stevie back to the bench
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mrbean259
Posts: 21484 Alba Posts: 0 Joined: 1/17/2005 Member: #853 |
3/21/2006 9:06 AM
http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/61329.htm
STEVIE BLUNDER TO BENCH By MARC BERMAN March 21, 2006 -- RAPTORS at KNICKS Tonight 7:30 - MSG ESPN (1050) It has been one month since the Knicks traded for Steve Francis. It has been one month since Larry Brown compared the point-guard marriage of Francis and Stephon Marbury to Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe. But Stevie Franchise is now Stevie on the Fringe. Francis has been awful since the trade, and Brown announced yesterday he will banish him to the bench once Quentin Richardson returns from a sprained thumb, perhaps as soon as tonight against the Raptors at the Garden. Richardson is listed as questionable for tonight, but is expected back tomorrow when Francis, who had started 495 of 498 career games entering this season, will make his Orlando homecoming from the pine. If Marbury and Francis, both 29, are the Knicks' backcourt of the future, it's news to Brown. The Knicks coach indicated the $30 million Francis/Marbury tandem is in peril for next season, as he talked up the emergence of Richardson as their best defensive guard. "Quentin has been playing pretty damn good," Brown said. "Quentin is 25 years old. He's done the things I've asked our team to do. He's tried to defend." The backcourt controversy will swirl across the final 17 games of this so-far 19-46 catastrophe once Richardson returns. That's because 5-9 rookie Nate Robinson is out of Brown's ever-revolving doghouse and the coach will have to juggle five guards, including Jamal Crawford. Brown said a set rotation is no longer a priority and the auditions are on for next year. Brown believes at least one guard must be traded this summer, preferably for a rugged rebounding power forward to complement Eddy Curry. "I don't want to have four or five starters [at guard]," Brown said. Robinson, less mistake-prone since he was activated last week, won't be sent back to the inactive list upon Richardson's return. Even though Francis has been the least effective guard, swingman Qyntel Woods likely will be the odd man out. "[Steve's] been struggling," Brown said of Francis. "But you come late, it's not an easy thing. He's trying hard. He's putting a lot of pressure on himself. Hopefully he'll relax and play better." Francis hasn't defended well, and has been careless with the ball. At practice Thursday, Knicks assistant coach Dave Hanners worked alone on Francis' unorthodox shot, trying to get more arc on his launch. "He's so used to having the ball, being the principal ball handler, so it's an adjustment, and when you don't have an understanding of what we're doing, it's tough doing it on the fly," Brown said. "He'll be alright. I'm not too caught up in 17 games to evaluate Steve Francis." Brown warned Francis' playing time will be reduced if he's not doing the intangibles. "I've been telling guys 'If you defend and share the ball, you'll play,' " Brown said. "That's the way we're going to have to reward guys. We're not fighting for the playoffs. Further along we go, the younger guys got to play more." Meanwhile, Robinson is back in Brown's good graces. The rookie was stung by being deactivated last month after winning the slam-dunk title during All-Star weekend. But he lifted his game in practice, cheered his teammates wildly from the bench and didn't sulk. Garden fans chant his name now, hoping he gets in. "He's more under control," Brown said. "He understands more." Said Robinson: "It's something I had to handle. I didn't know what was going on at first. I sat down and thought about it. Those guys are vets. I took notes." and check out this picture haha...theres a brokeback pic for ya if ive ever seen one [IMG_block] http://www.nypost.com/photos/knickslede03212006.jpg [/IMG_block] [Edited by - mrbean259 on 03-21-2006 09:09 AM] |
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joec32033
Posts: 30528 Alba Posts: 37 Joined: 2/3/2004 Member: #583 USA |
3/21/2006 9:22 AM
Damn you beat me to it....
~You can't run from who you are.~
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joec32033
Posts: 30528 Alba Posts: 37 Joined: 2/3/2004 Member: #583 USA |
3/21/2006 9:22 AM
[IMG_block] http://www.nypost.com/photos/knickslede03212006.jpg [/IMG_block]
"But Stevie, what about Cuttino?" ~You can't run from who you are.~
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HARDCOREKNICKSFAN
Posts: 26191 Alba Posts: 28 Joined: 6/24/2002 Member: #263 USA |
3/21/2006 9:29 AM
Posted by joec32033: [IMG_block] http://www.nypost.com/photos/knickslede03212006.jpg [/IMG_block] Cuttino who? Out of sight, out of mind. LOL I posted this pic right before clicking on this link. The towel on Steph's head tops it off.  Another season, and more adversity to persevere through. We will get the job done, even BETTER than last year.
GO KNICKS!
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TMS
Posts: 60684 Alba Posts: 617 Joined: 5/11/2004 Member: #674 USA |
3/21/2006 10:20 AM
[IMG_block] http://www.nypost.com/photos/knickslede03212006.jpg [/IMG_block]
[IMG_block] http://usuarios.lycos.es/guerrerofac/3imagenes2.jpg [/IMG_block] After 7 years & 40K+ posts, banned by martin for calling Nalod a 'moron'. Awesome.
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Swishfm3
Posts: 23236 Alba Posts: 0 Joined: 3/28/2003 Member: #392 |
3/21/2006 10:30 AM
now thats funny^^^
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Marv
Posts: 35540 Alba Posts: 69 Joined: 9/2/2002 Member: #315 |
3/21/2006 2:14 PM
oh man LOL at Nalod and TMS!!
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Allanfan20
Posts: 35947 Alba Posts: 50 Joined: 1/16/2004 Member: #542 USA |
3/21/2006 3:17 PM
[IMG_block] http://www.nypost.com/photos/knickslede03212006.jpg [/IMG_block]
Aw Stevie, why'd you have to choose Harry the White Guy over me. You cut me deep. “Whenever I’m about to do something, I think ‘Would an idiot do that?’ and if they would, I do NOT do that thing.”- Dwight Schrute
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djsunyc
Posts: 44927 Alba Posts: 42 Joined: 1/16/2004 Member: #536 |
3/21/2006 3:53 PM
[IMG_block] http://www.nypost.com/photos/knickslede03212006.jpg [/IMG_block]
franchise: the first time ever i saw your face i thought the sun rose in your eyes and the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave to the dark and the empty skies my love |
stevie back to the bench