Punks and Basketball

By now, NBA fanatics are aware of the New York - Cleveland mixed-fight match where protagonists are sure to be sanctioned and some fighters to be heavily fined by the league.

After the hard tackle, JR Smith got in Mardy Collins' face and was shoved by Nate Robinson who also pushed Carmelo Anthony. Robinson then motioned to Smith that he wanted to fight and the latter accommodated him, spilling their battle into the front row seats. Jared Jeffries tried to pull Robinson away and after Anthony connected with a straight punch on a backing Collins, Jeffries tried to chase Anthony with blood in his eyes.

But let's dig deeper. New Yorkers blame coach Isiah Thomas for the brawl. Since he can't win games for the Knicks, he'd rather have a stupid playground fight to save face. He was caught by Madison Square Garden cameras telling Anthony that they would be fouled hard if they get inside the paint. Moments later, rookie Collins took down Smith, giving credence to speculations that the tackle was a premeditated one, on orders from Thomas.

The night before, in a game versus Indiana, Collins also committed a flagrant foul on Maceo Baston with 1:44 left in the game and the Knicks behind by 16. The difference is that Indiana fielded reserves during that time. This time, the Knicks are being humiliated in their home turf and they have to save face.

In San Antonio last month, Thomas was involved in an ugly incident where he and Bruce Bowen of the Spurs were on a heated verbal tussle. Later, he had to be restrained by Knicks assistant coach Herb Williams from going after Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. He even shouted to his players to "break Bowen's foot" and "break his neck". During a pre-season game, Thomas traded insults with the Nets coaching staff.

In his three years with the Knicks, Thomas has acted like a punk. He has to be held back from going after a heckler who criticized him for trading Charlie Ward. He also wanted to pick a fight with former Knick Shandon Anderson and had a heated verbal exchange with Dikembe Mutombo after the center felt insulted by Thomas' suggestion that Mutombo take a vacation during the final month of the season.

Is Thomas trying to revive his Pistons' "Bad Boys" era with the Knicks? To tell you, the Knicks are just plain bad that rooting for them now has become an anomaly. As president and coach, Thomas is responsible for assembling what looked like an undisciplined group of street ballers, successfully molding them into sore losers and whiners.

Having the highest payroll in the league (Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis have a combined 2006-2007 salary of $32,254,375), the Knicks have lost 150 games since Thomas took over three years ago. Their current 9-18 record is keeping fans away from the Garden, its smallest attendance in more than ten years.

This present composition of the Knicks is an embarrassing disgrace and the three amigos, Collins, Robinson and Jeffries, all recent Thomas signings, took stupidity and lack of discipline to the highest level, looking like lunatics. This lunacy should fall on Thomas as he has set the tone in San Antonio last month by trying to start a fight with Bowen.

Basing on the Indiana game the night before, Collins was the designated hitman. Robinson, all 5-7 of him, was the instigator, a punk with the I'm-bigger-than-you-think attitude that even a veteran teammate call him "Nate the Jerk". Jeffries decided to give retribution ahead of David Stern to Anthony's haymaker and chased him down the length of the court.

Anthony will get the stiffest penalty for rearranging Collins' face. Robinson, Jeffries and Collins will likewise deserve major sanctions. For leaving their benches and entering the playing court, Quentin Richardson, Nene and Jerome James will get one game suspensions. If I were the NBA top brass, I will also discipline Isiah Thomas. If I were the Knicks top brass, I will kick his butt out to Lebanon.

In contrast to the Knicks who have been unapologetic in their actions, Anthony issued a wide-ranging apology and asked for forgiveness, taking full responsibility with his actions. He also made a special apology to Collins and his family.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets are leading the race for Allen Iverson. Philadelphia is more concerned with financial freedom than the talent it receives in return for Iverson and his $17 million plus annual salary. With two first round picks in the 2007 draft, the Nuggets are front runners, but this would most likely be a complicated deal involving at least five players, two teams and two draft choices.

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