From DailyNews.com

Broadway's biggest revival

Knicks retaking city's stage

By FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER


February 13


Stephon Marbury has Knicks driving toward playoffs, which has given new team president Isiah Thomas (below) reason to smile.


LOS ANGELES - Excess is a way of life around the Knicks: lucrative contracts, a luxury charter plane, a state of the art practice facility. And, lest we forget, point guards.

The organization that has craved a top-flight floor leader since Walt Frazier was unceremoniously traded to Cleveland wasn't satisfied with adding just one point guard. Over the last seven weeks, the Knicks went out and hired three.


That's one high-profile point guard for each level of the basketball operation - front office, coaching staff, players.

The rich did get richer.

The impacts of Isiah Thomas, Lenny Wilkens and Stephon Marbury are being felt everywhere, from ticket sales to the won-lost record. Madison Square Garden is buzzing again, and in the unpredictable Eastern Conference, the Knicks - who in early December were getting worse reviews than the now-defunct Broadway show "Taboo" - are suddenly the trendy pick to make the type of magical playoff run they went on in 1999.

"The sky's the limit for us," Wilkens said.

"I'd like to see us in the playoffs," Keith Van Horn added. "With this talent level and the way the East is, it's up for grabs."

Three generations of point guards have been at the forefront of the Knicks' renaissance. Thomas has upgraded the roster, Wilkens has stabilized the locker room and Marbury has made everyone around him better.

"I think he's dramatically changed the makeup of this team and the way we play," Van Horn said of Marbury. "It's tough to put into words. You just have to watch the product."

The Knicks head into the All-Star break seventh overall in the East with a 25-29 record and a realistic chance of finishing as high as fourth, which would give them home-court advantage in at least the first round.


It's quite a turnaround considering that just two months ago, they were already reserving their favorite table in Secaucus for the NBA draft lottery.


"I'm definitely looking forward to the feeling of going to a playoff game," said James Dolan, the Garden chairman. "When I went to our last Knicks playoff games, when it got close I could barely sit in my seat."


The season of constant change is far from over. As long as the trading deadline is still six days away and Thomas' cell phone is working, the Knicks of today could look a lot different tomorrow. Thomas, who replaced Scott Layden as Knicks president on Dec. 22, has made the types of bold moves opposing NBA general managers predicted he would make. And with Dolan's resources, Thomas has the freedom to take on more big contracts.


"I thought we were at our limit before," Dolan said of owning the league's highest payroll. "Obviously we weren't. And I'm really glad we decided that we weren't because the intangibles that it brings to the Garden are worth the money."


Dolan added that he wouldn't stand in the way of Thomas adding more payroll or acquiring players with questionable backgrounds.


"Chances are we'll go along with what he wants to do," Dolan said. "He certainly has a very good record with us so far with every move that he's made."


Thomas has been active in his new role. He's traded Clarence Weatherspoon, Antonio McDyess, Charlie Ward, Howard Eisley, Maciej Lampe, the rights to Milos Vujanic and two future draft picks. He's also released two players - Slavko Vranes and John Amaechi.


But Thomas' signature move was bringing in Marbury, the 26-year-old point guard who has breathed new life into the team and the Garden. The Knicks are 11-8 since Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski were acquired from Phoenix in a 10-player deal. Marbury's been the break-down point guard the Knicks have coveted for years.


In addition to giving the Knicks instant credibility, Marbury has provided them with a player they can build their marketing strategy around for the next five to 10 years.


"I didn't look at it that way," Marbury said. "I tried to blend in and pick my spots."


Marbury is very aware of his reputation as a selfish player and realizes that ultimately he will be judged on wins, particularly playoff ones. A starting lineup of Marbury, Van Horn, Kurt Thomas, Dikembe Mutombo and a healthy Allan Houston measures up well against any team in the conference.


Houston's knees are a major concern, which is why he will not return until he feels he can stay in the lineup for the remainder of the season. Houston is currently scheduled to come off the injured list for Tuesday's game against Detroit.


The only guarantee with Houston is that he will be around next week after the trading deadline. The rest of the Knicks, excluding Marbury, of course, began their four-day vacation unsure if they will be traded.


Van Horn, Thomas, Mutombo, Othella Harrington, Shandon Anderson and Frank Williams are all prime candidates to be dealt. The air of uncertainty created by Isiah Thomas has angered several players but it has also brought a sense of accountability to the locker room. There is also a theory that once the deadline passes and the trade rumors are packed away until June, the players will perform even better knowing that they will survive the rest of the season.


"I think we have a great chance to have wonderful things happen to us," Mutombo said. "We're going to come back as a group and start over again and go from there."


According to several players, Wilkens has been a calming presence since taking over.


Thomas mishandled the Don Chaney firing, which in turn created mistrust with his players, who felt Chaney wasn't given a fair chance to succeed after the Marbury trade. There is, however, no debating the Knicks are winning, which is something they never did under Chaney, who after winning his first game as head coach and losing his second, never matched that .500 record. The Knicks are 9-5 under Wilkens.


"Isiah has us focused on being positive toward each other, being a team," Van Horn said. "We've all taken that to heart. That's been a big part of it. You've got to give Isiah part of the credit and coach Wilkens is an extremely positive coach. There is definitely a different atmosphere than there was at the start of the season."