76ERSatKNICKSTodayCh. 4 – 3:00
WFAN (660 AM)
Ever since Patrick Ewing got embarrassed by Orlando’s John Amaechi that one sorry Garden night 3½ weeks ago when he looked like a legend on his last legs, Ewing has begun playing again like an All-Star center.
Playing like he did before his wrist got mangled two years ago.
Everyone talks about his massive pride — including himself — and he has shown all of it during his fabulous February. Latrell Sprewell said Ewing has become “a dominant center” again.
As the season grows, so does Ewing’s game. No longer is a 20-point output cause for a Patrick parade. There is no sign of him breaking down, no sign of slowing down, no sign that he is age 37. And absolutely no sign the Knicks are better without him (11-9 without, 22-11 with).
“This is the best I’ve felt in a while,” Ewing admitted following yesterday’s practice at Purchase College.
Ewing has been a monster in the pivot during the Knicks’ six-game homestand which ends today against the Sixers. Ewing is coming off consecutive games of 24 points and 25 points.
Ewing, averaging 14.4 points and 9.9 boards for the season, is scoring in so many ways now. He seemingly dusted off all the pivot moves he ever learned just for this month. The biggest change in his offensive game is a nightly mindset of attacking the hoop. He’s showing a new-found burst and spring. Throughout his starcrossed career in New York, that has been a criticism, that he fell too much in love with his perimeter shot, especially in clutch moments.
Jeff Van Gundy has repeated Ewing has to drive more because that 15-footer that used to be automatic is not because of his surgically repaired wrist. And yet, recently, even those shots are falling with more consistency. Ewing’s shooting percentage is up to 45.2 percent, and remember he missed his first rust-ridden shots of the season.
“My wrist is never going to be the same,” Ewing said. “But you make adjustments. Regardless of how my wrist feels, I still think I’m a great player and can still play. My shot feels good.”
Van Gundy still believes his wrist has become a major factor in his shooting. “It’s not that he doesn’t make spot-up shots but not with the frequency he used to,” Van Gundy said. “He used to be a knockdown — you give him an open 15-footer, just run the other way. He’s not as effective shooter but he’s made adjustments even though his range is not what it used to be he finds a way to move in a step or show the ball and drive the ball more instead of shooting.
“Great players know how to make adjustments and he’s made good adjustments. It has taken away from that aspect of his game though.”
Ewing has gained in Marcus Camby’s absence, his minutes climbing. Since Camby went down with a knee injury, Ewing is averaging 36.4 minutes per game and has relished it. He was smack at 30 before that — a source of tension between player and coach that had put their once-solid relationship on egg shells.
When Camby returns, probably in early March, Ewing’s minutes likely will go down again. Now that he’s been playing at an All-Star level in recent weeks, it won’t be fun to be in Van Gundy’s shoes.
Van Gundy was talking yesterday about how Ewing has rebounded the ball well but recently has allowed too many offensive boards. He stopped and added “But, gosh, he’s playing really well. Really well.”
Last season, the Garden had a love affair with new flings Spree and Camby. Now Ewing can do no wrong. It’s been a very noticeable difference the way the fans have treated him since his return Dec. 10 — sensing they are witnessing his final glory days.
Ewing, who has one more year left on his contract, gets standing ovations every time he passes another legend on the all-time scoring list. During the homestand he has gone up two notches, passing Elgin Baylor and Adrian Dantley, surging into 15th place. It’s been all very touching. You can already tell the night “33” goes up into the rafters is going to be one of the Garden’s most special evenings ever.
“I’ve always felt they’ve treated me good,” Ewing said.
Not this good. Except for that Orlando nightmare, Ewing hasn’t been booed once. There are no groans when he clanks a fall-away 15-footer. It’s almost like, after all the years, the Garden finally appreciates having witnessed one of the game’s greats these past 14 years.
When he returned in December after taking some abuse for his aloofness to teammates, coaching staff and management during his marathon rehab from tendinitis, Van Gundy said he just hoped Ewing’s final two years were fun for him. It’s starting to look like Ewing, in the nick of time, is having a ball.
