- Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek doesn’t believe Carmelo Anthony should have been ejected on Tuesday for swinging his forearm at the head of Hawks swingman Thabo Sefolosha, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. Hornacek asserted that Sefolosha grabbed Anthony around the neck before the forearm swing, though Berman notes that was not apparent on replays while labeling Hornacek’s stance as bizarre. “I don’t blame [Anthony] for what happened, honestly,” Hornacek told Berman. “Watch the replay, watch the action. The guy had his arms wrapped around his neck. … What are you going to do? Just stand there or you going to get the guy off you? It’s a natural reaction.”
Phil Jackson announced via Twitter that he and Lakers team president Jeanie Buss have decided to end their engagement, explaining how the distance between the two has made sustaining a relationship a difficult feat. Jackson is under contract with the Knicks for two more seasons after this one, but his contract contains a mutual option that would allow either side to opt out this upcoming summer. Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post speculates that the decision to part ways with Buss could mean that Jackson is planning on staying on as New York’s team president. The Zen Master will make $12MM if he returns to the Knicks next season.
- When Jackson took the Knicks‘ job, the league made Jackson and Buss sign documents to ensure there would be no conflicts of interest between the two clubs, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com reports. Sources tell Shelburne that the documents included a provision that the duo inform the NBA and its owner should they ever decided to marry.
When he hit the open market back in July, Dwight Howard was linked to a handful of teams before he eventually landed with the Hawks, but he’s not sure why the Knicks were one of those clubs. As Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News details, Howard “strongly denied” an offseason report suggesting he considered the Knicks in free agency.
“I never said that. I love New York, the Knicks are a great team. But that was something that was a lie,” Howard said. “That was a rumor that was being put out there. Like I said, I have no issues with New York or the fans or the people there, but it’s just something I’ve never said.”
For what it’s worth, our Howard archive includes multiple reports that suggest the Knicks were considering Howard this past summer, but there’s little to suggest that interest was mutual.
- As Ian Begley of ESPN.com outlines, Derrick Rose – who is on track for unrestricted free agency in 2017 – is having a major impact on the Knicks‘ offense this season and is one of the reasons New York looks like a potential playoff team.
Gerald Green had his best game of the season for the Celtics in Sunday’s win over the Knicks, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. Green hasn’t seen many opportunities since signing with Boston over the summer for his second tour of duty with the franchise. He has played in just 14 games and is averaging 9.9 minutes per night. But he had eight points Sunday, scoring five in the second quarter as the Celtics pulled away. “It’s tough at times,” Green said. “You just have to stay motivated. I give a lot of praise to the coaches and the players keeping me ready, keeping me engaged at all times.”
- Knicks guard Brandon Jennings apparently agrees with the criticism that the team relies too much on one-on-one offense, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Jennings liked a tweet suggesting that after New York managed just 11 assists Sunday. He refused to talk to reporters after registering just two assists following a 12-assist outing in his last game. Carmelo Anthony has defended the Knicks’ offensive philosophy, and Courtney Lee says Sunday’s game doesn’t prove there’s a problem. “There’s a couple of things it could be,’’ Lee said. “Guys not making shots. Could be matchup they like, guards going off pick-and-rolls and getting to a certain spot to knock down a shot. The ball will continue to move. We’ll get assists.”
- Defensive problems are keeping the Knicks from rising very far above .500, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. At 16-14, New York is the only team in the league with a winning record that allows more points per game (107.9) than it scores (105.6).
- After another disappointing loss at the hands of a plus-.500 opponent, Marc Berman of the New York Post suggests that the Knicks‘ record is hollow. After Sunday’s defeat, New York is just 3-10 against teams sitting .500 or better.
Donatas Motiejunas would have been a huge addition for the Nets if the Rockets hadn’t matched his offer sheet, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Having another 7-footer on the court would have helped a team that ranks last in points allowed and scoring margin. Motiejunas could also have provided a fourth scorer in the starting lineup. The Nets have given more than 800 combined front line minutes to Justin Hamilton and Luis Scola, neither of whom is having a productive season. After matching the four-year, $37MM offer sheet, Houston worked out a separate deal with Motiejunas, then waived him after his physical. That made him a restricted free agent, but he’s not permitted to sign with Brooklyn for a full year after the offer sheet was matched.
The Nets still have nearly $17.8MM in cap room and seem like obvious candidates to make some roster moves before the February 23rd trade deadline. “Will we be active? I think we’ll be strategic,’’ GM Sean Marks said. “We’re not just going to jump on something.”
There’s more news today out of New York:
- Nets rookie Caris LeVert can expect to see his minutes expanded as the season wears on, according to NetsDaily. LeVert had nine points and seven rebounds in Friday’s loss to Cleveland and is making an impression on coach Kenny Atkinson. “I love how hard he plays. Good for him to see a few shots go down,” Atkinson said. “That’s a positive we get out of this game.”
- The Knicks‘ winning record isn’t impressive because it was built against lower-level teams, charges Marc Berman of The New York Post. With today’s loss to the Celtics, New York is now 16-14, but just 3-10 against teams that are .500 or better. “That’s the jump we got to make,’’ shooting guard Courtney Lee said. “Just learn from it and put it all together so when we play those losing teams we’re supposed to take of, we do that, but then the plus-.500 teams we got to start taking care of that, too.”
- Derrick Rose is hoping to remain healthy for the rest of the season after recovering from back spasms, Berman writes in a separate story. After appearing in 66 games with the Bulls last season, Rose has been able to play in 25 of the Knicks’ first 30 contests. “I feel good,” he said. “Not feeling my back anymore. My body is healthy — just trying to find a rhythm, just trying to play my game, either a floater or try to finish at the rim or me trying to dunk. I feel all three elements are my game.”
Here are the D-League moves from Saturday:
- The Knicks have recalled point guard Ron Baker from their D-League affiliate, according to the team’s PR department via Twitter. They have also recalled forward Maurice Ndour and center Marshall Plumlee.
- The Kings have recalled rookies Georgios Papagiannis and Skal Labissiere from their D-League affiliate in Reno, tweets Sean Cunningham of station KXTV in Sacramento.
- Former teammates are rallying around Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony this week, says Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders. The veteran was taken to task by former George Karl in an excerpt from his upcoming book. Former Nuggets players Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith, who played with Anthony and under Karl in Denver, are among those vocal.
Lou Williams, who came into the league out of high school, isn’t a fan of the NBA’s one-and-done rule, Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com relays. “It’s a dumb rule,” Williams said. He added that he wants everyone to be in control of their own path.
“Personally, I understand the NBA and government and all of these things are extremely different,” Williams said. “You can go to war at 18, so you should be able to make a living at 18, especially if college isn’t what you see for yourself. You’re not realistically going there to be a “student-athlete” and wake up at six in the morning and lift weights and then have your day full with study hall and all these things. If you’re really not committed to that process and you’re only there for basketball, then I think that hurts the university as well.”
Here’s more from around the league:
- The NBA age limit isn’t changing anytime soon, Tom Ziller of SB Nation argues. Ziller doesn’t believe the proposed zero-or-two rule would require the league to devote more time scouting the high school ranks, something it aimed to move away from when it established the age minimum. The scribe also believes that the D-League is ready to become a serious alternative to playing in the NCAA.
- Stephon Marbury said his time with the Knicks was the “toughest” stretch of his career, as Ian Begley of ESPN.com passes along. “So much turmoil was going on,” Marbury said. Marbury clashed with teammates and coaches during his five years with the team. He agreed to a buyout with New York back in 2009.
- Melbourne United, a team in Australia’s National Basketball League, has signed Josh Boone, Olgun Uluc of Fox Sports reports. Boone last played in the NBA for the Nets during the 2009/10 season.
Frank Vogel had interest in the Knicks‘ coaching vacancy during the offseason, though he’s happy with his current role as the coach of the Magic, John Denton of NBA.com passes along. Vogel said that it was an honor to be interviewed by the Knicks and added that Madison Square Garden has a special feel to it. “It is the mecca and the most famous arena in the world, and I take pride of being here on this stage,’’ Vogel said before Thursday game against New York
Here’s more from the Big Apple:
- Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose are started to mesh nicely and the Knicks appear ready to make the playoffs this season, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes. However, the team isn’t looking that far ahead, taking it one game at a time instead. “We’re getting there. We’re getting there. We don’t know how good we can become,” Rose said. “The goal is the playoffs. Once we get in the playoffs, we’re going to be a hell of a team to go against, like you don’t know what to expect from us in the playoffs. I think we’re going to be a dangerous team in the playoffs, but the first thing is to get there.”
- Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News wonders how far the Knicks‘ big three can take them. Offensively, the trio is as good as any in the Eastern Conference outside of Cleveland, but Bondy notes that it seems as if Porzingis and Anthony are taking turns scoring rather than playing in a free-flowing offense.
- Anthony took the high road when responding to George Karl‘s criticism by letting his former teammates speak for him, Kerber writes in a separate piece. “It’s different when you go to bat for yourself, and it’s you against somebody else’s word,” Anthony said. “It’s a big difference when you have guys who were actually in it there and have their own experiences that can speak on it from their own standpoint.”
- In his book, George Karl questioned Anthony’s leadership ability, but coach Jeff Hornacek sees no issue with the small forward, Kerber writes in the same piece. “Carmelo for us has been great. … All I can go by is what I’ve seen out of Carmelo here,” Hornacek said. “He’s been a great leader.”