The Knicks won a game no one wanted to play. The Knicks dressed the mandatory eight guys, used seven in the first half, lost Pablo Prigioni with an ankle injury and finished the game using six players in the second half. The Hawks on the other hand showed that they a) didn't believe the Bulls would lose against the Wizards and thus cementing the Hawks as the sixth seed or b) they simply didn't care for the slim opportunity to play the Nets instead of the Pacers in the first round. As I argued all day it doesn't make sense for me, but you can't argue them suiting up a line-up of Mack, Stephenson, Scott, Jenkins, Johnson, Petro, Jones and Tolliver. You ask who Mike Scott is? I have no idea whether he is usually the towel guy or works in the Hawks marketing department. Honestly: Nor do I care.
This game was purely about getting the regular season over with, but at least we got a first glimpse of the newly signed Earl Barron and Q-Rich, Quentin Richardson. Both battled combining for 28 rebounds, while on offense both showed rust. Espescially Q-brick, who ended the game 1 of 11.
- Cope and Shump. The one showed once again that he is a premier scorer finishing with 33 points on a variety of moves, the other had a very solid all around showing with 18 points, seven rebounds and eight assists after taking over as the primarly ballhandler because of Prigs ankle.
- The Knicks seemingly can't get even through a pick-up game resembling summer league mood without adding to their injury woes. Prigioni turned an ankle, Copeland banged his shoulder Carmelo-style and Shumpert finished the game holding his right knee, though the official word was "cramps". I have never hold my knee having cramps, but that may be me.
Here is the injury report on the Knicks. Notice that this report is without Stoudemire, because there is no update on his rehab progress at the moment:
Iman Shumpert
Shumpert suffered what the Knicks are calling a cramp and left Wednesday night's win over Atlanta, the Associated Press reports.
Pablo Prigioni
Prigioni suffered an ankle injury against the Hawks on Friday and will not return, the Knicks' official Twitter feed reports.
Jason Kidd
Kidd will be rested against the Hawks on Wednesday to prepare for the playoffs, the New York Times reports.
J.R. Smith
Smith will be rested against the Hawks on Wednesday, the New York Times reports.
Marcus Camby
Camby (foot) will miss Wednesday's game against the Hawks, the New York Times reports.
Kenyon Martin
Martin (knee) will miss Wednesday's game against the Hawks, the New York Times reports.
Tyson Chandler
Chandler (neck) will sit out Wednesday's game against the Hawks, the New York Times reports.
Carmelo Anthony
Anthony (shoulder) will sit out Wednesday's contest against the Hawks, the New York Times reports.
The NBA should scratch any meaningless games with the playoff picture set. Wait, if the Hawks would've cared this game could have had a meaning.
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah! I can't wait! We'll take on the Celtics starting saturday at 3 pm for our first playoff series with homecourt advantage since the 2000-2001 season. 54 wins despite the injuries is a pretty good mark and it ensured that Mike Woodson improved his coaching record when looking at his seven full seasons at the helm for a sixth straight time. Let's hope that this is a good omen for him finally having the kind of playoff success that he is in for. "I'm in for one thing", he said recently, "the championship!"
