Douglas in new Knicks lineup, same old result
Photo credit: AP | The Knicks' Toney Douglas, right, shoots over Atlanta's Joe Johnson during the first half of the Knicks' 114-101 loss at Madison Square Garden. Douglas had a season-high 23 points in his first start. (November 11, 2009)
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Nov. 11: Hawks 114, Knicks 101
Ninety minutes before the tipoff of last night's game against the Hawks, Mike D'Antoni revealed that rookie Toney Douglas had earned more minutes. What the Knicks coach didn't say was that they were going to come at the start of the game.
Douglas got his first start as D'Antoni, desperate for a win, tried his fourth different lineup of the season. He played alongside point guard Chris Duhon and replaced Larry Hughes. Although Douglas responded with a career-high 23 points, the Knicks suffered their fifth straight loss, 114-101, at the Garden. Their 1-8 record ties the 2002-03 team for the worst nine-game start in franchise history.
"The most disappointing thing is I came into this season with high hopes and I still have them," center David Lee said. "It's disappointing."
What was most disappointing about this loss is that the Knicks led by 14 points in the second quarter, before things fell apart in the second half. The Knicks were outscored 37-23 in the third and lost the lead for good with 3:46 left in the quarter when Al Horford hit two free throws to tie it at 71.
Horford led Atlanta with 25 points and Josh Smith added 22. Joe Johnson - who is somewhere behind LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade on the Knicks' summer free-agent shopping list - added 19.
"We're just not getting enough good plays," D'Antoni said. "We're just not playing well enough."
Duhon had a terrible game, playing 24 scoreless minutes. Duhon was 0-for-6 from the field with just three rebounds and two assists. Al Harrington, who had 23 points, scored only six in the second half when the team needed him most.
It's looking more and more like a season where you are going to have to sift through the rubble to find some gems. Douglas' game was definitely one of those. He made 10 of 19 attempts from the field and was one of the only Knicks who seemed to be putting up any resistance when they were falling apart in the second half.
Douglas' performance came on the heels of a 21-point game in the loss to Utah Monday. Douglas said it doesn't matter to him if he starts or comes off the bench.
Hughes said basically the same thing.
"I know whenever I'm in the game I have to make an impact to help this team," said Hughes, who scored 14 points. "Whatever I need to help, I'm going to do."
With this new lineup, D'Antoni is stressing that youth is going to be the priority on this team, something he hinted at last week.
