The Knicks coach Lenny Wilkins is scared of facing Detroit in the first round of the playoffs. So, he has tried his hardest to get the team to lose the past two games. They want to lose enough to keep the 7th seed and not move up to the 6th. He has played his bench for the entire second half last night and rested Marbury nearly the whole game. Just look at the box score. The only problem is that the Knicks have a good bench led by the under-rated Mutombo, Sweetney, and Moochie Norris. The Knicks players refused to job for their coach.
I am a Knicks fan disgusted by the team trying to throw these games. The NBA should come up with big fines for these actions. I didn't like it last year when Cleveland jobbed to get LeBron either.
I think you're reaching there. Funny me, but I would think Wilkins (who has been around the block a few times as coach, to say the least) would try and rest his regulars so they're fresh and ready to go come playoff time. This would also give his reserves a chance to hone their game for the playoffs as well.
However, that wouldn't be a conspiracy theory, would it?
I'm not much for the conspiracy theory either, yet I'm convinced. When I was watching a two games ago, at the end of the 3rd Quarter the Knick player got the defensive rebound with 5 seconds left. They had 2 timeouts, but didn't call any and let the clock runout instead. They stated publicly that they'd rather face the Nets in round one. To be generous and give them the benefit of the doubt they'd be treating these last few games as exhibitions. I think that as an overpaid, underacheiving team they should at least try to win the last few to reach .500.
If you are a team like Boston and you need a Cleveland loss to make the playoffs, is it fair that the Knicks are mostly playing their 2nd unit against Cleveland? (Actually Boston made the playoffs anyway inspite of Ainge saying he'd rather be in the lottery.)
The question comes up if the Knick bench can beat the Cleveland starters tonight, does New Orleans job to Washington forcing the Knicks to play Detroit?