Who needs King James when the Knicks have their new “Barron of Broadway.”
Newly signed 7-footer Earl Barron supplanted David Lee as the starting center last night and he delivered a monster 17-point, 18-rebound double-double, upstaging Nate Robinson’s Garden return as the Knicks shocked the struggling Celtics, 104-101.
Barron, signed last week out of the NBA Development League to a 10-day contract, tired late after logging 44 minutes, but he wound up shooting 8 of 13 and gave the undersized Knicks (28-49) the interior presence they have lacked all season. It allowed them to move Lee to his natural position of power forward — something they want to do next season if they re-sign him.
In one night, Barron secured more rebounds than center Eddy Curry notched in the past two seasons. Barron has now scored more points (28) in his two contests this season than Curry did in his seven games (27). The Knicks are 2-0 with Barron, who scored 10 points in his Knicks debut Sunday in Los Angeles and is shooting 59 percent.
When Barron was signed last week, D’Antoni admitted knowing nothing about him, but said the team’s scouts loved him from his D-League stint with the Iowa Energy.
“I didn’t expect anything at all,” D’Antoni said. “Two games in a row, he’s played real well, real smart, good shape. A lot of good things. The biggest thing he gives us [is] the athleticism inside that David doesn’t have to be the lone shot-blocker. He can’t be. We have someone alongside of him that could help him out.”
And now Barron, who is expected to start again tonight in Indiana, is officially on audition for next season. Why not? They Knicks will need a lot of minimum contracts to fill out their roster.
“I’m very aware,” Barron said of his audition status with five games left. “I’ve been in the D-League the whole year, waiting for this opportunity.”
With Al Harrington out because of an ankle injury, Danilo Gallinari led the way with a career-high 31 points. Gallinari hit a key go-ahead perimeter bomb with 36.7 seconds left that put the Knicks up for good at 102-101. Lee shook off a poor shooting night to hit the clincher, a driving bucket with 7.2 seconds left. He finished with 13 points and 11 boards.
Lee said he liked teaming up with Barron.
“I thought defensively we’re a lot better in the paint with two bigs than one,” Lee said.
Trailing by three in the final seconds, Doc Rivers did not put another 3-point shooter on the court, bypassing Robinson. The Celtics did not get a shot off in time — Rasheed Wallace launched after the buzzer.
Robinson’s return became a nondescript bore, which is how Knicks brass wanted it. After receiving a mild ovation, indicative of fans’ apathy from the past five seasons, Robinson finished with 5 points (2-of-4 shooting) with four assists and may return to his spot on the bench, out of the rotation. Rivers said he played Robinson because his mates wanted him to have a homecoming.
But the story was Barron, 28, who played three seasons with the Heat from 2005-2008.
“I was shocked at first I’d be starting,” he said. “I was in the right spot, was aggressive.”
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Knicks president Donnie Walsh said the expected 50-loss season won’t stop free agents from coming to New York. “I can’t imagine why free agents won’t look at this place,” he said. “This is the most incredible basketball atmosphere. I’ve ever been in. I’ve been in North Carolina and Indiana.”