The New York Times-20080129-Knicks Would Like To Have Laker Woes

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Knicks Would Like To Have Laker Woes

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A steady, seven-day downpour soaked Southern California, sparked fears of mudslides and, to the great alarm of the locals, intruded on the sanctity of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Rainwater dripped from the rafters at the Staples Center on Sunday, causing a 12-minute delay in the Lakers' eventual 98-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The storm clouds had been hovering for some time already -- the Lakers are 2-4 since losing Andrew Bynum, their wunderkind center, to a knee injury.

But the waterlogged, Bynum-less Lakers still have Kobe Bryant, perhaps the N.B.A.'s most valuable player this season, which means the Knicks can only hope for a rainout Tuesday night.

Bryant had 39 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists in the Lakers' 95-90 victory over the Knicks last month. The game was effectively a rout before a late Knicks surge made the final score appear respectable.

The main focus is Kobe, Knicks Coach Isiah Thomas said Monday, and we'll still double-team him and try different guys on him and try to keep him away from the basket.

The task of corralling Bryant seemingly becomes more simple without Bynum commanding attention in the lane. The 20-year-old Bynum was having a breakout season -- averaging 13.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks -- before injuring his knee Jan. 13.

The Lakers (27-15) have lost three games in a row. Bryant just lost a nationally televised, head-to-head battle with LeBron James. After Tuesday, the Lakers leave Los Angeles for nine games, the longest continuous trip since the franchise moved here in 1960.

The Knicks (14-29) are likely to see a desperate team and a highly motivated Bryant, which is always an ominous sign.

The way they lost to Cleveland, they'll come out and really try to play well before they go out on the road, Thomas said.

The Knicks would surely welcome the Lakers' burdens. Despite their league-high payroll and Thomas's endless roster shuffling, the Knicks lack a true franchise player like Bryant or a seemingly sure-fire star of the future like Bynum.

Thomas practically conceded as much -- and immediately regretted it -- as he reflected on the Knicks' struggles before Monday's practice at U.C.L.A.

Our guys are still trying to carve out their turf in the league; they haven't got to the point where they're superstars, Thomas said, a rare admission that he clearly wanted to take back. I hate that I said that, because your headline writers will write 'Knicks have no superstars, Isiah's crazy.'

It could be seen as a refreshing bit of candor from Thomas, who mostly sticks to inoffensive platitudes. That the Knicks lack a true franchise player, or even a sure-fire All-Star, is not exactly a revelation.

Thomas has acquired a number of players with elite talent like Stephon Marbury, Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph, but none have blossomed into elite players.

In the wake of Sunday night's loss to Golden State, Thomas seemed discouraged that his best players seem happy only when they are scoring in bunches. Randolph, often regarded as a ball hog, had five assists in the first half Sunday, matching his season high. But he had only one assist in the second half.

Curry played 18 minutes and scored 17 points, but he complained afterward that he was not getting enough scoring chances.

Eddy and Zach get double-teamed and sometimes they get a little frustrated, because they think they're not involved, Thomas said. But they're creating so many opportunities for Jamal or for Nate, he said, referring to Crawford and Nate Robinson.

Thomas said that Randolph could have had a triple-double if he would have just stayed satisfied with the game that he was having.

Curry and Randolph rarely thrive simultaneously, and Thomas often removes Curry to match opponents' smaller lineups. Crawford and Robinson have dominated the offense in recent weeks, and the Knicks have won five of eight games.

They still open up everything inside, Crawford said of the big men. They're still having an effect on the game.