Knicks take small steps forward as Lebron slips away

At least we know now. After two years of cap-clearing and mediocre performances, the Knicks failed to hit the home run in the Lebron James sweepstakes. The Chosen One will head to South Beach, tarnished reputation in hand, after the bloated hubris of his multimedia campaign on Twitter, online and on ESPN.

Don’t mistake these words for bitterness. Like every Knicks, fan I would have loved Lebron to come to Madison Square Garden. And while it sounds cruel, I couldn’t care less about his supposed betrayal of his hometown fans. Aside from some recent playoff games, the man played his heart out in Cleveland and, after seven years of service, had every right to make the decision he made.

Landing Lebron would have been akin to hitting a big fly out of the park but, remember, there’s more than one way to round the bases. Donnie Walsh’s Plan B is certainly less spectacular than his Plan A but there’s no doubt the addition of Amare Stoudemire, the trade (however painful to accept) of David Lee and the soon-to-be announced addition of a serviceable point guard in Raymond Felton make the Knicks a better team.

It’s just that Walsh has lined a single rather than launched a franchise-changing home run out of the ball park. Remember too that the Knicks’ salary cap woes are a thing of the past. Walsh now has the financial flexibility to make more moves down the line. That might mean a mid-season arrival in exchange for Eddy Curry’s expiring contract. It might even mean the arrival of Carmelo Anthony, a player truly suited to playing in NYC, in 12 months time.

The Knicks decision to fire the first free agency salvo by locking up Amare Stoudemire to a five-year $99 million contract was an impressively bold, if risky, move. Getting Amare to commit to the franchise was a move partly designed to prove to other free agents, particularly Lebron, that the Knicks were serious. After all, Lebron had reportedly lobbied Cleveland for the Phoenix power forward to join him at the trade deadline last season, a request that owner Dan Gilbert was unable to accommodate.

But Amare is far more than mere Lebron-bait. He was arguably the league’s most dominant big man in the second half of last season. Whether he flipped a switch or merely decided to up his level of play to prove he was worth a max deal is immaterial. He is an asset to any team and knows Mike D’Antoni’s system well. The downside? He rebounds sporadically and plays minimal defence. Scaremongers will also point to his injury history but his rebuilt knee and dodgy eye didn’t seem to bother him as he and Steve Nash propelled the Suns to the Western Conference finals, did they?

Most importantly, Stoudemire has the grapefruits to play in New York City. According to those in Phoenix with understanding of his personal history, the travails of the New York media are nothing compared to what the big man has experienced in his life. Give me a player willing to openly embrace a new city over a superstar willing to hold a country to ransom any day of the week.

Lebron’s decision to join the Miami Heat indirectly meant that Knicks fans were forced to say goodbye to David Lee. With no Lebron to show for his efforts, Donnie Walsh went to Plan B and signed-and-traded the Knicks’ most tradeable asset to the Golden State Warriors for Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and Kelenna Azuibuke. There’s no doubt Lee will be missed. With the Knicks in almost perpetual turmoil, he elevated himself from a rebounding rookie role player to 20/10 All Star despite being forced to play out of position most of the time. He’s ultimately become a victim of Isiah Thomas’ cap mismanagement. While I will miss him, I really like the trade.

The key prize in the Lee trade is Randolph. He is long, athletic and there’s no limit on how effective he can be. He’s also a natural fit for the D’Antoni system. In April 2009, I was in Oakland to watch him dominate in a Warriors victory over the New Orleans Hornets. The downside? Like Stoudemire, he has a reputation for being injury prone. He also doesn’t have much of a post game. But the positives undoubtedly outweigh the negatives, especially when you add Turiaf’s shot blocking and Azuibuke’s defence.

As things stand, the Knicks will boast a massive frontcourt next season. With the Golden State three joining Amare, Danilo Gallinari, the Earl of Barron and the freshly acquired Jerome Jordan, Lee’s rebounds shouldn’t be missed and the interior defence should improve.

The final piece of Walsh’s free agency puzzle appears to be the acquisition of Charlotte Bobcats point guard Raymond Felton. Unimpressed with Charlotte’s overtures last summer, Felton, now a free agent, has found a ready suitor in the Knicks, agreeing a three-year $25 million deal expected to be finalised today. Felton occupies the middle tier of NBA point guards. He’s no Nash, Paul or Williams but he’s likely to be a more consistent player than Luke Ridnour, his competition for a spot on the Knicks roster. With Felton in place and Toney Douglas backing him up, the Knicks backcourt suddenly looks a lot tougher than it has been in recent years. The only issue may be outside shooting but Douglas showed improvement from beyond the arc when he made his late-season surge.

Felton, Douglas and Wilson Chandler will be joined in the backcourt by rookie guard Andy Rautins. The Canadian second round draft pick is considered a top long-range shooter. He made 282 threes in his last college season alone. But while Rautins undoubtedly will suit the Knicks offence, his selection ahead of New York native Lance Stephenson did raise some questions.

If there’s ever a right time to give your fan base a boost by drafting a local guy who might be a bit of a risky pick, that time is most likely to be in the middle of the second round. Yes, Stephenson, who like Stephon Marbury attended Lincoln High School in Brookyln, was described as a headcase after being anointed as a high school phenom. But, in addition to a stellar year at the University of Cincinnati, he also lost 30 pounds and was reportedly jumping out of the gym during draft workouts. He even thought the Knicks would draft him.

Why not take the chance? It was the 39th pick, Donnie, no-one would’ve complained if it didn’t work out! Can you imagine the scenes in the Garden if, as a Knick, Stephenson could have repeated his recent college form in the NBA? Now we’ll never know.

Thanks to free agency, the draft and sign-and-trades, next year’s Knicks roster has suddenly taken shape. There’s no point dwelling on Lebron or offering grades every time Walsh and D’Antoni make a move (I’m looking at you Berman!). There was only going to one winner of the James sweepstakes. It was key that the teams left disappointed still found ways to make progress.

The Knicks and Bulls have done this. To my mind, the Nets and the Clippers have not. Next season there will be one dominant team in the East and they won’t be wearing blue and orange. But the moves Walsh has made leave the Knicks as realistic contenders for the sixth, seventh or eighth seeds. And if they can achieve that, acquiring Melo, Tony Parker or Chris Paul in 2011 will be that much easier.

Memo to Lebron: come to NY as a player or don’t come at all

Someone called @bringontheking hit me up on Twitter a week or so back asking me – not to mention the rest of the Twitter-sphere – to show some love for a campaign to bring Lebron James to the New York Knicks. While I was happy to sign up to this, it also got me thinking about how far fans and franchises will go to secure the free agent that will revitalise their fortunes. How much should a team’s management be prepared to offer? How much influence can an organisation concede to one player and what are the consequences?

In the past month alone, Clippers fans announced they intend to stage a ‘Lebron Parade’ to attract Free Agent No 1 to the left coast, President Obama told Marv Albert that his Chicago Bulls offered LBJ a “great situation” and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was fined for comments he made speculating on Lebron’s intentions. Then there’s the much-vaunted “free agent summit” proposed between James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and, somewhat inexplicably given his awful playoff performances, Joe Johnson.

Let’s make a couple of things clear. No type of fan campaign, especially one organised by Clippers fans, is going to attract a big name free agenct to a city. Do you honestly think any player cares about these things? It might be flattering, but it isn’t going decide things one way or the other. Secondly, kudos to David Stern for slapping down the proposed free agency summit. Yes, it was totally overhyped by the press but any suggestion that the best players in the game are allegedly colluding to map out the next five to ten years of NBA championships is bad for the game. Not to mention the fact that, as long as Kobe keeps playing, the likes of James, Bosh and Wade are guaranteed zero rings, regardless of whatever plan they concoct between them.

But the real issue recent events in the ‘Lebron Sweepstakes’ got me thinking about is that of player power. In England, land of the Sportsbloke, player power in football rules in the English Premier League. Teams have been virtually bankrupted by the percentage of their overall earnings spent on player wages. Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez was recently relieved of his duties after losing the trust of his star players Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

How much should an NBA franchise concede in order to secure Lebron’s services? During the playoffs, the rumour that LBJ and Kentucky coach John Calipari were being offered to teams as a package deal abounded. Now, despite his success in college ball, Calipari’s late 90s stint as an NBA coach with the Nets was not a success. Did whoever proposed this deal really expect the Heat, the Nets or, the alleged most likely candidate, the Bulls accede to this just to get Lebron? Luckily, getting a big name coach has never been the way the Bulls have done things, something borne out by their hiring of Vinny del Negro a few years ago. Hell, they got Phil Jackson from the CBA!

As for New York, a recent story on Forbes.com suggested Lebron would be offered shares in the Knicks franchise in addition to his a contract. The theory here was that the better James played, the more the Knicks’ stock would (literally) rise ensuring he made a mammoth amount of cash.

This particular option was slapped back down by the league itself. NBA spokesman Michael Bass revealed that “ownership of shares in MSG in a situation such as this would constitute salary cap circumvention.”

And it’s not just the team’s courting Lebron prepared to give him free reign. In recent weeks, the Cleveland Cavaliers have cleared the decks in their front office. GM Danny Ferry resigned just weeks after dead coach walking Mike Brown was shown the door. It now appears that, in addition to being able to pay James more than anyone else, the Cavs are also prepared to let him pick and choose his own men to run the franchise.

But what’s the point? What qualifications does Lebron have to make these decisions? None. Does keeping him on such one-sided terms put the team any nearer landing a championship? No. The recipe for NBA championship success is tried and tested and relatively simple. You get two coachable all stars, a half decent coach and a stable front office. Is it any accident the Lakers and the Celtics are in the finals again? Of course not.

I don’t think Donnie Walsh should even attempt to match what the Cavs are doing to land Lebron. And I don’t think he will. Players, even franchise players, shouldn’t dictate anything more than what happens on the court. Look at the catastrophic effect of Isiah Thomas’ indulgence of Stephon Marbury. How did that work out for us? Now Lebron is no Marbury but, if he’s more interested in making movies, taking shares and gladhanding fellow celebrities, he’s not going to be the ‘King of New York’ that all Knicks fans want him to be.

Kobe remains the best player in the game because, in addition to his prodigious talents, his head is always in the game. The man lives basketball and he has no time for anything else, even a sideline conversation with Chris Rock. Does the younger generation of NBA superstars have Kobe’s degree of focus? Absolutely not. While Kobe wins rings, Lebron talks to Larry King in a lame bid to take the spotlight away from the NBA finals and Dwight Howard, a man whose apparent arrested development is genuinely weird, would rather dress up and interview himself than win basketball games. Maybe Wade and Bosh share Bryant’s competitive drive. Carmelo Anthony certainly does, but the Knicks will have to wait until 2011 if they want to land him.

So Lebron, if it’s up to me, the Knicks can give you your max contract. You can have the keys to the city and make as many marketing dollars as you and Nike desire.  You can light up Madison Square Garden with your skills and athleticism and bask in the glory of putting the Knicks among the upper echelons of the NBA. But you don’t get to pick the coach. And you don’t get to decide who the GM should be. And if you don’t like it, you’d obviously rather be a sports entertainer than a Knicks basketball legend.

In position for Donnie Walsh to deliver: Knicks season on the sofa

As the New York Knicks meandered through the final week of another 50+ loss season, I had the pleasure of heading to the States. No basketball for me on this trip. I’m in San Francisco tieing the knot with the Sports Lass (who I guess I should now refer to as Mrs Sports Bloke). We were supposed to head home to England tomorrow but, thanks to an Icelandic volcano and some cancelled flights, are now stuck on the Left Coast until the end of the month. This is a not inexpensive hassle but it does at least give me some time to reflect on the dregs of the Knicks’ season and look forward to what is now a make or break summer for Donnie Walsh.

Two wins and four losses over their final six games meant the Knicks finished 29-53 for the season. The only real bright spots here came in the form of a surprising 104-101 win over the Boston Celtics – in which Danilo Gallinari topped 30 points and flukily banked in a three pointer to seal the win – and a 40-point fourth quarter rally against the Washington Wizards that resulted in an improbable comeback win. In between times, defeats to Miami and Orlando were almost as predictable as the stuttering fourth quarter that cost the team a win in Indiana and the insipid defenceless display in the season finale at Toronto.

But at least this unforgiving season is finally all done and the re-building can begin in earnest. Here’s what we can say for certain: the days of Al Harrington, Chris Duhon, Jonathan Bender and Eddie House as Knicks are over. Sergio Rodriguez, JR Giddens and Tracy McGrady will almost definitely join them looking for work. With next year’s salary cap now announced at a higher-than-expected 56 million dollars and only Gallo, Wilson Chandler, Toney Douglas and the execrable Eddy Curry still on the books, Donnie Walsh has 34 million dollars to spend. And you can trust that he will spend it wisely.

The moves Walsh could potentially make have already been analysed to death. But whether you believe a dream team free agent bonanza of Lebron James and Chris Bosh is imminent or a pipe dream, the fact remains that Walsh has delivered on his promise to get the Knicks to a fiscal position where they become contenders again. The Celtics won 24 games the season before they added Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen and went on to win the title. Things change quickly in the NBA. The true curse of Isiah Thomas’ tenure at the helm was that his awful decisions ensured the Knicks were never in the financial position to improve their circumstances. Now, thanks to Donnie, they are in the conversation for the first time in years.

There’s no point second guessing what Walsh will do this summer. The man has an alphabet of plans he can utilise. He also has the ability and the contacts to keep people off the scent. Did you honestly see the Zach Randolph or Jamal Crawford trades coming before Wlash pulled the trigger? By explaining his plan, sticking to it and delivering on what he promised (to date), Walsh has earned, at least to my mind, the trust of the Garden faithful. People scoffed when he said he’d create room for two max free agents by trading Jared “Mr Intangible” Jeffries. Walsh pulled it off, albeit with a trade that potentially wrecks his prospects in future drafts. He even got rid of Jerome “Big Snax” James, whose acquisition was the symbolic nadir of Thomas’ reign. You have to believe, now he’s put the team in a position to turn the corner, that Donnie will deliver a drastically improved roster mext term.

I don’t believe Lebron or Wade will come to New York. I think Joe Johnson and Chris Bosh might be a more realistic aim. Even if that fails, grabbing Marcus Camby and keeping David Lee for the front court and using what’s left to get a decent point guard for Douglas to back-up will surely be a dramatic improvement on what we’ve watched for the last two years. The potential addition of Camby intrigues me. I’ve just watched him dominate the boards and the paint in Portland’s playoff win in Phoenix. His rebounding and blocking abilities would compensate for Lee’s absent defence  and the pair would surely work well together. There’s plenty of NBA power forwards who play no D but are bailed out by the defensive dominance of their center. Randolph and Marc Gasol in Memphis spring immediately to mind. And who’s to say Lee won’t dramatically improve his defence over the summer as he did with his offensive game last off-season? Despite recently referring to himself in the third person in an interview, the man has heart, has flourished in New York, has elevated him game and wants to be part of the Knicks’ turnaround. For me, he deserves a contract.

Based on the evidence of season’s last few weeks, Bill Walker and The Earl of Barron both deserve low cost bench spots next year. Barron seems athletic enough to play in Mike D’Antoni’s offence and, more importantly, seemed hell-bent on proving his worth after rotting in the D-League for a season. He’s be a viable back-up for someone like Camby. Walker is impressively athletic and contributes at both ends of the floor. After his original stock in the draft was wrecked by injury, he possesses a similar desire to show what he can do. Give me this attitude of that of a money-hungry mediocre veteran (yes, Mr Harrington, I’m referring to you) any day of the week. New York has long been a home to the league’s waifs and strays. From CBA bag boys (Starks) to unwanted lunatics (Spree), the Garden has always allowed previously unheralded players to become stars or perceived malcontents to attain redemption.

So, yes, the worst is over. Aside from Eddy Curry and Utah’s draft pick, the wretched vestiges of Isiah’s reign are gone. This season, at times truly awful to witness, is finally done and the Knicks are in position to finally turn the corner. In Donnie Walsh, they have the man who will make it happen. For Mike D’Antoni, the time for excuses is over now he’ll have the necessary talent at his disposal. And while it’s far too early for the Garden faithful to start dreaming of long play-off runs and the like, it’s a guarantee that the time is approaching where we can hold our heads high and, whisper it, dare to dream just a little.

Finally, the Knicks win in the west – Season on the sofa week 23 review

God bless the Los Angeles Clippers. They are as reliable in their incompetence as Tim Lincecum is with a fastball. Be honest, if you had lost the first four games of a Western Conference road trip and you knew that even a performance for the ages from your best player wasn’t good enough to defeat a team as lowly as the Golden State Warriors, is there another team you’d rather play than the Clippers on the last game of the trip to ensure you at least returned home with one win in your pocket?

Of course not. And, the Clippers being the Clippers, the team no longer coached by Mike “Squinty” Dunleavy duly obliged, falling to the Knicks 113-107 just hours after an earthquake shook downtown Los Angeles. David Lee led the way with 29 points and 10 boards and, for once, was ably assisted by Al Harrington who, with Tracy McGrady resting his ever-ailing sore left knee, made the most of a start with a 26 point return. In a shock reversal of his efforts against the Clippers last season where he virtually handed two Ws to the Clips by drawing a pair of ludicrous technical fouls, Harrington made the difference down the stretch, getting the better of his old running mate Baron Davis and scoring six points (four from the line) in the final 72 seconds to close out the game.

The other noteworthy aspects of this match-up came primarily from the bench. Firstly, the debut of Earl Barron, the seven-foot center signed from the D League on a 10-day deal, gave the Knicks a real boost with 10 points and six rebounds in a 17-minute stint. Sergio Rodriguez dealt out 10 dimes in 22 minutes and Toney Douglas, nonsensically supplanted in the starting line-up by Chris Duhon, shot 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. While the Clippers starters got the better of the Knicks’ first five in the game’s opening exchanges, D’Antoni’s second string, led by Douglas and Rodriguez, brought them back into the game and then into the lead. That, and the first consistent bursts of energy and defence seen on this current road trip, helped the Knicks get over the line.

So, a predictably dire road trip ended on a meaningless high. Good job the degree of difficulty in terms of opponents lessened as the five-game swing went on. Having opened the trip with a shellacking in Phoenix (see last week’s column), D’Antoni and his charges succeeded in lowering expectations to record depths for their visits to Utah and Portland. Both Knicks performances in these games fell into the “stop me if you’ve heard this one before” category.

Against the Jazz, the Knicks fell behind early, giving up 44 points on 85% (YES, EIGHTY-FIVE PER CENT!) shooting – and virtually no defence – in the opening quarter, before rallying back to parity near the end of the third. An ice-cold fourth quarter in which a malfunctioning Knicks offence managed a paltry 11 points sealed the deal in Utah’s favour. No execution down the stretch equals no victory. Yet again.

Facing the Blazers, the Knicks produced the all-too familiar 48 heartless, effortless, distracted minutes on their way to a 118-90 beatdown. As Mike D’Antoni noted, the game started badly at the opening top and “went downhill from there”. The Knicks were manhandled on the boards, out-rebounded 50 to 30. They managed just four fast break points all night. The win clinched a playoff spot for Portland. The loss had Knicks fans reaching for the sick bucket.

How badly to you have to play to lose a game in which one of your players records the NBA’s first 30-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist game in 34 years? Awfully, if the opponent in question is the Golden State Warriors. As is customary when the Knicks play the Warriors, the Oakland hoops police ensured no defence was allowed within five miles of the Oracle Arena and the scoreboard rattled around accordingly. After the Portland debacle, D’Antoni revealed he had appealed to the “competitiveness and pride” of his players. The resulting 128-117 loss suggested that only David Lee was listening.

With his jump shot firing and his pick and roll game restored thanks to the otherwise unwelcome re-introduction of Chris Duhon, Lee scored 37 points, hauled down 20 rebounds and dished out 10 assists. It was the first 30/20/10 return in an NBA game since Kareem Abdul Jabbar completed the feat in March 1976. Lee played 46 minutes, including late fourth quarter garbage time when the game was already lost but that should not diminish his effort.

The one question is does raise is way D’Antoni had Lee out there at all. Could one reading of this be that the Knicks are quietly putting Lee in the shop window for use in a sign and trade this summer? Unlike with Nate, Jordan Hill and, more recently T-Mac, the coach appears to appreciate Lee’s play and, if Donnie Walsh’s plan for next season doesn’t include the former Florida Gator, wants him to land in a good spot.

So how was Lee’s historic effort neutralised? A total absence of defensive effort led to Anthony Morrow and Reggie Williams tormenting the Knicks with 35 and 23 points respectively. On the other side of the ball, a lack of interior toughness saw Ronny Turiaf transform into the second coming of Dwight Howard, making five rejections in a 15-minute block party. The Warriors also forced 22 turnovers while giving up only 10. Their victory moved coach Don Nelson within one game of equalling Lenny Wilkens record total of 1,332 NBA wins.

As if such things needed confirmation, the Knicks one and four Western conference swing reeked of the resignation that comes from a team eliminated from the playoff picture with players who know the team will be blown up in the summer. Everyone know the big picture with the Knicks but, as I’ve said at various points this season, knowing things will eventually get better does not provide in the aftermatch of dispirited performances and bad defeats. The only bright spot this season haas been the play of David Lee. The irony is that it seems no matter how hard he continues to play, his future as a Knick looks as bleak as those of the teammates who consistently failed to match the standards he sets.

Two steps forward, three steps back: Knicks season on the sofa week 22 review

With just two games, as Fighting Talk legend Greg Brady would say, on the docket, the last seven days have been relatively short on excitement in Knick-land. As has become customary this season, momentum built in an excellent, if ultimately fortunate home win over the Denver Nuggets was halted almost immediately by a heavy road loss to the Phoenix Suns.

As this stuttering season draws to its conclusion, the real stars of the year once again stood tall. I’m not talking about David Lee, Danilo Gallinari or the rising Toney Douglas. I’m referring to the Madison Square Garden crowd. Against Denver, in another ultimately meaningless game, the Garden crowd created yet another play-off like atmosphere as the Knicks overcame 36 points from the NBA’s purest scorer Carmelo Anthony to pull out an unlikely 109-104 win.

Hours after going on the record with his desire to regularly guard the opposition’s best player, Gallinari backed up his bravado as his third quarter scoring burst allowed the Knicks to take control of proceedings. Gallo’s duel with Melo was the feature of the game. The pair traded huge shots, jawed at each other and ended the game with obvious mutual respect. Anthony’s 36 points suggested he won their individual battle, but the final score proved The Rooster won the war.

If David Lee ever decides to quit basketball, he may find alternative employment in legal circles. With under three minutes left, the Knicks all star was called for a blocking foul, his sixth of the game. Somehow, he was able to convince the officials his feet were outside the restricted area under the basket. He wasn’t. But the officials believed him and overturned the call. It was a crucial turning point in the game. Had Lee fouled out, a characteristic final minute meltdown may have ensued as the Nuggets tightened the screw. Lee remained on the court and marshalled the Knicks to the win.

While Gallo vs Melo stole the headlines, rookie Toney Douglas again demonstrated why he is a 2010/11 keeper. He had three fouls and no points at the half but, as is becoming customary, did not let his head drop. Douglas bounced back with gusto in the second half, pouring in 16 points and handing out seven assists. Once again he overcame individual problems to play a key role in a team win.

Any satisfaction Mike D’Antoni took from the Denver victory was summarily erased by his former players when the Knicks travelled to Phoenix for the first match-up of a five game Western conference road trip. It was a brutal night as Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and company took revenge for the shellacking they received at Madison Square Garden last December.

The Suns started off with a 14-3 burst that effectively ended the game as a contest. The Suns scored 30+ points in every quarter and outscored their opponents by 10+ points in three of the four stanzas. The Knicks mailed it in to such an extent that Channing Frye, the former Knick widely regarded as the softest player in the league after Eddy Curry, pulled down 11 rebounds, Nash and STAT only had to play for 27 minutes and Goran Dragic dished out 10 assists. The Suns were allowed to shoot 55% from the floor and outrebounded New York 56 to 38.

The sadness in a performance as poor as this is that it’s not even surprising. The game was a carbon copy of the week road effort against the Celtics a couple of weeks ago. We know the Knicks are undersized and over-matched by the league’s better team but surrendering by 36 points when you’re facing four more touch road games in quick succession is unacceptable.

With Utah and Portland up next, it’s hard to see how D’Antoni will lift his team to a level approaching respectable effort. The only meagre positive for these games is that the Knicks trademark inconsistency means they might raise their game at the time we least expect it. At least this Friday’s game at the equally defence-less Golden State should be a rollicking, entertaining score-fest for people of all ages to enjoy.

Toney Douglas makes his point: Knicks season on the sofa week 21 review

With a playoff berth well beyond the the New York Knicks, coach Mike D’Antoni has finally bestowed starter’s minutes upon rookie point guard Toney Douglas. The former Florida State guard has taken his chance, undergoing an almost instant transformation from youthful benchwarmer to 2010 keeper.

Despite his inexperience, Douglas has brought impressive levels of poise, responsibility, defensive intensity and athleticism since being named as a starter for the monster win over Dallas. In his last four games, he has scored 20+ points three times, been instrumental in two wins over the ailing Philadelphia 76ers and, after committing three crucial turnovers down the stretch against the Houston Rockets, also learned a quick lesson that life in the NBA isn’t as easy as it first looked.

One of the defining themes in the NBA this year has been the emergence of impressive young point guards. Douglas, drafted 29th last summer, hasn’t yet done enough to be mentioned in the same breath as Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry and Darren Collison but, since unglueing himself from the Knicks bench, has shown he has what it takes to be successful in this league.

Highly touted for his committment to defence, Douglas’ recent performances have showcased a surprisingly consistent three-point shot, a desire to drive to the hoop and, most importantly for this rudderless Knicks roster, the desire to take responsibility at the end of a game.

In Philadelphia on March 15, Douglas sparked a second half rally, pouring in 20 points and adding seven assists as the Knicks turned a 55-44 half-time deficit into a 94-84 victory. Four nights later, he skewered the Sixers again, scoring 14 of his 22 points and forcing crucial tunrovers in the fourth quarter to propel a Knicks team missing Wilson Chandler and David Lee to a stirring 92-88 comeback win. At one point, he scored 13 consecutive points, a feat all the more impressive given he was playing with five fouls.

Douglas’ efforts in the second Philly game energised the Garden crowd. Just like against the Hawks a week ago, Knick heart and hustle created an atmosphere more reminiscent of a playoff game than an ultimately meaningless late season match-up. On both occasions, the fans and Madison Square Garden showed that they are the biggest reason an all-star free agent would come to play in New York. The desire, no, need of the MSG faithful to see winning basketball is such that they will blow the roof off even for a pointless game. Imagine what a playoff atmosphere in the Garden would be like. Donnie Walsh should send tapes of the Hawks and 76ers games to Lebron, Bosh and Wade immediately.

But back to the point in hand. If TD23 thought this NBA lark comes easily, he was given a rude awakening in a Sunday matinee loss to the Houston Rockets. After three excellent quarters, Douglas again took responsibility down the stretch only this time, thanks to some rookie mistakes and the wily play of former Knick Jared Jeffries, ended up as the goat despite shooting 60% from beyond the arc and scoring a career-high 26 points.

Desperate to respond to a late seven point burst from the ice-cold Aaron Brooks, Douglas was called for two charging fouls on Jeffries and then compounded his errors by turning the ball over a third time. There was no way back. That said, the outcome of this game should not detract from Douglas’ excellent play throughout the week. He will undoubtedly learn from the mistakes he made against the Rockets. What’s more important is, after the immaturity of Nate and the woeful play of Chris Duhon, in Douglas the Knicks now have a keeper who can run this team in 2010/11 and beyond.

It might have even been fitting that Houston edged this encounter as it gave Jared Jeffries and Jordan Hill the last laugh after they were sacrificed for McGrady and cap space last month. Both had good outings. Rookie Hill, who was called out by D’Antoni before the game, responded with a career-high 13 points as the Rockets won the bench-scoring battle 52-13. In addition to bolstering his league-leading stat for taking charges, Jeffries also made two crucial blocks in the final four minutes. Although he has been supplanted by Hill in the Rockets rotation, can there be any better place for the man I used to call Mr Intangible than this no-star all-star Houston roster?

As Hill and Jeffries shone against their old team, Tracy McGrady produced a solid display against his former franchise, possibly his best all-round display since becoming a Knick. T-Mac stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, seven boards, five assists, two steals and two blocks in 33 minutes. It was a marked improvement on his two previous games where he had gone 0 for 7 (vs Philly) and 4 for 12 in the 109-97 beatdown against the Boston Celtics. McGrady continues to look like a man who knows the game inside out but is consistently let down by his body. He sees the right passes and makes smart defensive decisions but the promise of him getting consistently stronger is not becoming a reality. The slightest clash of legs or knees leave him limping, ineffective and unable to make shots. Despite this, he remains a tantalising cut-price gamble for next season but the jury’s still out on whether he’ll be back.

The rise of Toney Douglas has also rejuvenated other parts of the Knicks roster. Douglas appears to have developed a nice understanding with Danilo Gallinari that has helped the Rooster emerge from a series of disappointing performances. Gallo’s three-ball accuracy has returned but, more importantly, he now appears willing to mix up his game by driving to the hoop to draw contact. Eleven of Gallinari’s 25 points against Philly came at the line. He shot nine more free throws against Houston. Rather than loiter behind the arc, Gallinari now offers a more balanced scoring threat.

Bill Walker has had a couple of good games in recent weeks. This week, his fellow ex-Celtic JR Giddens got his first minutes as a Knick. Although Giddens is listed at six feet five inches, he looks and plays bigger, ripping down nine rebounds and scoring 10 points in 21 minutes against Philly. Neither Walker or Giddens are good enough to lead a team but, when you add their athleticism to that of Douglas, the Knicks look impressively fast. It’s light years away from the plodding incompetence of Duhon and the me-first shot selection of Al Harrington. Giddens and Walker might only be minor pieces, but they fit what D’Antoni wants to do and, most importantly, are hungry to play their hearts out now they have an opportunity.

For next season, we know Gallinari, Chandler and now Douglas will play key roles for the Knicks. Not only was the young point guard patient and professional while he waited for this chance, he grasped the opportunity when it came and wrenched every last drop from it. If Douglas can continue this form, the parallels with the ascent of John Starks might not be so fanciful after all.

This is a low: Knicks season on the sofa week 19 review

Due to broadband failure at Sports Bloke Towers (thanks a million, British Telecom), the first three Knicks games this week were rendered unwatchable to my tired gaze. I’m still trying to work out whether this was a blessing or a bind.

As it turned out, the games against Cleveland, Detroit and Toronto followed a predictable pattern. The Cavs handed out a regulation shellacking to Mike D’Antoni’s men, the woeful Pistons surrendered limply in a high-scoring 24-point beatdown and the Raptors, after three even quarters, relied on superior execution down the stretch to beat New York even though Chris Bosh was unavailable.

In all three games, the Knicks conceded over 100 points. In all three games they played next to no defence. In all three games, David Lee, despite his consistent offensive output, was abused defensively by bigger and stronger players. With the season now over for the Knicks, D’Antoni took the opportunity to take a longer look at some of his new acquisitions, inserting Bill Walker into the starting line-up and switching the inconsistent Tracy McGrady to the point guard slot. Sergio Rodriguez got extended minutes running the point backing up McGrady.

While these moves arguably made the Knicks more fluid in attack, they bought about absolutely no change on the defensive end. Opposition guards continued to drive the lane with impunity while the likes of Jonas Jerebko and Antawn Jamison recorded double figure rebounding games as they outmuscled the paper-thin, over-matched Knicks interior.

Regardless of how hard it is to watch this struggling Knicks team at present, we all know the reasons for their travails. With this season consigned to the garbage bin, the roster, recently gutted in preparation for the Summer of Lebron (or more likely the Summer of Joe Johnson and Chris Bosh), is imbalanced and undersized. Losing 11 of the last 13 games and conceding an average of 112 points in the process is woeful – but it ultimately doesn’t matter if Donnie Walsh fulfils his promise of big name signings in the off-season. The patience of the majority of Knicks fans, severely tested over the past decade, means these recent performances are (at best) tolerated for now.

But then the Knicks found themselves on the receiving end of a 20-point blowout at home to a local rival who had previously won just six of their 61 games.

Last night’s defeat to the lowly New Jersey Nets was simply unacceptable. The boos that rang out through Madison Square Garden from the second quarter onwards were absolutely justified as the Knicks wasted an excellent opening spell, blewing a 16-point lead and were then outscored by 30 points over the game’s final three quarters. McGrady managed a meagre two points in 23 minutes of play. Rodriguez, for all his perpetual motion and fluid passing, was roundly abused by the speed of Devin Harris and Courtney Lee for most of the game. Brook Lopez and Terence Williams dominated David Lee on the boards.

Predictably, the Knicks couldn’t defend the paint. Neither could they defend the three-point line. The Nets, averaging a paltry 4 made three per game, made 14 of 24 shots from downtown. For a time, it seemed like Courtney Lee, Harris and Kenyon Dooling couldn’t miss. In contrast, the Knicks hit none (I repeat, NONE) of their 18 attempts from beyond the arc ensuring they were not only blown out by the league’s worst team, but also managed to set a truly embarrassing record in the process.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Knicks’ 18 missed 3-pointers sets an NBA record for most attempts without a make. How many times do the Knicks have to go the extra mile to become a league-wide punchline? Off the top of my head, fans have had to endure the heaviest regular season defeat in a nationally televised game (scoring 58 points against Boston on TNT) and having the league’s highest payroll only to finish a season with 24 wins alone. Then there’s all the individual embarrassments: Kobe turning MSG into his own personal playground while torching the Knicks for 61 points; the team recording less blocks combined than Dwight Howard managed on his own over the course of a season; Nate shooting into his own basket; the brawl against Denver. And I haven’t even mentioned Marbury, Eddy Curry or Isiah yet!

D’Antoni reflected on the Nets loss, the Knicks 41st of the season, as follows: “We gotta do a better job, we got to somehow get these guys together and play well and get the year over with and then go on to other things. It’s tough for everybody right now. Obviously, we don’t have the answer now, but we’ll keep looking for it.” These sentiments have become the Cliff Claven-lookalike’s mantra since the early days of the season. But when are we going to see them put into practice on the court?

The Knicks show flashes of coherence that they never sustain. This isn’t a new problem. Save for a consistent stretch in December, it has plagued them throughout the year. They don’t raise their game for the elite teams. They don’t play down to the few lesser opponents they face. They seem to collectively bring the effort when they feel like it. And for a team whose roster has changed and devolved through the season, the coach must take some of the blame.

D’Antoni’s stubbornness is becoming the stuff of legend in New York but it’s his logic that leaves me baffled. He was hellbent on Chris Duhon becoming his NY version of Steve Nash despite the obvious gulf in class between the two. He preached his seven second or less philosophy despite knowing he didn’t have the quality of players to execute it. He let down rookies Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas by eventually giving them minutes and then returning them to the bench before the got a proper run in the rotation.

Most crucially, his constant line-up changes suggest (at best) a coach grasping for answers or (at worst) a coach without a clue. D’Antoni’s reputation is one of being a players’ coach but his two years in New York suggest he can only handle players of a certain quality. He has no answers when stuck with a roster of limited ability.

At least D’Antoni (like the rest of us) only has to suffer for 20 more games. Walsh’s trades have opened the door, albeit at great risk, to a brighter future. The pain of recent losses will eventually subside. Even the debacle against the Nets will fade from memory given time. The onus remains on Walsh to deliver the players that can implement D’Antoni’s plan. I was apoplectic in the aftermath of last night’s game. Twelve hours later, I look at the bigger picture and remain hopeful for next season. But when things do improve, it will be tough to convince me that D’Antoni deserves any credit. When things get better, it will be down to Walsh’s patient franchise fixing and the players he is able to acquire.

Indefensible defence: Knicks season on the sofa week 18 review

Pull on your crash helmets and brace yourself for pain. New York’s new day will still come this summer but, on the evidence of the Knicks’ four games this week, the remainder of this NBA season is going to be hard to watch.

Gutted by Donnie Walsh’s trades to bring about free agent nirvana this summer, Mike D’Antoni’s new-look roster seems incapable of competing with even the most mediocre NBA teams for a full 48 minutes. With no Jared Jeffries marshalling their already below-average interior defence, the Knicks have become easier to score on than a female contestant in the Jersey Shore.

None of this is unexpected or unique to the Knicks. Salary dumping in preparation for the summer has been de rigour for many NBA teams over the past couple of seasons. Walsh has stuck steadfastly to his oft-stated plan of getting under the salary cap. In the main, Knicks fans have accepted mediocrity in the present in exchange for the promise of future greatness. The play of Tracy McGrady was supposed to sustain Knicks fans through to the summer and, as T-Mac bought the Garden to life in last weekend’s OT loss to the Zombie Sonics, it looked like the remainder of the season, while 99% certain to yield no playoff spot, would be riddled with memorable McGrady moments.

The sad truth was revealed two nights later as McGrady limped up and down the court in a truly horrible home loss to Milwaukee. His rebuilt knee isn’t strong enough to stand up to the rigours of the NBA schedule. His minutes, much like his future contributions, look like being severely limited. Without McGrady, the Knicks aren’t capable of beating many teams. They eked out a road win in Washington against the only NBA team whose roster has been gutted even more viciously than their own. And there’s no glory in beating a team by shooting a meagre 25% in overtime. Overall, the 118-116 turnover-riddled game was awful to watch. But it did end an eight-game losing streak, the Knicks worst run of the season.

The laboured win over the Wizards was the sole bright spot of a truly miserable week for the Knicks where their lack of size was cruelly and repeatedly exposed. In a home loss to Milwaukee, Bucks center Andrew Bogut eased his way to a 24-point, 20-rebound game shooting 80% from the field. On the defensive end, the seven-foot Aussie had five rejections. On Legends night, the 40th anniversary celebration of the 1970 world championship team, the present day Knicks could only 67 points in 48 minutes and lost comfortably by 16 points in a performance that disgraced the legacies of Frazier, Monroe, Debuscherre and Co.

With Jared Jeffries and Jordan Hill gone, the Knicks didn’t have anyone capable of even hoping to stop Bogut. That’s fair enough. What’s unacceptable is the stagnant offensive performance. The additions of Sergio Rodriguez and McGrady had D’Antoni murmuring about playing at pace. But this was more stunned-and-glum than run-and-gun. And with Chris Duhon benched for the entire game, the pick and rolls so key to David Lee’s scoring were absent. Lee managed his customary double double (12 and 13) but only took 12 shots in the game.

If Andrew Bogut feasted on the New York’s undersize interior, former Knick Zach Randolph gorged himself when the Memphis Grizzlies came to the Garden. Randolph took everything he wanted in a 31-point, 25-rebound effort that gave the Grizz a 120-109 win. Z-Bo’s partner-in-crime Marc Gasol got his share too with 25 points, 13 boards and eight assists. Both big men were given the freedom of the paint as they scored at will and grabbed second, and sometimes even third, chance points.

The contrast in how the teams got their points was marked. While the Grizzlies big men scored on easy bucket after easy bucket, the Knicks clung to their coattails thanks only to the three-point shooting of Al Harrington and Eddie House. The Knicks actually led by a point with five minutes left but Randolph sparked an 11-0 to seal the deal. Buoyed by his match-winning contribution, Randolph later joked with reporters about returning to New York in 2011 and praised his former teammate Lee, hilariously dubbing him “the white me”. He’ll never score an easier 30 points.

In between being dominated by Messrs Bogut and Randolph, the Knicks travelled to Boston for a reunion with the recently-traded Nate Robinson. Former Celtic Eddie House got a standing ovation from the Celtics fans, as did Robinson when he made his first ever entrance as a Boston player. Neither guard had any real impact on the game and it was left to Ray Allen, now free from the hassle of trade speculation, to claim victory for his team. Mr Shuttlesworth poured in a team-high 24 points but it was a defensive play that swung things Boston’s way. With the Celtics leading by three in the final minute, Wilson Chandler cut to the hoop as the home defence rotated slowly. Allen, who averages 0.3 blocks a game, soared across the lane and made the rejection. The Celtics ultimately prevailed 110-106 with the Knicks wasting a stellar 28-point, 15-rebound effort from Lee.

At 20-38, the Knicks are sinking further into the basement of the Eastern Conference and the threat of them having to give up a high lottery draft pick to the Utah Jazz looms large. The promise of better days come the summer remains in tact but every loss makes that salvation seem a long, long way away. In the mean-time, perhaps the Knicks could branch out as a shelter for battered children because, unlike violent parents, they don’t look likely to beat anyone any time soon.

A new day is coming: Knicks season on the sofa week 17 review

I write this as the new-look New York Knicks take the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Already on a three-game losing streak, the Knicks were gored twice in two nights earlier this week by the Chicago Bulls to continue their slide out of play-off contention. These losses, along with all the other defeats I’ve watched this season, no longer matter. The struggling team that lost those games no longer exists. The team that replaces it will not be fully formed until later this year. But now we know that new team is coming. Thanks to Donnie Walsh, the promise of a new day dawning at Madison Square Garden this summer has become a reality.

Hands up, who actually thought Walsh had any hope of shedding the millstone contract of Jared Jeffries to free up enough cap space to potentially sign two max contract free agents after July 1? Be honest. Yep, me neither. But he did it. After this season, the Knicks will only have Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Toney Douglas and the immovable (in so many ways) Eddy Curry on their books. And cap space to woo the league’s best players to the mecca of basketball. Without ceremony or grandstanding, Walsh has delivered exactly what he promised when he took office at MSG almost two years ago, even if he had to surrender what hopefully won’t become crucial draft picks to get there.

In bringing Tracy McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez to New York in exchange for Jared Jeffries, Larry Hughes and Jordan Hill, Walsh also gave up an option to swap 1st round draft picks with Houston (the pick is top 1 protected) in 2011 and a 1st round pick (top 5 protected) the following year. It’s a gamble based on Walsh’s ability to woo the superstars he desires this summer. If he gets them, giving up the picks won’t hurt the Knicks.

Whether you regard the risk Walsh has taken as bold or foolish, his choice is in keeping with his grand masterplan. Walsh preached patience and his focus on the Summer of 2010 free agent sweepstakes. At no point has he wavered from this plan. Walsh has given the Knicks direction. All fans, whether they like it or not, know where they stand. Most teams in the NBA’s cellar make trades that conflict with previous moves as their respective braintrust’s flit from one desperate scheme to another and their problems are compounded.

Under Walsh’s watch, this will not happen again. I hope for Lebron and Bosh this summer. I accept I may end up watching Joe Johnson and Amar’e Stoudemire. The key is that getting way, way under the cap ensures the Knicks can finally operate like a functional sports franchise for the first time in almost a decade. With that in place, the allure of Madison Square Garden and the oft-fabled New York market become legitimate tools to attract the players to lift the team out of the doldrums.

So, what of the players that left? I feel for Jared Jeffries. The man I refer to as Mr Intangible won me (and the MSG crowd) over with his hustle, heart and effort after starting the season as an offensive liability and on-court scapegoat. Leading the league in taking charges is the sort of stat that a Knick from the 1990s would be proud of. Houston, full of no-stat all stars like Shane Battier, might be the ideal spot for him. I’d take one JJ over 10 Chris Duhons any day of the week.

While nobody will miss Larry Hughes or Darko Milicic (traded to Minnesota for the hapless Brian Cardinal who was immediately waived by the Knicks), it will be interesting to see how Jordan Hill’s career develops. Thanks to Mike D’Antoni’s obsession with the eight-man rotation, Hill never really got a full run to show his worth as a Knick. The league consensus is that Hill is a ‘project’. If he develops his shooting and understanding of the game to the level where these skills match his obvious athleticism, a tinge of regret may creep into the front office. But, as a necessary chip to complete the trade, Hill had to go.

In what may well have been a present for his coach, Walsh also sent Nate Robinson, fresh from winning the worst slam dunk contest in living memory, to Boston in exchange for Eddie House and benchwarmers/makeweights JR Giddens and Bill Walker.

The little man’s tenure in New York will be remembered far more fondly by the Garden faithful he excited than the coaches he effortlessly seemed to infuri(N)ate. His block on Yao Ming in 2006 remains a favourite moment of mine. This season, his 41-point explosion against Atlanta after riding the pine for 14 games was nothing short of spectacular. On the surface, it seems like, as with Renaldo Balkman, the Knicks got rid of a player D’Antoni didn’t like. That said, the deal did save the Knicks more than one million dollars. House brings a consistent 3-point threat and should be a better offensive fit than Nate in D’Antoni’s system. Getting a draft pick from the Celtics would have made this one a little easier to take.

What about the other new Knicks? Every Knick fan has their fingers crossed that Rodriguez will displace the ever-more-depressing Duhon in the starting line-up within the month. But the real question surrounds McGrady. Are T-Mac’s claims that he’s put his injury woes behind him hot air or realistic?

Judging by the press conference he gave after arriving in New York, he at least knows how to talk the talk. McGrady talked of a fresh start, of having 29 games to show his worth and of his desire to play in New York (for the veteran’s minimum) next season alongside two superstars. There’s been enough big talk (Isiah, Marbury, Francis) that hasn’t come close to being backed up in recent years. This time around though, if McGrady flops, it doesn’t hurt the Knicks one bit. Hands up, who didn’t tune in tonight to see what, if anything, he had left?

As it turned out, McGrady’s MSG debut was better than anyone could have expected. Talk of him as a basketball corpse has been greatly exaggerated. Although he was restricted to limited minutes, McGrady poured in 26 points from all corners of the court against the Thunder, bringing the Garden crowd to its feet as he drained threes, nailed jumpers and attacked the rim. When he rested on the bench, chants of “We want T-Mac” echoed around the arena. His presence and performance created an atmosphere in MSG not felt since the days of Latrell Sprewell and Patrick Ewing.

Ultimately, McGrady’s efforts were wasted as the Knicks imploded in the final minute of regulation, blowing a six point lead when Jeff Green and Kevin Durant rattled in crucial threes to send the game to overtime. Running short of gas, McGrady himself missed two foul shots that would have put New York up by eight and probably iced the game.

McGrady played just 19 seconds in overtime, while Durant played all five minutes and won the game for the Zombie Sonics. After Eddie House hit a jumper off an in-bounds pass from McGrady to give the Knicks a 118-117 lead with 32 seconds remaining, Durant drained a pull-up jumper to give the Thunder a 119-118 edge. He added two foul shots for a 121-118 lead with 10 seconds left. The Knicks blew two chances to tie the game when House rushed a 3-pointer in the final seconds and Gallinari failed to hit a 3 from the corner.

Ordinarily, this loss, the Knicks sixth in a row and one that dropped their record to a dismal 19-35, would have felt like a body blow. After the potentially franchise-changing trades that preceded it, the loss doesn’t feel so bad. Knicks fans now know a new day is coming, that the years of suffering are almost at an end. For the players, the remaining 28 games of the season amount to a tryout for everyone bar the contracted Gallinari, Chandler and Douglas.

Season on the sofa: NBA All Star 2010 game diary

According to legend, everything’s bigger in Texas – even the NBA All Star game. Which is why, after foregoing sleep for the last two nights in exchange for a thoroughly underwhelming Dunk Contest and a high scoring but tedious Rookie/Sophomore game, the Sports Bloke has re-charged his batteries for the third and final night of the All Star weekend. What better way of covering this glorified exhibition game/annual spectacular (delete as appropriate) than with a special All Star season on the sofa diary of the game not quite live and direct from the UK.

11:38pm Only 22 minutes of Valentine’s Day left. The Sports Lass is sound asleep. I’m ready for the All Star game. Excited to see a Knick on the East roster for the first time in nine years. Even more excited to see how Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones are going to pull off a basketball game in front of 100,000 people.

11:40pm No basketball yet. Watching the Winter Olympics luge instead. Torn between whether I’d like to try a luge run or if it would be terrifying. Maybe Bobsleigh is a safer option. The Skeleton is not an option.

11:57pm Just realised League Pass coverage doesn’t start until 1am UK time. Isn’t the game tipping off at 12:45am? I want some build up. Good old P2P, never lets you down. There go the Men In Black. Time for EJ, Chuck and the Jet.

12:02am Good lord, Cowboys Stadium is huuuuuuuuuuuuuge. Hope the people in the nosebleed seats brought their telescopes and binoculars.

12:05am Here comes the Thunderbirds flyover. Barkley looks perturbed. And cold. In other news, One Republic suck. Bland, mediocre major label pseudo indie rock. Get out.

12:15am It’s Kobe doing his “reasonable human being” act. TNT host slurps accordingly.

12:19am Someone should tell that guy with the broom to stop walking across the shot. Good job Christian Bale isn’t on the TNT panel.

12:27am Is this the first sporting event where the scoreboard is bigger than the playing area?

12:43am This pre-game show is starting to drag. Even Mark Cuban can’t save it.

12:57am Is there any league commissioner more polished than David Stern? The man can deflect anything.

1:04am The West players take to the court. I’m buying a ticket for the Dirkus Circus for MVP. How can he fail with J-Kidd and Nash feeding him all night? I also expect Durantula to announce himself to the world tonight (it’s not possible for British people to use the phrase “Coming out party”, too many non-sporting connotations).

1:08am You can’t blame Craig Sager for doing his Nash interview introduction twice. He does have to carry the can for his tie though. Who dresses this man? Stevie Wonder?

1:21am How many Taco Bell five buck boxes has Chuck gone through this weekend? Over under must be around 15.

1:26am Derrick Rose gets a huge pop from the Dallas crowd. As does Chris Bosh in his home state. The starters then come up through the floor with Kevin Garnett proving once again he is the coolest man in the league.

1:30am The organisers of English football’s Charity Shield should take some notes on how to put on a showcase event. They’d have to book someone less totally overrrated than Usher though.

1:32am Dallas erupts for Kobe, who looks resplendent in his grey cardigan. Chris Kaman looks utterly overrawed. Z-Bo looks all business. Huge pops for Kevin Durant amd Jason Kidd. Nothing compares to the ovation for Dirk though. The player introductions have been better than the whole dunk contest.

1:44am West starting backcourt is Nash and Nowitzki. This could be very interesting.

1:51am Two sweet jumpers from Dirk to open the scoring.

1:55am Nash orchestrating things beautifully. Easy baskets for the West. Lots of jumpers from the East. 16-9 West.

1:56am Dwight Howard drains a three. Seriously. Still nowhere near as awesome as the Cowboys Stadium organ.

1:58am Time out, time for Stan van Gundy (SVG) to chew out his players (possibly)

2:01am Did Lebron really just argue a no-call in the All Star game?

2:07am Devastating putback dunk from Chris Bosh. 29-28 East. Aside from one KG block, no D in Dallas tonight.

2:14am Wow, Zach Randolph just fed Pau Gasol a bounce pass for a lay-in. Is that his first assist of the season? First quarter ends with East leading 37-34.

2:20am David Lee enters the game at the start of the second quarter. He immediately feeds Wade for an easy hoop.

2:23am Deron Williams sparks a run of more traditional all star plays as he creates an alley-oop and hammers home a dunk of his own. East respond with a D-Wade alley oop. West lead 51-47.

2:30am Lee on the board with a dunk.

2:34am Lee guarding former Knick Randolph. Can’t say I ever thought I’d see that in an All Star game.

2:41am Lebron starting to percolate. A circus shot, a cross-court assist and a monster block on Melo.

2:43am Half time. East leads 76-69. Melo leads all scorers with 17. Bosh and Horford having very nice games off the bench.

2:54am Shakira’s songs may be shit but she has a chart-topping caboose. Props to the TNT cameraman for helping me to notice this important fact.

3:05am Is this Alicia Keys song sending a subtle message to Lebron re this summer? It’s probably the only hope for Walsh and D’Antoni.

3:15am An epic 35 minute half time (and counting). Thank Christ I’m not at work until Tuesday.

3:24am PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE restart the game. Boredom is making me tired.

3:25am Looks like someone should take hold of Chuck’s car keys.

3:27am Howard goes coast to coast and finishes with a dunk. East starting to showboat. 84-71.

3:32am Lebron throws up an ugly air ball. Reggie Miller blames it on the sight lines. I blame bad shot selection.

3:34am Savage baseline alley oop – D-Wade to Lebron. East leads 97-88.

3:49am Lots of scoring but the West can’t get any closer. 115-106 to the East. Bosh continues to fill it up.

3:52am Billups loses his dribble but Durant recovers the ball and nails a long distance three at the buzzer. End of the third. 113-104 to the East.

3:55am Mark Cuban announces the attendance: a whopping 108,713. Biggest crowd to ever watch a basketball game.

3:58am West start quickly in the fourth. Three from Billups. A drive to the hoop from Z-Bo. Fast break finished by trailing Gasol. Two point game.

4:01am 120-119 with nine minutes to go. Things should get serious now.

4:07am Wade hammered by Williams and Randolph. That’s more like it.

4:10am East getting aggressive defensively. Steal by Rondo who then sets up Wade with an alley oop. East lead 128-124.

4:15am West offence stagnating. Lebron hits a long two then Bosh converts an And 1. A steal by Wade leads to a big dunk. The lead goes to nine with four minutes left.

4:17am Blown dunk by Amare. That’s gotta be embarrassing in front of 108,000 people

4:20am Beginning to feel worn down by seeing the same five commercials at every ad break

4:23am Lebron throws up another brick but redeems himself with a steal and a dunk. Billups answers with a three and Dirk hits two free throws. West hanging in down by two. 1:46 remaining.

4:26am Blown alley oop by Bosh. Billups ties the game at 137. Minute to go. West sensing victory.

4:29am Williams stripped then compounds his error by fouling when he had no need to. Wade on the line. Makes both. 139-137 East with 12 seconds left. Bet George Karl wishes Kobe wasn’t out injured now. In his absence, the ball’s going to go to Dirk to be the hometwon hero.

4:32am Ball does indeed go to Dirk who mugs Howard with a pump fake. Nowitzki makes both free throws. We’re tied again at 139. Seven seconds left. Time out East.

4:34am Bosh fouled driving the baseline. He makes both free throws. East by two. Five seconds on the clock.

4:37am Carmelo looks for a three to win it but can only throw up an off balance air ball. Game over. East win 141-139. Wade would be my MVP but it doesn’t really matter. Time for the Sports Bloke to retire to bed. Out.