Picked a fine time to get sick.
After filing this I am climbing back into my hotel bed and not waking up until gametime.
Here's the rundown, Fixers, for this extremely critical game tonight against the Kings here in Sacra-tomato. At 0-2 already on this trip, the Knicks need to salvage these last two games, which are back to back. After tonight, it's in Denver against the Nuggs in the Mile High. Splendid.
* - Mardy Collins will start at the point. Stephon Marbury says he is now OK with his new role coming off the bench. He even made a joking reference to competing with Jason Terry for Sixth Man of the Year.
* - No one would talk about the issues at hand, including the apparent vote by the players that was ignored by Isiah Thomas. You can be sure that it did take place, but no one is talking about it. Thomas used the "in-house matter" phrase when asked about it. We're being told to believe them when they say everything's cool within the team. No problems, no issues.
S'all good.
* - Renaldo Balkman is questionable for the game. He had an MRI taken last night of his right ankle. MRI revealed a bone bruise and a sprained right ankle.
Sledgehammer, meet head. I need some asprin and a pillow, stat.
Check here late tonight (or early tomorrow morning for all you back East) for a full game story with quotes after the game.
Comments (30)
Does this mean no playing time for my favorite player Nate Robinson?
Sac needs a guard so lets show of Marty. Maybe we can package him for Artest.
Thanks Alan, you are the hardest working guy in blogdome.
Hope you feel better . . .and I also hope that by the time you return to NYC, Isiah is fired and Marbury is gone.
Let's all sign this petition and clean up the Garden.
http://www.petitiononline.com/isiah/petition.html
I've said and posted many times from day 1, Team Isiah is bad news.
I hope that he proves me wrong and is able to deliver and salvage the season.
Just for laughs, I'm posting Perter Vecsy's top 10 ways Isiah can get himself fired (he believes that is Isiah's goal). Letterman he is not, but I am going to give him the Letterman treatment:
10. Testify alongside Marbury for Anucha at the appeal.
9. Use company letterhead to write Next Town Brown a letter of reference;
8. Become a pitchman for DirecTV;
7. Run any future lineup changes through Tim Donaghy first;
6. Take in Osama bin Laden as a border;
5. Add OJ Simpson, gun drawn, as an assistant coach;
4. Retire Latrell Sprewell’s number;
3. Refinance the Garden with an adjustable rate mortgage;
2. Grope any number of Rockettes … twice;
Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd (drumroll please)
1. Refer to Mrs. Dolan as a “nappy-headed ho.”;
I've seen conflicting reports about if Zach will play tonight. Some have said he is going to try to make it. Others said he is a definite no.
Anybody know the real deal?
Alan – any rumors of possible trades? You’re in the right city, after all. Do you think Isiah might decide not to make a deal out of defiance? To prove he doesn’t need to? Or do you believe he’s genuinely desperate? Any way of knowing whether he thinks a trade could up-grade the team? Do you think ego could have anything to do with his Nichols decision? Was Nichols cut ultimately because he defied Isiah? I still don’t understand why you cut a promising young player to keep an injured old player who is already out for the season. Except if it’s a financial decision. And that’s certainly never been part of the equation before.
Are we all just blowing smoke about possible deals? In your view?
Hope you feel better . . .
Alan – any rumors of possible trades? You’re in the right city, after all? Do you think Isiah might decide not to make a deal out of defiance? To prove he doesn’t need to? Or do you believe he’s genuinely desperate? Any way of knowing whether he thinks a trade could up-grade the team? Do you think ego had anything to do with his Nichols decision? Was Nichols cut ultimately because he defied Isiah? I still don’t understand why you cut a promising young player to keep an injured old player who is already out for the season. Except if it’s a financial decision. And that’s certainly never been part of the equation before.
Do you think he could pull off a trade that’s a complete surprise?
Hope you feel better . . .
Alan – can you post the guidelines that are being used to block some posts? I’ve had two blogs blocked today (while others have gone through) that didn’t contain any kind of bad language or inappropriate/racial/hateful slurs of any kind. And one thing’s for sure: Once you get the message that a post is being “reviewed,” you know it’s entered a black hole, never to see the light of day again. So it would be helpful to know what the red flags are. I’ve read mine over a few times, and there’s nothing obvious as far as language is concerned.
Any suggestions for what I could be missing? Thanks. Is this happening to anybody else?
Hope you feel better . . .
This is a test, because I’ve had 3 blogs blocked in the last hour. Is anybody else having this problem? You're told it's being "reviewed."
Alan, can you post the guidelines, so we can see if there’s something obvious we’re missing. There wasn’t any obvious use of bad language in mine that could have been a red flag. Thanks . .
Sorry, guys, this is a test.
I’ve had a few posts “reviewed” today and I’m trying to figure out what the red flags are. Feel free to IGNORE this post.
Is anybody else having trouble with their posts? For the last hour or so, mine have all been "reviewed" -- which is a euphemism for being killed.
THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE "REVIEW" PROCESS.
EVERYTHING IS BEING FLAGGED FOR REVIEW . . . THEN KILLED.
COULD SOMEONE PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS?
THANK YOU . . .
Like I've said and posted many times since Day 1, hiring Isiah Lord Thomas was a bad move. The man is pure poison and evil.
However, let me say that I hope my "idol" can still salvage the season for the fan's sake. Lest not forget that there are still more than 70 games to go. Anything can happen in a long season. New York fans have sufferred long enough.
Right this titanic ship now!!!
o and we are supposed to be happy that marbury is ok with not starting maybe he shouldnt be playing? zeke has no respect for the rest of the team
fixers check it www.ilike.com/artist/nyknicks33
You can say what you want about the Knicks but at least they are interesting.
I couldnt imagine Don Chaeney and Howard Eisley haveing any noteworthy clashes.
I really want to see how the next few weeks unfold because I have no idea how it will.
The Knicks can easily unravel right now with so much pressure to win and the polarized locker room.
But we all know they have the talent.Thats why we are so dissapointed with the start. We know they have an oppertunity to pull it together and shut some people up. Its crunch time in November and December. Dare I say........Must Win Game?
100% yes
This is a test. Is anybody else able to post?
Feel better dude....I still think Marbury is a cancer in every team he has played in
Curry is 4-4 from the line in the early going vs. Sacramento. It looks like he's changed his form - he's using a more fluid motion on the shot. Is he beginning to turn a corner?
I apologize for all the repetition above, guys. I don't know if you also ran into trouble trying to post earlier. But I never figured they'd all be used. My bad . . .
I never want to see the Knicks use another 3-guard set-up.
As usual, the Knicks are not playing defense. And, their passing is poor. Watch how Sacremento moves the ball until they find the open man. The Knicks just don't know how to do that.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, GET CHANDLER IN THE STARTING LINE UP ASAP
OPEN THE HOME STAND WITH
ZACH
CURRY
CHANDLER
Q-RICH
NATE
I dont care if he's a rookie and needs to 'earn' his spot---frankly the knicks need a damn spark and i believe CHANDLER is that spark thomas is AVOIDING
Alan, your thoughts please!
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
get chandler in the lineup
The Kings tried desperately to lose this game. We wouldn't let them. We has so many opportunities to win. I hate to think what our shooting percentage was in both overtimes. Especially from the guards. We can score. We don't know how to win.
An ugly loss in 2 OT. Knicks lost discipline in the last 5 minutes of the 2nd OT.
Maybe Vecsey's prediction may come true. Zeke - out.
Sunday/Monday could be very interesting days at the Knix corporate offices at 2 Penn Plaza ... at Cablevision ...
all waiting for Tuesday's home game with Golden State in attendance.
Alan, I hope you get better...It's hard being sick on the road in the hotel...I know this very wel....
This is a very tough time to be a Knick fan...
Isiah is trying to preach defense but how come any opposing point guard can walk the ball up all the way in for a lay-up?
Can someone let Dave Hanners teach team defense in the lanes? Why is it Jared is the only big to be the only one effective in the pick & roll defense?
Why can't the Knick's do there own pick & roll? Easiest play to do!
Seems like Isiah just does not know how to make it easy for this team or even fun for that matter. Isn't basketball supposed to be fun?
This is a very tough time to be a Knick fan...
I heard Peter Gammons once say "If a team is at the bottom, the problem is at the top."
I was going to make a Mike Burke reference, but didn't know how many would get it, so instead, I wish Checketts would come in and clean house.
Hey Alan, you stole Sacra-tomato from me!