The Knicks Fix

Isiah Thomas coached that game in Dallas like he wanted it bad. I've never seen him so intense, riding the players and working the officials. No one more than Nate Robinson felt Thomas' wrath throughout the game. Beforehand, it seemed that rookie Mardy Collins might get the start to replace injured Steve Francis. But Isiah decided to go with Nate Robinson, the second-year player.

But Nate was on a very short leash. And Isiah held a rolled up newspaper.

Several times in the first half Thomas was visibly angry with Robinson’s inability to go hard through screens. On one occasion, Thomas called a 20 second timeout just to rip into Robinson for not getting through a screen that allowed Josh Howard to hit consecutive threes. On another, Robinson had just checked into the game and fouled Devin Harris, who scored off a curl. Thomas immediately yanked Robinson.

He continually was in Robinson’s ear, but by the second half the tone turned from punishment to encouragement. Thomas kept slapping Robinson on the backside as he barked at him. Bottom line, Isiah knows with all of the injuries, he needs Nate right now. So no more kid gloves treatment. No more looking away during his antics.

Before the game, Thomas said he believed Robinson had started to understand how he wants the second-year guard to play. “I think he gets it now,” Thomas said.

He had better, because the Knicks are going to rely a lot on him and Collins for backcourt minutes without Francis and Quentin Richardson, who underwent season-ending back surgery on Thursday. The Knicks already have been without Jamal Crawford (fractured ankle) since the end of February.

The Knick youth – Robinson, Frye, Collins and Balkman – are going to play major roles as the Knicks desperately hang on to fading playoff hopes. If anything, it’s invaluable experience. And maybe, with Thomas focusing his attention on Robinson, N8 the Gr8 might actually start to develop.

* * *

*- In the same arena in Dallas was the potential for an ultimate tongue-twisting introduction: Knicks rookie Renaldo Balkman and Mavericks executive (and former Knick) Rolando Blackman.

Rolando, Renaldo. Blackman, Balkman. We have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor? Tower Radio clearance, over. That's Clarence Oveur. Roger.

* - No complaints about travel today. Instead, an appreciation. Because it is the travel part of this career that allows me to visit and experiences places such as the Capitol Mall in D.C. or Quincy Market in Boston. Or the Grassy Knoll in Dallas. Or today, when I spent some time at the Oklahoma City Memorial. I was not at all prepared to be so emotionally moved as I was while walking through the area where the Murrah Building once stood. It is so quiet and solemn.

The statue of the weeping Jesus outside of what was the front entrance, or the time walls separated by a reflection pool or the messages and memorials to those who died, the children . . . it made an impact on me in a way I never expected. I had the opportunity to visit Ground Zero with the Islanders a little over a month after 9-11and I remember how I felt that day. I felt a similar helplessness and conflict and sobriety today walking through the OKC Memorial. There's definitely a desperate spirit there among the empty chairs and big blue sky.

I'm not much for sanctimonious lectures or political soap-boxing, but I will say there are times when you travel this country, you get to see how far we've come as a nation. And then there are times you see how much further we still need to go as a society.

It's official, Quentin Richardson is done for the season, as we and a few other papers (the Daily News and the Newark Star-Ledger) reported on Thursday -- despite Isiah Thomas's claim that on Wednesday the team did not know any of this.

Actually, Isiah this morning said the Knicks only found out yesterday that Richardson was to undergo season-ending back surgery last night. Somehow Richardson went from sitting on the Knicks bench for Wednesday's game against Cleveland to taking a flight to Miami the next day and undergoing a spinal microdiskectomy -- not exactly your run-of-the-mill arthroscopic procedure -- that night.

For the facts on microdiskectomy, click here: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007250.htm

It's not quite career-threatening, but you have to believe any surgical procedure done on the spine involves some risk if not some concern.

I hope Q knew not to eat or drink after midnight on Wednesday. Oh wait, he didn't know he was going to have the surgery, according to the Knicks. Not until after an MRI and CAT scan were done Thursday morning and the renown neurological surgeon, Dr. Barth A. Green, said Q had better get to Miami quick.

Q's back must have been far more troubled than anyone in the Knicks medical staff knew. Otherwise, he should have been down to see Doc Green much sooner, no? Or do they just invest millions in players and then hope conservative methods will heal serious and chronic problems such as Q's back trouble?

Second opinions are as common at the Garden as overcooked chicken fingers.

But what's also an interesting revelation in all of this was Isiah this morning saying he knew all along that Richardson would one day require this procedure. But he went through with the draft day trade of Kurt Thomas to Phoenix for Q-Rich and the draft rights to Nate Robinson.

“We weighed all our options and we were willing to take the risk. We knew at some point in time this would occur, when there would be a surgery," Thomas said. "The chances of him coming back from a surgery we thought would be performed would be good. I thought it was best at that time to have two players and maybe one day deal with the surgery and move forward from it.”

Tough time to have to deal with the surgery.

* * *

Quick update on the Dallas Mavericks' injuries: Avery Johnson said Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard are game-time decisions, but he certainly didn't give any reason to believe either will play tonight against the Knicks.

"I like to err on the side of caution," Johnson said after the Mavs shoot-around. "If I see any type of danger, the guy's not going to play."

Would be a huge break for the Knicks, who need all they can get right now.

Please don't take a turn to negative town. - Vince Vaughn, in Wedding Crashers.

Oh but it's just too easy...

Steve Francis wasn't on the team charter from New York to Dallas this afternoon. I was told by someone close to Francis that he suffered a high ankle sprain in his right leg when he went down in the first quarter Wednesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks said X-rays taken during the game were negative for any serious damage. After today's practice, the Knicks weren't saying anything more than what they said last night, which was that he has an ankle sprain. They are not giving a timeframe.

But considering its the same leg that has had the tendinitis in his knee -- and not to mention Isiah Thomas' loss of patience for the dribble-happy veteran who has publicly complained about his playing time -- it's hard to imagine we'll see Francis in a Knicks uniform again.

Of course we thought this in January, when he left for a six week hiatus in Houston to rehab his knee. Then again, a few weeks ago, when on Feb. 26 he announced that his knee hurt too much to play. Five days later, after Jamal Crawford was lost for the season, Francis came back and dropped 26 on Atlanta. He also nailed that game-winning three against Washington that might prove to have changed the course of the Knicks future. James Dolan handed Thomas the contract extension off that win.

So, what we really should say here is either Francis is done for sure and headed for an off-season buyout that both sides will welcome, or he'll go for 30 points next Monday against Detroit and lead the Knicks to a playoff berth, thus earning Thomas perhaps another extension on top of the aforementioned extension.

I give up.

* * *

By the way, you know how I'm always going on about the doom-and-gloom weather we seem to bring with us to any warm-weather city? Well, here in Dallas? Severe thunderstorms. Possible hail, which leads to you know what.

Any day now the locusts will be coming.

Locusts, I tell ya!

* * *

Heads up, Francis wasn't the only player to hurt his ankle last night. Dirk Nowitzki didn't play in the second half against Milwaukee because he twisted his ankle. He didn't practice today and right now the Dallas Mavericks are saying he will be re-evaluated tomorrow before the game against the Knicks. If he doesn't play, that would be a huge break for the Knicks.

I don't think there's confusion. It's pretty simple. You play well, you stay out on the floor longer. If you don't play well, then somebody else gets in . . . When he's played well, he's played a lot of minutes." - Isiah Thomas

It's a battle of wills and Isiah will prove to Steve Francis, as he did to Stephon Marbury early in the season, that he'll win the battle every time. Especially with a contract extension in his pocket.

“I haven’t done anything to Francis what I haven’t done to Marbury," Thomas said after this morning's shoot-around. "Marbury had the same complaints and issues earlier in the season. The hardest player I’ve been on this season is Marbury. He didn’t have a bad week, he had a bad month, for me. He had a bad month-and-a-half. But I thought it was the right thing to do and I thought it was worth it. I think it helped him. Nobody’s had it tougher than him.”

Say what you want about Francis being made out to be the easy scapegoat headed for a buyout and being the outsider who never wanted to be here and never has been able to find a niche with Marbury in the backcourt. Conjure up as many theories and conspiracies you can. I've done it all season. But this is one situation where there's no issue here, no conflict, no controversy. No favoritism. No ulterior motive.

In fact, it's as simple as this: Isiah is not going down with Steve Francis dribbling the ball into a crowd of defenders or playing matador defense or clowning around (mistakenly identified at this time of the season as "keeping the team loose") or lounging on the floor at the end of the bench. (I know what you're thinking, then what's his excuse for playing Nate Robinson?)

"Hey, I just want to win," Thomas said. "Whoever can help me win the game on that night, on that particular night, that’s who I play.”

* * *

* Allan Houston was a surprise guest at the shoot-around this morning. "That's our new free throw shooting coach," Thomas said, probably half-joking.

* First impressions of rookie Randolph Morris after watching him in a few post-up drills with post-up guru Mark Aguirre: nice soft shooting touch. He was dropping shot-after-shot off the glass on some very smooth inside-pivot (i.e.: Jack Sikma) moves.

* David Lee was at the shoot-around. Quentin Richardson was not, but has, Thomas said, done some shooting "on the side." No word on either for tonight.

This ad was banned in China because it insulted national dignity.

Ralph Nader has tried once again to get LeBron James to try to have a conscience about his riches in a letter sent to the Cavaliers all-star that you can read by clicking here . Nader has reached out to LeBron a few other times -- April 2005 and Dec. 2003 -- about the integrity of his endorsements, whether it was Asian sweatshops that hire children to make his shoes or the obesity problem with children in the U.S. as it is associated with fast food and mainly McDonalds.

LeBron, as usual, did not comment after this morning's shoot-around. He might be available at 5:30 p.m. tonight before the game.

Interestingly, Nader also names Stephon Marbury in the letter. While he credits Marbury's conscientious effort to promote NBA-quality sneakers at an affordable price, Nader questions whether Steve & Barry's also uses sweatshops to make the shoes.

When the Starbury One sneaker line was introduced, Steve & Barry's said they did not use sweatshops.

The Knicks, as usual in back-to-backs, didn't have a shoot-around this morning, so Marbury wasn't available to comment.

We'll celebrate the 100th entry of the Knicks Blog with this encouraging piece of evidence that Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries are NOT the worst free throw shooters you've ever seen.

Note -- Stop it after his second attempt. The rest is just B-roll.

OK, I couldn't go out with a blog like that previous one. The boys in the dot-com department would be killing me.

So here goes...The Knicks have 16 games left. They have 30 wins. You think they really get in the playoffs if they just play .500 basketball the rest of the way?

Let's do it Mike & the Mad Dog style. . .

Dog: Tues-dee against the Dallas Mavericks
Mike: Gonna reach here, but I'm gonna say a win (1-0)

Dog: Wow, OK, starting off strong. Now, Thurs-dee against Portland at MSG
Mike: That's . . . a win (2-0)

Dog: Two-and-oh! AT Cleveland
Mike: That's . . . a loss (2-1)

Dog: Back down to earth. Next is home against the Magic.
Mike (mumbling): Give em a win (3-1)

Dog (noting how many games are left): Home against Cleveland
Mike (again, mumbling): Give em a win (4-1)

Dog: OK, AT Dallas
Mike (dismissive): Loss (4-2)

Dog (getting antsy): AT the Hornets, in a back-to-back -
Mike: Where's the game?
Dog: Oklahoma City, Mikey.
Mike: Call it a loss. (4-3)

Dog: Open the final month against the Sixers at home
Mike: Give em a win (5-3)

Dog: At the Garden against Minnesota . . .
Mike: ehhh, give 'em a win (6-3)

Dog: Milwaukee on da road?
Mike (somewhat surprised by the record so far): Gotta say win (7-3)

Dog: Wow, that's three straight. Most all year. Now, against the Pistons at the Garden, possible first-round matchup
Mike: That's a loss (7-4), Pistons are playin' for a home seed throughout

Dog: Fair point, Mikey. OK, AT Chicago, back-to-back off the Pistons game
Mike (feeling better about things): Give 'em a loss (7-5)

Dog: AT New Jersey, battlin' for that spot
Mike: I'll say a loss (7-6)

Dog: AT Toronto, maybe Atlantic Division implications?
Mike: Give 'em a loss (7-7)

Dog: That's three in a row aftah winnin' three. Moving on, against the Nets at the Garden, home finale and awl dat
Mike (realizing this is taking too long): Win (8-7)

Dog: Close it out in Charlotte, who is going nowhere. It'll mean more for da Knicks
Mike: Yeah, so give em a win (9-7).

Is 39-43 enough to make the playoffs? Let's go to the phones . . .

Will the Knicks make the playoffs? VOTE HERE

I had to do this and I won't take credit for it. But it's funny.

Another writer and I were looking at the Toronto Raptors bench on Sunday and took notice of Jorge Garbajosa. After a quick Google, we came up with a classic Separated-at-Birth.
Here's Garbo..........and here's Kevin Rowland of Dexy's Midnight Runners.

Too much to digest right now. My man Balk Man. There are enough archived blogs here to prove my appreciation for this guy's hustle and personality. But to suggest that he might be the answer to David Lee's absence? That the Knicks proved they could play a fast-break style without Eddy Curry?

What? Aw man, crazy. Let's not totally ignore the fact that Toronto shot 2 of 21 from three-point range.

TWO.

Of TWENTY ONE!

Can we let a guy put together more than one solid game before we start anointing? It's like the Dynamic Duo. How'd that go? Then we were handing Jared Jeffries the Defensive POY after one game back from his injury.

Then there's that Q and A with James Dolan that ran on Sunday. I learned nothing from it other than the fact that he went to SUNY-New Paltz.

But I ain't bitter. I just need some time to filter all of this. Too many one-liners are coming at me at one time. I'm in wise-crack overload.

I'll hit you all back after practice today when my head is together.

“When I see or think green, I just see the Celtics," Isiah Thomas said. "But we’ll honor the green for one day but we’ll do it in honor of St. Patrick and not the Celtics.”

Green and Orange. The official colors of ... yuck.