Stephon Needs to be Mar-Buried
By Tommy Dee
December 11, 2006

After watching Paul Pierce bury a buzzer-beating leaner against the Nets the other night after New Jersey managed to shutout the Celts over the game's first 8 minutes or so, it dawned on me that the Knicks actually have a chance to lead the Atlantic Division at some point in the next few weeks. Especially with the Nets struggling, Allen Iverson soon to be dealt out of Philly and the eventual end of the Doc Rivers Era in Boston. Seriously, watching Doc on the sideline reminds me of Hulk Hogan strapped in a sleeper hold when the ref comes over and lifts Hulk's arm as it falls deadly to his side only to come back to life right before the third and final drop. However, I don't think River's Celtics have Hogan's ass-whooping leg-drop-type comeback ability.

Which leads me to the question that strikes fear in all Knick fans: Can the Knicks actually win the Atlantic Division thus probably saving Isiah's job?

The answer is yes.

The Nets are a mess. Jason Kidd is getting older and seems as balky on his knees some nights as Stephon Marbury does every night. Rumors are swirling that one of the Nets has some interesting personal news that may shock the sports world (stay tuned), coach Lawrence Frank is having serious strategy issues, and if the team has to rely on Eddie House's offensive spark off the bench, then this team is in real trouble.

Which brings us to the Knicks. With the emergence of Eddy Curry, who has been dominant, who has scored 20 or more points in nine straight, and seven of the team's next 10 games at the Garden, where the Law of Averages tell you they will eventually start to win games, the next three weeks will dictate just how serious this team's improvements have been. And there have been a few. Besides Curry, the impact David Lee has made as he has played the "point forward" role, pilling up the double-double numbers and well as proving that he may be the best passing big man in the Eastern Conference. Quentin Richardson's play has been awe-inspiring, constantly matching up against the other team's best offensive player as he held Milwaukee's Michael Redd in check the other night, has earned him the "defensive stopper" tag, contributing to a defense that will only get better with the return of Zeke's prize off season acquisition Jared Jeffries, who has been openly missed in Washington.

I know I'm painting way too rosy a picture for an 8-14 ball club. All these positives still cannot trump the obvious problems that exist in the backcourt. Jamal Crawford has proven he likes the big shot and can be explosive, but certainly is a bench player thanks to his obvious disdain for defense. Nate Robinson's energy is overrated, especially because his on-court antics are detrimental. His lack of accountably, pay attention next time a teammate tries to explain something to him that he did wrong, is insubordinate (thus the new nickname "InsubordiNATE") to the team's togetherness.

Steve Francis has been a good soldier, and is clearly better when Stephon Marbury is nowhere to be found, and seems more comfortable sharing the ball with teammates than does Steph. We respect Marbury's attempt to help his public image by giving out free pairs of sneakers to local high schools in New York City, but if he really wanted to give a gift to Knick fans, he would retire.

It's obvious that he no longer has the explosion to the basket that he once did, which is probably the cause for his frustration. He used to be able to get into the lane at will and can no longer, often settling for off-balance jump shots, accounting for his under 40% shooting for the season and his horrid 33% from 3-point range. He seems lost, surly and frustrated, but has too much pride, and probably too many handlers, to walk away from the game. I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV (although I have a crush on the girl from "Scrubs" not named Heather Graham, well her too) so I shouldn't speculate. But if Steph's explosion doesn't come back sooner or later something needs to be done. He has proven that he simply doesn't have the intangibles to be a role player, and his ego would never allow him to come off the bench, something that Isiah will have to deal with once everyone comes back healthy.

Speaking of Zeke, anyone who has made it out of the inner city of Chicago has the right to have a chip on their shoulder, and if he truly cannot expect Knick fans to comprehend the game on the same level -- if you've been to a Knick game lately and listened to the wealthy corporate fans' brainless rants about the Knicks you just might agree with the coach -- than the following weeks will be an interesting soap opera for the all-knowing Thomas. Because if he can somehow figure out how to bench the more productive and equally untradeable Francis instead of Marbury when the team gets healthy while not alienating Marbury from the rest of the locker room, than he is a smarter man than all of us. But our lack of arrogance and our astute common sense as true Knick fans tells us that this is simply an unattainable task. And a locker room divided cannot stand as we witnessed last season.

So the team has come to yet another crossroads and Isiah has to make his finally healthy team come together by putting egos aside and starting his best players: Francis, Richardson, Jeffries, Lee and Curry. Or he can continue to coddle the biggest mistake that he has made in his brutal tyranny. Your move Isiah, because if you mess this up your next move is out the door. Knick fans may not know much but that's something they know for sure.

http://www.nykfanpage.com/editorials/viewarticle.php?articleid=207

Isiah needs to come to the conclusion that if Step cannot get down with the program, then the show must go on without Starbury and his welfare sneakers.

All the questions I asked during the off-season are now hitting the papers. God dam-n pessimists.

Excellent article. Love the Hogan and Scrubs point of referrence. Dinglebury truly needs to be moved