KNICK NOTES
MILWAUKEE – Knicks center Eddy Curry said yesterday he’s willing to play through the pain to get back on the court for tonight’s clash in Milwaukee at the Bradley Center.
“It’s a little tight but I feel I’ll be ready to go,” Curry said. “If I can walk, run and jump, I’ll play.”
Curry, who reinjured his calf muscle Wednesday in Orlando after dumping 29 points in 24 minutes, is listed as questionable. Curry missed five games last month with a calf strain.
It’s anyone’s guess what starting lineup Larry Brown will concoct tonight. He’s had 18 in 27 games. But if Curry is ready to go as he claimed yesterday, it’s likely the Knicks coach will return him to his rightful place over Jerome James.
Curry has come off the bench in his two games back from an ankle sprain, but showed how dominant he can be as he attacked the basket with fury and also grabbed five offensive rebounds. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it the whole way, reinjuring himself late in the third quarter on an alley-oop dunk. He returned briefly early in the fourth, but then shut it down for the final 6:09 as trainer Roger Hinds attended to him on the bench.
Stephon Marbury’s excuse for his passive 0-for-7 night was Curry’s dominance. “Eddy was playing extremely well,” Marbury said. “We need him to be as aggressive as he was because it opens everything for us.”
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Shooting guard Quentin Richardson, who is bottoming out, is questionable with his chronic sore back. Richardson, who missed the second half in Orlando with back spasms, has shot 8 of 38 his last four games.
Richardson still is starting ahead of Jamal Crawford for some reason. Richardson’s contract is not insured for a career-ending back injury, hurting his trade value. Perhaps Marbury was referring to Richardson when talking about his diminishing assist totals when he said, “You don’t make the basket, you’re not getting no dime.”
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Bucks point guard T.J. Ford, who has been hurt with a sprained foot, is questionable. Ford helped the Bucks torch the Knicks, 112-92, on Dec. 12 after which he said “T.J. scripted plays.” … Isiah Thomas recently said it was an adjustment for players to absorb Brown’s blunt criticism in the newspapers. Asked about Brown’s style, Marbury admitted, “Is it an adjustment? I have to talk to you about certain things. Sometimes it’s difficult but it is what it is. You deal with it.” … The Knicks, losers of nine of 10, are tied for the league’s lowest win total (7) with Atlanta and Toronto.
TONIGHT AT A GLANCE
Knicks (7-20) at Bucks (15-11)
Tonight, 8:30
Bradley Center, Milwaukee
TV: MSG, ESPN
Radio: ESPN (1050 AM)
THE LINE: Bucks by 7.