Stunned, adj: filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock.
That's how the good people at Webster's define the word stunned. Eddy Curry may want to pick up a copy of their dictionary so that he can come up with a better word for the next time something completely expected happens to him. Something like being told by the media that he won't be part of Mike D'Antoni's rotation in the Knicks season opener tonight, for example.
"Definitely stunned, especially being that [D'Antoni] didn't tell me that," Curry said Tuesday. "I haven't talked to him. I'm here with him every day. All he has to do is tell me. I'm definitely stunned to hear that."
"Disappointed" might be a better fit, and "embarrassed" certainly fits the bill. But stunned? I can't imagine why. D'Antoni's been quite clear about his disdain for Curry's physical condition and hasn't shied away from expressing doubts about his ability to play his preferred up-tempo style. He was talking about starting Jared Jeffries at center before Jeffries broke his leg, perhaps that could have given Curry a hint. Or maybe he could have seen how awful a fit Shaquille O'Neal was with the Suns last season and prepared himself for the new style of play in New York.
Curry has battled a bacterial infection during camp, but that doesn't seem to be the impetus for D'Antoni's decision. Danilo Gallinari, a spectator at all but one practice, has a place in the rotation, a piece of news that may have legitimately stunned Curry. Chances are he'll get a chance to play at some point, as the Knicks will need to market him to move him to another team, but there's no doubting that the remaking of the Knicks has officially begun.
