Marbury doesnt get off bench but isnt Upset.

[The Young One]

The chants rained down from the upper reaches of Madison Square Garden first before slowly working their way to courtside.

Not the "Fire Is-iah!" one. This was for another controversial figure, another one who some Knicks fans have a love-hate relationship with - Stephon Marbury. Echoes of "We want Steph! We want Steph!" reverberated throughout the arena late in the third quarter and for a portion of the fourth, a cry by some to let Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni know they wanted him to give the Coney Island product a little playing time.

"It's New York," Marbury said after the game. "I got mad love for New York."

Apparently, D'Antoni wasn't feeling that same level of love, though, and next to Marbury's name in the boxscore representing the first game of the D'Antoni Era resides the one thing he said he didn't expect: DNP-Coach's decision. With Danilo Gallinari back and Mardy Collins - who impressed the coaching staff with his play in the preseason - seeing time off the bench, there weren't enough minutes for Marbury.


"There's just certain guys I want to see. ... It's a delicate situation," D'Antoni said. "Steph's been great. It hasn't been his fault. I know he's not going to be happy about it. I wouldn't be either. But the team goes on two different tracks, one is for the future and one is to try to win now."

Marbury said: "He's the coach. Obviously me not playing tonight, he felt that rebuilding and whatever direction they're going in is the right direction."

And if that direction doesn't include Marbury, would he be happier going somewhere else? "I'm a New York Knick until otherwise," he said, "until my contract runs out."

D'Antoni said he wrestled with the decision on whether to play Marbury and didn't speak with him before the game because he didn't know he wasn't going to play him. However, he said he does plan on speaking with Marbury.

"He'll probably really want to talk about it," D'Antoni said. "If I were him I'd want to talk about it. ... I hate it, I hate it for Steph. Like I said, he hasn't done anything wrong."

Said Marbury, "My focus going forward is to continue to do what I've been doing, just keep coming to practice and get ready to play and get ready for the next game

http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/n...0,2263990.story

I just find it disrespectful and a B!tch move not to play stephon. D'antoni is reaching to me. Duhon isn't a starter man not at all.

 

[jarrod2323]

if Dantoni can't use him in the uptempo offense he runs, it must signal Marbury is definitely on the way out

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Marbury's out, I've seen it for a while now.

 

[Whisper]

I don't get it, Marbury is perfect for the offense. He especially showed it in preseason when he even looked to pass first and shoot second. Duhon is NOT a starting PG by any stretch of the imagination.

Oh well looks like he's on his way out.

 

[.::MC::.]

Didn't Marbury play for D'Antoni in Phoenix? Or D'Antoni wasn't coach yet?

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

Yeah, he did play for D'Antoni in PHX.

 

[dez]

Like Whisperaskal said, Marbury is perfect for our offense, and should be the starter over Duhon.

WTF is D'Antoni thinking?

 

[dez]

Just found this:

NEW YORK – As Mike D’Antoni tried to undo the damage and scars left in the New York Knicks locker room, the residue of Isiah Thomas lingered in the strangest way for the season’s start. The pall of the past emperor’s professional failure returned with the turmoil of his overdose. He is the exiled Knicks employee still strangling the tabloid news cycle, still casting a shadow over his reclamation project.


As much as anything, reviving these Knicks calls for cutting ties with the monuments of failure here. Opening night, and Mike D’Antoni, his West Virginia drawl and his go-go West Coast style, dispelled the suggestion that he’s missing the toughness, the resolve, to restore these Knicks. He never turned down to the end of his sideline, where the benching of Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry represent a break from the past. Finally, the windows flung open in a musty Madison Square Garden.

Everyone knew Curry was out of the rotation, but only D’Antoni and his closest associates knew that the Knicks’ new coach planned to eviscerate Marbury on Wednesday night. D’Antoni let loose the Knicks’ young kids and they brought the Garden to its feet for several ovations on the way to a 120-115 victory over the Miami Heat.


The way it stands now, Marbury is destined for a season of DNP-CD in the box scores. Curry, the blubbery 7-footer, can get into shape and find minutes at center, but Marbury is done. New York is moving on, leaving Starbury, a make-believe franchise player, in its wake.

“I hate it, and I hate it for Steph,” D’Antoni said. He doesn’t hate it. This is empowering for the coach. His players love him for it, because they loathe life with Marbury. The fans love it, too. Almost out of pity, there was a smattering of “We want Steph” chants that D’Antoni ignored, pockets drowned out by fed-up fans booing the wise guys with a basketball death wish.

“He hasn’t done anything wrong,” D’Antoni said. What he meant, though: Just not on my watch. Nevertheless, D’Antoni said: “We’ve got to know certain things as we go forward. We’re trying to build a team. It’s not this year. It’s a two- or three-year project and I don’t want to get started next year on the project. I want to get started right now.”

So, these Knicks are turned over to youngsters, Jamal Crawford and Wilson Chandler, David Lee and Danilo Gallinari. D’Antoni can create an environment to transform Zach Randolph back into a 20-and-10 player and ultimately push him on his way in a trade that’ll start clearing salary-cap space for LeBron James in 2010.


“The team goes on two different tracks,” D’Antoni said. “One is for the future and one is to try to win now.”

If playing Mardy Collins over Marbury costs the Knicks a few games, D’Antoni can live with it. Marbury is the genie that he doesn’t want out of the bottle. D’Antoni has the unconditional backing of GM Donnie Walsh, a man of patience and planning.


“We know Donnie is air-tight behind him,” says agent, Warren LeGarie, who brokered this partnership. “Two of the most overused words in this profession are trust and loyalty. But in this situation, they’re actually meaningful.”

Now, D’Antoni needs to protect the earnest and enthusiastic on his roster from the embittered Marbury and Curry. Those two are the 11th and 12th men for a coach promising to get down to an eight-, maybe nine-man, rotation. Marbury wouldn’t react to the benching, insisting, “This is a business and I understand.” He has this season left, almost $22 million coming him, but he’s lost his leverage.


Knicks owner Jim Dolan won’t rid Marbury out of his coach’s locker room, but D’Antoni holds the ultimate hammer: DNP-CD. As long as Marbury’s on the roster, he’ll be a distraction. They’ll never get past Isiah Thomas, past his regime, until the monuments to its failure are gone. Opening night at the Garden, the Knicks playing terrific ball for most of the game and the cameras and reporters rushed to Marbury’s locker for a reaction. Near him, teammates exchanged uneasy glances and rolled eyes, wondering when would it stop being about Starbury and start being about the New York Knicks again.


Isiah Thomas has left the gym, but his legacy lingers. Nevertheless, they opened those windows at the Garden, let in the air and everyone started to breathe again on opening night. This was wise. This was empowering. Yes, this was some night. With a West Virginia drawl and a go-go West Coast style, an improbable New Yorker, Mike D’Antoni, started to make the New York Knicks his own.

LINK

 

[VC15]

There's a chance that the Nets won't finish last in the Atlantic.

 

[The Young One]

There's a chance that the Nets won't finish last in the Atlantic.

You guys wont. I'm convinced this knicks team will suck.

 

[Lake Louise]

Either he is out, or D`Antoni wanted to see how this Knicks team could do without Marbury so he knows just in case. They will suck this year, but they will be better than they were last year. Although, every team has their year, and theres might come sooner than you think.

 

[A.E]

Marbury is garbage. Minnesota was smart to get rid of him back when they did. Has proven he is anything when he isn't playing with K.G. & has been a freaking cancer to any team he has ever played on.

He carries a price tag of $21.1 million, but think about it, that's $21.1 million coming off the payroll after this season. The perfect trade candidate for a team looking to re-build and try to trade away some long-term deals for expiring salary.

The Knicks can't even give away Marbury at this point.

 

[The Young One]

Your reaching AE. Marbury before he came to new york had a 20 ppg and 8 apg average for his career. He's far from garbage. He's just a headcase.

 

[RipCity32]

Marbury is going to look like garbage on a garbage team(no offense to Knicks)..

 

[dez]

Nets will finish last.

 

[Pugz]

Your reaching AE. Marbury before he came to new york had a 20 ppg and 8 apg average for his career. He's far from garbage. He's just a headcase.

Needs a better team.

 

[A.E]

Marbury was deactivated by the Knicks Friday.

Marbury, reportedly, met with D'Antoni & asked about playing time. Once D'Antoni broke the ice about his plans to keep Marbury on the bench...Marbury requested the move to the team's inactive roster.

Both sides agreed & now Marbury is making over $21 million this season, to do jack-sh*t.

 

[dez]

Ridiculous.

Im speechless. I understand the move, apparently the rest of the team still doesnt "like" him and D'Antoni is doing this to keep them happy.

I really hope Marbury comes back to prove everyone wrong.

 

[A.E]

I can see why D'Antoni isn't using Marbury...and probably won't unless injuries force him to.

D'Antoni is trying to develop this line-up and build for the future. Steph is 100% not a part of this team's future...hence playing him is pointless.

Yes, Marbury gives the Knicks the best chance to win right now...but D'Antoni is no dummy. He knows that he is rebuilding this year, not shooting for the NBA Finals.

 

[DC4]

Why pay someone 20m a year and not play them?