Isiah Thomas traded his starting center a week ago, and, even to the casual observer, it looked as if a white flag had been waved over the New York Knicks' season.
In the space of one afternoon, Thomas, the Knicks' president, shipped out Nazr Mohammed -- the team's only true center -- and three end-of-the-bench players for two forwards with redundant skills and burdensome contracts. It sent critics into a two-day howl.
The Knicks said they were planning for the future, with two extra draft picks and a pair of new players, Malik Rose and Maurice Taylor, who might be rotation players or might be trade bait for the next round of face-lifts.
PHOTO: AP
Not even the current Knicks were sure what to make of their revamped locker room.
"We know that if you're losing, anything can happen; anybody can go," said the young guard Jamal Crawford, who nevertheless noted, "It was kind of shocking."
The only thing more shocking is what followed: Rather than collapse, the Knicks surged.
They have won three straight games since last Thursday's trades, despite their undersized roster and despite a forward-heavy rotation in which the new players duplicate many of the old players' skills.
Rose is a hustling, hard-nosed, undersized power forward, but didn't the Knicks have Jerome Williams playing that role? Taylor is a jump-shooting power forward, and doesn't Kurt Thomas do that effectively?
The Knicks have for months been a team that inspires more questions than answers, and now only more so. They used to talk about finding an identity, but that pursuit now seems pointless, with only 25 games left to play and only an outside shot at making the playoffs.
But the contradictions are inherent in everything they do, from the front office's puzzling maneuvers to the team's wholly unpredictable performances on the court.
The trades seemed to signal an end to this season, but now they look like a beginning.
Mike Sweetney, who slid into Mohammed's starting job, had a breakout game Monday, with 19 points and 12 rebounds in an overtime victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Tim Thomas, burdened by injuries and personal issues all season, averaged 24.3 points over the past three games.
Rose has supplanted Williams as the energy guy off the bench. Taylor and Thomas give the Knicks two decent offensive threats in the post. Trevor Ariza, the rookie swingman, continues to make strides.
And the Knicks began Tuesday five games out of the playoff picture.
Rashard Lewis had 30 points on 14-of-19 shooting and the Seattle SuperSonics rallied in the fourth quarter for a 101-93 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.
Trailing 89-84 with 5:17 left in the fourth quarter, Lewis started a 9-0 run with a 3-pointer, bringing Seattle within two. Vladimir Radmanovic gave the SuperSonics a lead with another 3-pointer, and Lewis hit from long range again to put them up 93-89 with 3:45 left.
Stephen Jackson had 28 points and six rebounds, and Jermaine O'Neal added 18 points and eight rebounds for Indiana, which lost its second straight game after a five-game winning streak.
Ray Allen scored 18 and Radmanovic chipped in 14 for Seattle, which shot 53 percent from the field one game after shooting a franchise-low 29.4 percent in a loss to Milwaukee on Sunday.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle got two technical fouls in less than a minute in the first quarter for arguing with officials over fouls calls and was ejected.
Rockets 119, Bulls 89
In Chicago, Tracy McGrady scored 32 points with seven assists in three quarters and Mike James added 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead Houston over Chicago.
Eddy Curry scored 17 points for Chicago and Ben Gordon added 15.
Pistons 103, Trail Blazers 93
In Portland, Oregon, former Trail Blazer Rasheed Wallace had 12 points and 10 rebounds as Detroit beat Portland to extend its season-best winning streak to eight games.
Richard Hamilton had 20 points and nine assists for the Pistons, who have won 13 of 14.
Damon Stoudamire had 19 points for Portland.
Detroit mortgage magnate Dan Gilbert assumed majority ownership of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, taking over a once troubled NBA franchise saved by star forward LeBron James.
Gilbert has promised not to move the Cavaliers. The team's lease at Gund Arena runs through 2027.
Gilbert, who turned a US$5,000 investment in the 1980s into an online banking empire, bought the Cavaliers for US$375 million from Gordon Gund. Gilbert heads a principal ownership group that includes Grammy Award-winning rhythm and blues artist Usher; business partner David Katzman; and Gund, who will retain at least a 10-percent stake.
Mourning returns to Heat
Former NBA All-Star Alonzo Mourning signed a contract with the Miami Heat on Tuesday and practiced with the team with which he spent eight seasons -- a stint twice interrupted by kidney disease.
He may make about US$325,000 for the rest of the season, based on a prorated share of the US$1.1 million minimum veteran contract.
Alando Tucker's acrobatic shot in the lane as time expired lifted 23rd-ranked Wisconsin to a dramatic 62-60 win over Indiana at the Kohl Center.
Tucker ended with 17 points, while Mike Wilkinson led all players with 28 points as the two players accounted for 45 of Wisconsin's 62 points. Sharif Chambliss added eight points for the Badgers (19-7, 10-5 Big Ten), who have won two straight and three of four.
D.J. White led Indiana with 17 points. Bracey Wright added 13 for the Hoosiers (14-12, 9-6), who lost in heartbreaking fashion just two days after a thrilling 78-74 overtime triumph over Big Ten power Michigan State on Sunday.
In a close contest, Indiana, which might have seen its hopes of an at-large NCAA Tournament bid come to an end, finished just 9-of-17 from the line.
After Indiana's Roderick Wilmont's short jumper in the lane evened the contest at 60-60 with 15.5 seconds to go, Tucker made a heads up play on the game's final shot to cap off his heroics.
In the closing seconds, Tucker fired up a three-pointer that barely hit the front of the rim, but he crashed the lane and followed up his miss. Wilkinson then grabbed the ball and attempted a reverse layup that was an air ball, but the crafty Tucker, who was not boxed out on the play, stormed the lane, grabbed the ball in the air and drained a short bank shot as time expired.
Wisconsin scored nine of the game's first 11 points for a 9-2 lead. The Badgers' margin reached 10, 18-8, on two free throws by Kammron Taylor with around 13 minutes remaining in the first half before Indiana got back in the game.
The Hoosiers responded with a 16-11 run to cut the deficit to 29-24 thanks to Robert Vaden's layup with around five minutes remaining in the stanza.
Wisconsin then headed into the locker room with a 37-30 lead.
Wilkinson hit his first eight shots from the field, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, en route to a 19-point first half to pace the Badgers, while White netted eight for Indiana at the break.
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