He is largely the whipping boy for many frustrated Knicks fans. The Knicks get outshot, blame Jose Calderon. Turnovers are his fault. If only there were a real point guard, the Knicks would be fighting not only for the playoffs, but also for a first-round homecourt slot.
“For sure, it’s not always easy to play when people don’t like what you’re doing or what you’re trying to do,” Calderon said. “Something is always going to be there. People can feel the way they want. If you give everything out there, you really don’t have to be concerned about what people say.”
But there was praise above all for Calderon in Friday’s 108-95 win over the Magic. He came out and poured in 10 of his 14 points in the first quarter and got the Knicks on their way to a win in which, despite some second half slop, they led by as many as 24 points.
“I knew Jose kind of had it going early, when he was penetrating, he was getting in the paint, he was making things happen, his ‘J’ was going early,” Carmelo Anthony said. “When he’s aggressive it opens the court up, not just for me but for everybody else.”
When guys are scoring, it makes Calderon’s job easy.
“We were attacking and everybody was making the right play,” Calderon said, who was coming off a 20-point game at Indiana on Wednesday. “Everybody was finding he open man.”
Brandon Jennings and the Knicks have been almost inseparable on the NBA the rumor circuit for several years. This year was no exception. Before Jennings was traded by Detroit to Orlando, many heard rumors of Jennings coming to the Knicks.
Except Jennings.
“Nothing,” Jennings said about whether he heard anything from official channels. “It was just all rumors. I heard rumors after my first game when I got back with Detroit [from injury] and I played here. There were rumors the Knicks were interested and it was just one game. There’s always rumors, just like everybody was saying who was going to get traded before the deadline and nothing happened in most [cases].”
But Jennings said there are worst fates than playing at the Garden.
“The Garden has history man. Who wouldn’t want to play in the Garden? You can still feel he energy and it’s sold out every night,” the point guard said.
With Friday’s game approaching laugher status, if not already there, in the second half, fans started several short-lived “We want Jimmer” chants, hoping for a Jimmer Fredette appearance.
Interim coach Kurt Rambis said Fredette is doing all the right things, but the Knicks “have guys he is going to have to play better than to get time.”
Anthony is the only NBA player to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists.
“I try not to feed into all of that. I didn’t know that stat,” Anthony said. “I guess nowadays everything is about a stat. But I’ll take it.I’ll take it and continue to build off of that. I really don’t know what else to say but I’ll take that stat.”
The Knicks were not certain of Arron Afflalo’s availability Friday until shortly before game time. Afflalo was kneed in the thigh Wednesday at Indiana and battled soreness for a couple of days.
“Yeah, that hurt but it’s all right,” said Afflalo, who posted a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double. “It’s one of those things where it’s not going to get worse.” It’s painful and tender but usually in a game, you play through it. I got kneed in the first quarter [Wednesday].”
Rambis admitted there has been discussion about sending Jerian Grant to the D-League for experience, but the feeling is that the rookie is better off with the parent club.
Rambis said the D-League talk is “an on-going conversation” among the higher ups.
“Some of it has to do with where they are and timing,” Rambis said. “We still want him to be available to us so if it works out, yes. Allan Houston and I talk about that. It’s not always the easiest thing to do but we want him available here, we want him available to practice with us. But if he could get some time down there, that would be great for him.”
The rookie had a solid game, scoring five points and handing out three assists in 16 minutes.