Perhaps Michael Beasley has found a home with Knicks
The Knicks' Michael Beasley celebrates after scoring a three-pointer during a game against the Celtics at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017 Credit: AP / Andres Kudacki
DETROIT — No, this is not the career path Michael Beasley imagined when the Heat made him the No. 2 overall pick in 2008.
In 10 seasons, the forward has played for six teams, with two stints in Miami. He’s bounced from city to city, never staying in one place for more than two consecutive seasons. Beasley, who signed a one-year, $2.1-million contract with the Knicks this past summer, said all the moving around has been fine with him.
“What happens happens,” he said. “If I stuck with one team, I wouldn’t be a Knick today. Every day happens for a reason and every day mows your path to where you are today.”
Where Beasley is today is a surprise force off the bench. Before Friday night’s six-point outing against the Pistons, he had scored at least 23 points in three straight games, including 32 with 12 rebounds in 25 minutes Thursday night against Boston. He became the first bench player in the NBA to have at least 30 points and 10 rebounds this season.
“It’s been amazing with him, because wherever he’s gone, whatever opportunity he’s gotten, the guy can score the ball,” Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. “He’s not a big surprise; he was the No. 2 pick in the draft. It’s not like some guy who came out of nowhere. So it’s sort of amazing that he’s had to bounce around the way that he has. He’s gotten a big opportunity here. Jeff [Hornacek] has gone to him a lot. And he’s certainly proven worthy of that.”
Easy, Stan
Van Gundy took a poke at the Knicks’ easy early schedule before the game. “Well,’’ he said, “they’ve played 20 at home and 11 on the road, so a cynical person, which I’m not, would say that the league tried to help them build some confidence early in the year by giving them a lot of home games and giving them a chance to get going and pick up some confidence.”
Friday night’s 104-101 loss to the Pistons dropped the Knicks to 2-10 on the road. They are 15-5 at home.
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
