Magic's Howard sees potential in Knicks' Morris

BY ALAN HAHN
alan.hahn@newsday.com
March 03, 2008

Dwight Howard's eyes widened when the numbers were run by him. Randolph Morris, the Knicks' 22-year-old backup center, has played in only two games on a team that has just 18 wins in 59 games. He has donned his uniform only five times since the year began and played once (Jan. 15 against Washington) in that time.
Howard then laughed, as if to say he'd heard enough.
"I think he should be playing," the Magic all-star center said after a 118-92 win over the Knicks in Orlando on Saturday night. "I don't want to get into a discrepancy with the Knicks, but I love playing against him and he brings out the best in me. I'd love to see him on the floor, not just against me but just period."
Perhaps that will come next season, when Morris likely will be someplace else.
"I think he can play in the NBA," Howard said of the 6-11 rookie. "Once he gets his chance and some minutes, I think he'll do a lot of damage to whoever he's playing against."
Howard's interest in Morris dates to their days as fierce high school rivals in Atlanta, where Howard starred for Southwest Christian and Morris for Landmark Christian. "That was like the big game," Howard said. "Everybody went to Landmark vs. Southwest. They actually beat us one time."
When they teamed up on a famous Atlanta Celtics AAU team, along with Hawks forward Josh Smith, no one beat them. But Howard has gone on to all-star status, Smith is the new human highlight video in Atlanta - and Morris doesn't even get to put on his uniform for the game most nights. Against Orlando, Isiah Thomas designated Morris "inactive" for a ninth straight game.
The Knicks played that game with 11 players because Thomas was not told that Zach Randolph's sore foot would keep him out of the lineup until after Thomas submitted the active roster, which is generally a half-hour before game time.
Enough has been said about Thomas' poor management skills with his team, so to analyze why Thomas didn't have Randolph test his foot - which he injured late in Friday's loss in Atlanta - earlier than the pregame warm-up would be redundant. What Thomas admitted after the game was that his team lacked the necessary size to contend with Howard (who finished with 26 points and 22 rebounds). Thomas also said that oft-injured Jerome James, who plays almost as rarely as Morris, would not have been healthy enough to dress.
So Saturday in Orlando could have been a chance for Morris to play. But with so little game experience, it is doubtful Morris could have made an impact against his old rival. Morris has played in only seven NBA games since Thomas signed him out of Kentucky last March.
"Hopefully, he can get a chance to play sooner or later," Howard said, "so somebody can see his potential."

Posted by tkf:

Usually players don't get involved in this kind of stuff, but with players and coaches speaking out against the knicks this year, it is a telling sign, that no one in this league respects this franchise and the way it is run. We can be 50 mil under the cap, no reasonable FA will take our money and play here... I watched these kids In HS and everyone knew they were all going to be good, Randolph morris can actually play, and in the summer league and I know it is just SL, he actually looked good. Did things our big men don't do. Simple things like, Keeping the ball above their heads on rebounds, boxing out, playing strong, challenging shots.. It is a got damn shame, he doesn't play. I just wish the nets go on a 10 game winning streak and put Isiah and his silly ****ing hopes of making the playoffs right where they belong.. In the trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!