Marc Berman call-out Dantoni

November 1, 2008

Red Phlag in Philly

By MARC BERMAN
PHILADELPHIA - On Halloween Night, the KnicksNew York Knicks came disguised as last season's team.
They fell behind by 30 points early in the fourth quarter and were never in it from the second period on, allowing layup after layup. Sixers 116, Knicks 87.
And that didn't quite bother me as much as a quote from Mike D'Antoni after the game, when he was referring to putting Stephon MarburyStephon Marbury on the inactive list.
"If I was playing for everything tonight, we'd do things differently,'' D'Antoni said.
D'Antoni seems content on not playing the players that give them the best chance to win because this season is about developing guys for next year. Just think it's a little early, after winning your first game, to be talking that way. Most coaches usually save that for March.
I picked 37 victories in my season preview.
That was when I figured D'Antoni would hold off on Danilo Gallinari for the rotation until he was ready.
That's when I thought Marbury would play a significant role off the bench.
That's when I thought Mardy CollinsMardy Collins was out of the rotation.
That's when I thought he'd have space eventually for Eddy CurryEddy Curry to spot him in.
That's after hearing the players promise that with this speedball system, they will be in every single game this season. In their second game, they weren't in it at all tonight.
.
Buzz up!
Posted by Marc Berman on November 1, 2008 1:30 AM
Comments

I don't want to alarm you Marc, but I think Walsh may be senile.
How else would D'Antoni be able to get away with saying something like that and keep his job? I mean, think it? Sure. Have it be the in-house, covert plan? OK. But to actually allude publicly that you may not have been trying your hardest to win, in only the second game of the season?
So when fans pay their $$ for tickets at MSG, how will they know they're getting an honest effort by the coach and the team?
Obviously Walsh and D' don't care about the W's-L's for this season, but good luck attracting ANY free-agent superstar (let alone Lebron James) to NYK in the future with this roster and that attitude.
My take is, Walsh is (obviously) gonna pull out all the stops to get Lebron in 2010. But if he fails (likely), he'll retire immediately.
And we'll be right back to square one.
Posted by: KnicksNut on November 1, 2008 2:02 AM

Marc,
I have to tell you I am once again calling (No)DAntoni out. Understanding and maximizing your personnel to the best of it's ability is the first step to building or rebuilding anything. All I hear i talk about rebuilding and a new beginning. If DAntoni is the realist he professess to be , the first thing he does is squashed the notion of using an 8 or 9 or even 10 man rotation. These are not the athletic Phoenix Suns. Amare Stoudemire does not dress to play at MSG. Know what you have and ultilize it. And.. if building for tomorrow were the case, why keep Jerome JamesJerome James and cut Ewing Jr. I'll tell you why. If they keep Ewing Jr. He outplays Gallinari, heck he was probably doing it at practice. As a coach, once you take things personal you are bound to lose.. the building blocks.. are losing ones... that is the reality of this situation. At what point during the season will the Knick fans once again remember the past and rain down on D'Antoni. It's coming sooner than he thinks. I had to think back to something that would tie the New York fans together.. since the team isn't. It is that they are New Yorkers.. first he embarrasses one of their own.. after the young man tries to find his way and do what he is asked. 2nd, he curses the fans.. Someone better get D'Antoni a copy of Spiderman 3, when the New Yorkers see one of their own down.. they rally around him.. Walsh, a Bronx guy himself should know this..
Say what you will, three months from now.. or three years from now.. the FOUNDATION... better be visible or in 7 seconds.... well.. See Don Nelson...
Goodnight.. wherever you are... Knick Fans...
Posted by: Gregory Freeman on November 1, 2008 2:04 AM

Go to sleep, Greg. Your conspiracy theories are garbage. Jerome James was not cut because of the salary cap situation. Walsh already said he didn't want to cut Ewing and would try to bring Ewing back.
Posted by: Reality on November 1, 2008 2:30 AM

Last nights game told the truth. We need Steph. He is the only star on this team.
Posted by: Adam Sarcazm on November 1, 2008 2:52 AM

Play Steph Darn-it!!
Posted by: Adam Desperate for a good knicks team on November 1, 2008 2:58 AM

HEY FANS...LET THE SEASON PLAY OUT. SOME OF US WILL NEVER BE HAPPY. LETS GET RID OF THE ENTIRE TEAM AND START OUT FRESH..
Posted by: ARROW on November 1, 2008 5:15 AM

Not buying out Steph in August--if they weren't going to play him anyway--was the dumbest thing the Knicks have ever done. Win or lose, he's going to be the story EVERY NIGHT. I'm already sick of it and it's been two games. And it's just going to get worse. Either get him in the rotation or buy him out. This won't just go away.
Posted by: Russ on November 1, 2008 5:16 AM

hey crawford, hey qRich, hey nate, hey duhon - THE PRESSURES OF PERFORMING IN NYC FALLS TO YOU BUMS NOW. NO LONGER WILL YOU BE ABLE TO WHITHER IN THE SPOTLIGHT WHILE STARBURY TAKES THE BLAME.
Posted by: gee the steph fan on November 1, 2008 5:29 AM

A must needed Knick Blog

I hate to say I told you so in June 2008, but I told you so at the hiring of Walsh, then again at the hiring of Celebrity Dantoni, and again after the Knick selection on draft night.

I have to also buy in on the response of cutting Ewing Jr., and Dantoni's statement of playing future players.....I guess Malik Rose is a future player.

And.. if building for tomorrow were the case, why keep Jerome JamesJerome James and cut Ewing Jr. I'll tell you why. If they keep Ewing Jr. He outplays Gallinari, heck he was probably doing it at practice. As a coach, once you take things personal you are bound to lose.. the building blocks.. are losing ones... that is the reality of this situation.


I made a remark about this the day after Danilo Gallinari SLG, concerning 6.7 Balkman who had to play the center, PF, and SF positions during that SLG.
If the Tazman is much better than Ewing Jr., and Ewing Jr. showed more promise, talent, skillz, and potential than Danilo Gallinari in training camp, practice, and the Preseason games.......then how in the hell there would'nt be any playingtime for Balkman when his perfomance was needed more than Q.Richardson and Jefferies?

Was Balkman traded and Ewing Jr. cut b/c their talents was a year or two ahead of Danilo Galinari
:agreed:

Dantoni is taking this job personally in the wrong direction for this Knick team...

Galo at age 19 with a bad back would run circles around Balkman. Patrick Ewing Jr is also better then Balkman.

Balkman sucks

Starting to look like Barnum and Bailey arrived early this year.

Kiyaman said:

By MARC BERMAN
PHILADELPHIA -
They fell behind by 30 points early in the fourth quarter and were never in it from the second period on, allowing layup after layup. Sixers 116, Knicks 87.
And that didn't quite bother me as much as a quote from Mike D'Antoni after the game, when he was referring to putting

Thats why we need starbury

D'Antoni seems content on not playing the players that give them the best chance to win because this season is about developing guys for next year. Just think it's a little early, after winning your first game, to be talking that way. Most coaches usually save that for March.

Sm fukkin head @ dantoni admittin that hes given up already

Last nights game told the truth. We need Steph. He is the only star on this team.
Posted by: Adam Sarcazm on November 1, 2008 2:52 AM

co-sign

Play Steph Darn-it!!
Posted by: Adam Desperate for a good knicks team on November 1, 2008 2:58 AM

co-sign

hey crawford, hey qRich, hey nate, hey duhon - THE PRESSURES OF PERFORMING IN NYC FALLS TO YOU BUMS NOW. NO LONGER WILL YOU BE ABLE TO WHITHER IN THE SPOTLIGHT WHILE STARBURY TAKES THE BLAME.
Posted by: gee the steph fan on November 1, 2008 5:29 AM

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@ Starbury takin the blame when he didnt even play last year

Knicks fan need to stop suckin nate robinson, crawford, Q snitch, duhorn, and Lee. These guys are not winners. They are yet to win anything in there careers. Marbury is more of a winner then they are.

MSGKnickz33 said:

@ Starbury takin the blame when he didnt even play last year

Knicks fan need to stop suckin nate robinson, crawford, Q snitch, duhorn, and Lee. These guys are not winners. They are yet to win anything in there careers. Marbury is more of a winner then they are.

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As the "leader" of last years team he should take responsibility. He spent all off season being all over the internet talking about how he was going to tear the league up, then walked out on his team and had every single person in the locker room vote against playing him, and then getting played. Talking and being on the internet bragging about what you're going to do is fine with me if you win games. But he didn't win games, he did nothing last year, left his team in the middle of a road trip and got to a point that was SO bad with his other teammates they didn't want him, their "leader", on the floor. It's no wonder this team quit on Isiah last year.

Marbury is NOT a winner, Marbury has won nothing in his career to merit being called a winner. He has won 0 playoff series. That's right, ZERO! Show me one piece of hardware Marbury has. I'm not saying Nate, Craw, Q, Lee or Duhon are winners, but just because they aren't winners doesn't mean Stephon Marbury IS a winner. The biggest criticism of Stephon Marbury is that he's not a winner at all.

this never gets old

KBlack25 said:

As the "leader" of last years team he should take responsibility. He spent all off season being all over the internet talking about how he was going to tear the league up, then walked out on his team and had every single person in the locker room vote against playing him, and then getting played. Talking and being on the internet bragging about what you're going to do is fine with me if you win games. But he didn't win games, he did nothing last year, left his team in the middle of a road trip and got to a point that was SO bad with his other teammates they didn't want him, their "leader", on the floor. It's no wonder this team quit on Isiah last year.

Marbury is NOT a winner, Marbury has won nothing in his career to merit being called a winner. He has won 0 playoff series. That's right, ZERO! Show me one piece of hardware Marbury has. I'm not saying Nate, Craw, Q, Lee or Duhon are winners, but just because they aren't winners doesn't mean Stephon Marbury IS a winner. The biggest criticism of Stephon Marbury is that he's not a winner at all.

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You dont know that all this is true. Theres been contradicting reports about marbury "leaving the team." Theres been reports saying that Isiah told him to leave the team, and theres been other reports that marbury went to coney island to mourn with the family of Mr. Lou, his basketball mentor after his death.

Your not gonna prove anything to me by bringin up stuff that newspapers have said. Anyone who believes everything in the papers is an idiot. I dont believe that every member of the knicks voted against marbury playin, and even if they did who the fukk are they to criticize anyone? Marburys played in 18 playoff games, only malik rose has had more success but as a player hes a scrub. Duncan carried his useless ass.

Marburys no less of a loser then anyone else on this team. Compared to crawford hes a winner. How many playoff games has crawford played in? Oh yeah, thats right. NONE. What about Z-bo? He want to the playoffs once. Its time for idiots who are brainwashed by the media to stop blaming marbury and realize that nate robinson, crawford, lee, and everyone else on this team have never won either. Like i said only malik rose has experienced more success then marbury but he dont count.

Marburys done everything asked of him. Hes been professional through all of this, he came into this season ready to play and in the best shape of his life. **** D'antoni for not playin him and Fukk everyone who supports Danphonys decision. Marbury should be playing. Even Kiyaman knows the deal. I suggest you either smarten up and join team starbury or go play in traffic. It dont matter what you say, your not gonna get me to change my mind.

I was against Marbury. I wanted him out in 2005-06, when larry brown was coachin us. If i looked hard enough i might be able to find a post where i said Id rather have nate robinson play then him. But after that year Marburys shown me alot more effort on both ends of the court. Hes still our best player, duhorn is a joke. Its fukked up how they've done starbury. He should be playin.

MSGKnickz33 said:

Marburys played in 18 playoff games, only malik rose has had more success but as a player hes a scrub. Duncan carried his useless ass.

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Not exactly true. He was a role player, no doubt, but he was a very important part of the team. He was the Manu Ginobili of the Spurs minus the offensive explosiveness. His hustle, rebounding, and defense were key to winning those titles. And there's always this:

SpursFan4Life said:

Not exactly true. He was a role player, no doubt, but he was a very important part of the team. He was the Manu Ginobili of the Spurs minus the offensive explosiveness. His hustle, rebounding, and defense were key to winning those titles. And there's always this:

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nah i know malik wasnt useless with the spurs...offensively he wasnt far from being useless but he was a good role player. Hes useless on the knicks. But when your a bad team role players are useless and they look worse then they are. Hes gettin older now too, i dont know if he can still throw one down on mutombo like he did in that pic (most likely not). He probably can still out jump zach randolph though...

MSGKnickz33 said:

You dont know that all this is true. Theres been contradicting reports about marbury "leaving the team." Theres been reports saying that Isiah told him to leave the team, and theres been other reports that marbury went to coney island to mourn with the family of Mr. Lou, his basketball mentor after his death.

Your not gonna prove anything to me by bringin up stuff that newspapers have said. Anyone who believes everything in the papers is an idiot. I dont believe that every member of the knicks voted against marbury playin, and even if they did who the fukk are they to criticize anyone? Marburys played in 18 playoff games, only malik rose has had more success but as a player hes a scrub. Duncan carried his useless ass.

Marburys no less of a loser then anyone else on this team. Compared to crawford hes a winner. How many playoff games has crawford played in? Oh yeah, thats right. NONE. What about Z-bo? He want to the playoffs once. Its time for idiots who are brainwashed by the media to stop blaming marbury and realize that nate robinson, crawford, lee, and everyone else on this team have never won either. Like i said only malik rose has experienced more success then marbury but he dont count.

Marburys done everything asked of him. Hes been professional through all of this, he came into this season ready to play and in the best shape of his life. **** D'antoni for not playin him and Fukk everyone who supports Danphonys decision. Marbury should be playing. Even Kiyaman knows the deal. I suggest you either smarten up and join team starbury or go play in traffic. It dont matter what you say, your not gonna get me to change my mind.

I was against Marbury. I wanted him out in 2005-06, when larry brown was coachin us. If i looked hard enough i might be able to find a post where i said Id rather have nate robinson play then him. But after that year Marburys shown me alot more effort on both ends of the court. Hes still our best player, duhorn is a joke. Its fukked up how they've done starbury. He should be playin.

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I agree this season Marbury has done what has been asked of him. And I give him credit for keeping his mouth shut especially after the Knicks got embarrassed in Philly. I don't think it's about "joining Team Starbury" or not. Like I've said, I'm for what is best in the long-run for this team. Have they treated Marbury poorly this year? As much as it pains me to say it, yeah, they have. In some sense it seems like there was nothing at all Marbury could have done to get in Mike D's good graces.

At the same time, MSG, look at it this way. Will Marbury be a Knick next year? Probably not. Will Marbury playing make this team a champion? Definitely not. If this team is going to rebuild, let them do it right. That means get the picks they need (not some low teens pick they'd get if Marbury was playing as they barely make or miss the playoffs). I'm not advocating for ANYBODY else on this team as a winner. This team is full of non-winners, Stephon Marbury included. But if Marbury isn't in the plans for the future, the only benefit I'd see to playing Marbury is to trade him at the deadline because the team allowed him to increase his own stock. That, however, might dig the team deeper into financial turmoil where Marbury sitting and expiring would get 21 mil off the books.

I'm just curious as to what you'd say the long term benefits of having Marbury play are? I just feel like this team is going to lose more than they win regardless of whether Marbury plays or not, I think you'd agree. So if they aren't going to win, they might as well get a good draft pick and build for the future, no? Maybe I'm missing something...

KBlack25 said:

I agree this season Marbury has done what has been asked of him. And I give him credit for keeping his mouth shut especially after the Knicks got embarrassed in Philly. I don't think it's about "joining Team Starbury" or not. Like I've said, I'm for what is best in the long-run for this team. Have they treated Marbury poorly this year? As much as it pains me to say it, yeah, they have. In some sense it seems like there was nothing at all Marbury could have done to get in Mike D's good graces.

At the same time, MSG, look at it this way. Will Marbury be a Knick next year? Probably not. Will Marbury playing make this team a champion? Definitely not. If this team is going to rebuild, let them do it right. That means get the picks they need (not some low teens pick they'd get if Marbury was playing as they barely make or miss the playoffs). I'm not advocating for ANYBODY else on this team as a winner. This team is full of non-winners, Stephon Marbury included. But if Marbury isn't in the plans for the future, the only benefit I'd see to playing Marbury is to trade him at the deadline because the team allowed him to increase his own stock. That, however, might dig the team deeper into financial turmoil where Marbury sitting and expiring would get 21 mil off the books.

I'm just curious as to what you'd say the long term benefits of having Marbury play are? I just feel like this team is going to lose more than they win regardless of whether Marbury plays or not, I think you'd agree. So if they aren't going to win, they might as well get a good draft pick and build for the future, no? Maybe I'm missing something...

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Its as simple as this. If there not gonna buy him out, play him. If hes not gonna play, buy him out.

I agree that theres no room for him in the long term plans. Hes 31 now and were gonna a younger point guard to lead us in the future. As a marbury fan, i wouldnt re-sign him.

I do believe that marbury would make us a borderline playoff team, not that it matters. Apparently all that "everyone has a clean slate" talk was bullsh!t. In general, no matter what it is, not just basketball, i respect honest people. I think that Donnie walsh assumed marbury would be playing. Its D'antoni who should have said from the beginning that he did not plan on playing marbury.

MSGKnickz33 said:

Its as simple as this. If there not gonna buy him out, play him. If hes not gonna play, buy him out.

I agree that theres no room for him in the long term plans. Hes 31 now and were gonna a younger point guard to lead us in the future. As a marbury fan, i wouldnt re-sign him.

I do believe that marbury would make us a borderline playoff team, not that it matters. Apparently all that "everyone has a clean slate" talk was bullsh!t. In general, no matter what it is, not just basketball, i respect honest people. I think that Donnie walsh assumed marbury would be playing. Its D'antoni who should have said from the beginning that he did not plan on playing marbury.

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I in part agree with you, perhaps they should just buy him out and let him move on. I think that'd be the fair move to make. For some reason this team though seems afraid of Marbury. They don't want to play him, but they don't want to buy him out so he can play elsewhere (and against the Knicks).

I agree the two guys at the front should be honest, I hate when teams lie, especially to their fans. And like I said I am anti-the way Marbury has been treated this season. But I'm not necessarily for playing him, if that makes sense?

Marbury

If Marbury were simply waived, he could be signed by another team to the veteran's minimum -- $1.2M.

Marbury has said that he will not be bought out. There should be a buyout in which Marbury takes at least $1.2M less than his $21.9M contract.

Who is going to be more stubborn, Marbury or Walsh/Dolan?