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fishmike
Posts: 53902
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Joined: 7/19/2002
Member: #298
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November 23, 2008
Personnel director's take on new guys
By MARC BERMAN
Of Friday's three acquisitions, the most important one is 6-9 forward Al Harrington, the Jersey product whose dream has been playing for the Knicks.
But an Eastern Conference executive said Harrington is not cut out for Mike D'Antoni's run-and-gun Western style - something the coach and Donnie Walsh have promoted.
"He's a lot more suited for an Eastern style than a Western,'' the executive told me. "He's not a great open, run and gun type player. His best years were in Indiana with Larry Bird, Rick Carlisle, in a walk-it-up, halfcourt system. He struggled in Donnie Nelson's smallball (in Golden State).''
The Knicks are losing more than 40 points a game with Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph's departures. Randolph was a 20-and-10 guy this season and Harrington won't reach those numbers.
"I look at him as someone who could still be one of best Sixth Men in the NBA,'' the league executive said. "Is he someone who can be one of the two featured guys. He's not that.''
Harrington begs to differ. In fact, he's probably relied too much on his 3--point shot in recent years - a staple in D'Antoni's "Seven Seconds or Less'' offense. Harrington and Don Nelson warred, with the 6-9 Elizabeth, N.J. native acknowledging, "Me and coach just had a strained relationship that I felt couldn't be repaired.''
As for D'Antoni's go-go system, Harrington said, "I think it'll be a relatively easy transition for me. Obviously they played very similar [in Golden State]. D'Antoni's system is a little more structured than Nellie's, but at the end of the day, it's a lot of shots and it's fun basketball. I'm excited to be a part of it."
The Knicks (7-6) could be a mishmash for a while as D'Antoni fits in Harrington, Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas, starting Tuesday vs. LeBron. Mobley has regressed the past couple years and becomes the starting shooting guard alongside Chris Duhon.
It's a shame because had D'Antoni not ostracized Stephon Marbury the first three weeks, he could have been resurrected as SG alongside Duhon and made them more competitive. Marbury is the only player on the roster who can penetrate and set up the 3-point gunners.
As for Thomas and Mobley, the league executive said, "The team has taken a step back for this year. Tim and Cuttino are decent guys coming off the bench and if they get in the floor and get in the flow of the game, fine, if not, wait till the next game. You can't count on them night in, night out.''
Buzz up!Posted by Marc Berman on November 23, 2008 9:16 PM
Comments
Berman,
When you and Steph are dancing cheek to cheek, who takes the lead?
Posted by: Alan Hahn on November 23, 2008 9:49 PM
Yeah, we're shooting the most open 3s in the NBA, but we really need Marbury to come in and set up our 3 point shooters. Stephon ostracized himself over the past five years by being a bad teammate who talks a great game - when you can understand what's saying - but never delivered on the court. Berman, I really have to wonder what you're going to do when Marbury eventually leaves the team. Are you going to follow him to whichever city he winds up? Because really, you don't seem to care about the team at all nor do you care about what the fans really crave: information that is unbiased.
It's kind of admirable that you have worn your subjectivity on your sleeve for so long, but that's not reporting and you are supposed to be the Post's Knicks beat writer. So work the different angles instead of the same, tired one. Using the same exact roster minus Marbury and Curry, D'Antoni has given this team a winning record, a winning attitude and a different mindset. The players in that locker room with the exception of Marbury, Curry and Jerome James are fully committed to D'antoni and his system and it shows on the court. But all you can do is drudge up stories about how they'd be better with Marbury? It has been proven this season that they are significantly better WITHOUT him.
Posted by: Wilson Chandler on November 23, 2008 10:06 PM
@Mark - Mobley is a better defender and passer than Steph as a two. We have scorers. He is inconsistent. That's the chance we took. Our small forwards play like guards. With Steph you get that power to the rim and dribble penetration. But that is useless in the D'Antoni system. I still think the one who benefits with playing with each other is Mobley and Chandler.
Posted by: AR on November 23, 2008 10:14 PM
You wrote a very good article and then you throw Marbury in. He is out and would it do you good to realize this. Duhon is the leader of the team and he is a true point guard. He is the closest thing to a leader that the Knicks have had in a long time (reminds me of Doc Rivers). Mobley will do very well at the two as will Nate. Marbury was never about team (all alone, leaving Minny to be the man, not playing on Friday etc.). D'Antoni knew what Marbury would do from their time in Phoenix.
Posted by: DoubtingThomas on November 23, 2008 10:33 PM
Marc I cant believe you are being positive about Stephon Marbury while bashing other Knicks players/coaches. You never do that. If Marbury is not paying you as a PR hack you are really getting ripped off. LOL
Posted by: Mark on November 23, 2008 10:49 PM
A snake can never be trusted. This includes the new found species called snakebury. It will attack you even after you fed it big money. Do not get close to this creature. Be careful, snakebary is followed around by a big fat white man wearning underwears.
Looking up mudbury and found this when he was with the aweful nets in 2001:
While he was playing for the Nets in 2001, Marbury wrote "All Alone 33" on his sneakers.
This guy is a loner/loser/drama queen/selfish cancer.
I think if mudbury stays on the bench the entire season and the knicks make the playoffs, mudbury should be the team MVP.
To the clueless mudbury lovers on this site, If you want to see a winner, just look at Eli and the Giants. Injuries, trading their better players and they still win.
Mudabary is one excuse after another for 12 years. He is the definition of a LOSER in the NBA.
Posted by: bones on November 23, 2008 10:50 PM
I will take credit for this if it happens. What if the plan are to force cleveland to do a sign and trade at the end of this year before they get nothing next year. Hence the reason Walsh did not give up two huge expiring contracts that was probably asked for. Seems very conspiracy theory but it would kind of be a win-win. Lebron would get NY & vice versa & Cleveland would create the space they need to go after the rest of the 2010 crop. I couldn't understand the sudden purge but this makes sense to me
Posted by: kilolo on November 23, 2008 11:04 PM
Some of stephon's christmas gifts to Marc berman:
Knee pads
Condoms
toupee
hair in a can
a blond intern wig
a pair of starburys 8.99 sneakers
a marbury best point guard doll
more pics of berman in action
nuts
summer sausage
Posted by: boner on November 23, 2008 11:07 PM
Brown nixes Marbury's request to play shooting guard
ESPN.com news services
Updated: November 18, 2005, 12:18 PM ET
Marbury has asked to move from point guard to shooting guard, the New York Daily News reported, and Brown isn't receptive to the request right now.
"He told me he wanted to play off guard," Brown was quoted as saying in the newspaper. "Well, it's not that easy right now. What, are we going to invent a point guard?
"He told me he wanted to play like the way I used Allen [in Philadelphia]. Well, I had Eric Snow, Larry Hughes, Aaron McKie. It's a little different now."
Marbury's request came after he scored four points in a loss against the Los Angeles Lakers in which Kobe Bryant scored 42 points.
"I'm not used to playing in a game where I'm not attacking the person that's going at me," Marbury told the Daily News.
"I know how I play, [Brown] knows how I play. If he wants me to play a different way -- which I am playing a total different way -- if that's what it's going to take to win, I'm down for it. If we lose, I'm not going to be happy with it. I don't feel like I contributed. I feel like I was just out there. If we can go to the NBA Finals and I play like that I can deal with that ... all day."
Brown shot back at his outspoken star.
"I'm not disappointed in a guy feeling like he can contribute more. [But] I didn't hear that after the Utah game [in which Marbury scored just 10 points.] He had 2-for-9 [against Los Angeles]. What if he goes 5-for-9? We win the game."
Marbury better get used to Brown's system as the coach said he has no plans of switching gears.
"Did we win the other way?" Brown told the newspaper. "So let's get real here. We're trying to get better."
Posted by: Larry Brown on November 23, 2008 11:34 PM
Knicks President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh held a conference call to discuss the team's acquisitions of Al Harrington, Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas (11/21) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFklbWuow8c
(Berman also sneaks in a Marbury question.)
Posted by: Mike on November 24, 2008 1:18 AM
Is Marc B getting paid by Steph, he has to be, I have never seen such bad sports reporting. Marc for your sake I hope your getting paid by Marbury because if your not then wow your just an idiot!!
Posted by: Raza Karamat on November 24, 2008 3:24 AM
Is Marc B getting paid by Steph, he has to be, I have never seen such bad sports reporting. Marc for your sake I hope your getting paid by Marbury because if your not then wow your just an idiot!!
Posted by: Razooo on November 24, 2008 3:26 AM
Is Marc B getting paid by Steph, he has to be, I have never seen such bad sports reporting. Marc for your sake I hope your getting paid by Marbury because if your not then wow your just an idiot!!
Posted by: Razmataz on November 24, 2008 3:26 AM
Maybe if Marbury wasn't such a baby he would man up.
WhAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
You sound ridicules Marc. ARe you in love.
I repeat it is hard for proud men to rise above their ego and reach out a fig leaf. D'antoni did that to Marbury and Marbury wanted him to beg.
WHAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A blind man could see that Marbury has no chance on this team. Be careful who you hurt on the way up Marbury because they're kicking you ass, Now. Marbury tried to undermine Mike when he was a young coach with something to prove. The classic story of a star holding a team hostage. The story of Marbury's career, but when someone eats a little crow and offers him minutes all he can say is
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: T on November 24, 2008 7:11 AM
WOW MARC, you must be getting desperate huh? now you've been reduced to planting seeds of doubt regarding harrington. and all from a nameless faceless personnel director???????? you and your boy are toast. it's over. why dont you do steph a favor and ask said nameless faceless personnel guyee if he could give steph a job. maybe you can find him a another team to kill.
nobody cares..... except you
Posted by: marbury's still a loser!!!! on November 24, 2008 7:32 AM
"Isiah told me to go home." - Stephon Marbury, upon leaving the team last year before the Phoenix game.
"Coach told me not to play." - Stephon Marbury this year, after not playing against Milwaukee.
Either the whole world is against this guy, or he doesn't hear things too well. Marbury is what I would call a "high maintenance" kind of employee. He needs to "feel the love" before he will go out and do his job. The $22M is not enough.
Do you notice how the word "Diva" and "Prima Donna" are applied to women, but rarely to a man?
Posted by: karma on November 24, 2008 7:45 AM
"winning is more fun... then fun is fun" -Thibs
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