|
Kwazimodal
Posts: 20896
Alba Posts: 5
Joined: 8/3/2004
Member: #728
|
http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1097129476139510.xml
Knicks: Crawford's skill thrills Marbury
Thursday, October 07, 2004
BY COLIN STEPHENSON
Star-Ledger Staff
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- For Stephon Marbury, it was love at first sign. Sign-and-trade, that is.
When the Knicks acquired Jamal Crawford from the Chicago Bulls this summer in a sign-and-trade, no one was happier about it than Marbury, the point guard who sees a lot of himself in Crawford's game.
"That's beautiful," Marbury said of the Knicks' acquisition of Crawford, who, like himself, is a scoring point guard. "You got another dog. You got another guy that brings the same thing you bring."
The 6-5, 190-pound Crawford became the full-time starting point guard for the Bulls last season and was the team leader in scoring (17.3) and assists (5.1). Now he's with the Knicks, for whom he will play both point guard and shooting guard. His presence, along with Marbury and Allan Houston gives the Knicks a formidable backcourt trio.
He will also serve as insurance in the event Houston's ailing knees cause him to miss significant playing time. The 24-year-old realizes he will likely come off the bench if Houston is healthy. But that doesn't concern Crawford, he cares more about winning than being a starter.
"It's not about starting and all that," Crawford said while stretching between training camp sessions at the College of Charleston. "I just want to play. I want to win, more than anything. I haven't won anywhere I've been. I was in Chicago four years, we never made the playoffs. Our goal here is to advance deep in the playoffs."
Crawford, who signed a seven-year, $56 million contract with the Bulls, was traded to the Knicks along with forward Jerome Williams for Dikembe Mutombo, Othella Harrington, Frank Williams and Cezary Trybanski. And immediately he and Marbury -- the two had only known each other in passing -- became buddies. The two spoke on the phone often while Marbury was in Athens with the Olympic team, and they have become nearly inseparable in camp.
"It's weird, because in some ways, we think the same," Crawford said. "Today, when we were walking here, we were about to say something (and) it was about the same exact thing. It was weird."
Both are athletic, ballhandling scorers, and Crawford sees the 27-year-old Marbury, who has averaged 20.4 points and 8.3 assists over his eight-year career, as a sort of mentor who can help him develop his game further.
Crawford's other teammates are excited about having him, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Houston, who is being cautious with his tender knees and is not yet scrimmaging with the team. Houston may not play in any of the preseason games, and may not be ready to play in the regular-season opener Nov. 3.
But the way Penny Hardaway sees it, with Crawford, Marbury and himself picking up the slack, Houston won't need to rush back.
"We need Allan bad, but we need a healthy Allan," Hardaway said. "And I think, with Jamal coming, that does help ease the pain some."
According to Marbury, Crawford will add some flash to the Knicks' offense, with his slick moves and behind-the-back, between-the-legs dribbling and no-look passing. And Tim Thomas said that kind of style can have tangible benefits.
"It can get you a little amped as far as him breaking somebody down, getting into the lane and dishing it off to you," Thomas said. "You want to finish it off strong."
Notes:
Coach Lenny Wilkens has been impressed by the confident attitude of rookie Trevor Ariza, the team's second-round pick. "The thing I like about him is that he respects everybody but he's not in awe of anyone," Wilkens said. "He went to the basket (in Tuesday's scrimmage) and Kurt (Thomas) was there to meet him and knocked him down. He got up and two plays later he's coming right back in there -- hard. And I think that's the kind of attitude you gotta have."...
Garden chairman James L. Dolan is expected to visit camp today. ... Second-year F Mike Sweetney said he's much more comfortable at training camp this year than he was as a first-round pick a year ago. "It's completely different," he said. "I'm a lot more confident, I kind of know the system a little bit, and I'm just ready."
|
10/7/2004 8:40 AM