STEPHON Marbury has served his “punishment” and was reinstated to the Knicks starting lineup for last night’s game against Golden State at the Garden. But judging from his performance, apparently he and the rest of the Knicks haven’t learned the intended lesson that defense and leadership are priorities Isiah Thomas demands.
Perhaps we’ll find out over the next couple of weeks whether Thomas’ tough-love treatment of Marbury during a winless West-Coast trip filters through the rest of the team and becomes the kind of coaching move that motivates his players. It certainly had no positive effect last night as the Knicks authored a woeful performance that had Garden fans booing and chanting “Fire Isiah.”
Marbury, who skipped out on his team last week in Phoenix, was booed during pregame introductions and just about every time he touched the ball in the first quarter. But by the end of the Warriors’ 108-82 romp, Garden fans were spewing their frustration on the entire team and the embattled head coach, who called the defeat “as difficult a loss that I’ve had in coaching.”
Coaches are judged by how they motivate their players, especially in difficult times, and if Marbury was the sacrificial scapegoat to improve the Knicks’ defensive lapses, so be it. But it’s clear Marbury isn’t the Knicks’ only problem. Last night, they all stunk.
Let’s start with things like a lack of passion, intelligence and taking care of the basketball. The Knicks were guilty of 29 turnovers that the opportunistic Warriors cashed in for 35 points. It was a game-long epidemic as the Knicks had 15 turnovers in the first half and 22 after three quarters.
Eddy Curry didn’t get his first rebound until the second half and Zach Randolph had a third-quarter pity party after losing the ball on offense. Instead of hustling back on defense, he stayed where he was, leaving his four teammates to defend. Nice effort.
Golden State, a team that entered with a 2-6 record and allowing 114.3 points per game, outhustled the Knicks from end-to-end, turning the Garden into its personal playground. It had to be one of the worst performances ever authored in the Garden. Baron Davis, whom Marbury “defended” much of the game, scored 31 points. The Knicks shot just 39 percent from the field.
“It was such an ugly game you can’t judge what you saw in terms of progress,” Thomas said.
To clarify, there was no progress. In fact, it was a huge step backward.
You figured coming off a long West Coast trip the Knicks would be eager to offer their best effort on their home court to break a losing streak now at seven games. Instead they treated the ball as if it were kryptonite.
Owner Jim Dolan witnessed the meltdown from his courtside seat, but there was no confirmation he was among those chanting “Fire Isiah.” If he needed further proof a coaching change needs to be made it was right there in front of him last night.
“We were bad,” Thomas said. “We just weren’t good as a team. I’ve got to do a better job. This one’s on me.”
This whole season has been on Thomas. This is the year he must take the Knicks to the playoffs. Benching Marbury during the West-Coast trip was supposed to be a necessary evil toward that goal, a way of getting his players attention. Yet, they came out as flat as week-old soda last night. The boos were well deserved.
“When you’re watching a game like we played, the venom that comes out we deserve it,” Thomas said.
Garden fans certainly don’t deserve this.