Knicks 96 – Cavaliers 94
Larry Brown finally acknowledged yesterday some players have quit on him, putting it on Isiah Thomas and owner James Dolan to get rid of those guys this summer or else he should be the one to go.
Before last night’s aberrational 96-94 win over the tired Cavs, Brown came close to issuing an ultimatum for sweeping change, saying he’s never had to “plead” for guys to try.
One player Brown certainly wants to keep is Jamal Crawford, whom he lauded with praise after he hit the game-winning fallaway jumper to beat LeBron James.
When asked if the players who’ve quit on him must go this summer, Brown said, “It depends on Isiah and Dolan and what they think of me. If they don’t want to do what you ask them to do, as the coach, why would you have them around? I don’t think there’s a situation anywhere in sports like that. We want guys who want to play the right way, and that’s going to happen.
“If they think I can’t do it, I understand. But I’m not giving up. I don’t think I’ve short-changed them one day of practice. We’re going to have people representing this team that everybody can be proud of. I guarantee you that. I know that’s going to happen.”
Brown held an emergency meeting after the 105-90 Wizards’ disaster Tuesday night and told reporters afterward he’s tired of “begging guys to compete.”
Yesterday he admitted, “I think there are some who have tuned us out and some who’ve been making progress.”
Of course, Brown’s sniping at players in the press – the latest being Nate Robinson for showboating – and his forever changing lineups turned off a lot of guys. Robinson responded to Brown’s barbs by apparently showing up his coach by taking just one shot in 27 minutes in Washington.
The incomprehensible nature of this Knick season cannot be emphasized enough. The Knicks have the league’s highest-paid players, highest-paid coach, highest-paid general manager and the highest ticket prices. But they have the league’s worst record at 20-54.
Thomas was unavailable for comment. He has not talked to the media in six weeks, and club officials say he is waiting until after the season to speak publicly.
Brown said this is a career first – being part of a club playing without effort.
“I’ve been doing this forever,” Brown said. “I haven’t had trouble getting guys to respond. Ever. You bang heads for a little while. But eventually they get better. I’ve never had a problem like this before. I’ve never heard anyone ever tell me my teams didn’t play hard.”
Brown said his message Tuesday wasn’t different from anything he’s said before.
“I was looking back on my career and figuring out what’s been different this year and what I’ve said,” Brown said. “One of the obvious things is I find myself repeating myself over and over more than ever before. Second thing I find myself is pleading guys to play with effort. I’ve always maintained a coach’s responsibility is to coach execution and you just assume and expect you’re going to get effort.”
Team Titanic is bearing down on the 1962-63 squad’s ineptitude. The 1962-63 team finished 21-59 for a .263 winning percentage. The Knicks must win two of their last eight to avoid setting a new record.
After the Washington blowout, Quentin Richardson unleashed on a vicious diatribe, accusing some of his mates about not caring about winning. Malik Rose addressed the team during the meeting. Asked if they’ve tuned Brown out yesterday, Rose said, “It’s possible but I don’t know who.”