1985-86 New York Knicks Preseason Presser

[NY_Magic_Garrett]

PRESS CONFERENCE — NEW YORK KNICKS PRESEASON

Big Boss steps to the podium for his opening statement. Cigar lit as always. [Big puff]....:

"Alright fellas, everybody sit down, let’s get into it. Look, last year ended ugly. We coughed up our first-round bye, slid into the playoffs soft, and paid the price. We got smacked in the mouth by Detroit an that’s not what this city pays to see. Losing Bernard? That killed us. Broken foot at the worst possible time. That ain’t on him — that’s just cruel timing. But this year? He’s healthy. He’s moving like a bull, and hes ready to run in back with Moses and Johnny. These boys are hungry for another run. I can't wait to unleash these 3 again.

Now, the big soap opera of the summer: David Greenwood. I ain’t sugarcoating it — we put a better deal on the table. More years, more money, more love from the city. And he spits on it, goes runnin’ to Cleveland? Fine. He made his choice, but [leans forward, voice drops] I don’t forget things like that. And I don’t think this city does either. Best advice for Greenwood? Don’t come walkin’ around 8th Avenue for a while. Leave it at that.

That said, we ain’t cryin’ about who ain’t here. We reloaded. Greg Kessler — long, gritty, no-nonsense. Jim Spanarkel — high IQ, fearless, knows his role. And then you got Stipo — Steve Stipanovich. No more training wheels. Bigger minutes, bigger stage, bigger responsibility. We didn’t bring him here to polish the bench.

And lemme tell ya somethin’ about Johnny Moore. Best camp I’ve seen from a point guard in years. Guy’s been surgical. He’s turned a corner and is runnin’ this offense like it is his. Makes Moses and B’s life easy. Gets Bernard his looks, keeps everybody fed. I’m not shy about it — Johnny Moore’s got the look of a top point guard in the league this year. Write it down.

As for the league? You look around, it’s stacked. Every night feels like a street fight. But this division — the Atlantic? It’s a gauntlet. Best it’s ever been. Boston’s build is starting to show its teeth. Jersey’s has completed a sneaky rebuild, Washington is going to continue to be our heavy weight bout, and even Philly’s got a new, more complete look.

My final message for our fans is simple: don’t lose faith. We’re running it back with our core, and we’re stronger for it. You stick with us, you’re gonna see fireworks.

Alright, that’s enough from me. Let’s take some questions."

[tbone963]

"Stipo" seems to be coming into his own as a big man in this league. Do you see him starting, creating a bigger lineup? Or will he be coming off the bench as a relief for Malone?

[JNR]

GWR: Is Malone getting a little annoyed that he isn’t being talked about as the best player in the league anymore?

[AngryBanana]

Chet Youbetcha, Dimmadome News: Early signs out of MSG are showing a lackluster defense that struggles to get blocks but is rebounding very well. Do you have anything in the pipeline to address the defensive struggles or is that just a gameplay tweak?

[logpmess]

Depth could be a bit of an issue. Do you have any plans to strengthen your players from the bench especially in case of injury?

[NY_Magic_Garrett]

"Stipo" seems to be coming into his own as a big man in this league. Do you see him starting, creating a bigger lineup? Or will he be coming off the bench as a relief for Malone?

Stipo, The Stipmiester, Sir Stips alot, yeah he will be starting games for this program this year. I see the staff experimenting a bit early, but I forsee Stiposouras carving out much bigger minutes for himself alongside Moses this year.

[NY_Magic_Garrett]

GWR: Is Malone getting a little annoyed that he isn’t being talked about as the best player in the league anymore?

Great question. That headline will get a ton of clicks. Truth is, the Moses I know, the Moses that showed up in New York like the vet he is, doesnt concern himself with what other people think of him. He knows he is on a short list of dudes other dudes don't want to see. Thats how he approaches every game and continues to be one of the best, whether 'they' want to talk about it or not

[NY_Magic_Garrett]

Chet Youbetcha, Dimmadome News: Early signs out of MSG are showing a lackluster defense that struggles to get blocks but is rebounding very well. Do you have anything in the pipeline to address the defensive struggles or is that just a gameplay tweak?

Chet, great to see ya outside the dome, very good observation as well. Certainly some experimenting is needed in filling David Greedwood's hole at PF. I would say it has been relayed to the staff that this first sample was a failure on the defensive side of the floor and adjustments need to be made. I think you will see a heavier dose of Steve Stip next to Moses going forward. That should stabalize those defensive numbers

[NY_Magic_Garrett]

Depth could be a bit of an issue. Do you have any plans to strengthen your players from the bench especially in case of injury?

Don't let those guys fighting their tails off for minimum deals hear you say that. Some might say we are a little lighter off the bench this year, but we have enough talent to see what this core is about in the early stages of this season. We will assess and adjust.