MARBURY: HOUSTON'S OUR NO. 1

By MARC BERMAN
------------------------------------------------------------------------
STILL THE MAN:
The return of Allan Houston from a knee injury is crucial to the Knicks' championship hopes, teammate Stephon Marbury says.
AP
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No one has been happier, no one has embraced, no one has gotten closer to Jamal Crawford than Stephon Marbury has.

Across preseason, Marbury has frequently sung Crawford's praises, while questions posed to him about Allan Houston have ended with non-answers.

Until yesterday, when Marbury declared that the rehabbing former All-Star shooting guard still is integral to the franchise's fortunes, no matter how effective Crawford has been in the first two exhibitions.

One day after Houston was booed repeatedly at the Garden during Sunday's open scrimmage in which he did not participate, Marbury said, "They don't know what he's going through. Allan's our No. 1 guy, man. We need him to be healthy in order for us to compete for a championship."

Houston is still not healthy and still has some pain in his knee. His mood has gotten steadily more somber as preseason wears on. Knicks coach Lenny Wilkens is no longer saying he expects him to be ready for the Nov. 3 season opener, amending it yesterday to "hoping."

But that has become a huge longshot. The Knicks embarked yesterday on a three-game, five-day cross-country exhibition trip, beginning tonight in Utah. Houston will not play in any of the games, and it's unlikely he'll suit up this preseason. He is not planning to scrimmage on the journey that also includes games vs. Dallas (Thursday) and Minnesota (Friday in Sioux Falls).

Houston, who hasn't played since March, indicated nothing is imminent. As Wilkens said yesterday, "We're not at the point he could scrimmage."

Yesterday, the players rallied around the despondent Houston. "He knows how much he means to us," Tim Thomas said. "We know how much he means to us. We can't worry about fans opinions."



With Marbury developing a strong chemistry with Crawford, it seems almost a certainty that Houston will evolve into the Sixth Man. Marbury has played just 21 games total with Houston, so it's not as if they've formed a longstanding bond.

"I'm not concerned," Marbury said. "I know [Allan's] game. I know how he plays. I know where he likes the ball."

Houston's indefinite return is not an imminent calamity because of Crawford and the stunning emergence of the 6-7 rookie gazelle, Trevor Ariza, whom Wilkens has penciled into the rotation. Last April in the first round vs. the Nets, Marbury was a solo act, without the injured Thomas and Houston. Marbury was often triple-teamed in the series.

This time, the burden on Marbury is not nearly as heavy. "Not with the team we have now," said Marbury, whose minutes have been reduced to 21 per game by Wilkens because of the Olympics. "Before, everyone knew I had the ball and was going to make a play. Now with the addition of Jamal, he makes it easier."

Marbury acknowledged Houston gives the Knicks a different look, a pure jump-shooter giving them another dimension.

"Nobody has a clue what Allan's going through mentally or physically," Thomas said. "I know he's frustrated. To be here every day on a regular basis, having to see guys go through practice, having to travel, watch preseason games. It's frustration to be in a situation where he thinks he's healthy but his body is not agreeing with his mind."

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/story/243676p-208872c.html

Marbury gives
Houston a hand

BY FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Stephon Marbury makes a fine living from handing out assists, some more spectacular than others. Few, though, are as important and meaningful as the one he gave Allan Houston yesterday.
The Knicks point guard defended Houston, calling his injured and beleaguered teammate the club's "No. 1 weapon." Marbury was responding to the negative reaction Houston received from Knicks fans during Sunday's open practice at the Garden.

"Allan is our No. 1 guy," Marbury added. "We need him to be healthy in order for us to compete for a championship. We need him 100%."

Marbury seemed also to be speaking indirectly to Houston, who appeared discouraged by the booing. Houston is also coping with rehabilitating his injured knees and the possibility of newcomer Jamal Crawford replacing him in the starting lineup.

Crawford, acquired from Chicago in a sign-and-trade deal, gives the Knicks more than adequate insurance at shooting guard. But Marbury is also smart enough not to underestimate Houston's importance to the team. Houston is the team's best outside shooter and a player who has appeared in 63 postseason games. Last season, the Knicks were swept by the Nets in the first round while Houston was sidelined.

"To really be honest, we're just trying to hold the fort down until he gets back," Marbury said. "We don't want him to rush. We have a great player in Jamal Crawford. He's our security for Allan. When he gets back he gets back."

There is no timetable for Houston's return. He accompanied the Knicks on their three-game West Coast trip that begins tonight in Salt Lake City. Houston is not expected to play in the preseason and likely will not be ready for the Nov.3 opener at Minnesota. With each passing day, Lenny Wilkens and Isiah Thomas sound less optimistic that Houston will be ready in two weeks.

Crawford has given the Knicks confidence that they can survive without Houston for the short-term. In two exhibition games, Crawford is averaging 22 points and has made 14 of 25 shots.

"When you go with Allan you already know he's going to make open shots," Marbury said. "That's a fact. You know that you can run pick-and-rolls with Allan. Jamal can shoot the ball, handle the ball and makes plays. They're two totally different players. Allan isn't a playmaker, he's a scorer. Jamal is a scorer, playmaker, he can play the point and do a bunch of different things on the court."

The coaching staff is eager to see a healthy Houston play alongside Marbury for 60 to 70 games. When the Knicks acquired Marbury last January, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy called Marbury and Houston the NBA's most talented backcourt.

However, Houston and Marbury played just 21 games together before injuries sidelined Houston for the remainder of the season. The Knicks went 12-8 in the 20 games Houston and Marbury started together.

These days the only way you can see Marbury and Houston side-by-side is on a billboard on Seventh Ave., in the shadow of the Garden. It's an ad to sell tickets, not a missing-person bulletin.

"I know his game," Marbury said. "I know where he likes the ball. I'm not concerned."

BULLISH: Jay Hillock, who was Scott Layden's righthand man in New York, scouted Saturday's Knicks-Spurs game for the Chicago Bulls. Hillock was fired in February and became the Bulls' director of player personnel in April. Shandon Anderson and Michael Sweetney are the only Knicks with ties to Layden still on the roster.

"Michael is one of Scottie's guys," Hillock said. "We had a tough decision to make with that draft but we were confident that Sweetney could play."

Originally published on October 19, 2004

Posted by Rich:

Marbury speaking the way a team captain should.

Absolutely. Also speaking the truth.

plays that penetrate like Crawford and Marbury are well aware of the value of space. The kind of space that having low post scoring and outside shooting create. I will love to see what happens when defenses collapse on Crawford or Marbury leaving Houston open on the wings... Houston will create space. More so than a "good" shooter like TT.

This was great...

BULLISH: Jay Hillock, who was Scott Layden's righthand man in New York, scouted Saturday's Knicks-Spurs game for the Chicago Bulls. Hillock was fired in February and became the Bulls' director of player personnel in April. Shandon Anderson and Michael Sweetney are the only Knicks with ties to Layden still on the roster.

"Michael is one of Scottie's guys," Hillock said. "We had a tough decision to make with that draft but we were confident that Sweetney could play."

Originally published on October 19, 2004

Yea.. thats why he was on IR and nobody worked with him over the summer, and why Sweetney had NO IDEA the KNicks were going to draft him. I guy they also thought Harrington and Spoon could also "play"

Posted by NYKDUNK:

Marbury scored a lot of points with those words.

Yes, he did. But why does it take someone like Stephon to point out that H20 is still going to be the man and play a very important role on this team once healthy - when the NY media and the fans should already be realizing this.

I want to see him come back and play well so bad it hurts.