Support from afar
HARSH GAZE ON KINGS IT SEEMS like Sydney Kings coach Andrew Gaze (left) forgets he is actually a coach at times and not a colour commentator as he used to be. “That defence was deplorable,” Gaze said about AS A born and raised New Yorker, Cairns Taipan Scoochie Smith was destined to be a Knicks fan.
As Smith is 22 years of age, he can be classified as a longsuffering Knicks fan, with the storied franchise not having much success since the import point guard was born in 1994.
In the 2012-13 season, the club won its first division title in 19 years but there has been little to cheer about since.
The smiling Smith will experience his first NBA season from Australia this week with the world’s premier basketball competition tipping off on Wednesday in the US.
It was a family connection that got the former Dayton guard on board with the Knicks, the Snakes’ new man revealed recently.
“My grandmother is a fan of the New York Knicks and their efforts against New Zealand. “We are a long way off where we need to be defensively if we are going to be competitive this season.” growing up I used to always watch games with her,” Smith said.
Perennial All Star Carmelo Anthony is gone and former boss of the team Phil Jackson has also exited New York as they have entered rebuilding mode.
The Knicks will rely on Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr, Willy Hernangomez, rookie Frank Ntilikina and centre Enes Kanter, who was acquired from Oklahoma City in the trade for Anthony, and Smith thinks it’s going to be a long year at Madison Square Garden.
“I do not know, they are in rebuilding mode,” Smith said.
“Maybe they need to give me a call (laughs).
“I do not think they are going to do too good this season.
“My grandmother is going to have a stressful year.
“But I wish them the best of luck.” ADNAM COURTS BIGGER, BETTER THINGS HE looks like he should be at the beach surfing but Melbourne United’s Kyle Adnam (above) showed on Saturday night he is ready for a bigger role. Adnam stepped up with a career-best 23 points (six-of-eight three-pointers). If he did not have Casper Ware in front of him at United, the former 36ers reserve could well run the show. RING-INS SKEW SHOW THE Brisbane Bullets and Melbourne United did the NBL proud in the States last week but there was an under-reported element of both games. The Bullets suited up fringe-NBA players Grant Jerrett and Zach Andrews as ring-ins while United had Andre Dawkins and Antonius Cleveland. Melbourne didn’t have star Chris Goulding, but are these games a fair representation of the NBL’s when they played with as many as five imports? PATTON PROMISING IF it is to be Chris Patton (right) as the Snakes’ new man, he looks a solid signing.
He is a mountain of a human and will take the hits inside that the club needs without Nate Jawai for three months.The word is he was not cut loose for his lack of ability at Melbourne but his concentration away from the court. Maybe after almost two years out of the big time he is ready for a second crack at it.