By Tony Mejia
CBS SportsLine.com Staff Writer


Updated Jan. 23

Isiah Thomas, you need to go.

Your actions on Monday night are unforgivable. Somehow, you thought it would be a good idea to let your Knicks play through Miami's franchise-record 27-0 run. Jason Kapono and Udonis Haslem hit practically every shot they took while the Knicks just stood around and watched.

The Heat went on to win 101-83 without Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal.


Did Isiah Thomas quit on his Knicks Monday night? (AP)
"This is the first time that I have been with this group that we didn't show up," Thomas said. "By the time we showed up, the game was over.

"There is no strategy for being down 29-3. As professionals and as men, you have to step out on that floor and compete against the other player. There is no strategy for lying down and taking it."

You got one right. There's no excuse for allowing a team to get carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey by not calling a single timeout when it became clear one was needed. You let the Knicks down, just like they let you down.

Look, there's no doubt you were a fabulous basketball player, among the best floor generals of your generation. You were tough, arrogant, brilliant and dominant. Anyone who saw you play respects you.

As a coach, though, you're a failure. Sadly, the exact traits that made you so valuable as a superstar fail you in the role you occupy now. It doesn't build character to take a 27-0 beating. It builds catastrophe.

Bob Knight coached you at Indiana? You didn't pick up anything from him? As hot-headed as he is, Knight would never have allowed his team to be embarrassed the way you did. You left your team out there to die, and it should be no surprise that they died. It's what you set them up to do.

The New York Knicks are a joke. Thanks to bad management, they were awful before you got there. Your bravado made everyone, including owner James Dolan, believe you had the remedy.

You don't. You have no idea. You're clueless to the point where it hurts to watch. A 27-0 run without a timeout? Are you even trying?

Sadly, the fact is you are. But you just don't get it. Stop being so pompous that you believe your team will rise to each challenge you set forth. Your job is to help the team grow. A 27-0 run, without a timeout, doesn't accomplish a thing.

Except prove how foolish you truly are.




I may be mistaken but I thought there was a timeout called during the 27-0 run or at least some players were substituted, so I am not sure what Tony is talking about.

isiah called 2 timeouts: a 20 second and a full.

mejia probably put money on the knicks monday night.

It's only a matter of time before Isiah badmouths and threatens Tony Mejia.

at 12:00 tied 0-0 knicks start jared jeffries

you sure about that fish?

Posted by islesfan:

Aside from the timeout thing, which he's clearly wrong about, he's pretty much on point.

aside from the timeout thing, what else was he writing about? that was his whole premise to the article.

I think that writer is over reacting. not that I dont have problems with any of Isiahs coaching decisions.

it was a bad game by an undarachieving team having a mediocre season. There's no excuse for it, but nobody should be that surprised.