Isiah Thomas says that he's not leaving until the Knicks win a championship

[Halu Sination]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/sports/basketball/03knicks.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Isiah Thomas walked a red carpet. He shook hands with a well-wisher, who nodded toward the throng of people on Thomas's heels. "My posse," Thomas said, chuckling.

It looked like another pleasant stroll in Thomas's occasionally charmed career. Except that posse was a nagging pack of reporters. That well-wisher was Mike Bibby, the injured Sacramento Kings guard who, if healthy, might have dropped 40 points on Thomas's Knicks. That red carpet in the locker-room corridor? Old and very worn.

Things are rarely as they seem in Thomas's world. Possibly, it is because his own narration constantly diverges from the expected and the evident.

The Knicks reached 2008 with 8 victories and 21 losses — among the worst New Year's Day records in franchise history. Thomas entered the first game of 2008 talking about championships and legacies. He was not, as far as anyone could tell, attempting humor.

"I believe that one day that we will win a championship here," Thomas said Wednesday night, before the Kings routed the Knicks, 107-97, at Madison Square Garden. "And I believe a couple of these guys will be a part of that. And I believe I'll be a part of that.

"And as I sit here and I say it today, I know people will laugh even more at me," Thomas added, acknowledging the modest gap between his faith and the public's belief. "But I'm hellbent on getting this accomplished and making sure that we get it done. And I'm not leaving until we get it done."

The statement was delivered with great conviction and a steady gaze, as most of Thomas's soliloquies are. It is becoming increasingly difficult, however, to gauge the true weight of his words. Thomas has made a lot of firm-sounding statements recently, only to undermine them.

A week and a half ago, Thomas chastised his two big men, Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry, for their lax defense. He promised lineup changes. Randolph and Curry were each benched for one game. On Wednesday, they were back as a starting tandem, looking as defensively bereft as ever.

On Sunday, Thomas asserted that David Lee's promotion to the starting lineup was not, in fact, about the deficiencies of Randolph and Curry, but rather a product of Lee's great play. On Wednesday, Lee was back on the bench to start the game. Curry scored 24 points in his return to the starting lineup.

Two weeks ago, Thomas waved off a series of questions about his job security and the composition of his roster, telling reporters to ask again in two weeks. When the questions came back this week (after four losses in five games), Thomas said, "We'll keep moving in this direction." That included Thomas's continuing as the coach, he said.

So it should not necessarily have been surprising that Thomas, with his team on pace to set a franchise record for losses amid nightly calls for his dismissal, had a different — some would say absurd — perspective.

"I don't necessarily just want to win a championship," Thomas said. "I want to leave something that's going stand for a long time. I want to leave legacy, I want to leave tradition. I want to leave an imprint and a blueprint, in terms of how people play and how they coach and how they respond when they put on the Knick uniform. I want to leave what I left in Detroit."

Thomas was referring to his glory days as a Pistons guard, when he won two championships.

"This is a dark time for us," he said. "But I know there's a light at the end of this tunnel."

Three and a half hours later, the Knicks lost their fifth consecutive game, their 11th in their last 13 and their 22nd of the season. They were routed by a Kings team that was missing its three best players: Bibby, Kevin Martin and Ron Artest. John Salmons scored a career-high 32 points to lead the Kings (12-18).

Thomas had a different starting lineup for the fourth game in a row. When the second half started, he had changed gears again, starting Nate Robinson instead of Quentin Richardson and the rookie Wilson Chandler instead of Jared Jeffries. It took until deep in the fourth quarter, with the Knicks trailing by 19, for Thomas to send in Renaldo Balkman, who began the season as one of his top reserves.

Stephon Marbury, whose own status has changed many times this season, played his first game since Dec. 17 — and only his fourth since his father died Dec. 2. He scored 16 points in 30 minutes off the bench.

As the Knicks fell behind by double digits Wednesday, Thomas's expression matched his dull-gray pinstripe suit. He never looked particularly animated, even when Randolph was ejected for protesting a call late in the third quarter.

Ten feet from Thomas, sitting in a baseline seat, was the Garden chairman, James L. Dolan, appearing equally impassive. Dolan met with Thomas after the game, as he often does, then left without comment.

Thomas has repeatedly said he will not make a trade to shake up his roster, believing that acting out of desperation may cause the franchise to make "serious mistakes." It was suggested that, given the Knicks' record, perhaps serious mistakes had already been made.

"I believe we're on the right path," Thomas said. "And I believe we have the right players. Our record doesn't show that. But I'm not ready to give up on these players."

Then the true believer presided over his 22nd loss in 30 games, while a crowd of thousands chanted "Fire Isiah."

[GangstaBoogy]

Talk about a lifetime commitment...

[herpes]

You know whats sad.... he probably has the more job security then any other coach in the league.  I think him and Dolan are gay lovers... that is the only explanation.

[OG Hack Wilson]

if i were david stern i would make the Knicks play in the NBDL (developmental league) for once season as a punishment!

i feel so bad for them though, ive always liked the knicks because i was named after Patrick Ewing and its a damn shame to see whats happened to them.

why cant isiah thomas take over the patriots?

[D~Nice]

Well at this rate he will die before that happens.

[OG Hack Wilson]

Well at this rate he will die before that happens.

i say the NBA disbands before the knicks win it all again

[D~Nice]

You know whats sad.... he probably has the more job security then any other coach in the league.  I think him and Dolan are gay lovers... that is the only explanation.

LMFAO!!!

[Fuck Your Existence]

lol poor Zeke,stay off the peyote homie

[OG Hack Wilson]

i dont get why isiah does interviews anymore lol whats the point

[jeromechickenbone]

You know whats sad.... he probably has the more job security then any other coach in the league.  I think him and Dolan are gay lovers... that is the only explanation.

Isiah prolly has dirt on him like Marbury does Isiah.  The Knicks are the most dysfunctional team in the NBA.

[7even]

this dude can't possibly think the knicks are going to win a championship, like, ever, with him. he's been acting pretty dumb and everything, but even he can't be thinkin this

the knicks are so pathetic it makes me sick.

[Lunatic]

WOW, just wow

[D~Nice]

Kind of reminds me of a joke Pete Rose said about the Cubs. God told the Cubs "Now you guys stay put and don't do anything till I come back." LOL! Someone should as Isiah want does he want on his tombstone then because they ain't winning shit no time soon. No one wants to take on their players contracts anyway.

[Dodgers#1]

i guess that will never happen only in a dream lol

[MontrealCity's Most]

Talk about a lifetime commitment...

lol seriously

gotta give it to the man he's dedicated and down for his homies!!