Nate makes bid for starting role
Photo credit: Getty Images | Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks celebrates a three pointer against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden. (Nov. 29, 2009)
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Nov. 29: Magic 114, Knicks 102
Nate Robinson's 22-point fourth quarter wasn't enough to change the outcome of last night's Knicks loss, but it might be enough to ignite a starting two-guard controversy.
Robinson came off the bench to score 22 of his 24 points in the final period of the Knicks' 114-102 loss to Orlando. In contrast, starting shooting guard Larry Hughes shot 1-for-9 and scored 11 points.
"I just wanted to come out there and do what I could to help the team win,'' said Robinson, who shot 10-for-12 in the final quarter.
Coach talk
With the Nets having fired Lawrence Frank Sunday before dropping to 0-17, the Knicks' Mike D'Antoni becomes the coach with the worst record in the Eastern Conference (3-14). Or make that the coach with the worst record in the Eastern Conference who has had his job for more than 24 hours.
D'Antoni is in a much more secure position than Frank ever was, though, given that he was brought in specifically for this rebuilding effort. Still, Denver coach George Karl recently suggested that D'Antoni should be promoted to senior vice president and that someone else should be installed as coach this season to absorb all the losses the team will take.
That notion made D'Antoni laugh. "Then you have some other -- take the losses? I appreciate what he said. It doesn't change anything," he said. "I'm fine with everything. I just want to win right now.''
When will Curry return?
When will Eddy Curry be back in the lineup? No one seems to know. He missed the last two games of the Knicks' western swing with a sore left knee and did not dress for the Magic game. "I think he just tweaked it,'' D'Antoni said. "They said nothing is structurally wrong. It's just as soon as the fluid goes away, he'll be able to play. It should be day-to-day, I would think.''
