Knicks’ Gallinari Is Starting to Show His Potential
By HOWARD BECK
MILWAUKEE — Danilo Gallinari is rising, and the Knicks are falling. When the two lines finally intersect, Gallinari will join the starting lineup and begin his N.B.A. career in earnest.

Eight months have passed since the Knicks made Gallinari the sixth pick in the draft. He is the franchise’s best prospect in decades and the face of its future. But he has been limited by a back injury all season, and his development has taken a back seat to the Knicks’ pursuit of a playoff berth.

With those postseason hopes fading, it may only be a matter of days before Coach Mike D’Antoni makes Gallinari a starter and broadens his role in the offense. D’Antoni sees star potential in the 20-year-old Gallinari and is eager to give him more responsibilities as he prepares him for next season.

Making Gallinari a permanent starter, D’Antoni said, is “something we’ve talked about and something we could get to,” depending on the Knicks’ results in the coming days.

Although they remain focused on making the playoffs, the Knicks are one losing streak from falling out of the race. D’Antoni called the Knicks’ playoff chances “dim” heading into their game against Milwaukee on Tuesday night; they were three games behind the Bucks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

“I don’t know about getting close,” D’Antoni said of changing focus from the present to the future and Gallinari, “but he’s definitely a big part of that. And just trying to figure out where it’s best for him and the team.”

Gallinari’s best games as a Knick came in the past week. He scored 17 points last Wednesday in a victory over Atlanta and had 15 points Sunday in a loss to the Nets. He has provided a number of clutch baskets over the last two months and has shown a surprising bit of grit on defense — a trait not usually associated with rookies, or with European players.

“He’s probably, arguably, been our best player in the last couple of weeks,” D’Antoni said.

SESSIONS MAY BE WHAT KNICKS SEEK The Knicks could be shopping for a backup point guard this summer, and they may find one in Milwaukee.

Ramon Sessions is having a breakout season for the Bucks and will be an unrestricted free agent. He already has ties to the Knicks, having played high school basketball under the Knicks assistant Dan D’Antoni.

A former second-round pick of the Miami Heat, the 22-year-old Sessions played in the N.B.A.’s Development League before blossoming with the Bucks, splitting time with Luke Ridnour. He was averaging 15.2 points and 7.8 assists in his last five games heading into Tuesday night.

“One thing he’s done is play very, very well at home,” Bucks Coach Scott Skiles said, “so he’s had some eye-popping games that have caused the numbers to look like he’s doing it all the time. He’s having a very, very good year, I’m not trying to shortchange it. But as a lot of young players do, he hasn’t played as well on the road, although he’s playing better lately.”

Skiles praised Sessions’s abilities as a finisher and in the high pick-and-roll game and lauded his 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

“We try to keep it simple when he’s in the game,” Skiles said. “He just turned 22 years old. He’s having a really good year.”

EX-KNICKS TO BE HONORED Six Knicks legends, each representing a different decade, will be honored during a halftime ceremony March 23, when the Knicks play the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden.

The team’s alumni relations department chose the following greats: Carl Braun, representing the 1940s; Richie Guerin (1950s); Willis Reed (1960s); Walt Frazier (1970s); Bernard King (1980s); and Patrick Ewing (1990s). Each will be presented with a “legends ring.” Everyone but Braun, who has health issues, is expected to attend the ceremony.

The franchise will also present Dick McGuire with the Knickerbocker Legacy Award, given to someone who most embodies the qualities of “pride, tradition and class,” according to a statement.

The Knicks are waiting until 2010 to honor a player from the current decade. Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell are the most obvious candidates, having anchored the Knicks’ most recent winning teams, in the early 2000s.

Posted by PresIke:

so it sounds like if we fall out of contention for the playoffs we will likely see gallo getting bigger minutes.

jw - sessions has been a forum fav since he's torched us in practically every game we play against him. i like him too, and would be more than happy to see us pick him up. not sure how that would work, cap wise, for us and why would the bucks not match an offer sheet unless we seriously overpay? (which sounds strange given our need for fiscal responsibility)

Posted by EwingsGlass:

Posted by PresIke:

so it sounds like if we fall out of contention for the playoffs we will likely see gallo getting bigger minutes.

jw - sessions has been a forum fav since he's torched us in practically every game we play against him. i like him too, and would be more than happy to see us pick him up. not sure how that would work, cap wise, for us and why would the bucks not match an offer sheet unless we seriously overpay? (which sounds strange given our need for fiscal responsibility)

The article states that he is an unrestricted FA...

Question: Would you want a 22 yr old Ramon Sessions at the MLE for 5 years over Jason Kidd or Steve Nash (assuming Nash opts out)-- it being highly speculated that either would be willing to take the MLE to play in NY for D'antoni and be part of the 2010 plans...

Posted by DaJoka:

I like Sessions...he's head and shoulders better than Duhon.
If he was to come to us..it would be cheap and Duhon would come off the bench.
No way Duhon out plays Sessions in training camp and practice.
Sheeeeeet...Duhon couldn't even stay in front of him last night.
Sessions was killing him in the 4th.

Posted by GKFv2:

Posted by jrodmc:

Does JustDanceTony have a major mancrush on his skinny Eyetalian, or does he just hate N8 that much? Gallo's been his best player the last couple of weeks? Really? Best at what? Deranged hand signals that make everyone miss LJ? I think N8's even got more rebounds than Gallo during the same time span.

They CANNOT make Mr. One Trick Pony Houston the face of the franchise over Spree. The fact that it's even a question is deranged. I want the names of the 11 people on the decision board.

Deranged: word of the day, kids.

What? You call out of control Nate the best player? This guy is a ballhog to the 100th degree and more or less kills ball movement when he gets out there. If he played more within an offense and under control he would be OK in my book. But he doesn't so he doesn't deserve special recognition. Plus his constant yelling and taunting after every shot is annoying.

Posted by jrodmc:

Does JustDanceTony have a major mancrush on his skinny Eyetalian, or does he just hate N8 that much? Gallo's been his best player the last couple of weeks? Really? Best at what? Deranged hand signals that make everyone miss LJ? I think N8's even got more rebounds than Gallo during the same time span.

They CANNOT make Mr. One Trick Pony Houston the face of the franchise over Spree. The fact that it's even a question is deranged. I want the names of the 11 people on the decision board.

Deranged: word of the day, kids.

Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by GKFv2:

Posted by jrodmc:

Does JustDanceTony have a major mancrush on his skinny Eyetalian, or does he just hate N8 that much? Gallo's been his best player the last couple of weeks? Really? Best at what? Deranged hand signals that make everyone miss LJ? I think N8's even got more rebounds than Gallo during the same time span.

They CANNOT make Mr. One Trick Pony Houston the face of the franchise over Spree. The fact that it's even a question is deranged. I want the names of the 11 people on the decision board.

Deranged: word of the day, kids.

What? You call out of control Nate the best player? This guy is a ballhog to the 100th degree and more or less kills ball movement when he gets out there. If he played more within an offense and under control he would be OK in my book. But he doesn't so he doesn't deserve special recognition. Plus his constant yelling and taunting after every shot is annoying.

Nate is the best 6th man in basketball--he has a Dwayne Wade jr type game. The guy is a great little player with awesome heart.