Knicks Want To Stick Together For Next Season

“If we have Allan (Houston) and Tim (Thomas) healthy and available, there’s no question we can play with these guys,” Penny Hardaway said. “And they are the best team in the East. From what I’ve seen, the Nets should be favored to win it again. This should motivate us for working hard in the off-season. We are so close. I know it’ll serve to motivate me.”

“We had to bring everything together too quickly,” added Hardaway. “But I’m going to spend a lot of time here over the summer -- working on my post moves, my jump shot, the whole thing -- hopefully working out with Allan. It’s important for the core guys to do that, as we didn’t spend a lot of time together this season.”

“But we have the talent,” added Hardaway. “Stephon Marbury can be as good as he wants to be. He can be as good in the Knicks scheme of things as Jason Kidd is for the Nets. And Kidd is the best.”

“Jason and I, we’ll always be completely different players,” Marbury said. “He’s great for their system -- that kind of pass-motion thing they do -- where he’s unselfish and it becomes contagious. I do the same thing as far as getting assists, but in a completely different way. But, whether I’m going good or going bad, no one can say I don’t play with my heart. I give it my all. Every night, every game.”

“My goal is not to play like him. My goal is to win the championship.”

“In order to improve, we have to look at all areas, one-to-twelve or one-to fifteen,” Kurt Thomas said. “Would Allan have helped? Sure, and Tim, too. We need Allan, he is our go-to-guy, our top scorer, he draws double teams. Still, we have to look at the game plan, our defense, everything. The difference was that the Nets have depth, and they’ve played together, what, the last three years? The last two years they were in the Finals.”

“Changes? We’ve already so many changes last year, I don’t know how many more (President of Basketball Operations) Isiah (Thomas) can make,” said Thomas. “But, then again, who knows? Only Isiah can say for sure.”

“I have to get my pinkie right, too. I’m going to get a second opinion.” Thomas displayed his long-injured pinkie, comparing it to the other one. The right pinkie is swollen to literally three times the size. “It’s been a rough last three months, but I got through it. I survived. My trainers, they saved me. Really.”

Dikembe Mutombo talked about playing a few more years, preferably here. “Last night, it was too early for us to finish,” he said. “But, by the same token, we can be pleased that we made the playoffs when no one thought we would and that we played hard. We had a real chance the last two games and we just let it slip away.”

“I had a chance to talk to Isiah just now for about twenty minutes and I have a sense that this team still needs me,” added Mutombo. “I don’t think I’m going anywhere. But if something else happens and things change, I respect that. Either way, yes, I feel like I want to play a few more seasons. I don’t think someone should retire just because they lose their starting position to a younger guy. This is a wonderful job with a beautiful salary, why walk away? I feel good physically and mentally so I want to stick around. Maybe I’ll play until my hospital opens in 2006. That would be a great thing.”

“Look, I’ve been to the NBA Finals. I know what it takes. In my opinion, we’ve got to make a real commitment here in the summertime as a group, and go from there.”

Vin Baker, the recently acquired free agent big man who had a powerful performance against the Nets, would also love to be back. “I think it would be a great marriage for both sides,” he said. “I can be greatly improved -- last night only scratched the surface of what I can do. I can be a real post presence, draw double teams especially with Allan and Tim back, and help the perimeter players. This team, if we have everyone healthy and together for a full season, is right up there. The last month and a half have been great. I don’t think it would be a money issue, as far as years and contract. I’d love to stay right here in New York.”

“I really believe that the difference between ourselves and the Nets is not in talent,” said Houston. “It’s in togetherness, the way they’re so used to each other’s moves. We were put together quickly -- and then we got injured. We couldn’t take advantage of match-ups because we didn’t have our guys.”

“That’s why this off-season, and the training camp, is going to come in so handy for us. We’ll have a chance to get to know each other, to learn about each other. I am REAL excited about next year.”

“People really don’t understand, sometimes your body just needs time to heal,” said Houston. “That’s all I need. I’m telling you -- as I told Isiah and Mr. Dolan -- my health is the LEAST of my worries right now. I’m completely confident that, with the rest, I’ll be one hundred per cent ready to go next season.”

“I don’t think Isiah will make too many more changes,” added Houston. “I think he feels confident that this is pretty much the roster that could get us where we want to go. He doesn’t want to start all over again. I think he’ll build on this base.”

“We’re capable of being a very solid defensive team,” said Houston. “That’s what we have to work on. We have enough talent here to score. That’s what we need the summer and training camp for, to develop a mindset and an identity.”

“We’re not trying to get to the Nets’ level. They haven’t won a championship. We want to win a championship. And we have the talent to do it.”