DENVER — Al Harrington sat in the locker room last night before the game, soaking his feet in a mysterious bucket of green ice water. On a night the Knicks faced mathematical playoff elimination, Harrington sat carefree, laughing and wondering why the water was green.
It’s like his first season with the Knicks — a mystery. Harrington put up lofty numbers, but didn’t make them better. He made them worse after being obtained for Jamal Crawford in November.
In “The World According to Al,” he is here for the long term, the referees are “picking on” him and his former Warriors coach Don Nelson is “a gangster.”
With Harrington scoring 23 points last night against the Nuggets, the Knicks (29-46) lost for the ninth time in 10 games, 111-104, despite a second straight wild rally.
The Knicks’ tragic number for playoff elimination is one. One more Knick loss or one win by the Bulls and Pistons will mathematically eliminate the Knicks. They retake the court Saturday against Toronto while team president Donnie Walsh celebrates his one-year anniversary on a scouting trip in Italy, to see the European Championships Final 8.
After falling behind by 27 points in the first half, the psycho Knicks rallied to make it 80-77 late in the third quarter before Denver staged a 14-0 run. Monday in Utah, the Knicks erased a 24-point deficit, but lost that one, too.
Harrington, the team’s leading scorer at 20.7 ppg, never became the leading man in the final minute. In fact, he will be best remembered by costing the Knicks two wins because of a pair of last-minute hanging-on-the-rim technicals.
Harrington is signed through next season — an expiring contract that could be dealt this summer. Though the Knicks want to create cap space for the summer of 2010 to sign two players, Harrington claimed he’s been told by Walsh, who drafted him in Indiana, he has a future here.
“I know Donnie wants me here long-term,” Harrington said. “I’ve talked to him about that. I know Coach [Mike D’Antoni] likes what I do on the court. Two players can’t win by themselves. In order to be a championship team, you need a lot of good players. I feel like I’ll be a great complement to whomever they bring in.”
Unless Harrington signs for the minimum, he will have to show more next season. His puzzling campaign continued in Monday’s loss when he committed eight turnovers and got ejected.
D’Antoni tellingly did not mention Harrington’s name Monday morning when he reviewed the positive “markers” the club set. D’Antoni wishes Harrington would be a better ball mover and defender.
“I hate to talk about one individual guy,” D’Antoni said. “We all have to move the ball better and play better defense.”
Harrington feels he’s a target of officials. He complained Monday night he got his first T without uttering a cross word. He will appeal the $1,000 fine associated with the infraction.
“I think sometimes they’re picking on me, I feel we don’t get respect,” Harrington said. “We prepare for the game just like the superstars. Give us a fair chance, too.”
Harrington can’t explain why he didn’t make the big plays late in close games.
“The great thing about the team that’s different than most teams, we don’t really have a go-to guy,” Harrington said. “Our offense is so open, it’s finding the right spot.”
Harrington is still thrilled to get out of Golden State. He still feels Walsh will get it right.
“Everyone wants to win a championship, especially when you get around 30,” Harrington said. “I think that’s going to happen, especially with Donnie here. He’s not going to accept 30-win teams. He’s going to change that ASAP.”
Nuggets 111 Knicks 104