Kahn sees Rubios future in Minny, not NYC

Tuesday January 26, 2010 7:21 PM By Alan Hahn

David Kahn seems amused by the amount of shelf life the Ricky Rubio-to-New York campaign has maintained since last June's draft. The Timberwolves general manager was quick to point out that Donnie Walsh called him the day after the draft on the apparent suggestion of the Knicks beat writers (present company included).

"He said, 'David, I just had a press conference and I told the writers I'd call you about Ricky Rubio. So, I'm calling you'," Kahn said before Tuesday's game between the Knicks and Timberwolves at the Garden.

While there was a great deal of speculation in the press, Kahn said there was one major detail people from the New York perspective failed to consider.

"I mean no disrespect to the Knicks or Donnie," he said, "but what kind of trade could they propose?"

Clearly he meant the Knicks didn't have the kind of assets to make that kind of deal, though Kahn stopped short of going there. "You said that," he retorted, "I didn't."

But Kahn is aware he has a surplus at the point guard position. Along with Rubio, who is in Barcelona (and contractually locked up until 2011-12), he also drafted Syracuse's Jonny Flynn and then signed Ramon Sessions.

Still, when you ask him about Rubio, he insists the young Spaniard is very much in the team's plans going forward.

"I fully expect Ricky Rubio to start his playing career in a Minnesoa Timberwolves uniform," Kahn said.

Then he added a disclaimer: "Of course I also couch this with everything: I can't predict the future. I can't say for certainty that something would happen to change that plan. But the plan, for now -- and it's a firm plan, we have a lot invested in the kid already, a lo to fenergy and resources last summer were exhausted, and I'm very eager to see him start his career in our uniform."

* * * 

* - Nate Robinson (hamstring) and Wilson Chandler (groin) both tested out their injuries earlier in the day and were cleared to play tonight against the T-Wolves. While that's good news for the perimeter, this is one game where the Knicks can certainly use the big body of Eddy Curry, who will be out another five weeks after having his left knee scoped. Al Jefferson is an absolute load on the low blocks.

* - Tonight is David Lee's last night to make a case for the all-star team. Eastern Conference coaches have to have their ballots in by tomorrow (Wednesday). Mike D'Antoni said he already sent his in. Coaches can't vote for their own player, so we already know D'Antoni had to chose someone other than Lee. Will the Knicks' poor record -- and the 50 point home loss on Sunday -- keep Lee off the team? Remember the same thing happened to Eddy Curry in 2006-07.

Marcus needs to go tell on Carl

Sunday January 10, 2010 1:36 AM By Alan Hahn

The chants of “Carl Is Better!” rang in Marcus Landry’s ears during last night’s 105-96 loss here to big brother Carl Landry and the Rockets. And the moment was punctuated when the older Landry finished a drop-step dunk around Jared Jeffries in the fourth quarter and then pointed to Marcus on the Knicks bench.

“It was like, ‘You’re on the bench where you belong, now stay there and watch me play! Get your pen and notepad out and learn something,” Carl joked after the game. “It was just big brother talk, that’s all.” 

It was the first NBA meeting between the Landry brothers, both of whom are longshots who have made it to the game’s ultimate level. Carl, 26, was a second round pick of the Rockets and now is one of the league’s best Sixth Men, while Marcus, 24, was an undrafted rookie who not only made the Knicks roster, but now plays over lottery pick Jordan Hill.

“Sometimes when you get in the NBA you get a little money and you get comfortable,” Carl Landry said before the game. “There’s always guys out there that’s hungry. I was one of them and so was Marcus.” 

While both played in the game, which was attended by several family members, Carl had the more standout performance with 14 points in 28:06. Marcus played just 3:33 and did not score.

Marcus had bragging rights before the game, however, as his alma mater, Wisconsin, knocked off Carl's alma mater, Purdue, to hand the Boilermakers their first loss of the season. It was in those games when the Landry boys met in those Big Ten matchups that Marcus first heard the "Carl is better" chants. 

But never in their wildest imaginations did either brother expect to one day share an NBA court. Both credited their parents, both hardworking people from Milwaukee, as their inspiration and their standard.

And it was Carl who reached out to assistant coach Ken Atkinson, previously an assistant with the Rockets, to get his brother a tryout with the Knicks last summer. Carl even paid his little brother’s way to New York.

Marcus’ $457,588 contract was guaranteed for the rest of the season on Friday, which should have afforded him enough money to repay his big brother. But Carl laughed at the notion and said, “He asked me for money last night!”

* * * 

* - Wilson Chandler managed to score 17 points against Shane Battier's stingy, physical defense, but Chandler did record five turnovers. Tough night for Wilson after a recent stretch of strong performances.

* - Mike D'Antoni was clearly frustrated after the game with the loss because he felt the team's defensive intensity dipped in the second half. The team had a 13-point lead with 2:02 left in the first half but, as we've seen this season, they didn't close it out properly and, instead the Rockets took a 9-2 run into halftime to close to within six. 

* - You get good and bad from Nate Robinson, who provided all but two of the Knicks' 22 bench points. Robinson had four turnovers and struggled most when he had to run the offense, but had to be out there to counter the lightning quick speed of Aaron Brooks (20 points).

* - Plenty of Knick representation at the Toyota Center, with Willie Naulls -- a great from the 1950s-era -- on hand and Charlie Ward in attendance, as well. Coincidentally, it was on this date in Knicks history, 1958, when Naulls scored 33 points in a 136-123 win over the Celtics (in Syracuse), that saw the Knicks set a franchise record with 50 free throws made in the game. Naulls made 13-of-13 and legend Richie Guerin was 17-for-23. 

Harrington out again; will Hill play?

Saturday January 9, 2010 3:55 PM By Alan Hahn

Al Harrington didn't participate in the morning shoot-around at the Toyota Center here in freezing Houston, where only the AHL team from the Blackhawks organization (which was in town for a game last night before busing to San Antonio) seemed comfortable with the climate.

Harrington said he first felt the left calf pain during last Sunday's win over the Pacers. He tried to practice on it Wednesday, which he says was a mistake. He was unable to play Thursday against the Bobcats and he is being held out one more game to make sure the muscle heals properly so it doesn't become a chronic issue. Both Harrington and Mike D'Antoni expect the forward to be back in the lineup for Monday's game in Oklahoma City.

Meanwhile, D'Antoni seemed to indicate he will likely continue to give minutes to rookie Marcus Landry, who gets to face his big brother, Carl, tonight.

With Harrington out, however, it prompted the question as to why another rookie, Jordan Hill, wouldn't get the nod instead? D'Antoni suggested that Marcus Landry has been more impressive with his work ethic in practice and earned the spot, which should be alarming to Hill, who was only the team's lottery pick this summer. But D'Antoni quickly said that Hill will "get a chance here pretty soon, so we'll see what happens."

Some feel Hill should be in the D-League getting playing time if he's not going to play at the NBA level, but I'm not sure that's the best thing to do in these circumstances. The Knicks don't have a direct affiliate -- they share Springfield -- and therefore there is not as much hands-on direction with him there. While minutes would be great, the team believes Hill is better served staying with the team here where they can continue to work with him, monitor his progress and, of course, keep an eye on him. Some players feel when they are sent to the D-League it becomes out of sight, out of mind.

* * *

* - The matchup to watch tonight will be all-star candidate David Lee versus Rockets forward Luis Scola, one of the grittest players in the league. The two have a high respect for each other, but it will be physical. I'm also curious to see if Shane Battier picks up Lee on defense to guard the pick-and-roll or if he is used against either Wilson Chandler or Danilo Gallinari, instead.

* - Rockets coach Rick Adelman didn't speak to the New York press contingent after his team's morning shoot-around, but recently owner Leslie Alexander said he was already planning to pick up the option in Adelman's contract "very soon."

Adelman, who holds the all-time best winning percentage in Rockets history (.650), has done a masterful job in remolding the team from being star-reliant (Tracy McGrady) to a collection of overachiving workers, led by Battier, Scola and the impressive Aaron Brooks.

I felt Adelman deserved Coach of the Year honors last season over Mike Brown and this year he's once again at the top of my list as we reach mid-season.

* - There were reports that McGrady's agent, Arn Tellem, met with Donnie Walsh last week when Tellem was at the Garden for Thursday's win over Charlotte. The Knicks certainly have had an interest in McGrady, but with the team playing well right now I don't expect any major moves to take place any time soon. The Rockets are the ones who control McGrady's destiny and it depends on what they will want before the Feb. 18 trade deadline. By then, the Knicks made decide they don't need to make that type of chemistry-altering move.

Lee playing with a heavy heart

Friday January 8, 2010 1:47 AM By Alan Hahn

It turns out, as Deadspin so desperately reported, David Lee isn't gay. He's merely a lefty, but clearly can go both ways . . . to the hoop, I mean . . . as he quite emphatically proves here against Gerald Wallace and the Bobcats:

But, Fixers, let me share with you that Lee (22 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists in 41:21) had greater issues on his mind during tonight's 97-93 win over Charlotte than someone attempting to dredge some high school gossip on him.  Back home in St. Louis, Lee's grandfather, celebrated Missouri businessman and philanthropist E. Desmond Lee, is gravely ill.

The 92-year-old Lee, who built a fortune in coathangers and other closet accessories with the Lee-Rowan Manufacturing Co., was a 1940 graduate of Washington University in Missouri, where he earned varsity letters in basketball and track. During his college years he also played on a baseball team with a fella named Sam Walton, who was attending the University of Missouri at the same time.

"Des" Lee, as he is known in the St. Louis area, was named the city's Man of the Year in 1996 and was given the National Outstanding Philanthropist Award in 1997. He has donated over $50 million to various charitable causes and institutions in the St. Louis area.

Now we know why David Lee is what he is as a basketball player. He comes, as they say, from good stock.

* * *

* - Jonathan Bender celebrated the guaranteed contract period by showing some notable spring in his legs. Bender still looked a bit out of sorts, but you can't deny his imact with 5 points, 5 rebounds and, most of all, 4 blocked shots in 18:04. He also flushed an emphatic two-handed dunk on a cut to the lane.

* - Speaking of dunks . . .

 Nate Robinson had a sloppy night with the ball (seven turnovers), but there is no denying his impact on the game with eight straight points -- including that wicked crossover against DJ Augustin to an amazing blast-off down the heart of the Bobcats defense -- in a 15-0 run by the Knicks that bridged the third and fourth quarters and came right after Charlotte took a 10-point lead with 2:23 left in the third. Mike D'Antoni said he told Robinson to just play his game.

"He's got to be Nate Robinson," D'Antoni said. "And that's what he did."

* - Right before D'Antoni's post-game session with the media was about to end, he took it upon himself to talk about Wilson Chandler, who had a season-high 27 points in 45:36 and added seven rebounds and six assists. D'Antoni called it "an unbelieveable game" for Chandler, who just keeps coming on with each game now that he's finally got his bounce back in his legs.

The most noticable thing about Chandler's game goes beyond the scoring, which he proved on several occasions he could do last season. Chandler is making smarter passes and his defense is getting better and better. Jared Jeffries, who has basically turned into a traffic cop in the middle of the Knicks defense, called Chandler "the most important piece of our team."

* - Al Harrington's last-minute omission from the active roster was curious, but D'Antoni said he was told that Harrington was experiencing pain in his left calf in the afternoon. He tried to give it a go in the pregame warmup but the pain was strong. The decision was not to push it and have it result in a more serious injury that could cause him to miss more than one game.

Or we'll find out that the truth is Harrington is about to be traded.

* - Quick follow-up on the Pete Mickeal blog from the other day: From talking to Donnie Walsh, there doesn't appear to be anything happening on that front. Mickeal may have had a conversation with the Knicks' European scout, Kevin Wilson, who happens to live in Barcelona, where Mickeal plays. But it doesn't sound like the Knicks are actively looking to sign the 31-year-old vet for this season.

* - I have to make one final observation about the Garden tonight and, in fact, the last two home games. There is a noticable buzz in the building and a very charged atmosphere that, even during a few of those brief periods of success in the last few seasons, I have never felt during my brief time covering this team. The energy in the Garden lately reminds me of what I recall sensing when I used to have to pay to get in. Back when they didn't need some canned soundtrack to encourage the crowd to cheer or chant.

I'll give credit to the Game Night staff tonight for dialing it down in the second half and, especially, in the fourth quarter. Aside from the classic organ chord that for decades accompanied the "DEE-Fense" chant, they spared us the manufactured noise and just let the Garden crowd handle it like they know how. Bravo.

Between Chandler's outstanding play and Danilo Gallinari's determined marksmanship down the stretch, along with the raucous atmosphere at MSG, this was definitely a game to burn onto a DVD and anonymously mail to LeBron's estate in Akron.

In case, of course, he wasn't already Witness-ing it himself on NBAtv.

Time running out on expiring players

Monday November 30, 2009 10:33 AM By Alan Hahn

Danilo Gallinari seemed to have a rhythm going against the Magic after he had a rare poor shooting night in Denver. Gallo shot with confidence and looked like he was engaged. The Knicks were hanging in against Orlando for most of the game (before the 114-102 loss) and Gallinari's shooting was part of the reason.

But Gallo went to the bench with two minutes left in the third quarter and that was pretty much the end for him.

If the reasoning is because Gallinari isn't a strong defender, the logic is lost on me here, since the Knicks didn't get any stops in the fourth quarter. Nate Robinson's hot hand was the only thing that kept the Knicks from getting blown out as the Magic imposed their will on the game.

Overall, I have to say I can understand Mike D'Antoni's logic right now with going almost exclusively with the veterans, despite yet another extended losing streak (they take five straight L's into Tuesday's game against the Suns, who have the NBA's best record). If you consider the daunting stretch of games the team is in the midst of -- BOS, LAL, DEN, ORL, PHX, ORL, ATL -- it is probably best to go into battle with vets, who are better built to take this kind of a pounding. Only Gallinari and Wilson Chandler (whose two bad defensive mistakes in the third quarter -- including helping off of Rashard Lewis..seriously? -- cost the Knicks back-to-back threes in the 13-3 run during the third quarter)are seeing rotation minutes.

Rookies Toney Douglas and Jordan Hill have been tethered to the bench for the past two games. D'Antoni said he planned to stop juggling lineups and combinations and just go with a set rotation, limited to eight players over the past two games.

So if the plan is to not play Douglas and Hill, should they be sent to the D-League to get some game time? I think the coaching staff would prefer to keep them in practice to work with them closely. But there is something to be said about letting them go to the D-League so they can build up some confidence and maybe not get infected by the losing.

I think eventually D'Antoni has to pull the plug, however. Yes, his loyalty to Chris Duhon is necessary because Duhon -- for better or for worse -- is the only playmaking point guard who can run the pick-and-roll. It's no coincidence that as his shot is starting to fall, the pick-and-roll has been far more effective in the past two games.

[An aside: That's a position that clearly needs a major upgrade this summer, when there won't be any big-name PGs available (middle-of-the-road types Steve Blake and T.J. Ford lead the list). So the Knicks scouts had better be focusing PGs around the league that could be had via trades. I'd start with Dallas' J.J. Barea and, of course, monitor what the Minnesota Timberwolves will do with all of their PGs (Jonny Flynn, Ramon Sessions and, yes, Ricky Rubio). Washington's Randy Foye will be a RFA with a $4.7M qualifyer.

The point guard position is so vital in D'Antoni's strategy. In fact, if LeBron James does decide to sign with the Knicks, don't be surprised if the offense is designed around him as the "point guard" with shooters all around him and an athletic big. If LeBron doesn't sign, the Knicks really have to put all emphasis on landing the best point guard possible (that fits the system), trying to lure Joe Johnson and then go hard after Rudy Gay (restricted free agent).]

Meanwhile, as far as this season goes, I can see D'Antoni's strategy with minutes. Give the veterans the first half of the season. These are players who are playing for their next contract and he should give them ample opportunity to do that. For those who believe they shouldn't be given such opportunity because of the poor start, keep in mind that how an organization treats players is an underrated aspect of the free agent value system.

Also, you can't trade Jared Jeffries to clear more cap space if you bury him on the bench next to Darko Milicic. He has to play.

But when we reach Game 41, if the season is still the disaster it's been over the first 17 games, then D'Antoni has no other excuses than to hand the ball to the young players and make the second half of the season all about development. Make Gallinari the focal point. Tell Chandler he must average 10 free throws a game. Have Douglas learn how to set up others and find his offense within the structure of a system, rather than on his own. Let Hill feel the bruises of the nightly battles and understand exactly how hard you have to play to succeed at this level.

Hell, I'd even give Marcus Landry some minutes, just because you know the kid will compete and play hard.

Obviously you still need to play some vets, especially Eddy Curry. For the rest, I'd make it a competition: The players who give you the most honest, consistent effort over the first 41 games -- right now David Lee and Al Harrington lead the way -- get the extra burn with the kids. But make no mistake about it. The final three months of the season should be strictly about growth and development.

And, of course, knowing exactly what you have going into the most important offseason the franchise has had since 1996. Perhaps you discover you have players to bring forward, beyond 2010. And perhaps you see that you have assets to utilize for trades or even to try to get back into the first round of the draft.

This may be the long wait before next summer for fans, but for Donnie Walsh and his staff, this needs to be an extremely busy time. They can not afford another Brandon Jennings situation. This time around, they need to have a feel for everyone's game.

Curry wants to play through

Wednesday November 25, 2009 4:38 AM By Alan Hahn

Eddy Curry suffered his first setback of his comeback when he tweaked his left knee in the second quarter of Tuesday's 100-90 loss to the Lakers.

Curry said he banged knees with Andrew Bynum and then was accidentally tripped by Nate Robinson running up the court. He tweaked the knee a little and with the medical staff taking every precaution with him, Curry was shut down for the rest of the night after just 5:54 of playing time.

But afterward, Curry spoke as if he was determined to play in the second game of this back-to-back, which continues Wednesday in Sacaramento against the Kings.

"Right now I am," he said. "At this point there's no reason to have any set-backs."

Curry has hit somewhat of a wall conditioning-wise after four games, which is to be expected. His timing is still not right and his legs are going through the dead period that comes when you first start playing full-court basketball after an extended absence from the game. It didn't help that Curry was on the second bus, which got stuck in heavy traffic and arrived at the Staples Center less than an hour before tip-off. Curry didn't get the chance to go through a normal pre-game warmup routine.

It does make you question why Curry is still taking the later bus to the arena from the hotel, especially knowing he has a lot more work ahead of him. Why not get in early, get loose and work on some moves, get some treatment and be ready to go, especially when the team didn't have a morning shoot-around?

But to be fair, Curry does appear to be far more motivated to play. He even said the knee trouble doesn't have him thinking about the issues he dealt with last season, when knee pain was part of a vicious cycle of poor conditioning that kept him from practicing most of the season.

"I'm so far beyond that," he said. "I'm just ready to get back out there. Right now, if it's something I can deal with I'm going to play."

* * *

Interesting to note that the four veterans who were stuck on that late bus to the arena -- Curry, Al Harrington, Chris Duhon and Larry Hughes (Darko Milicic didn't play) -- shot a combined 8-for-28 in the game.

So what was Wilson Chandler's excuse? He was a miserable 5-for-20 in the game and missed a ton of open looks. He went to the line twice and his very low FTA total this season (28 in 14 games) combined with his very low FG% (39.5) suggests he needs to start taking the ball to the basket a lot more.

* * *

Speaking of awful shooting, Chris Duhon (4 points, 6 assists, 0 turnovers in 25:16) was 2-for-9 in the game and is now shooting 24.1 percent from the field for the season. The Lakers literally treated him with the Jared Jeffries defense: leave him unguarded on the perimeter. The ball often found Duhon around the top of the key and he gave Phil Jackson no reason to assign a player to him.

Duhon's play -- and the lack of any other type of playmaking, floor general-type on the team -- is at the epicenter of the Knicks' troubles on offense. Mike D'Antoni is clearly out of answers as to what to do with Duhon, but it seems like pulling Chris completely out of the lineup is not an option.

D'Antoni clearly doesn't trust Nate Robinson (5 assists, 1 turnover in 26:36) at the point and rookie Toney Douglas, who played very well in what started out as garbage time but wound up making the final score seem a lot less unsightly, has yet to show he can run an offense for anything other than creating his own shot. Case in point, he had zero assists in 16:50.

* * *

* - The Lakers just know how to do it right when it comes to game presentation. A game at Staples Center is a classy event with dignity and taste, not what you find in most arenas -- sadly, even the Garden -- which is more like a pizza party at Chuck E. Cheese, with an overdose of cliche gimmicks and endless noise. Two places that kind of corny vibe should never exist are in LA (at least not when the Lakers are playing) and New York.

* - As I tweeted, among the various celebrities at the game was actress Patricia Heaton, who, as you know, played the wife on the show Everybody Loves Raymond. My mission was to introduce myself to her as a Newsday sports writer who lives on Long Island. Now that's a pick-up line I could never use in any other situation.

* -Be sure to read my story on Ron Artest saying NBA players are afraid of New York. It's an interesting perspective from a unique personality.

Let the youth movement begin

Saturday November 14, 2009 12:01 AM By Alan Hahn

Mike D'Antoni sounded like a coach who was ready to expire the expiring contracts and look to the future. At 1-9, the worst 10-game start in franchise history, how much worse can it get?

"It's bad, there's no doubt about it," he said after his rudderless team collectively laid down against the Warriors tonight. "We got [four] days off. We'll practice hard and we'll try to figure out something better and let's see who wants to come forward."

The latter portion of that statement rang like a challenge to the young players who have mostly been deferring to the vets. Time to make your case, kids.

Al Harrington works his butt off, but, as we've been saying here over-and-over, he's just completely wrong for the way D'Antoni wants to play. He doesn't play up-tempo. He grinds. He gets the ball, faces up, puts his head down and barrels to the rim. His idea of quick ball movement is to catch and shoot on the perimeter, where his shot just refuses to go in on a regular basis. It's like a battle of wills between Al and the ball.

Larry Hughes has leveled off since his early burst that earned him playing time. Chris Duhon has been a mess since training camp. Jared Jeffries? Darko Milicic? You're just getting nothing. And it's about time undersized David Lee was relieved of his duties as the starting center, because it is clear opposing teams have it in their scouting report to attack him regularly. Perhaps the addition of Eddy Curry will move Lee back to his natural 4-spot, but then again, from what we remember of Curry as a player (it's been a while), he doesn't do much to defend the rim, either.

Jordan Hill had a mercurial 8:55 stint in the third quarter. D'Antoni said he started the rookie in the second half because "we had some zombies out there and I just wanted to see Jordan." Hill wasted little time as he hit a midrange jumper right away and also ran the floor hard to finish with a dunk. Overall, he was 5-for-5 for 10 points, three rebounds and a blocked shot in 14:25. But he picked up four fouls in the third quarter, which forced D'Antoni to put him back on the bench until the fourth.

One of Hill's turnovers was only his fault because of the rookie penchant to defer to a veteran. Hill had the ball at the circle and saw Hughes coming toward him. Hill attempted a hand-off to Hughes, but it was never receieved and, instead, was stolen by Kelenna Azubuike (who, by the way, should be on the Knicks' B-list for 2010). Hill's play there should have been to let Hughes go through. Hughes' play there should have been to not bring his defender to Hill.

But, again, if you're going to lose, at least let a young player like Hill learn in the process.

D'Antoni said he thought Hill was "OK ... He does some things that are good. He still has a lot to learn, but I'd like to keep playing him and see what happens."

The most pointed message D'Antoni sent Friday night was that he was disgusted with his team's collected lack of fight.

Perhaps if he goes young and scrappy -- Marcus Landry may not have a ton of talent, but at least the kid competes -- the Knicks will at least be somewhat watchable.

So what about an eight-man rotation of Douglas-Gallinari-Chandler-Lee-Curry with Nate, Hill and Landry off the bench?

Seriously, how much worse can it get?

* * *

Quick follow-up to the LeBron James call to retire No. 23: I asked the Knicks' resident No. 23 -- rookie Toney Douglas -- what he thought of it. His reply suggested he wasn't really in favor: "It really doesn't matter to me what he said about the number thing. I don't really have no comment about it to tell you the truth."

Douglas said he has worn No. 23 since he was a 3-year-old and, of course, it was for Michael Jordan.

So, yes, LeBron has considered changing his number to 6, but I couldn't help but ask Douglas the hypothetical, "What if a veteran signed with the Knicks and requested the No. 23?"

He laughed.

"I'm not in that situation right now," he said. "So I'm going to have to wait until that veteran comes."

* * *

Leave it to Don Nelson to keep Stephen Curry buried on the bench for all but 2:35 of his NBA debut at the Garden. Nellie found it amusing when a reporter told him the Warriors "spoiled the Garden party" at the draft last June and tossed another dagger when he dismissed the idea that Jordan Hill was even next on their board. "We liked Brandon Jennings, too," he said.

Before the game, Curry, who shared a short-lived love affair with the Knicks before the draft, tried to suggest that he "left all that in the summer." But then he admitted that when he watches the Knicks, "you kind of picture yourself and how you could have played, what kind of plays you could have made."

Coulda been so beautiful ...

Knicks-Hornets: D'Antoni shuffles lineup again

Monday November 2, 2009 7:13 PM By Alan Hahn

The Knicks will have yet another change in their starting lineup for tonight's game against Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets. Mike D'Antoni before the game announced that Larry Hughes, who is coming off a strong 18-point performance in Saturday's overtime loss to the 76ers, will start at the shooting guard position and Jared Jeffries will move to the bench.

The change, which is the third in four games this season, will also allow D'Antoni to move Wilson Chandler out of the two-spot -- where he clearly isn't comfortable -- and put him back to where he was used most of last season: at the four.

The Knicks will start Chris Duhon, Hughes, Danilo Gallinari, Chandler and David Lee.

Hughes will get the defensive assignment against Chris Paul. And with Nate Robinson out with the ankle sprain, you can expect to see more of rookie Toney Douglas, who did not play in the home opener Saturday. It will be interesting to see Douglas go up against CP3, as well as fellow rookie Darren Collison, the former UCLA guard.

Another matchup to watch is Peja Stojakovic against Danilo Gallinari.

Use the comments section to share your thoughts with fellow Fixers throughout the game and, as always, follow me on twitter (twitter.com/alanhahn) for in-game observations and random musings.

Enjoy the game.

Shaking off his 0-for-Nate

Friday October 30, 2009 8:53 AM By Alan Hahn

After an uncharacteristically quiet opening game (scoreless, 0-for-8) for Nate Robinson, who on most days couldn't be quiet in a vaccum,he vowed after practice on Thursday to channel his inner Tasmanian Devil against the Bobcats Friday night in Charlotte.

In fact, he encouraged his entire team to do the same and went as far as suggesting the big-money Knicks embrace the role of the scrappy underdog.

[Bloghost note: I think I just named three cartoon characters just two sentences into this blog. Four, if you count Nate.]

"We're undersized, so we have to play a little more scrappy," he said. "We weren't that much scrappy [against Miami]. They outhustled us. We didn't really get to loose balls and they had a couple of offensive rebounds. They wanted it a little more than us, I guess.

"But that's something we have to have every night: we have to play with a chip on our shoulder, thinking, we're small, we've got to come out being fiesty. Everybody on the team's gotta be Tasmanian Devils, even if that's not your character. You've got to find it. That's something we've got to do."

Robinson's main role is to bring that kind of attitude off the bench, but he was very ineffective against the Heat. His shot, which was inconsistent in the preseason, looked terribly off-target. He also tried to style on one drive to the basket late in the first quarter and it was blocked by Joel Anthony.

The biggest concern was that Robinson seemed to allow his shooting issues impact his effectiveness on defense. Some players, and Robinson appears to be this type, desperately need swagger to play at a high level. When the offense isn't there, the swagger level droops.

If Robinson is going to earn himself a long-term extension here or anywhere else, he's got to separate his offense from his defense. A bad shooting day at one end of the floor should motivate him to make it a great day on defense. We too often judge Sixth Man of the Year too much on a player's offensive impact off the bench, probably because it's too easy to judge. But a true quality Sixth Man is one who can enter the game and make a difference, whether on offense or defense, for the better.

But he's right about the attitude this team needs to take.

* * *

As we reported today in Newsday, Mike D'Antoni suggested there could be a change coming with the starting rotation. It likely involves Danilo Gallinari moving into the starting five (inevitable, for sure), but the debate is whom he will replace.

UPDATE: 12:30 -- At the morning shoot-around here in Charlotte, D'Antoni said it was "too early" to make any radical changes with the lineup, so it'll remain the same tonight. But he left the door wide open for the possibility of changes coming on the horizon, especially with a nod toward the team's future.

That wouls suggest that Wilson Chandler, who struggled in the first half on Wednesday, but picked it up in the second half and clearly isn't 100 percent yet after the offseason bone spur surgery, is not going to come out of the starting five.

The coaching staff likes the defensive versatility that Jared Jeffries gives them on the floor, but if you recall the original five D'Antoni went with in camp included Duhon, Chandler, Gallinari, Harrington and Lee. So Jared could be the player who goes to the bench eventually.

I wonder, however, especially when Eddy Curry comes back (or as Darko Milicic continues to get comfortable in the system), if D'Antoni might consider Al Harrington off the bench.

Is it a dangerous situation? Absolutely, especially considering that Harrington, in a contract year, made it clear last week that while he'd accept the role, he strongly believes he's a starter. But Harrington really isn't a three and he shouldn't replace David Lee at the four. If Gallinari's second half is any indication that he found his touch,he should be starting. This team needs to open games in a rhythm offensively, but I'm not sure Mike D'Antoni, who has already exiled Larry Hughes to the end of the bench, is ready to stir up a hornets nest with Harrington.

But despite how D'Antoni regularly downplays the importance of the starting team (he stresses that it's more important to be in the rotation), he did admit there is no doubt you need to begin the game with your best five players that fit the best together.

"That's one of the reasons why, with a veteran team, everybody has their role and you know it from the get-go," he said. "Where, we still haven't won and we're still looking for that elusive stuff. We've got a lot of new guys that we've got to fit in. We've got, also, a future to think about. A lot of things go into it, but I want to get there sooner rather than later. And I will. I don't think it's today that it has to be, but it will be soon."