Knicks benchwarmer Mason spreading Christmas jeer
Knicks Blog
Berman on TwitterBy MARC BERMAN

Last Updated: 11:13 AM, December 26, 2010

Posted: 1:20 AM, December 26, 2010

Roger Mason's best Christmas ever also coincided with his best season -- two years ago with San Antonio. He came off the bench after sitting the entire fourth quarter and drained a game-winning 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds left against the Suns.

There haven't been any magical moments for Mason with the Knicks after being signed as a free agent in August, and he was a DNP again yesterday.

After playing the first three games, averaging just six minutes, Mason was yanked from the rotation and has only been seen in garbage time since.

Mason, who talked of being a leader during training camp, feels coach Mike D'Antoni hasn't given him a chance. Ironically, team president Donnie Walsh has shopped for another backup point guard.

"Things have been a little different than I imagined, yes," Mason told The Post in his first remarks on the subject. "I'll continue to work and be a good teammate and cheer them on and wait for an opportunity. I haven't really had one yet."
Mason shot poorly in preseason and has appeared in just eight games. With Toney Douglas banged up with a strained back and shoulder sprain, D'Antoni hasn't turned to Mason, who runs the point during practice scrimmages.

"I don't think I was really given an opportunity yet," Mason said. "In preseason, I didn't shoot as well as I wanted to. Most preseasons, it takes me to the regular season to get going.

"I'm just hitting the prime of my career," Mason added. "Ideally, you wouldn't want to be in scenario where you're not playing."

When asked whether he'd play Mason because of his Christmas heroics against his former team, D'Antoni responded: "Who?"
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Raymond Felton 's 12 assists gave him his sixth straight double-digit assist total. The franchise record is nine by Michael Ray Richardson . . . . Rookie Landry Fields recorded his eighth double-double (14 and 11).

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Timberwolves president David Kahn , saying he was in town for the holidays, sat with Walsh before the game. Kahn has point guard Sebastian Telfair on the market and Walsh discussed it with him last week.

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Both D'Antoni and Danilo Gallinari , veterans of the Italian League, confirmed no games are played on Christmas there.

"No, everyone's on vacation," Gallinari said.

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The Knicks were 12 of 22 from 3-point land (54.5 percent). . . . The Knicks blocked at least 10 shots for the sixth time this season, marking first time since 1998-99 they have accomplished that feat.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/benchwarmer_mason_spreading_christmas_TDAjunLuRreBozHtSg2C4J#ixzz19KRZ8MTA

His answer if quoted correct is priceless.

I think if a guy is signed to do a job, he should do it.

Roger is cool, but he sucks right now.

This notion to coddle players is not cool.

This fragile ego thing like some think MDA is the reason why AR is not playing well is comical.

NBA is no "Mamby Pamby land".

cheers wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:When asked whether he'd play Mason because of his Christmas heroics against his former team, D'Antoni responded: "Who?"
If he really said that he needs to censor his comments a bit. He makes guys irrelevant and then cracks on them.

yea not cool.

This may be more innocent than it seems, and a reporter making a story out of nothing.
The reporter may actually not have been clear whom he was speaking about.

Nalod wrote:Its a dumb question.

His answer if quoted correct is priceless.

I think if a guy is signed to do a job, he should do it.

Roger is cool, but he sucks right now.

This notion to coddle players is not cool.

This fragile ego thing like some think MDA is the reason why AR is not playing well is comical.

NBA is no "Mamby Pamby land".

Nalod wrote:Berman was fishing. why play someone cuz 24 mos ago they hit a big shot? Put him in the rotation for that?

Such a bad question maybe was being sarcastic.

The question is idiotic and provocative. MDA should have realized it and simply responded that he will use any player he believes can help the team in a particular game.

martin wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:When asked whether he'd play Mason because of his Christmas heroics against his former team, D'Antoni responded: "Who?"
If he really said that he needs to censor his comments a bit. He makes guys irrelevant and then cracks on them.

didn't Mason make himself irrelevant? season stats: 60 minutes, 1-13 FG. That's .077%. 7% shooting. DAMN

MDA stuck with Mason and Bill Walker a TON through Preseason and early season even though both struggled as a whole. He game those 2 guys chances and let them FUBAR themselves out of the rotation for the likes of Fields, Williams. He game Moz and AR the same chances and they failed to step up their games.

CrushAlot wrote:

martin wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:When asked whether he'd play Mason because of his Christmas heroics against his former team, D'Antoni responded: "Who?"
If he really said that he needs to censor his comments a bit. He makes guys irrelevant and then cracks on them.

didn't Mason make himself irrelevant? season stats: 60 minutes, 1-13 FG. That's .077%. 7% shooting. DAMN

MDA stuck with Mason and Bill Walker a TON through Preseason and early season even though both struggled as a whole. He game those 2 guys chances and let them FUBAR themselves out of the rotation for the likes of Fields, Williams. He game Moz and AR the same chances and they failed to step up their games.

So you are alright with these comments?

I very much understand that Berman takes things waaaayyyy out of context when he writes articles. I also understand that Mike likes to joke a lot.

I think MDA gave Mason more than enough chances to show himself over the course of the preseason and season. What was the circumstance, did Mason blurt out that he deserves more playing time without provocation? Then HELL YES I think it was the right answer.

Was Mike literally asking Berman who he was talking about? Then it's a dead issue.

Walsh gave Mason Jr a GIFT of a contract at $1.4M. And all he has done is stink up the court. He should be shutting his mouth and being the best bench, practice player there can be.

Literally: Who cares.

Crush, are you alright with what Mason said?

Crush, 2 questions:

1) do you think that Mason's comments were out of line?

2), do you think that OKC doesn't develop players because they are not playing #24 pick BJ Mullens, #11 pick Cole Aldrich and SAS doesn't develop players cause they have DNP'ed Tiago Splitter... or do you think there are some other circumstances involved?

martin wrote:I think MDA gave Mason more than enough chances to show himself over the course of the preseason and season. What was the circumstance, did Mason blurt out that he deserves more playing time without provocation? Then HELL YES I think it was the right answer.

Mason has been given 2 games of double digit minutes this season, & 1 of them was in garbage time of a blowout loss... do u really consider that as enough of a chance to show himself? now i'm not complaining that we're not playing Mason, but put urself in his shoes & i don't see anything wrong w/what he said here... he wasn't saying he deserved more playing time, he just said it wasn't what he expected when he signed here... should he have lied & said he was ecstatic over having spent the entire season on the bench & perfecting his towel waiving technique? what did u expect him to say, just curious... i thought his response was classy & respectful while also being honest... that's all u can expect out of any player... he said he plans on being a good teammate & continuing to work hard & wait for his chance... hardly worthy of a sarcastic response from the head coach, if indeed that was MDA's intent... i also agree that Berman likes to create controversy where there is none, so i wouldn't be shocked if he took the comment out of context, but doesn't seem all that complicated to know who your own player is on your team when asked about him.

martin wrote:

TMS wrote:

martin wrote:I think MDA gave Mason more than enough chances to show himself over the course of the preseason and season. What was the circumstance, did Mason blurt out that he deserves more playing time without provocation? Then HELL YES I think it was the right answer.

Mason has been given 2 games of double digit minutes this season, & 1 of them was in garbage time of a blowout loss... do u really consider that as enough of a chance to show himself?

he played enough during preseason and he pretty much stunk it up during the first 3 games of the season. This is a vet guy not some unknown rookie. He was brought in for shooting and that's the one thing he can't do.

How much time should we waste on him? Especially when you have Fields who is hot hot hot and TD who needs minutes.

like i said i could care less that he hasn't been given minutes... but nothing in his comments were objectionable... i don't see any reason for a snitty response to a reporter's question... this has been MDA's MO with players he doesn't play since he's been here... he gets highly defensive & obnoxious with his replies whenever someone questions his decisions about his rotation & really there's no need for it... i don't care how much of a joker or an ass he is, as a head coach you should be setting the example for acting like a professional... i think Mason has handled himself like a pro since he's been here, don't see any reason to publically diss him in this fashion... if MDA doesn't think this guy can contribute then release him already so he can join up with another team... he's wasting space on our roster that could be better used on a young guy that might actually find some playing time at some point this year.