Trade is Finalized, Mobley to Resume Tests

The Knicks-Clippers trade was originally made last Friday. Normally players have 48 hours to report to their new teams and take physical examinations, followed by an additional 24 hours to get all the results of the physicals. In this case, because the trade was made after business hours Friday, the teams agreed to an additional 24 hours, which made the deadline 6:30 p.m. ET Monday. On Monday the problems with Mobley surfaced on the Knicks' end, keeping them from signing off on the deal and preventing Randolph and Collins from playing in the Clippers' game against the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night. One source said the Knicks were also having "buyer's remorse," wondering if they could have received more in exchange for Randolph, but in the end they accomplished their primary objective: getting contracts that expire in 2010.

espn's J.A. Andande

*Live From the LeBron Game*

6:37pm
Arrived a few minutes ago and had wait on line for about 13 minutes or so....my seats are in the 300's but I was able to walk down to the court and watch Al Harrington do his drills. LBJ has not popped his head out yet but it should be a special night. All the celebs are already here in their seats which is unusual, including Spike, who had a brief talk with Marbury. Steph was actually warming up hard.. I don't know if he does this every game or not but he was warming up as if he is playing tonight.

8:47-halftime
Pathetic first half, this is reminding me of the night we got Marbury, a buzz and a blowout. LeBron came ready to ball and the Knicks (especially the new ones) look tight. The team misses Jamal spreading the floor and on top of that Nate went down with an injury. Apparently Delonte West is unstoppable tonight.. No just some sad efforts on defense. Second half should be better. I hope, or else I'm leaving by 9:40.

Well whattaya know....it's 9:22pm and I'm leaving....enough said tonight sucked!

New Knicks (All Three of Them) Practice Today

The trade seems to be finalized as the word out of Knicks camp is that they are all practicing today at shoot-around which would mean the trade has officially been approved by all parties.

This is what Tommy Dee from TheKnicksBlog.com had to say:

Word out of Knicks camp is that Al Harrington, Tim Thomas and, most importantly, Cuttino Mobley are practicing with the team. Now, I am not at practice but this is what we are hearing. This is significant because if Mobley is working out then Donnie Walsh is content with his health and that he will finalize the deal with the Clippers before 6:30’s deadline.

Remember, the Garden has had it’s share of tragedy in recent months with the passing of Rangers top prospect Alexei Cherepanov of an apparent heart attack in October. The Russian had a history of heart problems which caused his stock to drop in the NHL draft. Of course, Eddy Curry had heart issues as well, which were a big concern before Isiah Thomas made a deal for the then-Bulls center.

So Walsh is correct in making sure Mobley is fit to play, and apparently know he is good to go tonight once the trade is completed.

LeBron and it's On! *Cavs vs Knicks*

Not sure if most fans even know who the three new Knicks suiting up tonight are...Just kidding, it's New York, we know everything. The Garden tonight will be...well...the old Garden itself and for the first time in about 5 years. Yes LeBron James will be in the house and he's heard the buzz from Cleveland.

"It's two years away, but time goes fast," said the King. "We'll see what happens."

I'm eager to see how the new Knicks gel together. Al Harrington, being the marquee player the Knicks received in the deal says he is pumped up to play in New York,

"I can't wait," he said. "Indiana's Indiana. But this is big time."

D'Antoni said that Harrington will play serious minutes tonight at both the Center and Power Forward positions.

“Al Harrington has played in Golden State for the past two years, which is how we want to play. And Tim Thomas I had in Phoenix so I don’t think it will be a hard transition.” “Tim enjoyed a lot of success in our system a few years ago in Phoenix when he was a key part of a run to the Western Conference Finals,” said D’Antoni.

Al Harrington has wanted to be a Knick since last April and tonight he his dream comes true.

“I have to be honest with you, from April 18 when I first told (Golden State Warriors General Manager Chris) Mullen that I wanted to be traded, this was the place I wanted to come,” said Harrington. “This is a dream come true. I wasn’t really focusing on any other team. This is the place I wanted to be.”

While the trio may not have had a chance to get settled since landing in their new home, all three are not unfamiliar with New York and the surrounding area.

Mobley learned the game of basketball in Philadelphia, and Harrington and Thomas were standout high school players in New Jersey.

Lebron will Debut His New Sneakers Tonight @ the Garden

And Guess What!!?!!? The shoes are called 'The Big Apple'.

'Big Apple Zoom Lebron VI', to be exact....Interesting...

Knicks May Receive Clippers' 1st Round Pick as Compensation for Mobley Debacle

Donnie Walsh seemingly making good deal after good deal might sweeten up the latest latest Knick trade with the Clippers. Frank Isola from the Daily News reported :

Donnie Walsh might be seeking an additional draft pick as compensation for receiving an “unhealthy” Cuttino Mobley. Isola suggests that Walsh might even be seeking a 1st rounder to sweeten the deal. Their 2010 1st rounder would sweeten it nicely!

The Knicks Blog

Isola also eluded to the fact that this might be personal against Mike Dunleavy. His strategy might include holding out on the entire trade until the Clippers agree to part with their 1st round draft pick.

Mobley Fails Physical

After saying he was unhappy to begin with regarding his trade to the Knicks, Guard Cuttino Mobley has apparently failed his physical. It is still likely that he will make his debut tomorrow night vs. the Cavs due to the fact that the Knicks have the ability to waive the failed physical results and accept the trade anyways. The issue is a lingering heart condition that Mobley has had in the past, however it has not caused him to miss any games throughout his career.

The final word on this has yet to be announced.

Jamal Crawford Tribute

Nate and 'The Eight' Beat Washington, Move to 7-6

BOXSCORE

Quentin Richardson had 34 points and 12 rebounds in one of his best games since coming to New York, and the short-handed Knicks held on to beat the Washington Wizards 122-117 on Saturday night.

Richardson made seven 3-pointers, two shy of the franchise record, and fell a point shy of his highest-scoring game since the Knicks acquired him from Phoenix in June 2005. He scored 35 points against the Wizards on Jan. 17, 2007.

Nate Robinson had a season-high 27 points, Wilson Chandler added 23, and David Lee had 22 points and 12 rebounds to help the Knicks snap a three-game losing streak.

Al Harrington Might be Heading to New York, But Who is Heading Out?

Many rumors and articles have speculated that Al Harrington will be traded to New York today from Golden State where he was very unhappy. As of now, details of the trade are unknown. More updates later.


*Jamal Crawford for Al Harrington has been sent to the NBA for league approval. *

Getting back to Winning Ways Quickly; Important to Knicks

Fighting away old demons has been the biggest accomplishment thus far in the young season. This fight needs to continue and a more rapid pace as the Knicks have slightly been reminded of the losing days. Since opening night against the Miami Heat the Knicks have had a good feeling about themselves but with two straight loses the second being against the hated Celtics, has once again allowed a little adversity to creep into the locker room. The New York Knicks are currently 6-5 and tied for 6th place in the Eastern Conference. It is imperative that this team keeps it's head above water for a good amount of time.

I mentioned in my Pre-season forecast that the Knicks had a good mix of home games and winnable road games for them to compile a very nice looking record by the end of November. So far they have not disappointed us but it seems as if they need a new wave to ride. The excitement from scoring 120 points on opening night has run out of gas. Friday night in Milwaukee against the 5-8 Bucks is the Knicks chance to get back on a winning track. This is a very winnable game for New York despite the fact that Milwaukee handed the Knicks what might be their worst loss of the season at the Garden. That night the Knicks never found any offense and were held to under 90 points while Jamal Crawford scored only 1.

A leader in the locker room needs to identify himself as soon as possible and keep the Knicks on the right track back to relevance in the East. Coach D'Antoni has done a really good job instilling confidence into each man on his roster, now it is time for them to remove the training wheels and learn how to be consistent. Winning back to back games Friday and Saturday this week, would be a great way to put the two tough losses against Dallas at home and Boston this past Tuesday behind them.

Knicks Lose and Q-Ball Cries

BOXSCORE

Obviously Quentin Richardson didn't learn his lesson last year when he called the Celtics 'Paper Champs' 2 nights before being embarrassed on National TV, in what was almost the worst margin of defeat in Knicks' history.

When the Knicks cut the lead to 6 with about 3 minutes left, Pierce got fouled and was engaged by Richardson in a trash-talking contest. After this, pierce reeled off 9 straight points icing the game for the Celtics who moved to 10-2 and beat the Knicks for the 7th straight time. Richardson and his fat out of shape ass were enable to fight around screens down the stretch which caused the 5'9 Nate Robinson to have to guard Finals MVP Paul Pierce which led to easy scores for him. Clearly Richardson has a hard on for Pierce and I don't know why. I have never seen a more lopsided rivalry between two players carry on for this long.

What really bothered about all this was Richardson's babyish comments after the game.

"I'm just real curious to see what those guys will be saying if we weren't in a basketball league and didn't have referees," Knicks forward Quentin Richardson said. "I mean, it wouldn't be the same story. I mean, they are the world champions and rah, rah, rah, but the tough part I don't factor."I come from a neighborhood where you can say what you want to say, but until you do something, it don't mean nothing."

Who asked you what neighborhood you came from, Q? Why don't you take some of that homosexual lust you seem to have for Pierce and formulate it into a win!? I was glad to see a little pushing and shoving under the basket, the Knicks need that type of intensity again. But to be childish and cry to the media about the Celtics trash talking is insane and made the entire roster look like cry babies who aren't ready to indulge in a New York vs Boston Civil War. The two teams meet again on Dec. 19th, we'll see what happens then.

As far as last night's recap; The Knicks looked good in the 1st quarter, but were exposed inside from the second quarter on. The Celtics game plan of pounding the Knicks lack of an interior presence was executed to perfection as Leon Powe had a season high of 14 points. The Knicks were Out rebounded again by 9, 36-45. Turnovers weren't the problem last night, it was poor defense. Kendrick Perkins is a different player against the Knicks and last night he scored 16 points as opposed to his average of 6.3 per game. In the absence of Garnett the Celtics showed why they are still the best team in basketball.

Wilson Chandler had one of his best games this year with 23 points and 7 rebounds but it wasn't enough for the Knicks to win. He needed help from one more teammate offesneively and didn't get. Crawford had one of his 'typical call in sick days' and took only 4 shots the entire game and thats why he was rightfully benched for the entire 4th quarter. Nate was a big part of the 4th quarter comeback.

Beantown: Knicks vs. Champs

Kevin Garnett is suspended and will not play in tonight's game:

Thanks to Andrew Smith from TheKnicksBlog.com, here are the lineups:

When: 7:30 P.M.

Where: TD Banknorth Garden

Watch: MSG

Starting Lineups:

Celtics (9-2)

PG: Rajon Rondo (7.1 ppg, 44% FG, 53% FT)

SG- Ray Allen (17.6, 44%, 94%)

SF- Paul Pierce (21.0, 41%, 82%)

PF- Leon Powe (7.1, 56%, 67%)

C- Kendrick Perkins (5.5, 50%, 50%)

Rest of rotation: Tony Allen, Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Eddie House , Michael Rappaport Brian Scalabrine

Knicks (6-4)

PG: Chris Duhon (9.0 ppg, 39% FG, 75% FT)

SG: Jamal Crawford (21.3, 44%, 76%)

SF: Quentin Richardson (9.7, 44%, 83%)

PF: Wilson Chandler (13.8, 48%, 81%)

C: Zach Randolph (20.8, 44%, 81%)

Rest of Rotation: David Lee, Anthony Roberson, Nate Robinson, Malik Rose

Injuries:

Celtics: OUT: Kevin Garnett (suspension)

Knicks: OUT: Eddy Curry, Danilo Gallinari (back); Jared Jeffries (leg)

Crawford's 8th Blog Entry From the Team Plane After Beating Memphis

Blogging from the team plane

What's up you guys!

I had to get the dust off my blog and get back to it.Games have just been coming really fast, seems like every other day, but I'll try and not have any more two-week breaks!

So where do we start...we just played Memphis. I'm actually on the plane as I write this. We're 5-3 right now and that's not bad considering that we're still adjusting and getting used to what Coach wants from us!

Man, Coach D is really good. He just has this rare quality of what play to call at what time, or how to stay in touch with his players. Whether that's physically, mentally, when to get on us and when to back off a lil bit....He's still getting used to us, as well, but the main thing he's doing is having us play together and compete on a nightly basis.

We're gonna have ups and downs, games we should win and don't and games people probably think we shouldn't win and do. It's a process and when your changing the culture and getting everyone to gel that's something that doesn't happen over night! It's almost like when you go to work, some days are better then others. Basketball is really fun right now, winning is a big part of that. It's amazing how wins can change your mood or how you feel or even how you're viewed. It can even change how you deal with your family and friends. Sometimes when you lose, you don't want to talk to anyone or want to be bothered (I've had a lot of that in the past).

But what I do know is that when you go through tough times, you appreciate the good times that much more. You don't take them for granted, you just enjoy them and stay in the moment as long as you can, because nothing's promised.

Gallo - I know how frustrating it is for him, coming from a different country and being a high draft pick. He wants to prove he's worth it. But he can't do that until he's healthy. But please believe me when I say whenever he is healthy, he will have an impact for our team in the future!

I want to thank you guys too, because after coming off the road, you see different arenas and some barely have any people there. You guys come night in and night out to support us, even when you're tough on us LOL. At least you're still there, so thanks!

You wanna know something CRAZY? I'm listening to my ipod as I write this and there's a song that I'm listening too that I used to listen to in high school. And when I listened to it, I used to look at posters of Iverson and Stephon before I went out and played sometimes....I never even told Steph that, but the crazy part about the story is that we sit right across from each other on the plane. Ten years ago, there's no way you would tell me this is exactly where I would be and how my life would've turned out....God doesn't make mistakes and I'm thankful for everything he's done.

Holla at you guys later....

JC

Crawford files

I Hate Violet Palmer

Yeah I'm a pissed off Knick fan who has to go to work tomorrow on Monday morning, but I have a few things to say about Violet Palmer being the absolute worst official in the NBA. She seems more concerned with the demonstrative referee gestures than she does with actually making the call correct. She reminds me of a baseball umpire who enjoys emphatically ringing up batters on strike three.

Specifically tonight, she blew a call in the 2nd quarter by calling the Knicks for offensive basket interference. The call was later overturned by Joe Derossa, an official who actually knows what he's doing. More importantly, with under a minute left in regulation the Knicks forced Josh Howard to miss a shot and there was a fray for the loose ball which was eventually CLEARLY knocked out by the Mavericks who had 3 players around the ball to just one Knick. (Quentin Richardson) So right in front of the Knicks bench she gave the Mavericks an extra possession and they took advantage by tying the game. I have never heard anything positive said about Violet in my entire life other than the fact that she is the first female referee.

Violet Palmer sucks and I hope she has no more Knick games left on her undeserving schedule of NBA games to ref. If you're still unclear as to what i think of Violet Palmer, ask Don Imus...He'll clear that one up for you.


Here is a link of some fans and bloggers bashing her

Knicks Can't See in the 'Dirk' and Lose to Mavs in OT

BOXSCORE

The Knicks foiled down the stretch in both the final quarter of regulation and the overtime. This has been part of their persona thus far in the young season, but tonight a veteran team in Dallas made them pay for it. As probably predicted, Dirk Nowitzki was way too much to handle. With 39 points and 15 rebounds, he took over the game and showed his superstar status to lead the Mavs to the win.

"We just told ourselves stay with it and get some big stops and offensively keep attacking,'' Nowitzki said. "We had to get off this losing streak, so whatever I had to do, the team told me to keep shooting and play aggressively.''

The Mavs looked like a dead team that was 2-7 for the first three quarters but then suddenly awoke upon the eruptions of both Dirk and bench guard Jason terry who chipped in with 20 points of his own. Josh Howard was also a serious problem for the Knicks to defend, as he scored 31 points shooting 50% from the field.

The Knicks were fluid until the middle of the fourth quarter as the defense from Dallas become tougher and the lead started to dwindle.

"We could have won the game,'' Knicks forward Zach Randolph said. "We had a chance to win the game. But the ball won't fall for us. There's nights like this. We've just got to keep our head up and keep going.''

This is where the Knicks struggle as a young team; when they stop attacking. Duhon wasn't pushing the ball as much and was making the Knicks a half court team. As a half court team, the Knicks are no different then they were a year ago. In fact they are a pathetic half court team. Tonight there was too much one on one down the stretch and they made it easy for Dallas to get stops. Although this philosophy has win to win a championship in New York or anywhere else, using offense as your best defense is the only way the Knicks can win. With no fierce defenders, a shot blocker or even a body over 6'10, the Knicks will remain weak defensively. However, scoring is something that comes much easier to them, so their strategy has to be to outscore teams. Having said this, the Knicks need to know that they must attack with shots from everywhere for the full 48 minutes of a game.

The Knicks lost the battle on the glass tonight 58-54 and committed 15 turnovers and only forced Dallas into 9. The crowd was buzzing tonight and thirsty for a win, but the reality is the Knicks let a 15 point lead slip away at home. A win tonight would have been a great way to fly into Boston for Tuesdays match up with the world champs.

Knicks recap

Old Knick Nemisis: Kidd Returns to NYWith the Mavs

Off to their best start in a decade, the Knicks will look to continue their hot streak tonight when they host the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden at 6 p.m. ET.

After dropping a tough road decision to the defensive-minded Spurs on Tuesday, the Knicks set season highs in points, shooting percentage and margin of victory against the Grizzlies on Wednesday, followed by their best first half of the season two nights later in a 116-106 home win over the Thunder.

The Knicks have won five of their last six to improve to 6-3 and are off to their best start since the lockout-delayed 1998-99 season, when they became the first No. 8 seed in NBA history to advance to the NBA Finals. .

After scoring 72 points in the second half of their 132-103 victory in Memphis, the Knicks exploded for a season-high 68 first-half points against the Thunder, but watched a 30-point lead early in the third quarter get trimmed to eight with 5:13 left in regulation.

Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford scored a combined 10 points in the final four minutes to help the Knicks hold off a strong Thunder attack, as New York defeated a Western Conference team for the third time this season, after going just 3-27 against the West last year.

NYKnicks.com

Oklahoma City Thunder Vs. New York Knicks

Kevin Durant is questionable for tonight's match up at the Garden, but the Knicks should be used to playing teams without their respected superstars thus far this season. Tonight when the team formerly known as the Seattle Sonics now the Oklahoma City Thunder, come to town and the Knicks will be looking for their sixth victory in nine games.

The Knicks, a perfect 5-0 when scoring over 100 points, will look to build off their strongest offensive performance of the season when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Madison Square Garden tonight at 7:30 p.m.

Wilson chandler is coming off a near perfect game and will look to put another effective night together.

"I've been in kind of a slump and caught a cold," Chandler said following the Knicks' fourth win in five games. "I've been trying to come out and play hard. I had a couple of bad games back-to-back, and coach just told me to keep my head up."

The Thunder will enter Madison Square Garden for the first time having lost five in a row after notching their only win of the season over the Timberwolves on Nov. 2.

ESPN Dawgs Eddy Curry

As if it couldn't have gotten worse for Eddy Curry, a friend pointed out to me today that his ESPN.com profile picture is not him but in fact it's Wilson Chandler.

Eddy Curry's ESPN Page

Eddy Curry is fat and lazy and would rather play NBA2K in his mothers basement than either eat a salad or hit a treadmill. Sad. Please trade him asap!!

Knicks Set Record in Memphis Romp

BOXSCORE

Thanks to ESPN.com for the game recap

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The New York Knicks have never had a game shooting 3-pointers like Wednesday night.

The Knicks set a franchise record with 19 3-pointers, hitting 56 percent from beyond the arc, and Wilson Chandler scored a career-high 27 points in New York's 132-103 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Chandler missed only one of his 12 shots in the game, and Nate Robinson made all eight of his, including five from long range, part of New York's 19-of-34 performance from 3-point territory."We were just hot. It just happens," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It was just one of those nights where the basket looked huge for everybody."Jamal Crawford added 25 points and eight assists for the Knicks, who shot 59 percent from the field. Memphis entered the game allowing teams to shoot only 41.9 percent from the field, sixth-best in the league.Robinson scored 21, while Zach Randolph had 18 points and 10 rebounds. For Robinson, it was a much better night than Tuesday's 92-80 loss at San Antonio, when the reserve guard was 2-of-11 from the field."It was just fun out there," the 5-foot-9 Robinson said. "I was kind of down because I didn't make many shots -- well, none at all -- against San Antonio. I told [D'Antoni] I was going to hit shots tonight."Rudy Gay led Memphis with 20 points, while O.J. Mayo, who had surpassed 30 points in his last two games, scored 17. Marc Gasol finished with 16 points for Memphis, which lost for the first time at home this season.Memphis allowed the most points it has in a game this season, had an opponent make more 3-pointers than any other time in franchise history and watched an opponent shoot the best percentage for a game in the young season."We did not guard the ball well," Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni said. "We did not hustle out on the pick-and-roll defenses, and they put on a show, so we give them credit. We have to learn some lessons from this in terms of how hard you have to play on both ends."New York broke open the game in the third quarter, extending an 11-point halftime lead to as many as 22. The Knicks were never threatened in the fourth, building the lead to as many as 32. Even the reserves got into the act down the stretch, including Anthony Roberson hitting a trio of 3-pointers in the final 5:39. The Knicks were 7-of-12 from outside the arc in the fourth."They gained confidence after every basket," Gasol said. "We were getting down and couldn't get back in the game. Even the guys on the bench hit the 3s, too."The Knicks shot 55 percent to take a 60-49 lead into halftime behind 13 points from Robinson and 11 more from Chandler. Mayo and Gay had 12 apiece, while Gasol contributed 10 before the break for the Grizzlies.New York built the lead to double digits in the second quarter, going 8-of-16 from long range in the half as the Grizzlies seemed satisfied not to guard the perimeter. If that wasn't bad enough, Memphis had trouble hanging onto the ball, committing nine turnovers leading to 15 first-half points for New York.Gasol scored inside early, but Robinson provided a spark for New York off the bench, hitting all five of his shots, including a trio of 3- pointers. That helped erase an early Memphis lead and build the Knicks' advantage to 14 in the second period.The Knicks were 14-of-21 from the field in the third period, taking a 95-77 advantage into the fourth.Memphis did not have a bad night shooting, connecting on 49 percent of its shots, but that was not enough to overcome the Knicks' sizzling performance. Memphis shot fewer 3-pointers (16) than the Knicks made, and Memphis' 17 turnovers led to 24 New York points.Still, the inability to stop the Knicks, particularly from long range, was tough to handle for Memphis. The Knicks shot better than 60 percent in three of the final four quarters."This game was a big disappointment," Grizzlies forward Hakim Warrick said. "It's a long season, and you're going to have games like this. Teams are going to have a hot shooting night. It kind of messed us up on the offensive end. We need to learn from it."Game notes
The Grizzlies have given up 100 points in last five games. ... Randolph has six straight games with double-doubles. ... Knicks rookie Danilo Gallinari, still bothered by a bad back, had an MRI on Tuesday and is scheduled to see specialists Thursday and next week. The Knicks won't have further information about his status until after those appointments. Coach Mike D'Antoni said before the game there doesn't seem to be any definite timetable for his return. "As soon as he gets well, he'll be back," D'Antoni said. "Where it leads, no one knows. ...I would think at age 20, he'll get over it, whatever it takes. At this point, I don't think anybody knows." ...The Knicks' previous record for 3-pointers was 17 against the Atlanta Hawks in 2005. ...The previous record for 3-pointers by a Grizzlies opponent was 18 twice, the last time coming Jan. 23 last season by Orlando. ...Crawford is averaging 27 points over the last four games. ...The Knicks are 5-0 this season when they score 100 points. ...The Knicks' 5-3 start is the best since the 2000-01 season.

Knicks vs Grizzlies Tonight

Thanks to Knicksblog.com for tonight lineups:

When: 8:00 P.M.

Where: FedEx Forum

Watch: MSG

Starting Lineups:

Grizzlies (3-5)

PG: Mike Conley (5.3 ppg, 32% FG, 82 % FT)

SG- O.J. Mayo (21.0, 45 %, 88 %)

SF- Rudy Gay (20.0, 40 %, 78 %)

PF- Darrell Arthur (7.5, 39 %, 67 %)

C- Marc Gasol (10.8, 54 %, 73 %)

Rest of rotation: Kyle Lowry, Darko Milicic, Quinton Ross, Hakim Warrick

Knicks (4-3)

PG: Chris Duhon (7.9 ppg, 36 % FG, 72 % FT)

SG: Jamal Crawford (20.4, 45 %, 75 %)

SF: Quentin Richardson (9.6, 44 %, 83 %)

PF: Wilson Chandler (12.1, 42 %, 73 %)

C: Zach Randolph (19.1, 43 %, 77 %)

Rest of Rotation: David Lee, Anthony Roberson, Nate Robinson, Malik Rose

Injuries:

Grizzlies: NONE

Knicks: OUT: Eddy Curry, Danilo Gallinari (back); Jared Jeffries (leg)

Tip off is at 8:10pm EST

In what may seem like an easy victory for the Knicks tonight, one may be deceived. The outh and athleticism of Memphis the Knicks may run into some match up problems. 6 foot 9 inch Rudy Gay will certainly be one of them. I'm looking for the Knicks to attack this weak defensive team and hopefully make more shots than they did the previous night, shooting at a 38% clip. More energy form Nate Robinson will be neccassary but I expect it becuase this is his type of game. It will be high scoring most likely with a lot of mistakes and turnovers.

Outclassed in 4th, Knicks' Streak Ends in San Antonio

BOXSCORE

It was an ugly game from the beginning and the Knicks were unable to gain control of the game at any point. When the going got tough and the Spurs turned up the pressure the Knicks folded. The 4th quarter was awful for the Knicks and it took them over 5 minutes, 8 possessions to score a single basket and at that point they were already down 12. Duncan was a huge problem for Randolph and the Knicks as he basically scored at will and changed several of the Knicks' shots.

The effort and hustle was there from the guys, it was just lack of experience and organization that led to their demise. Nate Robinson looked unusually slow and tired last night and he did not provide the usual spark off the bench that he has made himself known for. Duhon and Lee were very successful with the pick and roll all night but didn't really run the play as often as they should have.

It was a mixture of good defensive hustle plays, solid rebounding and lucky made shots that kept the Knicks in the game for three quarters. Once luck ran out, the Knicks' chance of winning ran right along side of it. Poor shooting from the entire team aside from Jamal Crawford (28 points) really hurt the chances. The Knicks shot 38% from the field and 64% from the free throw line, both well below standards.

The Spurs' starting five out rebounded that of the Knicks 36-21, the Spurs also collected 5 offensive rebounds off of missed free throws. The Knicks got virtually nothing from Quentin Richardson who might be the absolute worst player in the NBA when it comes to getting himself involved in a game. I have really never seen a player disappear into the 'Knick-Myst' more than Q. I'd really like Wilson Chandler to not be so in love with the jumper. At times he shoots fluidly and at other times he throws up bricks that look like ugly potatoes and sound like pots banging together. He needs to be more committed to getting to the free throw line more by taking it to the basket whenever he sees an opening.

Winning on the road is tough period and winning in San Antonio is harder on another level. Therefore, no need for the team nor the fans to panic, but it certainly puts the Knicks in their place.

"They're a tough team regardless, when they have Tim Duncan on the other side it's going to be tough, no matter who's out. He has a way of making everybody around him better." said Knicks guard Jamal Crawford

"They played hard, and they were desperate," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They're a good team and give them credit, but we didn't play well. We need to shoot the ball better, move the ball a little better against a team like that."

The Knicks are 0-3 when they score less than 100 points. ... New York was trying to win four straight for the first time since Jan. 8-13, 2006.

Knicks recap

Knicks Start Two Game Road Trip in San Antonio

It's on to the Lone star state tonight as the Knicks and Spurs go at it for the first of two meetings this season. Knicks have won three straight and look to make it four as they will face another tough opponent in San Antonio. San Antonio is inured but the Knicks shouldn't count on them abandoning their winning habits.

Here is more info on the game thanks to TheKnicksBlog.com

When: 8:30 P.M.

Where: AT&T Center

Watch: MSG

Starting Lineups:

Spurs (1-4)

PG: George Hill

SG- Roger Mason

SF- Bruce Bowen

PF- Tim Duncan

C- Kurt Thomas

Rest of rotation: Desmon Farmer, Michael Finley, Fabricio Oberto, Anthony Tolliver, Ime Udoka, Jacque Vaughn

Knicks (4-2)

Starting Lineups:

PG: Chris Duhon

SG: Jamal Crawford

SF: Quentin Richardson

PF: Wilson Chandler

C: Zach Randolph

Rest of Rotation: David Lee, Anthony Roberson, Nate Robinson, Malik Rose

Injuries:

Spurs: OUT: Manu Ginobili (ankle); Tony Parker (ankle)

Knicks: OUT: Eddy Curry, Danilo Gallinari (back); Jared Jefferies (leg)

Tip Off is at 8:40pm EST

David Lee Has Bone Spurs

Well that explains it...In some cases being an all out warrior of an athlete can be a lose lose situation. In this case, David Lee was the unfair victim. For a week or so I have been calling him out saying he appears to be undersized and stuck in the mud. The reality was revealed yesterday after practice when he admitted that he has a bone spur in his ankle.

Marc Berman had more details in the NY POST this morning:

David Lee did not practice yesterday and told The Post he has been suffering from a bone spur in his ankle for three weeks. Lee said he will play through the pain and the spur is too small to require surgery.

'Seven Seconds Or Less' Working in a New York Minute

Through the first 6 games, ESPN did a comparison to last years Phoenix Suns under D'Antoni and this years Knick team. He is a look at the tale of the tape:

Mike D'Antoni in 1st 6 Games,
Last 2 Seasons

	'07-'08 Suns	'08-'09 Knicks
W-L	4-2	4-2
PPG	104.0	102.5
3-Pt FG Pct.	36.1	37.4
APG	23.8	23.5
RPG	41.0	41.0

Crawford and Lee Have Seemingly Switched Lucky Paths

So, I guess Jamal Crawford was right. After a dismal preseason he said he'd be ready when the regular season came around and indeed through 6 games he has been. Crawford looked passive and at times lost in the new system during the exhibition games but has recently found his stroke. D'Antoni said that Crawford should be no less than a 20 point scorer and after six games he has fulfilled those demands. (19.2 ppg) With field goal percentages higher than usual for Jamal mixed in with the Knicks small recent taste of success, things are looking very encouraging. 45% from downtown and 44% from inside the arch are well above his usual season averages. Crawford currently has the longest active streak of players who have never played a single playoff game. With continued efforts like these, that could soon change.

Conversely, David Lee looked like an all star power forward during the preseason and now looks like an undersized college center trying to make it in the pros. Getting his shot blocked almost twice per game, Lee has looked a step or two slow for all 6 of the Knicks' games thus far. Through a stretch of 3 games, Lee grabbed a total of 7 rebounds after averaging 9 last year and over 10 the year before. Possibly a combination of Lee looking over his shoulder at Wilson Chandler or worries about playing for a contract have distracted Lee. Regardless this is not good for the Knicks. I suggested earlier last week that it may be time to unload Lee before his stock plummets. I can admit now that it may have been a tad bit premature but his struggled are obvious.

Getting both of these guys playing their best ball at the same time would be great for the Knicks. If Lee can flourish now that he is back to his reserve role then other teams would have a hard time keeping up with and matching up with the Knicks. It will be interesting tomorrow night in San Antonio how Coach D'Antoni will lineup with Tim Duncan. Will he still start Chandler at 6'8 or use David Lee along side Zach Randolph to match up with Duncan.

Knicks Hand Utah It's First Loss and Move to 4-2

BOXSCORE

Today the Knicks beat the Utah Jazz who came into New York with an unbeaten record with timely shooting and their best defensive effort of the year. Once again, led by PG Chris Duhon with 9 assists, the Knicks had every answer for the Jazz and pulled out a 107-99 victory.

"We play with energy, we can compete with a lot of teams. That's what we've been working on and every game continue to build on that,'' Duhon said. "It's early, but it's good to feel good about yourself and now we continue to build onto that."

While Duhon was the cerebral leading today, Jamal Crawford was the star of substance. With 32 points and 4 assists Crawford made 5 three pointers and made big shots down the stretch. Once AGAIN....Zach Randolph had ANOTHER double double (25 and 14).

"Defense is a lot of heart,'' D'Antoni said.

"We can put quickness on the floor, it's just a matter of just pushing through certain things and I thought we did a good job defensively.''

Wilson Chandler made his 2nd start of the season and struggled a bit offensively but his activeness kept him effective throughout the game. He shot only 3-12 and scored 8 points but also grabbed 6 rebounds. Slowly David Lee seems to be breaking out of his funk as he finally was noticed on the backboards tonight with 8 rebounds. At times the Knicks were sloppy and very careless with the ball committing 18 turnovers and once again they showed inexperience down the stretch attempting to close out the game with the lead. When they stop attacking, they struggle but slowly it seems they are learning how to win.

Carlos Boozer pounded the Knicks inside and on the glass but was limited due to foul trouble. Boozer had to sit for most of the third quarter after he picked up his 4th foul and that's when the Knicks went on their run and never looked back. Boozer finished with 19 points and 17 rebounds.

"We didn't do a good job of taking care of the ball,'' Boozer said. "It's our first loss and hopefully we can learn from this and move forward.''

The Knicks only shot 41% from the field but dominated the offensive glass which really hurt the Jazz. 7 of Randolph's 14 rebounds were on the offensive end which is very impressive. As the Knicks move to 4-2; their best start in years, they look ahead to yet another and perhaps tougher test in San Antonio. Tuesday night in Texas will certainly be the hardest game of the young season. The Knicks should continue to build on their recent victories and continue to build upon their new identity.

Knicks C Eddy Curry had a cortisone shot Friday to ease the pain in his sore right knee. He already had the knee drained to reduce the swelling after banging it twice in the preseason. Curry said tests revealed no structural damage, only a bone bruise, and doesn't know when he can return. "It's on the bone, so I guess it's going to take some time for it to heal,'' he said. "But it's not a knee thing, so I'm not really worried about it. I don't know much about bones and knees and all that anyway, but it's relieving to me to know that it's just on the bone.''

NBA.COM

Duhon Leads Knicks to First Road Win

BOXSCORE

I was very happy with tonight's win, end to end. The ball moved crisply around the perimeter and for the first time in a long time, the Knicks looked focused on a game plan for the entire 48 minutes. As a team the Knicks dished out 36 assists which led to 46 made field goals.

“I just thought the ball is moving better now,” Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We have guys with individual talents, which we have a lot -- Jamal, Zach, Nate and Wilson -- and their talents come out.”

Tonight marked the first start of the season for the up and coming forward Wilson Chandler, he debuted with 17 points and 4 rebounds.

“We passed up good shots for great shots,” Crawford said.

Tonight, Chris Duhon ran the team the way Mike D'Antoni wants him to. He pushed the ball on every possession and found his teammates in spots they like to operate in. He was the facilitator that D'Antoni's offense requires. Duhon had 12 assists and zero turnovers along with 7 boards. His 7 rebounds were especially important because when a guard crashed the boards it allows the ball to be pushed up the court much quicker. This was what made Jason Kidd so prolific in his prime. Jamal Crawford took some curious shots tonight but he led all scorers with 23. I thought he was more aggressive tonight then he had been in recent games. David Lee still looks a step slower than the competition but he scored 13 points and sadly had 1 rebound. Zach Randolph was extremely efficient and powerful on the glass. He had yet another 22 and 13 double double. As a team the Knicks were awful from the free throw line and that kept the Wizards in the game longer. They shot 47% (9-19) from the line and against better team, that will not get the job done. Other than that tonight was very positive. When the Knicks briefly lost the lead and went down by 1, Chris Duhon made a huge three to put the Knicks back up by 2, after this they never looked back. Nate Robinson was the usual spark plug of the bench, as he scored 17 and dished out 6 assists. The Knicks ball control tonight was their best of the season only turning it over 10 times while forcing the Wizards into 12.

“We knew they were going to come out and play a good game because they were desperate for a win tonight,” David Lee said. “We knew this was going to be a tough one from the start and we were able to go out and get a victory tonight and that’s important."

Caron Bulter was a problem tonight for the Knicks, he dropped 30. The Knicks move to 3-2 and will practice tomorrow and gear up for the Utah Jazz, Sunday afternoon at the Garden. The Knicks announced Friday that Allan Houston has been named Assistant to the President for Basketball Operations. … Lee scored 13 off the bench. He was replaced by Chandler in the starting lineup for defensive purposes, but D’Antoni said Lee will likely start against Utah’s front line of Boozer and Okur on Sunday.
Knicks recap

Knicks @ Wizards Preview

Tonight's Mission: get the first road victory of the season out of the way early. By no means do I think the Knicks will be able to consistently win on the road this year, but tonight's game in Washington has it's own importance. Getting off to a better start than they have in the last 3 games will be very important. the Wizards are beat up; they are missing Gilbert Arenas aka the 'Hibachi grill' and 7 footer Brendan Haywood who, in recent years has had good games vs New York due to the incompetence of our centers. Currently the Wizards are winless at 0-3. Nate Robinson Will look to continue his hot play as of late, coming out that 24 point 2nd quarter outburst. Like Crawford, David Lee will have to snap out of his current funk and be the energy spark plug that he was been in recent years. Continued struggles from these two could mean trouble for the Knicks as well as trade bait for Lee and Crawford.

"When Nate gets going like that," says Crawford, "he can lift the entire building with his energy."

I'd really like to see Jamal get going because his offense is crucial to a good start. Both teams struggle on defense so this should be a high scoring affair.

New York's defense, which ranked second to last in points allowed through the first three games, looked solid, as the Knicks recorded a season-high four blocks and 10 steals. The Knicks now have 39 steals in four games this season, after only recording 26 through the first four last year.


Starting Lineups:

Where: Verizon Center

Watch: MSG

Starting Lineups:

Wizards (0-3)

PG: Antonio Daniels

SG- DeShawn Stevenson

SF- Caron Butler

PF- Antawn Jamison

C- Etan Thomas

Rest of rotation: Andray Blatche, Juan Dixon, Javale McGee, Dominic McGuire, Darius Songaila, Nick Young

Knicks (2-2)

PG: Chris Duhon

SG: Jamal Crawford

SF: Quentin Richardson

PF: Wilson Chandler

C: Zach Randolph

Rest of Rotation: David Lee, Nate Robinson, Malik Rose

Injuries:

Wizards: OUT: Gilbert Arenas (knee); Brendan Haywood (wrist)
Knicks: OUT: Eddy Curry, Jared Jefferies (leg)

Game Time- 7:10pm EST

Nate and Z-Bo Lead Knicks in Victory Against Brown's new Squad

MJ was in the building and so were the boo-birds. Larry Brown received a nasty reception when his name was announced as the head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats. Brown and his arrogance was quickly forgotten when Nate Robinson proceeded to light up the building scoring 24 points in 10 minutes of the 2nd quarter, including 5-5 from downtown. Wilson Chandler was aggressive and impressive as he dropped 18 points and grabbed 7 boards. He also blocked 3 shots.

The Knicks started off slow again but were able to get back in the game and take a 14 point lead on the strength Nate Robinson's scoring outburst. Zach Randolph continued to carry my fantasy team and had another 25 and 13 double double night. David Lee seems as if a Space Jam character has stolen away his talent and given it to the Monstars. He has looked absolutely horrible in a discouraging way the last two games. Silly turnovers, missed layups, and light rebounding numbers have all plagued him into a slump. Hopefully as a hustle player he can bounce back quickly.

DJ Augustin looked pretty good on offense, slicing through the Knicks defense and hitting a couple open 3's, he scored 14. I don't know what's with Adam Morrison and where he fits in the rotation, look for him to be moved soon.

Overall I'm glad the main goal was accomplished, they got a win. Specifically speaking, it could have been prettier. 21 turnovers and another slow start to a game they should win by at least 10 frustrates me. Clearly guys who are not used to handling the ball as much are the ones committing the turnovers as Richardson committed 6, Randolph 3 and Lee 2. No winning front line commits 11 turnovers in a ball game. Knicks will need to clean it up against the Wizards on friday, it's a road game against a playoff team, so it will be a true test for the Knicks coming off a win.

Larry Brown Returns to the Garden as Coach of the Charlotte Bobcats

After a 23 win season in New York Larry Brown was fired ending a short-lived 'dream job'. Both the Knicks' front office and Brown were heavily criticized for what took place and how it ended and brown would like nothing more than to put the situation to bed. He should certainly expect loud boos tonight when he is introduced, but at the same time, Brown didn't duck reality. He declined to do an interview prior to the New York trip, but he did admit that he did a 'bad job' in his one year here.

Brown's inability to motivate and reward the young players on a team that was clearly headed toward rebuilding is what hurt him the most. His frequent decision to use veterans such as Maurice Taylor, Jerome James, and Jalen rose over the likes of Nate Robinson and David Lee were mindless moves that only setback the two young players forcing them to go through what essentially was a second rookie season when they finally played substantial minutes.

Coming into tonight, both teams hold a 1-2 record. The Knicks will look to bounce back from the dead as they have looked completely flat the last two games; both were losing efforts. Not since opening night have the Knicks played with any passion whatsoever. The Bobcats are young and very athletic, but should not be able to come to New York and pick up an easy road win. I said the same for Milwaukee the other night and they won, but that is beside the point.

A couple of players to watch would be Gerald Wallace and Emeka Okafor. Wallace always plays his best offense against New York and look for Okafur to dominate New York's weak middle. Okafur is currently averaging 12 and 10 while Wallace is the teams leading scorer at 20 per contest.

Mike D'Antoni wants the team to come out attacking from the beginning as opposed to waiting for the late minutes of the game.

“We never attack until we get in a desperate situation, both offensively and defensively,” D’Antoni said. “It’s like we’re on our heels the whole game and we’re kind of waiting for something bad to happen to us. We’re going to have to get over that and we’ll get over that with just the group and the spirit and how we approach the game.”

D'Antoni has never lost to the Bobcats in his NBA coaching career (8-0) and the Knicks won the season series last year, 2-1. New York is 5-2 all time against the Bobcats at Madison Square Garden.

Barack Obama is the 44th President of The United States!!

Congratulations to Barack Obama, the first African American President in the history of this country. We should all be proud that we are seeing this day in history.

The New GO NY GO Song by Q-Tip

Chauncy Billups is Headed Back to Denver in Exchange for Allen Iverson

In some non-Knick news:

The Boston Globe has reported that the Denver Nuggets will send Allen Iverson to Detroit for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess.

A source close to Nuggets guard Allen Iverson is telling people in Denver that he expects to be traded to the Detroit Pistons for Chauncey Billups.

Iverson makes $20 million this year. Billups makes half of that. The deal can not be executed unless the Pistons involve more players to match Iverson's cap figure.

Billups, a Denver native, has seemed open-minded to finishing his career back home. He has played for the Nuggets previously, appearing in 45 games in 1998-99 and 13 games in 1999-00.

Boston Globe

Lee and Crawford are No-Shows as Knicks Lose at Home

BOXSCORE

Quentin Richardson came to play tonight but his 28 point effort was wasted. Q hit 5 three pointers tonight, but the rest of the team couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. The Knicks came out slow and didn't seem able to execute D'Antoni's game plan and it starts with Duhon. Several possessions in a row Duhon would walk the ball up the court and that was crippling the Knicks. Half court offense is the teams weakest aspect aside from there defensive deficiencies due to the lack of a shot blocker. David Lee was awful, possibly his his performance as a Knick. Bogut was giving him the business on the low block and he made silly passes and was lost on offense. The Knicks will not win if David Lee grabs 2 rebounds in a game. Wilson Chandler was building apartment complexes with all the bricks he was throwing up tonight, he was 0-4 from downtown. The absolute goat of the game was Jamal Crawford. ONE POINT!! Crawford did not make a shot tonight and was 0-6 from the field. The Knicks, Crawford especially seem very hit or miss at this point with the new system and without any consistent shooters that could mean trouble. Randolph once again had a misleading stat sheet which would confuse the average fan into thinking he actually had a good game. Poor shot selection and horrible defense by him contributed to the loss tonight. Milwaukee is not a good team by any means and they should not have come in here and gotten a win. Clearly the team that beat Miami this past Wednesday night and scored 120 points did not show up. I expected more after the drubbing in Philadelphia on Friday. The Marbury nonsense continued as once again he was inactive, but at least he looked fresh as you can see in the pic I chose for this post.

For the Bucks, RJ was steady (I loathe him for personal reasons) and 22 year old point guard Ramon Sessions was impressive tonight. The second year guard attacked the rim and set up his teammates all night like and had 18 point 8 assists and 3 steals. (fantasy pick up?) It was good to see one of Queen's finest, Charlie Villanueva, who dropped 16 and grabbed 8 boards. Michael Redd injured his leg in the third quarter and did not return. After tonight's win, the Bucks are 2-2.

"We missed a lot of chippies, we missed a whole lot of chippies. Close shots, close to the basket shots. In this offense, that's just the way it works," Richardson said. "You get a lot of open shots. We move the ball, you get a lot of open jump shots. We just have to knock them down. These last couple of games we haven't, but I think it would be a complete different story if we do."

"We never attack almost until we get in desperate situations, and that's offensively and defensively," D'Antoni said. "It's like we're on our heels the whole game and we're kind of waiting for something bad to happen to us. And we're going to have to get over that."

Knicks Recap

Knicks vs Bucks *Live Updates*

6:34pm Due to the fact that the Giant game is on and the Bucks being incredibly boring I'd say there is about 15,000 fans here tonight....


6:50pm I don't think Michael Rappaport appreciated the brief introduction he got, he was on the jumbotron for about five seconds, got no reaction from the crowd and then was quickly taken off. This goes without saying that he is one of my favorite actors.

7:18pm apparently they have already made Lebron James Knicks jerseys in t-shirt form, looks pretty good, I wonder where I can get one. Just watched the Giants close out a 35-14 victory over the Cowboys with a bunch of fans who aren't sure why they didn't stay home and watch it, but oh well......it's halftime, were down 4 and it's been more than ugly, not much energy to be found on the court or in the stands, typical Sunday night in november for basketball I guess

live updates from the Knick game tonight

Tonight will be my first attempt at live updates from the Knick game at Madison Square Garden.

Let me know if you like it and I will continue to provide updates.

Knicks vs Bucks Preview

Friday night the Knicks were beaten like a red-headed step child in Philly by 29 points, with World Series Champion Jimmy Rollins on hands. Tonight they return to the Garden to take on the Bucks (1-2). Look for the Knicks to build on what they started on Wednesday night vs Miami. Something tells me this team will be a much better team at home as opposed to on the road.

“I’ve been in basketball long enough where you don’t win all the time,” said new Head Coach Mike D’Antoni, whose Knicks dropped to 1-1 following Friday’s loss. “As long as these guys are sticking together, which they are, and as long as they give me 100 percent, which they do, and care about winning and losing, that’s all a coach can ask for.”

The Knicks showed signs of the fast-paced offense that helped put 120 points on the board in Wednesday’s home win over the Heat, but they struggled from the perimeter and gave up easy baskets to the Sixers on Halloween night.

“We shot 32 percent, so if you’re going to try to win and shoot 32 percent, it’s going to be tough.” D’Antoni said. “But obviously they shot the ball too well and our defense has to get better. There are a lot of areas we need to improve on and we’ll definitely go to work and try to do that.”

Similar to the Knicks, the Bucks made changes in their front office and brought in a new head coach following a disappointing season where they finished with a 26-56 record, the third-worst in franchise history.

However, while New York decided to go with an offensive-minded leader, Milwaukee took a defensive approach with veteran coach Scott Skiles.

Skiles is expected to bring a toughness to the Bucks, who have struggled on defense over the past few seasons and relied mostly on the offense of sharp-shooting guard Michael Redd.

After helping the U.S. team win a gold at the Beijing Olympics, Redd is off to another strong start alongside forward Richard Jefferson, one of seven new players on the Bucks this season.

The duo scored 20 points apiece in a 98-87 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday to help Skiles notch his first victory as the Bucks’ head coach.

The two teams will meet again in Milwaukee on Nov. 21 before the four-game season series shifts back to The Garden on Dec. 19.

NYKnicks.com