MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Jamal Crawford still throws up questionable shots, but he took another step forward in terms of stepping up to fill voids. When the Knicks lost Stephon Marbury for extended periods, he slid over and played the point. When the Knicks needed a voice in the locker room, he spoke up. Crawford averaged 20 points and five assists.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: Stephon Marbury did not like hearing blame for the Knicks' slow start and bolted a road trip for home. He took an extended leave following the death of his father, then shut down in January to have surgery on a cranky ankle. Marbury only appeared in 24 games, averaging 13.9 points and 4.7 assists, both career lows. FREE AGENT FOCUS: Getting under the salary cap is a priority for new team president Donnie Walsh, but he's going to have to wait. He won't be shedding a lot of salary this summer by letting the likes of Fred Jones and Randolph Morris hit the free agent market. Both are role players who probably don't fit into future plans.
PLAYER NOTES:
--F Wilson Chandler will spend two weeks on crutches after going for an MRI on Tuesday and confirmed a bad landing the previous night left him with a sprained left knee. The rookie also had a bone bruise. Chandler is expected to heal in time and join the Knicks in Las Vegas for summer league play.
--F Zach Randolph didn't make any news off the court. Aside from a few sideline exchanges with Isiah Thomas and Nate Robinson, he was non-controversial. Even so, Randolph wouldn't mind relocating for the second time in two seasons.
"It's just got to be better than it was last year," he said. "I think Donnie (Walsh) will try to make some changes and make it better than it was this year."
--C Eddy Curry got out of town as soon as humanly possible after he completed an exit interview with new president Donnie Walsh and underwent a checkup to ensure an existing heart condition does not pose a threat. He was to return to the suburban Chicago home where thieves broke in last summer and held Curry at gunpoint. He's been living full-time in New York since the incident.
