BAMAPHIN 22
FinHeaven Elite
Isiah Thomas and the Knicks got off to a good start, despite a rocky finish.
New York blew a 19-point, fourth-quarter lead Wednesday night before beating the Memphis Grizzlies 118-117 in triple-overtime.
"It feels good to get Isiah and the team started right," guard Jamal Crawford said. "(But) we have to learn to finish. We had them down 19. We should have pushed it to 30."
Thomas said the close call wasn't all his team's fault.
"It was nothing we did wrong," he said. "It was everything they did right. They were making shots and taking it to the rim."
Thomas, who is also the team's president, became the coach in June to replace Larry Brown, who was fired after going 23-59 last season.
Knicks owner James Dolan has given Thomas an ultimatum -- show "evident progress" in the team's performance this season or be fired from both jobs.
Thomas said he saw good things in the Memphis game.
"We showed that we have great courage and fight, and we found a way to win," he said. "I have a lot of respect for our guys."
Quentin Richardson made two free throws with 12 seconds left in the third overtime and led New York with 31 points. Crawford had 21 points, Stephon Marbury added 19 and Eddy Curry had 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Richardson had 10 points in the overtimes, while Marbury had seven before fouling out.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/nba/11/02/knicks.grizzlies.ap/index.html
New York blew a 19-point, fourth-quarter lead Wednesday night before beating the Memphis Grizzlies 118-117 in triple-overtime.
"It feels good to get Isiah and the team started right," guard Jamal Crawford said. "(But) we have to learn to finish. We had them down 19. We should have pushed it to 30."
Thomas said the close call wasn't all his team's fault.
"It was nothing we did wrong," he said. "It was everything they did right. They were making shots and taking it to the rim."
Thomas, who is also the team's president, became the coach in June to replace Larry Brown, who was fired after going 23-59 last season.
Knicks owner James Dolan has given Thomas an ultimatum -- show "evident progress" in the team's performance this season or be fired from both jobs.
Thomas said he saw good things in the Memphis game.
"We showed that we have great courage and fight, and we found a way to win," he said. "I have a lot of respect for our guys."
Quentin Richardson made two free throws with 12 seconds left in the third overtime and led New York with 31 points. Crawford had 21 points, Stephon Marbury added 19 and Eddy Curry had 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Richardson had 10 points in the overtimes, while Marbury had seven before fouling out.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/nba/11/02/knicks.grizzlies.ap/index.html
