SPURS at KNICKS – Tonight 7:30 – MSG; ESPN (1050)
As if the Knicks didn’t already have enough problems.
Losers of six straight, beset by injuries and owners (before last night’s games) of the second-worst record in the NBA, the beleaguered Knicks have to face the defending-champion Spurs at the Garden tonight.
To make matters worse, they figure to be without Eddy Curry, who missed practice again yesterday and is doubtful with a sprained left ankle. While the oft-injured Curry is hardly Bill Russell, his presence inside would be useful against Tim Duncan, since the Knicks have few other options on defense.
Curry’s absence would force an ineffective Jerome James, who is also bothered by left ankle bursitis, and likely Malik Rose, to try to stop the perennial MVP candidate and the defending NBA champs.
“They’re going to be ready,” said Rose, who played for the Spurs for seven-plus years before he was traded here in February in a deal for Nazr Mohammed.
“You always get up for these games,” Rose said. “We’ve lost six in a row, but if we beat them nobody will remember [the losing streak].”
Perhaps not, but the 6-17 record is still there; it would be difficult to improve vs. the Spurs under any circumstances, let alone these.
“We’ve got to get people back,” coach Larry Brown said. “I hope they become available, but this is a challenge for everybody.”
And it will be up to everybody to start turning the season around tonight, since the Knicks won’t have much strength inside.
Brown was unable to say how the Knicks could contain Duncan, who is nearly impossible for any team.
“He’s the ultimate team player,” Brown said. “He does everything and he’s so unselfish. He’s special, that’s why he’s won three championships.”
The Spurs could present a challenge to a team that has had trouble defending teams like Atlanta. Rose knows he will be a key to holding down his old team.
“I know I’ll get a lot of minutes against the big fella,” said Rose, who used to guard Duncan in practice when he was with San Antonio. “Unfortunately, now they’ll be keeping track of fouls.”
Brown joked that knowing how to stop Duncan is entirely different than actually doing it.
It will be difficult for James to do much, either, since the free agent is prone to foul trouble.
“It’s going to be hard,” James said. “But that’s why you go out there.”