We're a lot better without Marbury

[Capn'O]

Some of you guys don't get it. Marbury is not a part of this team anymore. This is a big difference than before when he was a dark cloud over this team. Him being out for a few games here and there is not the same as him basically being gone from the team. Like it or not, this is Crawford's team now. Marbury is as good as gone.

Some people are treating the following as isolated incidents:

- Marbury calls Zeke out in the media
- Marbury is out THE NEXT GAME and Isiah says "if he decides to play again" about him
- The rest of the team plays like a bat out of hell

But I don't.

Something went down. The team knows about it and is back in Isiah's corner. They feel vindicated after what went down in Phoenix. It really couldn't be more obvious.

[god shammgod]

Some of you guys don't get it. Marbury is not a part of this team anymore. This is a big difference than before when he was a dark cloud over this team. Him being out for a few games here and there is not the same as him basically being gone from the team. Like it or not, this is Crawford's team now. Marbury is as good as gone.

it wasn't a few games, he's missed more then he played. i think this is wishful thinking on your part but this same team without steph has looked pretty terrible all year.

[Pistol Pete Vescey]

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Why the heck would we buy out a contract that VERY soon becomes an expiring? Especially if or when Isiah is gonna be gone.

it makes sense to hang on to the contract, I agree. but keeping stephon around is like keeping a tumor around. maybe in a year's time you're able to remove the tumor and trade it for something more useful. or maybe in a year's time the tumor has spread and infected the rest of the body and things are looking terminal.

[Bill Bradley]

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To scapegoat anyone for the disaster this year is borderline ridiculous. Its a team effort my man, no one guy kills the team single handedly. I said this when Z-Bo was getting under fire on realgm, to single out someone from this team for all of our struggles simply isnt fair at all.

Again with Step out, this means MORE MINUTES for Crawford and because hes hot right now, he will help the team score some baskets.

I've been escapegoating Marbury since he got here, and for good reason. He is a damn teamkiller! Just ask any other team that he's played for. It is not a coincidence that teams get better when he leaves. How many times do we need to see that before people realize it's no coincidence? I'm not saying that we're contenders without him, but we're a hell of a lot better. Just look at the difference between the Suns when they had Marbury and when they had Nash.

[method]

This is a big difference than before when he was a dark cloud over this team.

[Smoke24]

We're a lot better when Isiah plays the right players.

Understatement of the day

[Clincher]

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it makes sense to hang on to the contract, I agree. but keeping stephon around is like keeping a tumor around. maybe in a year's time you're able to remove the tumor and trade it for something more useful. or maybe in a year's time the tumor has spread and infected the rest of the body and things are looking terminal.

I think Step is a good guy and always is taking the fault for the team's ups and downs, EVEN WHEN he doesnt play but I do think if we can get a good offer, we should deal him for it. We wont get a good offer though until his deal expires, AS LONG AS we dont take on longer deals for worse talent.

Its unfortunately that whenever something bad happens with NYK, its all on Step but when something good happens with NYK, nobody bothers to bring Step's name into discussions.

[cmaff051]

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Yeah that and him putting up 35 and 8 is helpful as well.

Yeah, I'm sure that him shooting 40% from the field while taking 17 shots a game is real helpful to our winning ways, right?

[Smoke24]

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I think Step is a good guy and always is taking the fault for the team's ups and downs, EVEN WHEN he doesnt play but I do think if we can get a good offer, we should deal him for it. We wont get a good offer though until his deal expires, AS LONG AS we dont take on longer deals for worse talent.

Its unfortunately that whenever something bad happens with NYK, its all on Step but when something good happens with NYK, nobody bothers to bring Step's name into discussions.

Just don't trade for longer deals at any costs.

Because hes never there to enjoy the good.

[PrecociousNeoph]

I agree that this team is better without marbury but I think Curry and Randolph are also to blame; they stop ball movement as much as marbury does. one thing is clear: the overall effort level and ball movement is better when (A)the team isn't focused on getting curry his quota of shot attempts and (B)marbury is gone.

yes crawful is hot right now, but what does that have to do with more people clearly touching the ball on offense right now than when marbury and curry are focused?

[Bill Bradley]

I agree that this team is better without marbury but I think Curry and Randolph are also to blame; they stop ball movement as much as marbury does. one thing is clear: the overall effort level and ball movement is better when (A)the team isn't focused on getting curry his quota of shot attempts and (B)marbury is gone.

yes crawful is hot right now, but what does that have to do with more people clearly touching the ball on offense right now than when marbury and curry are focused?

Crawford is our primary PG and distributor.

[Clincher]

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I've been escapegoating Marbury since he got here, and for good reason. He is a damn teamkiller! Just ask any other team that he's played for. It is not a coincidence that teams get better when he leaves. How many times do we need to see that before people realize it's no coincidence? I'm not saying that we're contenders without him, but we're a hell of a lot better. Just look at the difference between the Suns when they had Marbury and when they had Nash.

Suns also added on money with the addition of Q-Rich and Bell. Add that Amare and Marion's game matured when Nash went with them and the Suns would surely produce more. Barbosa has always been thankful for Step's time in Phoenix and how much he helped him translate his game to the states.

NJ surrounded Step with NOTHING. In MIN he worked with a young KG and not much else on that squad worth noting.

Step's worked with alot of HS kids and has had to help their game. Thats why guys like KG and Amare have voiced displeasure, its because they were not mature at that time. They both have matured and they dont hold anything against Step because Step had to bring those kids to the real world in the NBA and not the high school environment they were once used to working with.

[PrecociousNeoph]

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I think Step is a good guy and always is taking the fault for the team's ups and downs, EVEN WHEN he doesnt play but I do think if we can get a good offer, we should deal him for it. We wont get a good offer though until his deal expires, AS LONG AS we dont take on longer deals for worse talent.

Its unfortunately that whenever something bad happens with NYK, its all on Step but when something good happens with NYK, nobody bothers to bring Step's name into discussions.

I have nothing against him as a person, I don't think anyone here does, but as a knick however it's been obvious for quite some time that it hasn't worked out

[god shammgod]

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Crawford is our primary PG and distributor.

hasn't he been that most of the year bill ? and to what results

[Clincher]

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Just don't trade for longer deals at any costs.

Because hes never there to enjoy the good.

Thats because he was always an ironman of the NBA and was always burnt out in meaningless games. You cant expect him to log in 45 mins each and every game in his career.

And besides, what's been ''good'' the past few years here in New York. Again it isnt all on Step as far as why the Knicks always underachieve. Its a team game.

[Pistol Pete Vescey]

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I think Step is a good guy

maybe, I doubt it, but maybe he is a good guy. but the thing is this: he is not a good teammate. in fact he may be the worst teammate in the entire NBA. he inspires insubordination and discontent. the towel, the scowl, the incoherent speech, the lackadaisical approach, the sulking. when stephon is around, guys cannot help but believe they are destined for failure.

[Bill Bradley]

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hasn't he been that most of the year bill ? and to what results

Not consistently. Crawford's role has changed constantly since he's been here. Like I've said, the difference now is that Marbury is gone for good and Crawford is the leader of this team. I think you're underestimating the cancer that Marbury was for this team. Marbury has been a drag on this team since he's been here.

[Clincher]

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maybe, I doubt it, but maybe he is a good guy. but the thing is this: he is not a good teammate. in fact he may be the worst teammate in the entire NBA. he inspires insubordination and discontent. the towel, the scowl, the incoherent speech, the lackadaisical approach, the sulking. when stephon is around, guys cannot help but believe they are destined for failure.

I think your reaching here with some of those things like the towel and incoherent speech(Most of the NBA speaks like him )

And we had the worst teammate in the entire NBA last season and a true reason why the team has more chemistry this year after his departure: Steve Francis.

[god shammgod]

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Not consistently. Crawford's role has changed constantly since he's been here. Like I've said, the difference now is that Marbury is gone for good and Crawford is the leader of this team. I think you're underestimating the cancer that Marbury was for this team. Marbury has been a drag on this team since he's been here.

so if he has surgery, i'm guessing you expect the knicks to play like this for the rest of the year ?

[PrecociousNeoph]

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Crawford is our primary PG and distributor.

plus curry isn't the focus anymore. I mean even if crawford was going 1-18, the ball is still moving a lot more. this team is a little bit more bearable to watch when marbury isn't pounding the ball and curry isn't getting force fed. I think it has to do with your original point; the team just looks like they know now that marbs is done for good and are revitalized mentally. which is strange because I don't think any of them really dislike marbs personally.