That Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni is even contemplating giving Chris Duhon the keys to the Knicks offense is more an indictment of Stephon Marbury than a testament to Duhon's playmaking abilities. Yet, with the season less than two weeks off, D'Antoni is willing to take a chance on Duhon, even though the former Duke star has been far from impressive this preseason. (That said, after a slow three-game start, Duhon did managed 10 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds and no turnovers during last night's 104-97 win over the Boston Celtics.)
So while Duhon's game can kindly be described as inconsistent, he's the more attractive candidate for the point guard gig because, well, everybody in New York is tired of Marbury's me-first shtick, which included an "I'm the starter" declaration following a preseason loss to the 76ers. Also, Duhon, who played Mike Krzyzewski in college, is very familiar with the team concept and his role within a five-man system. Namely: to distribute the ball first, shoot second, and play defense. Marbury, who was a New York City high school legend, has never been shy about taking shots, which isn't necessarily a bad thing ... until you realize that his assists-per-game average has decreased every year since 2003-04 (from 8.9 to 4.7), and his field-goal percentage for the previous two seasons (roughly 42 percent) were his worst efforts since 1997-98.
So despite Marbury's first-team proclamations, he'll likely find himself on the bench with the season starts. And while Duhon isn't nearly as athletic as Marbury, there's something to be said for actively seeking to involve your teammates. Plus, as D'Antoni points out, "It's not like we're coming off a championship." This, apparently, is obvious to everybody but Marbury.
