Spoiler Alert!
Jason Smith is usually a pretty benign fellow.
But the seven-foot Knicks forward injected a little malice into the Knicks-Nets rivalry when he said the nothing-to-play-for Knicks are now looking to spoil the Nets’ playoff hopes with a win at the Garden on Wednesday.
While the Knicks have had little to crow about this season, they were suddenly sticking out their chests on Tuesday with declarations of ruining the Nets season.
“We’ve said that in film, we’ve said that in practice, we don’t have a chance of making the playoffs,” Smith said on Tuesday following practice of his 14-60 team. “We know that. We want to make sure that other teams don’t really get that chance either, especially Brooklyn, our hometown rival.
“We’re the spoiler this time,” he said, adding, “If we win the game that puts them further out of the playoff picture.”
ISOLA: KNICKS MUST TAKE PASS ON INJURED KEVIN DURANT
The similarly discreet Cleanthony Early echoed those sentiments.
“Things are already messed up (for us),” Early said. “Let’s mess some other things up (for other teams).”
The Knicks have nothing to play for with the exception of the NBA Draft lottery. The team has lost seven straight with two weeks left in the season.
They already have the most losses in franchise history.
They have the worst record in the NBA.
They will not make the playoffs.
But they can intrude on other team’s chances of making the postseason.
Such as the Nets.
The Nets (32-40) entered Tuesday’s game with Indiana tied for Boston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
A loss to the Knicks on Wednesday would be particularly painful to Brooklyn’s postseason hopes with tough games left against Toronto (Friday), Atlanta (Saturday), Portland (Monday), as well as Chicago and Atlanta again down the line.
If the Knicks can nudge the Nets off the postseason rails while sticking it to their backyard rival – then all the better, Smith suggested.
“We know that our season hasn’t gone the way that we wanted it too,” Smith said. “But we also know that we’re playing a lot of teams that are positioning themselves for the playoffs. Brooklyn, especially, they’re trying to get into that playoff picture. They’re right there with Boston. We know that we can kind of be that spoiler. I think that gives us a lot of energy, motivation. We haven’t had a (good) type season but we want to go out there and kind of ruin everybody else’s season, too.”
The rookie Langston Galloway may not have a lot of experience in New York. But he also understands the significance of facing the Nets, especially on Wednesday.
“I know they have a good shot to make the playoffs but at the same time we want to go out there – they are our crosstown rivals, so hey, we want to get a win,” he said.
Derek Fisher took a pass however, when asked if he will take pleasure in trying to knock the Nets out of the postseason picture.
“Maybe some of the guys feel differently but for me personally no,” he said.
Phil’s Message: Fisher was asked about the video memo that Knicks president Phil Jackson sent to season-ticket holders on Monday, asking them to remain patient and have confidence in the team’s future. Fisher reiterated Jackson’s message on Tuesday to reporters.
The Knicks are expected to have more than $30 million in cap space this summer and will be in line for a top 4 pick if they finish with the league’s worst record in the upcoming draft.
“So I think our fans, they appreciate how difficult it is to be successful,” Fisher said. “So I don’t think that they expect us to be able to just snap our fingers and win games or win a championship. But Phil’s message is our message,” he said, while adding of the reasons for fans to be optimistic in the team’s future: “We have the money, we have the draft picks, we have the ability to build whatever it is we want to build here, which is a gift. But we have to utilize that gift properly.”
Hardaway Still in Pain: Fisher said that Tim Hardaway Jr.’s sprained right wrist is still in pain, causing him to likely not play on Wednesday, and he may not be ready until Sunday against Philly. Hardaway didn’t scrimmage on Tuesday with his teammates and can’t shoot with his right hand yet.
“He’s going better,” Fisher said. “But until he’s in a position where he can get back out there we just have to kind of accept it for what it is. Because it’s a right wrist injury he’s still having enough pain and discomfort to probably not be in a game. He’s not able to shoot the ball right-handed at this point….We know he loves to shoot. Hopefully by this weekend maybe we can start to pinpoint him being back.”
