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NBA: Amid turmoil, Knicks drop Cavaliers
By The Associated Press
Thursday, December 20, 2007 | No comments posted.
Two days after hearing it from coach Isiah Thomas and hours after fans rallied to call for Thomas’ firing, what could be more untimely than a visit from LeBron James and the defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers
Fortunately for the Knicks, the Cavaliers aren’t impressing anyone on the court, either.
So everything turned out all right Wednesday night for the Knicks, who got their biggest — and easiest — win of the year over the Cavaliers, 108-90 to send Cleveland to its ninth loss in 11 games.
“I understand how important it is to make people feel good when they leave this arena,” Thomas said. “That is what we are trying to do. We understand the frustration and we want to please them.”
James had 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Cleveland, which had little energy two nights after a double-overtime victory over Milwaukee. Drew Gooden was the only other player in double figures with 11 points.
Cleveland’s slide has left it at 11-15, eighth-best in the conference by a hair ahead of Milwaukee, New Jersey and Philadelphia. The Knicks are 8-17.
“It’s our job to go out there and play hard, and play with pride and heart like he said,” Quentin Richardson said. “Regardless of anything else that’s going on, it’s our job to go out and play with full effort.”
Pistons 87, Celtics 85
Chauncey Billups hit two free throws with one-tenth of a second left and Detroit handed Boston its first home loss of the season.
The Celtics (20-3) had tied the 1963-64 team that eventually won the NBA title for best start in team history.
Billups, who scored 12 of his 28 points in the final quarter, was fouled by Tony Allen.
Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 26 points and Ray Allen, who returned after missing the past two games because of a sore right ankle, had 24, including a game-tying 3-pointer with 18.9 seconds to play.
Mavericks 108, Suns 105
Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points, including the Mavericks’ final eight, giving Dallas just enough to hold off the Suns in yet another intense, entertaining game between the Western Conference rivals.
Host Dallas led by 17 at the end of the first quarter and Phoenix never recovered.
Amare Stoudemire had 25 points, eight rebounds and four blocks for the Suns.
Hawks 117, Heat 111, OT
In Atlanta, Joe Johnson scored 25 points and gave Atlanta the lead for good with a three-point play and the Hawks outlasted the Heat in overtime.
Marvin Williams had 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks.
Miami lost backup center Alonzo Mourning to a torn patellar tendon in his right knee in the first quarter, leaving his status for the rest of the season in doubt.
Magic 97, Rockets 92
In Houston, Dwight Howard had 21 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks and Orlando took advantage of Tracy McGrady’s absence in the second half.
Yao scored 19 on 7-for-18 shooting and had 17 rebounds for Houston.
Grizzlies 88, Spurs 85
In Memphis, Tenn., Rudy Gay hit a 3-pointer over Tim Duncan as time expired.
Manu Ginobili’s dunk with 2.4 seconds left tied it at 85. Juan Carlos Navarro threw an inbounds pass to Gay, who dribbled toward the top of the key and got off a shot as the horn sounded, sending San Antonio to its third straight road loss.
Mike Miller’s season-high 31 points led Memphis, and Gay finished with 23 points.
Ginobili led the Spurs with 20 points, including 16 in the second half.
Warriors 111, Timberwolves 98
In Minneapolis, Al Harrington scored 25 points, including 14 in the decisive third quarter, and Golden State ran past Minnesota during another second-half fade by the Timberwolves.
Monta Ellis added 24 points and Stephen Jackson had 20 for Golden State.
Rashad McCants 23 points for Minnesota (3-21), which is off to the worst start in the franchise’s 19 seasons.
Bulls 95, Wizards 84
In Washington, Ben Gordon scored 22 points and Chicago used a 12-0 run in the final 4 minutes.
Washington’s Caron Butler had his second triple-double of the season and career, with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Pacers 102, 76ers 85
In Indianapolis, Marquis Daniels scored a season-high 26 points to lead the Pacers to their third straight win.
Jermaine O’Neal had 19 points, nine rebounds and five blocks, and Mike Dunleavy added 19 points for the Pacers (13-11).
Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller each scored 16 points for the 76ers.
Bobcats 98, Jazz 92
In Charlotte, N.C., Gerald Wallace scored 26 points and Jason Richardson had 24 to lead Charlotte’s furious fourth-quarter comeback.
Carlos Boozer had 21 points and 15 rebounds and Deron Williams scored 20 points for the Jazz.
Kings 102, Bucks 89
In Milwaukee, Ron Artest scored 26 points and had eight assists and Beno Udrih hit a career-high six 3-pointers to help Sacramento beat Milwaukee to finish 3-2 on its five-game road trip.
Michael Redd had 27 points for the Bucks.
Hornets 107, SuperSonics 93
In Seattle, Chris Paul had 21 points and 15 assists, and Morris Peterson matched a career high with seven 3-pointers and finished with 25 points.
Rookie Kevin Durant led Seattle with 18 points.
Fortunately for the Knicks, the Cavaliers aren’t impressing anyone on the court, either.
So everything turned out all right Wednesday night for the Knicks, who got their biggest — and easiest — win of the year over the Cavaliers, 108-90 to send Cleveland to its ninth loss in 11 games.
“I understand how important it is to make people feel good when they leave this arena,” Thomas said. “That is what we are trying to do. We understand the frustration and we want to please them.”
James had 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Cleveland, which had little energy two nights after a double-overtime victory over Milwaukee. Drew Gooden was the only other player in double figures with 11 points.
Cleveland’s slide has left it at 11-15, eighth-best in the conference by a hair ahead of Milwaukee, New Jersey and Philadelphia. The Knicks are 8-17.
“It’s our job to go out there and play hard, and play with pride and heart like he said,” Quentin Richardson said. “Regardless of anything else that’s going on, it’s our job to go out and play with full effort.”
Pistons 87, Celtics 85
Chauncey Billups hit two free throws with one-tenth of a second left and Detroit handed Boston its first home loss of the season.
The Celtics (20-3) had tied the 1963-64 team that eventually won the NBA title for best start in team history.
Billups, who scored 12 of his 28 points in the final quarter, was fouled by Tony Allen.
Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 26 points and Ray Allen, who returned after missing the past two games because of a sore right ankle, had 24, including a game-tying 3-pointer with 18.9 seconds to play.
Mavericks 108, Suns 105
Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points, including the Mavericks’ final eight, giving Dallas just enough to hold off the Suns in yet another intense, entertaining game between the Western Conference rivals.
Host Dallas led by 17 at the end of the first quarter and Phoenix never recovered.
Amare Stoudemire had 25 points, eight rebounds and four blocks for the Suns.
Hawks 117, Heat 111, OT
In Atlanta, Joe Johnson scored 25 points and gave Atlanta the lead for good with a three-point play and the Hawks outlasted the Heat in overtime.
Marvin Williams had 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks.
Miami lost backup center Alonzo Mourning to a torn patellar tendon in his right knee in the first quarter, leaving his status for the rest of the season in doubt.
Magic 97, Rockets 92
In Houston, Dwight Howard had 21 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks and Orlando took advantage of Tracy McGrady’s absence in the second half.
Yao scored 19 on 7-for-18 shooting and had 17 rebounds for Houston.
Grizzlies 88, Spurs 85
In Memphis, Tenn., Rudy Gay hit a 3-pointer over Tim Duncan as time expired.
Manu Ginobili’s dunk with 2.4 seconds left tied it at 85. Juan Carlos Navarro threw an inbounds pass to Gay, who dribbled toward the top of the key and got off a shot as the horn sounded, sending San Antonio to its third straight road loss.
Mike Miller’s season-high 31 points led Memphis, and Gay finished with 23 points.
Ginobili led the Spurs with 20 points, including 16 in the second half.
Warriors 111, Timberwolves 98
In Minneapolis, Al Harrington scored 25 points, including 14 in the decisive third quarter, and Golden State ran past Minnesota during another second-half fade by the Timberwolves.
Monta Ellis added 24 points and Stephen Jackson had 20 for Golden State.
Rashad McCants 23 points for Minnesota (3-21), which is off to the worst start in the franchise’s 19 seasons.
Bulls 95, Wizards 84
In Washington, Ben Gordon scored 22 points and Chicago used a 12-0 run in the final 4 minutes.
Washington’s Caron Butler had his second triple-double of the season and career, with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Pacers 102, 76ers 85
In Indianapolis, Marquis Daniels scored a season-high 26 points to lead the Pacers to their third straight win.
Jermaine O’Neal had 19 points, nine rebounds and five blocks, and Mike Dunleavy added 19 points for the Pacers (13-11).
Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller each scored 16 points for the 76ers.
Bobcats 98, Jazz 92
In Charlotte, N.C., Gerald Wallace scored 26 points and Jason Richardson had 24 to lead Charlotte’s furious fourth-quarter comeback.
Carlos Boozer had 21 points and 15 rebounds and Deron Williams scored 20 points for the Jazz.
Kings 102, Bucks 89
In Milwaukee, Ron Artest scored 26 points and had eight assists and Beno Udrih hit a career-high six 3-pointers to help Sacramento beat Milwaukee to finish 3-2 on its five-game road trip.
Michael Redd had 27 points for the Bucks.
Hornets 107, SuperSonics 93
In Seattle, Chris Paul had 21 points and 15 assists, and Morris Peterson matched a career high with seven 3-pointers and finished with 25 points.
Rookie Kevin Durant led Seattle with 18 points.
Anti-Thomas protesters gather outside Garden
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK ” They came. They taunted. But they didn’t get the boot.
A smattering of disillusioned New York Knicks fans raised signs in dissent Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, calling on management to fire coach Isiah Thomas as they watched the beleaguered home team battle the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I’m sick of watching this garbage every night,” said Mike Emen, 21, of Livingston, N.J., who infiltrated a section close to the Knicks with his brother, Jared Emen, 19. The two were holding sheets of orange paper that read “Fire Isiah” on one side and “more suffering guaranteed” on the other.
MSG officials were apparently being cautious Wednesday night, too. Toward the end of Monday’s 119-92 loss to the Indiana Pacers, a disgruntled fan raised a “Fire Isiah” sign and was ordered to leave his seat by a security guard. After the images were captured by news photographers and published in Tuesday’s papers, the fan, Jason Silverstein, came forward to identify himself.
“The guy is killing our team,” the 23-year-old Manhattan real estate agent said. “How many 25-point beatings can we take”
MSG clearly didn’t want a repeat incident. One woman received two warnings about her “Fire Isiah” sign but wasn’t forced to leave. She was sitting close to the Knicks’ bench, not far from where Silverstein sat.
Earlier in the day outside Madison Square Garden, Knicks loyalists made themselves heard. They held aloft a giant pink slip and called on Garden management to fire Thomas.
Chanting “Fire Isiah! He’s got to go! Goodbye!” two dozen irate fans signed the 8-by-4-foot pink placard urging Garden chief executive James Dolan to dump the coach.
Among the protesters was noted civil rights lawyer and longtime Knicks fan Norman Siegel, who criticized management for removing the fan Monday.
“The Knicks are trampling on what New York is all about. We’re outspoken, and we’re zany at times,” Siegel said. “But principles and values of free speech should be adopted. The Garden should rethink its policy.”
Thomas, whose team is 8-17, has been hounded by bad publicity and calls from fans to quit since October, when fired team executive Anucha Browne Sanders won a sexual harassment lawsuit against him and the Garden. Just before the case was to return to court to decide compensatory damages, the lawsuit was settled for $11.5 million.
Before Wednesday’s game, Thomas told reporters: “My job is to make sure that I keep our team focused, keep a steady hand and ride us through this storm. ... Some people like you and some people don’t. Some people support you, some people don’t. But that won’t stop or deter me from doing what I came here to do.”
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK ” They came. They taunted. But they didn’t get the boot.
A smattering of disillusioned New York Knicks fans raised signs in dissent Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, calling on management to fire coach Isiah Thomas as they watched the beleaguered home team battle the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I’m sick of watching this garbage every night,” said Mike Emen, 21, of Livingston, N.J., who infiltrated a section close to the Knicks with his brother, Jared Emen, 19. The two were holding sheets of orange paper that read “Fire Isiah” on one side and “more suffering guaranteed” on the other.
MSG officials were apparently being cautious Wednesday night, too. Toward the end of Monday’s 119-92 loss to the Indiana Pacers, a disgruntled fan raised a “Fire Isiah” sign and was ordered to leave his seat by a security guard. After the images were captured by news photographers and published in Tuesday’s papers, the fan, Jason Silverstein, came forward to identify himself.
“The guy is killing our team,” the 23-year-old Manhattan real estate agent said. “How many 25-point beatings can we take”
MSG clearly didn’t want a repeat incident. One woman received two warnings about her “Fire Isiah” sign but wasn’t forced to leave. She was sitting close to the Knicks’ bench, not far from where Silverstein sat.
Earlier in the day outside Madison Square Garden, Knicks loyalists made themselves heard. They held aloft a giant pink slip and called on Garden management to fire Thomas.
Chanting “Fire Isiah! He’s got to go! Goodbye!” two dozen irate fans signed the 8-by-4-foot pink placard urging Garden chief executive James Dolan to dump the coach.
Among the protesters was noted civil rights lawyer and longtime Knicks fan Norman Siegel, who criticized management for removing the fan Monday.
“The Knicks are trampling on what New York is all about. We’re outspoken, and we’re zany at times,” Siegel said. “But principles and values of free speech should be adopted. The Garden should rethink its policy.”
Thomas, whose team is 8-17, has been hounded by bad publicity and calls from fans to quit since October, when fired team executive Anucha Browne Sanders won a sexual harassment lawsuit against him and the Garden. Just before the case was to return to court to decide compensatory damages, the lawsuit was settled for $11.5 million.
Before Wednesday’s game, Thomas told reporters: “My job is to make sure that I keep our team focused, keep a steady hand and ride us through this storm. ... Some people like you and some people don’t. Some people support you, some people don’t. But that won’t stop or deter me from doing what I came here to do.”
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