Tuesday, 5/20/97 Knicks need lesson in self control COMMENTARY:
Team must figure out game is basketball, not bullying
Before we begin, gentle reader, an apology for last week’s
absence. In case you haven’t noticed (and judging by the student
turnout, you haven’t) there is a pretty big tennis tournament going
on right now. But on to bigger and better tournaments, namely, the
NBA Playoffs. Let this year’s NBA second season be known as the
spring of the Miami Heat’s P.J. Brown’s discontent. Discontent over
the New York Knicks’ strong-arm tactics and bigmouth blather in the
press. Discontent over the Heat’s lethargic play. Discontent over
Charlie Ward’s chop-blocking techniques that were reminiscent of
the San Francisco 49ers. So Brown took matters, or more precisely,
Ward, into his own hands and unceremoniously gave him the heave.
Fans around the country who are tired of the Knicks rejoiced
because not only did a Knick get his comeuppance, but the thugs
from the land of Steinbrenner finally showed the entire country
just how utterly dumb they are. You want to talk about a lack of
institutional control? Five, count them, five Knick players left
the bench, breaking a league rule in the process, to extricate
Ward’s head from Brown’s armpit. Why? Not just because they needed
to get in a fight, but because they weren’t expecting any
significant punishment. Head coach Jeff Van Gundy has never said
boo to his team and the coaches who have (read Don Nelson) got run
out of town. And as the Knicks brawl their way to 50 win seasons,
the NBA’s equivalent of Barney Fife, Rod Thorn, had never brought
down the anvil on them. As the Knicks bullrushed the photo pool,
the Heat players stood glued to the sidelines, knowing that a step
forward would mean Pat Riley would tear their eyes out. This was
the complete opposite of the Knicks, because this team knew
grievous punishment would be forthcoming if they left the bench.
For all of Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway’s bluster and
braggadocio, they live in fear of the wrath of Riley. In light of
New York’s past history, when the NBA lashed back at them by
suspending all the players who left the bench for one game a piece,
it is not shocking that the ruling was met with surprise from the
objects of punishment. As the Knicks cried foul when the penalties
were levied, the hue and cry was ignored because just about anyone
involved with the NBA was too busy nursing a bruise from a Charles
Oakley elbow and anyone in the media was too busy transcribing John
Starks’ latest foot-in-the-mouth quote. Most anyone else was just
fed up with watching the Knicks abuse and elbow their way through
opponents, then adopting the victim role when someone called them
on their antics. The Knicks deserved the punishment that they got
and it follows that they deserved to lose the series to the Heat.
At the same time, our present-day Punisher, P.J. Brown, should not
be lauded for picking a fight, especially with a smaller person,
and his two-game suspension was probably too mild. But the Heat
showed how a disciplined team should comport itself. It is a
disgusting display when players leave the bench and the Heat knew
better than to sacrifice their playoff future just to leap into the
fray. Meanwhile, one wonders whether the Knicks learned their
lesson and will focus more on winning than whining and basketball
over brawling. They had better hurry, because ol’ Patrick isn’t
getting any younger. Mark Shapiro is a Daily Bruin Staff Writer and
beat writer for men’s tennis. E-mail responses to
mshapiro@media.ucla.edu. Mark Shapiro