CHICAGO – Maybe the Knicks would be in stronger position to gain the fifth or fourth seeds in the NBA playoffs had Isiah Thomas not pulled off the All-Star Sunday trade of Keith Van Horn for Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed.
But the adjustment periods for Tim Thomas and Mohammed are over. Thomas has lost his tentativeness. In fact you can make the case he shoots a little too much now.
But the important thing is he’s comfortable in his surroundings, with the second half of the Bucks’ game last Sunday at Bradley Center a potential turning point of his Knick career.
In hostile surroundings, getting booed every time he touched the ball and heckled often, Thomas helped the Knicks rally from 26 points down with a big fourth quarter while Van Horn shrunk from the battle.
“I’ve got a good basketball mind,” Thomas said. “That’s the way adjustment has been easy.”
Well, easy is a stretch. Remember in his first week as a Knick, fans chanted Van Horn’s name during a blowout loss to Cleveland. Stephon Marbury didn’t seem to trust giving him the ball as much as Van Horn in the first two weeks – possibly because the Paterson, N.J., native was still uncomfortable with the sets.
Even 11 days ago against Boston, Thomas was benched in the second half for Penny Hardaway after committing four turnovers in the opening two quarters.
Now Marbury is trusting him as much as Allan Houston, who was expected to miss his 21st game last night resting his bruised quadriceps while the Knicks faced the Bulls. With Houston out, Thomas’ output is needed more. Shandon Anderson, who starts at shooting guard in place of Houston, excels in transition but struggles in the halfcourt with his erratic jump shot and turnovers.
“I’m just trying to be aggressive on the offensive end,” Thomas said.
Early in the rout of the Nets on Friday, Marbury found Thomas in the open minute for a fast-break bucket that was as seamless as any put together by Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. Thomas’ ability to get out on the break is one of the advantages he has over Van Horn.
Thomas grew up a Knick fan, not a Nets fan. “The Nets could’ve had me,” said Thomas, who was drafted by the Nets in 1997, then traded on Draft Night to the 76ers for Van Horn. “They had me 20 minutes, but I’ve always wanted to be here [with the Knicks].”
Thomas’ 3-point shooting also is much improved. He’s shooting 48.6 percent from the field and a solid 41.5 percent from 3-point range. He’s averaging 17 points as a Knick.
Against the Nets on Friday, he even pulled down five offensive boards, seven total. Rebounding has always been one of Thomas’ liabilities. Though he plays small forward, he is 6-10 and athletic, so his lack of gritty boardwork has been seen as a character flaw.
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Dikembe Mutombo, who had lower abdominal surgery more than two weeks ago, said he’s been cleared to start doing pool work, but doesn’t expect to be at practice until Wednesday or Thursday.
Mohammed and Vin Baker have filled the center roles and Mike Sweetney has been big on the boards off the bench as backup power forward, so it’s unclear how Lenny Wilkens will find room for Mutombo.
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Tomorrow night, the Knicks begin a three-game homestand against Atlanta, Memphis and Toronto, three very winnable games. In fact, the Knicks already beat Memphis in one of only two Western road wins this season . . . The Nets’ Richard Jefferson on Friday’s 79-65 thumping by Knicks: “They handled themselves with class. Against a team that’s down and beaten up they weren’t out there whooping and hollering, talking trash.”
