MEMPHIS – Has Kurt Thomas hit the turning point of his career? Has he gone from serviceable starting power forward to potential All-Star big man?
If Thomas has, at age 30, then certainly the Knicks are playoff-worthy next season in the mediocre Eastern Conference with all their big men healthy and with a contributing lottery player. Naturally it’s a big if to say Marcus Camby will be healthy, but it’s something Knicks GM Scott Layden must figure out about Thomas’ upside before he decides whether to blow up the team in the summer.
The Knicks have blown 14 double-digit leads, which sometimes makes you wonder if defensive coaching in crunch time is as much as the problem as the talent Layden has assembled.
If you ask Thomas, he’ll be more than happy to tell you that NBA coaches in the past have held him back offensively, have not given him the freedom to be a big-time scorer like he was at Texas Christian University.
“I think my coaches over the years think I should’ve been more of a 3,” Thomas cracked wise.
That’s how Thomas actually sees himself – an explosive, scoring small forward in a big man’s body. If given the green light, he’d be launching 3-pointers. Thomas, who led the NCAA in scoring average his senior year (28.9) always had a difference of opinion with Jeff Van Gundy. The former Knicks coach didn’t think Thomas’ range extended beyond 12-to-15 feet.
Sunday night in Cleveland, the 6-9 Thomas, playing out of position at center, continued his scoring emergence with a career-high 33 points and 15 rebounds. Coming off the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award, Thomas has averaged 26.6 points and 10.6 rebounds in the past three games. For the season, he’s averaging 13.6 points and 8.7 rebounds. It’s getting scary.
“I have quickness and ability to shoot the ball from a great distance,” Thomas said, never one to be modest about his offensive potential. “I’ve always had range. I’m playing with a lot of confidence. With the coaching staff, I’ve been getting into a new game.”
With Marcus Camby most probably out for the season, when the Knicks now talk about a third scorer to go along with Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell, it is Thomas.
And now teammates are looking for him nightly, as his 12-to-15-footer has been money. “It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Thomas said. “It’s even better when your teammates know you’re in that groove and they’re trying to get you the ball.”
As he dissected the Cavaliers in the fourth quarter Sunday, Thomas had the ball in his hands beyond the 3-point arc with 12 seconds left and the Knicks down five. Thomas pump-faked, fooling the concerned Cavs and he drove in for an easy layup. Tyrone Hill actually shot out to him, buying the fake.
“My teammates thought I was going to shoot it,” Thomas said. “My teammates will tell you I never turn down a shot.”
No longer a threat to be ejected for yapping at an official, Thomas has shaken off a disappointing first two months of the season to become the Knicks’ best player since Jan. 1. It’s interesting to speculate what the Knicks might have looked like had Camby not crashed to the court Feb. 1 in Indiana, tearing up his hip. A front-line with a healthy Camby and Thomas is not such a bad deal. Remember, the Knicks had won four straight for Don Chaney before Camby’s injury.
