Eddy starts to Curry favor Monday, December 11, 2006
There was a time when Eddy Curry was about as imposing as Barney: big, cuddly and nonthreatening.
But over the past three weeks there has been nothing cartoonish or soft about Curry. He now carries himself like a big man who believes that no one - outside of Yao Ming and Shaquille O'Neal - can stop him. Nine straight games of 20 or more points, including a career-high 36 against the Bucks on Saturday, are changing the way the league looks at the Knicks' center.
Milwaukee coach Terry Stotts called Curry "a monster" following the Knicks' 115-107 victory. It might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said about Curry's game. "He is starting to realize his own strength," says Knicks assistant coach Herb Williams. "Other than Shaq, there isn't anyone as strong as Eddy."
Curry is putting his 6-11, 300-pound frame - give or take a meal or two - to good use. After 22 games, the Knicks have made the philosophical change from a perimeter-oriented team to one that runs its offense through its center. Patrick Ewing would be proud.
Curry leads the Knicks in points, scoring average, field goals, free throws attempted and free throws made. He is second in field goal attempts behind his best friend Jamal Crawford, who would find a way to take the most shots even if he played just 10 minutes a night. But Crawford also looks to feed Curry in the post, as do the rest of the guards, who have realized that playing inside-out benefits everyone.
"That's a huge part," said Curry, who is averaging 17.7 points. "They don't have to hear it from the coaches anymore. Right now, the coach isn't even saying, 'OK, pass Eddy the ball.' They're just doing it and it's just working out nice."
On Saturday, Curry had 14 points in the third quarter as the Knicks were building a 17-point lead. He also rejected Andrew Bogut's dunk attempt and exacted revenge on Ruben Patterson, who had slammed one down on Curry in the first quarter. A minute after erasing Bogut, Curry did the same to Patterson.
It was the type of defense that Curry is capable of playing but rarely does. To be regarded as an all-around great center, Curry needs to be more active protecting the basket. He also needs to average more than 7.3 rebounds and improve on his 55% shooting from the foul line.
Right now, the Knicks are focused on making Curry a dominant low post scorer, one who uses his body to create space under the basket and take advantage of his soft touch.
"I didn't know if he could take instructions from the practice to the court as well as he did," said Knicks assistant Mark Aguirre, who works daily with Curry, "because he didn't show any indication of that last year."
Larry Brown called Curry a cornerstone of the franchise but the former Bull was never in good shape last season. He was inconsistent, his minutes sporadic. Still only 24, Curry is learning how to use his body and stay out of foul trouble.
"When we played Chicago in Chicago is when I really started feeling like, 'OK, (Ben Wallace) has been Defensive Player of the Year a couple of times. If I can play well against him, I can play well against anybody,'" Curry said. "That was really the game where I felt like he's kind of undersized, so if I can keep him from slapping at the ball and get my position deep enough, I can just turn and shoot and after that I've been thinking the same way every game."
The Knicks are 4-5 during Curry's nine-game surge and 8-14 overall heading into tonight's game against Boston.
Curry still has yet to prove he can dominate against the NBA's elite. Quentin Richardson said that O'Neal is the only player who can stop Curry. That isn't entirely true. Yao went for 35 points and 17 rebounds in his first meeting against Curry, followed by a 26-point, nine-rebound performance 10 days later at the Garden. In those two games, Curry totaled 15 points and seven rebounds.
"I definitely wish I could play against Yao again," Curry said. "I had my opportunity. But it's going to be tough. The way I'm playing now I definitely think it's going to take a team effort to stop me."
Jeffries unwraps wrist tonight
Jared Jeffries will make his Knicks debut tonight against Boston at the Garden, nearly two months after having left wrist surgery. "I'm getting anxious," said Jeffries, who signed a five-year, $30 million contract over the summer.
Isiah Thomas said yesterday that the forward will be used as a backup for the time being.
Stephon Marbury, who sat the final 19 minutes of Saturday's win over Milwaukee after suffering a bruised left forearm, is expected to play.
posted by Brandon Schenz @ 12:32 PM,
