Injured Knicks center Joakim Noah met with team doctors Monday before receiving clearance to practice today, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The team knows Noah can’t play again this season, but it wanted him medically cleared so his 20-game drug suspension will start as soon as possible. NBA doctors will examine Noah, who had an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in late February, before Wednesday’s game against Miami. If he gets league approval before tipoff, he will serve eight games of the suspension this season.
Noah apologized to teammates today for his androgen-related suspension and said he will accept the punishment “like a man,” tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Noah said the substance he took was intended to help with his rehab after surgery and was not approved by the Knicks’ medical staff, relays Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
There’s more news out of New York:
- Carmelo Anthony, who returned to the lineup Monday after resting his knee on the final two games of a Western road trip, prefers “Chinese herbs, African herbs” to other supplements, Berman notes in a separate story. He won’t commit to playing both games of this week’s back-to-back. Anthony also says of fans who want the team to tank to improve its draft position, “They can come play,” tweets Begley.
- A midseason slump by Mindaugas Kuzminskas could discourage the Knicks from letting him play for Lithuania in this summer’s European Championships, Berman writes in another piece. The competition starts in August, with training camp in late July. The Knicks are concerned that Kuzminskas is running out of steam after playing in the Olympics last year.
- The Knicks’ Dave Bliss is part of a group of young assistant coaches who are making their mark in the NBA, according to Yaron Weitzman of Bleacher Report. Bliss, who played four years at Georgia before graduating in 2008, is a key part of the team’s player deprogram that has helped Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez and Lance Thomas quickly become productive players.
Melo is tuned out in NY, hes a millionaire and does not care about Knicks fans anymore. Lebron and Melo are both the same, they both make it seem like they care but realistically these dudes take L’s and are bromancing after games smiling it up.
Hardly the same, LeBron’s been to the finals 6 straight seasons because he actually cares about the game. Melt on the other hand is just collecting a paycheck.
Melo
Lebron has been in finals because he plays on stacked up teams not cause he cares cause he cheats the game
I mean I agree that he’s tuned out but Phil Jackson is at fault for this mess he created. Melo has always wanted to win for the knicks though he is not blameless in this current mess. Phil is, he traded most of the talent of the team and got nothing back. Many ill advised trades, calderon, trading THJ. Porzingis is the only move saving him right. Melo is stubborn in the sense thinking that he can still win in NY.He is still a pretty good player in the right situation. Its best for both sides to move on. The Knicks aren’t going to compete soon so it is in their best interest to rebuild.
Lebron is a joke dude and has to play with multiple stars to win, I don’t feed into the media BS and actually watch that clown play he is trash and has the whole team do the dirty work while he comes from behind with his boring dunks when the game is not on the line any longer. Hes the not the best at anything, hes not the best shooter,passer, and def not defender so how is he the best? This dude got manhandled by a crazy young Kawhi and tucked his tail back to Cleveland because Riley wasn’t putting up with his self centered garbage.
lolwut?
Your Ignorance is certainly on display.
Melo asked for Thibs who would have benefitted Noah and Rose since he already coached them in Chicago and Phil comes out of left field with Hornacek? Screw all the triangle garbage, fire Phil and Hornacek and bring back Walsh who actually knows how to build a basketball team. Phil Jackson has 11 rings thanks to 4 legends in Pippen, Jordan, Kobe, and Shaq
Ask me if i care?
LOL any reason to try to hate on LeBron! I’m sure his fans are really upset about the extra 20+ games of playoff ball he gives them every single year.
I agree, they both want to go down as the richest players ever and be seen as moguls in fashion and investing, ect. Which is cool but I’d like to see melo on a true contender and he isn’t a number one option anymore, he is good for today’s game though because he can shoot and post up and strong enough to defend the post and rebound a little.
Lebrun he just wants to go down as the richest player ever, and he cares a lot about what people say about him, like with Barkley he got so upset like that’s gonna make it better. People act like he is the reason he has gotten to all theses finals, he basically joined or formed 2 super teams, smart on his part to recognize that how you win but he can’t do it all by himself people should give kyrie a lot more credit and the rest of the team is the best I can remember. He faked that injury other night against the Spurs too, dude is always whining to refs like he doesn’t bulldoze