerome James.
After a semi-biased Robby foul call, James hits a nothing-but-net “free throw” -- from behind the three-point line. Robinson, Maurice Taylor, and Antonio Davis collapse to the floor in undisguised mirth, sweeping into some wild break dance-looking thing around the broom.

Yes, the Knicks were rather relaxed at practice following their huge victory over Dallas. But how do you guard against being TOO relaxed tomorrow night against league-worst-record-owner (9-24) Atlanta? “We are not about to let down,” guard Jamal Crawford shook his head firmly. “We are having too much fun finally winning games. Anyway, no 12-21 team has a right to let down against anybody.”

“The veteran guys usually take care of that,” coach Larry Brown agreed. “They’ll remind the young kids about our last game against them. The Hawks killed us -- they had almost 70 points in the first half. Atlanta is a tough match-up on us, anyway. They have the perimeter talent to give us all kinds of problems.”

Avoiding Hawk-ish roadblocks could give the Knicks a who-would-have-believed-it six-game winning streak -- and Brown gives Stephon Marbury the lion’s share of the credit. “Stephon has been great,” the coach states flatly. “It all starts with him. When he plays like that, it just opens all kinds of things up for everyone else. And when you have your star player playing at such an unbelievably high level it takes a lot of pressure off young players as well. I’m still learning about him -- we as a coaching staff are learning to take advantage of all he can do. But he’s trying to do everything we ask. And it looks like he’s having fun.”

“We are going to make sure we’ll keep on going in the same direction,” assured Marbury. “We’re not looking past anybody. We’ll be all right because we are so much more confident right now. The guys are stepping up. The guys are ready.”

As for his own part in the uprising, “I’m just far more relaxed,” Marbury says of the awesome quality he’s produced over the past six games (24.0 ppg, 9.9 apg, flawless choice-making on each possession, practically no turnovers.) “And that makes me more aggressive, pushing the issue a lot more. When I’m penetrating it opens up other avenues for the other guys. I think coach and I understand each other better. He understands that I’m not the typical point guard that goes out there and gets 20 assists. If that happens, it happens. But it’s not necessary for me to do that every game in order to help this team win the best way that I can.”

‘’Coach said something very smart the other day, to the effect that we have had to adjust to him -- but he had to adjust to 15 different guys,” Marbury added. “That takes time. And I agree with him because that’s true.”

”Steph HAS to be aggressive for us to win,” said Crawford. “He gives us our best chance when he’s looking to create for himself and others. Nate and myself try to give him some freedom by handling the ball more and allowing to him to get behind the defense. So he’s not thinking so much now, just playing basketball. And I think that created a happy medium for both coach and Steph.”

Starting or coming off the pine, “aggression” has been the key component to Crawford’s impressive adjustment to the Brown Era as well. “Coach tells me when I am, it takes all kinds of pressure of my teammates,” he says. “But I have to be smart-aggressive. And that means looking to drive the ball more -- which gets me to the foul line -- instead of just taking jump shots. The jump shot will still be there but I want to attack first.”

Crawford, with three consecutive 20-plus point performances, has pretty much been Mr. TNT off the bench. “Jamal’s not a reserve,” smiles Marbury. “Not really, anyway. He’s in there at the finish each game, isn’t he?”

“Larry taught me to be patient -- yet aggressive,” says Crawford. “When I first came off the bench, I didn’t understand what that meant. I didn’t want to step on anybody’s toes so I was playing too tentative. But now I feel like I’m playing my best ball ever. And that’s direct credit to Larry not letting guys off the hook and driving us as much as possible.”

“Jamal is a highly coach-able kid,” said Brown. “Right off the bat, (President, Basketball Operations) Isiah (Thomas) and (Assistant Coach) Herb (Williams) told me that he was. The thing that excites me is that he’s so much improved defensively, he is really rebounding the ball, and he’s going to the free throw line. He’s not afraid to take big shots. And he’s only 25, which makes all feel just thrilled”

“The main thing is, we have a lot guys playing at a very high level,” said Brown. “I’d rather raise the bar for my players than lower it -- and it’s beginning to click in right about now. Earlier this year our body language was bad. Once we got down, we hung our heads. Now we’re getting big stops in key situations, hitting free throws, keep competing, there’s been a big change there. They all feel like we’ll find a way to win.”

The immense improvement, even following that unsightly 7-21 record of not so long ago, has the Knicks right in the thick of things. But can this team complete the ultimate turnaround and play meaningful games in April?

Ask most players that, and they’ll give you one of those ‘’we’re just taking things one game at a time” -type answers. But not the youthfully direct Crawford: “With the confidence we have right now, we are a dangerous team because we’re deep,” he says, looking the questioner squarely in the eye. “Can we make the playoffs this season? Certainly. Definitely. There’s no question about it.”