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Tim cries foul after defeat
Rips refs as Knicks fall in Indy
By FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Tim Thomas, who has major beef with refs' calls against Knicks on night and in general, fouls Pacers' Ron Artest during second half.
Isiah Thomas' smile at start of game won't last as Knicks crumple in his first game at Conseco Fieldhouse since getting fired.
INDIANAPOLIS - The frustration of being humiliated yet again by one of the Eastern Conference's big three was evident on Tim Thomas' face and in his words.
Upset over what he believes is a growing trend of unfavorable calls against the Knicks, Thomas criticized the officiating after last night's 107-86 loss to the Indiana Pacers, saying, "When you're playing five against eight each and every night you feel like you have no chance."
"It seems like no matter what crew we get it's the same outcome," Thomas added. "I want to say more but I'd rather not. It doesn't make any sense."
Thomas, who picked up three first-half fouls, was particularly incensed that Scot Pollard was not called for a foul after striking Thomas in the face with an elbow in the second quarter. Pollard grabbed the defensive rebound, and as the Indiana forward swung his elbows to clear space, Thomas says he was hit twice before being knocked to the ground.
When Pollard's debatable actions went unpunished, Thomas argued long enough to earn a technical foul. Vin Baker was also assessed a technical foul in the second half.
"How the hell do you not see it?" Thomas said of Pollard's elbow. "When you're playing hard it's supposed to be five-on-five. But it's five-on-eight. What else can you do?
"It doesn't matter if we're home or whatever."
The Knicks were called for 23 personal fouls last night, three more than Indiana, which attempted 29 free throws compared to 26 for the Knicks. Thomas was called for three first-half fouls, and even head coach Lenny Wilkens defended Thomas, saying, "I thought Tim got fouled a couple of times and should have gotten calls."
Wilkens, of course, knew that questionable whistles are the least of the Knicks' concerns. His team fell to 36-42 and is guaranteed to finish with its third consecutive losing season. However, the Knicks still moved closer to clinching a playoff berth with Cleveland losing to Toronto. Their magic number with four games left is down to two.
Barring a total collapse, the Knicks will qualify for the playoffs for the first time in three years. But if they play in the postseason like they did last night, vacation is just around the corner. The Knicks are 3-9 against the conference's top teams - Indiana, the Nets and Detroit - including an 0-6 road record. Over the last 11 days, they were blown out by all three teams on the road.
"I don't know what to say," Penny Hardaway said. "We prepare the same, we just come out and we don't get it done. I am not worried about us at home. It's on the road that I'm worried about."
There is a very good reason why Isiah Thomas never wanted to stop coaching the Indiana Pacers. They're young and talented and will be one of the Eastern Conference's top teams for the foreseeable future. In fact, those are the same reasons the Knicks want to avoid a first-round series with Larry Bird's team.
Thomas, the Knicks president, returned home last night and watched his new team fall apart against his old team. With Thomas and Bird watching at opposite ends of the arena, the Pacers held a lead for the final 42minutes while improving to 57-21. All five starters scored in double figures, led by Ron Artest, who scored 16 of his game-high 26 in the second half.
Jermaine O'Neal, despite a sore knee, added 20 points and nine rebounds, matching the output of the Knicks' starting center, Nazr Mohammed, who outplayed O'Neal. Stephon Marbury had 10 points and 10 assists while misfiring on 10 of 14 shots.
Indiana led, 47-37, at intermission and extended its lead to 17 as the 38-year-old Reggie Miller scored eight third-quarter points by knocking down a pair of three-pointers and beating the Knicks on the baseline for a dunk. Artest then took over, scoring 11points in 80 seconds.
"We have to play more together, both on the offensive and defensive ends," Marbury said after Indiana shot 51%. "It's just frustrating to me the way we play, up and down."
Originally published on April 7, 2004
[hr]
I'm just not seeing what gripe Thomas has at all, especially in the case with the Pollard rebound. From what I saw, to me anyways, that Thomas really flopped down to the ground and the referees simply didn't buy it. They were the only two guys down at that end of the court at the time, and Pollard has to have some room to clear the board. It was a good no call to me.
I just don't seem to think that we get the calls, yet other teams around the league seem to think that we do.
Tim cries foul after defeat
Rips refs as Knicks fall in Indy
By FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Tim Thomas, who has major beef with refs' calls against Knicks on night and in general, fouls Pacers' Ron Artest during second half.
Isiah Thomas' smile at start of game won't last as Knicks crumple in his first game at Conseco Fieldhouse since getting fired.
INDIANAPOLIS - The frustration of being humiliated yet again by one of the Eastern Conference's big three was evident on Tim Thomas' face and in his words.
Upset over what he believes is a growing trend of unfavorable calls against the Knicks, Thomas criticized the officiating after last night's 107-86 loss to the Indiana Pacers, saying, "When you're playing five against eight each and every night you feel like you have no chance."
"It seems like no matter what crew we get it's the same outcome," Thomas added. "I want to say more but I'd rather not. It doesn't make any sense."
Thomas, who picked up three first-half fouls, was particularly incensed that Scot Pollard was not called for a foul after striking Thomas in the face with an elbow in the second quarter. Pollard grabbed the defensive rebound, and as the Indiana forward swung his elbows to clear space, Thomas says he was hit twice before being knocked to the ground.
When Pollard's debatable actions went unpunished, Thomas argued long enough to earn a technical foul. Vin Baker was also assessed a technical foul in the second half.
"How the hell do you not see it?" Thomas said of Pollard's elbow. "When you're playing hard it's supposed to be five-on-five. But it's five-on-eight. What else can you do?
"It doesn't matter if we're home or whatever."
The Knicks were called for 23 personal fouls last night, three more than Indiana, which attempted 29 free throws compared to 26 for the Knicks. Thomas was called for three first-half fouls, and even head coach Lenny Wilkens defended Thomas, saying, "I thought Tim got fouled a couple of times and should have gotten calls."
Wilkens, of course, knew that questionable whistles are the least of the Knicks' concerns. His team fell to 36-42 and is guaranteed to finish with its third consecutive losing season. However, the Knicks still moved closer to clinching a playoff berth with Cleveland losing to Toronto. Their magic number with four games left is down to two.
Barring a total collapse, the Knicks will qualify for the playoffs for the first time in three years. But if they play in the postseason like they did last night, vacation is just around the corner. The Knicks are 3-9 against the conference's top teams - Indiana, the Nets and Detroit - including an 0-6 road record. Over the last 11 days, they were blown out by all three teams on the road.
"I don't know what to say," Penny Hardaway said. "We prepare the same, we just come out and we don't get it done. I am not worried about us at home. It's on the road that I'm worried about."
There is a very good reason why Isiah Thomas never wanted to stop coaching the Indiana Pacers. They're young and talented and will be one of the Eastern Conference's top teams for the foreseeable future. In fact, those are the same reasons the Knicks want to avoid a first-round series with Larry Bird's team.
Thomas, the Knicks president, returned home last night and watched his new team fall apart against his old team. With Thomas and Bird watching at opposite ends of the arena, the Pacers held a lead for the final 42minutes while improving to 57-21. All five starters scored in double figures, led by Ron Artest, who scored 16 of his game-high 26 in the second half.
Jermaine O'Neal, despite a sore knee, added 20 points and nine rebounds, matching the output of the Knicks' starting center, Nazr Mohammed, who outplayed O'Neal. Stephon Marbury had 10 points and 10 assists while misfiring on 10 of 14 shots.
Indiana led, 47-37, at intermission and extended its lead to 17 as the 38-year-old Reggie Miller scored eight third-quarter points by knocking down a pair of three-pointers and beating the Knicks on the baseline for a dunk. Artest then took over, scoring 11points in 80 seconds.
"We have to play more together, both on the offensive and defensive ends," Marbury said after Indiana shot 51%. "It's just frustrating to me the way we play, up and down."
Originally published on April 7, 2004
[hr]
I'm just not seeing what gripe Thomas has at all, especially in the case with the Pollard rebound. From what I saw, to me anyways, that Thomas really flopped down to the ground and the referees simply didn't buy it. They were the only two guys down at that end of the court at the time, and Pollard has to have some room to clear the board. It was a good no call to me.
I just don't seem to think that we get the calls, yet other teams around the league seem to think that we do.
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