IN THE SPIRIT of Thanksgiv ing we bring you 15 things Knicks fans should be thankful for during this holiday season. Consider it a holiday postcard, draped in orange and blue, with a message the glass is half-full instead of half-empty.
1. The Knicks aren’t the Hawks. Atlanta entered last night’s game against the Knicks at 2-7 with little optimism for improvement despite the acquisition of slimmed down Antoine Walker. Nobody shows up at Hawks home games, which is nothing new in the worst sports town in America.
2. Isiah Thomas is not Scott Layden. Eleven months ago, Knicks fans got an early Christmas present when inept Layden was fired and replaced by Thomas. He rebuilt the Knicks into a playoff team last year and they are at least intriguing this season.
3. Shandon Anderson is no longer a Knick. It’s amazing he had the nerve to gripe about his lack of playing time on his way out the door.
4. The Knicks didn’t draft Ron Artest. So Frederic Weis was a waste of a No. 1 pick, but think of the headache the Knicks would be going through now if they’d taken Artest, who was available.
5. Allan Houston’s imminent return. The Knicks’ best shooter is looking as if he might be back in the lineup next week after taking part in his first practice Monday. Say what you want about his $100 million contract, the Knicks need Houston if they’re going to make the playoffs.
6. They’re playing better. At 4-5 entering last night’s game, the Knicks had a chance to reach the .500 mark at this point in a season for the first time since 2000-01. Sure, it’s not billboard material, but it’s progress.
7. Kurt Thomas is still on the team. His name has been mentioned in numerous trade rumors since he arrived in 1999. But nobody plays harder day-in, day-out than Thomas.
8. Howard Eisley isn’t on the team. He and Anderson were the poster children of underachievement during the Layden error.
9. The assistant coaches have figured out where to sit. There were a tense few days when Brendan Suhr replaced Lenny Wilkens’ long-time sidekick Dick Helm on the Knicks’ staff. Who sat where during a game became a brief issue, but the staff apparently figured out whose rear end goes where.
10. Nazr Mohammed looks like a serviceable center. A 6-10, he owns the biggest body the Knicks have, but up until recently has played more like 6-6.
11. Their upcoming schedule. After playing the Hawks last night, the Knicks have two games against Toronto before playing the Hawks on Tuesday in Atlanta.
12. The Knicks City Dancers. The outfits have been upgraded and the personnel have a softer side that’s more appealing.
13. Celebrity row. Where else can you see stars like Paris Hilton and Howard Stern or whomever else might by sitting on the front row? At times (with their late arrivals, constant cell phone usage, and self-absorbed existence) they’re more entertaining than the game.
14. The Nets aren’t any good. The Knicks’ struggles in recent years have been magnified by the success the Nets were having across the river, winning back-to-back Eastern Conference championships. The Nets stink again, so the pressure is off a bit.
15. Garden security is better than Detroit’s. My guess is what happened between the Pacers and Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills wouldn’t have occurred here, where the green coats are quick to keep the peace. Plus, they’re used to breaking up fights in the stands.