NEW YORK – The buzzer sounded and it was over. The Knicks had just defeated the Sacramento Kings, 100-85. For the Gotham Gang, it was their seventh win in a row. Although their leader played less than 30 minutes and took only six shots, his impact on the game was undeniable. Behind his efforts, the Knicks put away a team they had to beat in a game they had to win. After fueling gritty and improbable comebacks in Minnesota and Toronto,
Well, it’s finally here: Super Bowl weekend. For almost everyone in New York, it’s exciting. For Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, it’s frightening. The Knicks are in a horrendous 2-10 slide and will be feeling the pressure when they head to Boston to play the Celtics in Friday’s best NBA game. This is a make-or-break weekend for the head coach. The Daily, a gossip Web site, has reported that D’Antoni will be fired if the Knicks lose the first two games of their
// Fans in the NBA’s two biggest markets can’t be very happy right now. For that matter, neither can David Stern. The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are the NBA. They predate instant replay, maximum salaries, team planes, the draft lottery, the 3-pointer, free agency, conferences and leather sneakers. For more than 50 years, they have anchored the league on opposite coasts, guaranteeing interest in the two biggest cities in the country. Both teams basically have unlimited budgets. Both teams
The three-star approach seems to be working for the Miami Heat. For the New York Knicks, not so much. The rivals meet Friday night in Miami, the best game on a schedule of 13. While the Heat may be getting back one of their stars, the Knicks will be without one of theirs. Miami’s lineup could include Dwyane Wade, who averaged 28 points vs. New York last season but has missed the last six games with a sprained left ankle. The Heat
Action never waned in the NBA on Wednesday night as the LA Clippers knocked off Miami in overtime and LeBron James’ late-game issues continued. That drama may carry over to Thursday when the New York Knicks open TNT’s doubleheader in Memphis against the Grizzlies. After knocking off top-seeded San Antonio in last year’s playoffs and with the return of Rudy Gay, Memphis (3-6) was supposed to be a contender this season. But injuries have sidetracked the Grizzlies, who are desperately missing forwards
After Carmelo Anthony gave a sold-out Madison Square Garden a great Christmas gift last Sunday, the Knicks have dropped consecutive games. On Wednesday night, they visited Oakland and lost to Mark Jackson’s Warriors, 92-78. And Thursday night’s showdown in Los Angeles saw Kobe Bryant and the Lakers defeat them, 99-82. During Thursday night’s telecast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, TNT’s Reggie Miller and Kevin Harlan, while calling the game, had the following exchange: RM: “What kind of basketball is this we’re
NEW YORK — The city that never sleeps is also the cauldron that never cools. At least, that’s the case when Knicks fans don’t have your back. Welcome to the world of Mike D’Antoni. After three full seasons as the coach of the New York Knicks, D’Antoni is 103-143, has one playoff berth, zero playoff wins, and the hottest coaching seat in the NBA. Maybe even in all of professional sports. From day one, Knicks fans have never fully embraced D’Antoni or his
