December 26, 2004 -- When the calendar flips at the end of this week, Tim Thomas will not be sorry to see 2004 go. "It's been one of the worst years of my life," the Knicks forward said last week.

The 27-year-old has endured a tumultuous time on and off the court. In the last 12 months, he's been traded, injured, in the middle of a playoff drama and booed by his home fans. His basketball struggles are nothing, though, compared to what he's endured off the court. In a span of three days last summer, he went to the funerals of his wife's cousin and his sister. His wife and mother also have battled illnesses.


"It's been a long, difficult year," Thomas said. "Normally, days and months zoom by. For me, it seems like two weeks are almost like a month. It's been a long, stressful year."


Thomas was celebrating his daughter Kennedy's second birthday on Feb. 15 when his cell phone rang. He had been traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Knicks. In new general manager Isiah Thomas' rebuilding plan, he added Tim Thomas to bring more athleticism to the team.


Thomas, who enjoyed being close to his family in New Jersey again, flourished in New York. He jelled with Stephon Marbury and helped the team reach the playoffs. There, things got interesting.




In Game 1 of the Knicks' first-round series with the Nets, Thomas was fouled by Jason Collins. He injured his back and ankle and missed the rest of the series, which the Knicks lost 4-0. Thomas criticized his teammates for not coming to his defense after the foul, which he felt was a cheap shot. He made headlines when he called Kenyon Martin "fugazy" - slang for fake.


"I just felt the shot I took was a dirty shot," Thomas said last week. "Knowing that I had success against them in the past, and with Allan [Houston] being out, I figured they wanted to wipe out another scorer. I was frustrated."


"He was hurt both ways," Thomas' mother, Dorothy said. "His body was hurt and his feelings were hurt. I don't think he's shaken that yet. He still has it in the back of his mind."


Thomas turned his attention to healing over the summer and his rehabilitation was going well when tragedy hit in August. First, his wife's 24-year-old cousin, Carl Jones, died in a motorcycle accident in Paterson. Three days later, his 37-year-old sister, Amanda, died of a brain aneurysm, leaving behind two young sons.


"Just imagine having to go to two funerals in one weekend," Thomas said. "It's something I wouldn't put my worst enemy through."


Between taking care of his family and his wife's family, Thomas did not have much time for his own grieving. A private person by nature, friends and family said Thomas kept his emotions bottled up.


"I could tell he wasn't himself, but he was holding it inside," said longtime friend Ron Smith. "He never talked about it and let it go."


When he reported for training camp less than two months later, Thomas found it hard to concentrate on basketball.


"Physically I was here, but mentally I was somewhere else," Thomas said.


When the season began, Thomas struggled on the court, making less than 40 percent of his shots. The fans at Madison Square Garden booed, not knowing what Thomas was going through. His minutes decreased and he began being mentioned in every trade rumor involving the Knicks.


Adding to his problems in November, his wife Tricia became sick with an undisclosed illness. His mother also underwent surgery. Both women have recovered and are in good health now. His mother did not even tell him she was having surgery, not wanting to add to his stress.


While Thomas endured this, Isiah Thomas noticed a drop in the forward's energy.


"Last year, he had a bounce and aggressiveness," the Knicks GM said. "I'm sure that everything he's gone through has depleted him of his energy. It's been a tough balance for him."


In recent weeks, Tim Thomas has begun to look like himself again. He has performed more consistently with his shooting percentage going from 35 percent in November to 45 percent this month. Wednesday, he had a season-high 19 points against the Celtics.


Throughout his struggles and the rumors he would be shipped elsewhere, Thomas has remained positive.


"He's had an unbelievable attitude though all this," Isiah Thomas said. "He hasn't sulked. He hasn't complained. He hasn't whined. He's been very stand-up about his struggles."


The 6-foot-10, 240-pounder pays tribute to his sister every time he steps to the free-throw line. Shortly after her death, he had her image tattooed on his right arm near his wrist. Before every free throw, he kisses the tattoo. He also has taken an active role in his nephews' lives. The 12- and 10-year olds live with Thomas' mother and sister, Terry, in Montclair, N.J. Thomas makes several trips from his Manhattan home each week to visit with the boys. Last week, he attended one nephew's basketball game in the morning, went back to New York for Knicks practice, then returned to watch the other nephew's game in the afternoon.


"They're some strong kids," Thomas said. "I didn't really think they'd be that strong. They're doing great in school and playing sports. That's all you can ask for."