Hacking Griffin? D'Antoni calls it foul
GREENBURGH, N.Y. - The Griffin Rules? Eventually, some NBA team is sure to adopt them, perhaps when Blake Griffin leads the Clippers into the playoffs. But you won't see Mike D'Antoni employ a hard-foul philosophy against the high-flying rookie, who makes his Garden debut Wednesday night against the Knicks.
"I think you have to be very careful about that," D'Antoni said after yesterday's practice. "I think you should outplay him and outhustle him and out-position him . . . You have to play tough and it will happen."
But should the fact that Griffin shoots only 60.7 percent from the foul line (which suggests employing a Hack-a-Blake strategy) play a factor in the game plan against him? The Knicks have to be aware of how Griffin can change momentum with just one dunk.
"They're definitely momentum changers, for sure," said Amar'e Stoudemire, who has done the same with his own explosive game. "Whenever there's exciting plays and the crowd gets behind you, it can change the momentum."
Griffin had several when the Knicks and Clippers met Nov. 20 in Los Angeles, including the memorable one over Timofey Mozgov - who, D'Antoni said, will start the game defending Griffin - and another electrifying spinning dunk over Danilo Gallinari.
"I just remember that we won the game," Gallinari said of the Knicks' 124-115 victory. "I don't know if you remember, we won the game. That's all I remember."
What's also worth remembering is the Blake Show prompted Stoudemire to answer with a few monster slams of his own, including one over Griffin.
"We're trying to win, that's the main priority," Stoudemire said. "Whatever it takes."
Notes & quotes: Stoudemire had his technical foul from Sunday's game against the 76ers rescinded by the NBA, so his season total returns to 13. If he reaches 16, he will be suspended for one game. "He's still got to watch it," D'Antoni said. "I think he's trying and he definitely doesn't want to get , but it is an emotional game and things happen." . . . Ronny Turiaf did not practice and D'Antoni said the center was "probably not ready" to play Wednesday . . . The Knicks get a bit of a scheduling advantage this week, as the Clippers will be in the second game of a back-to-back following last night's loss in Orlando. On Friday, the Lakers also will be in the second of a back-to-back, following Thursday night's game in Boston.
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