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The Knicks finally find a fighter in the ranks

New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson, left, talks with boxer Roy Jones Jr during practice in Greenburgh, New York, on Friday. PHOTO: AP

With Stephon Marbury still missing and after weeks of questioning his players' fortitude, coach Isiah Thomas finally found a fighter among the Knicks on Friday.

The only trouble was the fighter was not on the roster. He was Roy Jones Jr, who practiced with the Knicks as he prepares for his Jan. 19 bout against Felix Trinidad at Madison Square Garden.

While the 38-year-old Jones, who once played in a US Basketball League game the same day as a boxing match in 1996, cannot provide any real relief on the court for the Knicks, he at least provided a welcome distraction for the team and the news media for a day.

Thomas and his players talkedeabout their special guest rather than the usual endless stream of queries over their ugly 8-20 start, Marbury's mysteriously long bereavement leave, grievances, lawsuits, Thomas' job security and protesting and booing fans. At times this season it has seemed that the only thing the Knicks had going for them was that there was always another negative story line around the corner to change the subject.

But after practice ran more than an hour longer than usual, Thomas was full of grins and one-liners. When he stepped into place for his interview session, he attracted reporters away from Zach Randolph as he fielded questions about being removed from the starting lineup in Wednesday's 110-96 loss at Orlando.

"I'm saving you, Zach," Thomas joked.

When Jones joined Thomas with the reporters, Thomas let out several hearty chuckles while going back and forth with the 1.8m Jones and giving him a hard time about his practice performance.

"He can't dunk, but he was good," Thomas said. "He's still got some hops. His jumper's sweet. He's got good rotation, good form. The only thing he can't do is he missed a couple of dunks. But he was over the rim hovering."

Jones wore a Knicks practice jersey with his name on the back, a feature even the actual Knicks' practice jerseys lack. He wore No. 4 because that is the round in which he said he would knock out Trinidad.

"Tell him don't hit me," Thomas joked about Jones. "I'm not quick enough to duck."

Thomas has not been quick enough to duck the jabs thrown at him and the Knicks, either. So it was certainly pleasant for him and his players to get a break from the chaos of a losing and embattled franchise. Guard Nate Robinson was especially grateful for the lighter atmosphere.

"I had a smile on my face the whole practice today," Robinson said. "When you're having fun, it goes a long way. My friend Brandon Roy, Portland's won 11 straight and they're having fun. That's the main thing he kept saying over and over again. They're having fun and they're playing together."

Jones suggested that the Knicks adopt his fighter's mentality.

"A great fighter is always thinking attack, attack, attack," Jones said. "Guard play is very similar to the mind-set of a boxer. If you attack, attack, attack, you don't give your opposition a chance to attack you as much."

While Jones practiced with the team, Marbury was still absent. And when the questions turned to basketball, Thomas' demeanor quickly transformed from bubbly to sour.

Marbury has missed nine of the Knicks' last 12 games while grieving the death of his father, who died Dec. 2 from a heart attack. On Thursday, the Knicks said Marbury told the team he would return after the start of the new year. Thomas would not provide any more information on Friday.

Thomas also declined to say who would start today when the Knicks play host to Chicago.

As usual with these Knicks, there were more questions than answers -- unless the questions were about Jones.
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