Knicks vs. Heat Pregame Notes
Oct 28 2009 7:26PM
Douglas Ready for NBA Debut
Toney Douglas has been anticipating this day for a long time. And now he is just minutes away from making his NBA debut as a member of the New York Knicks.
“The first regular-season game… it’s the real thing,” he said. “I just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing and keep helping the team.”
Douglas, who was selected 29th overall in last June’s NBA Draft, played a big part in the Knicks’ defensive success during the preseason. He is expected to be part of Mike D’Antoni’s nine-man rotation tonight.
“Whenever Coach D’Antoni calls my name, I’m going to be ready,” said Douglas, who averaged 8.1 points in seven exhibition games.
Douglas’ family is in attendance to watch his first game as a pro. They took the short flight from Atlanta and spent time with Douglas before he arrived at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Knicks Face a Familiar face
The Knicks traded Quentin Richardson to Memphis for Darko Milicic last June, and after being dealt three more times over the summer, Richardson is in the Heat’s starting lineup on opening day.
“I’m not surprised he’s starting,” D’Antoni said. “Quentin is a good player. We just thought we’d trade him because we thought that Darko Milicic was someone that could suit our needs. I think we’re right, but I also think it’s a good trade also for Miami. He’s a nice small forward.”
Richardson looks very slim after a summer of working out. He lists himself at 224, which was around his college playing weight.
“Good for him and losing weight,” D’Antoni said. “A contract year will do those things to you. Quentin is a very good competitor. I have no complaints, but I’m sure he figured out that he needs to be a little quicker and a little lighter. Good for him.
Heat Coach Focused on Knicks’ Fast-Paced Style
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra says his team is prepared to run.
“The last four days we spent a lot of time working on the pace, being ready for the pace and tempo and style of their game,” he said. “It comes quick, a lot of shots. The whole idea is to eventually wear you down or force you to lose focus. You have to be sharp on both ends.”
Spoelstra On David Lee
“He is like a couple of guys we have, like Udonis Haslem and Joel Anthony, which just brings an absolute purity to his effort and relentlessness. If you put on a Knicks game and you just watch David Lee, you don’t know whether it’s the third minute of the game or the 38th minute of the game. He’s in incredible condition and he plays at that pace the entire game. He’s a very skilled player for a center. He can pass and he can move, but he’s great at his role. He has great hands, great instincts and great timing with it.”
Sounds like Spoelstra’s a fan….
Toney Douglas has been anticipating this day for a long time. And now he is just minutes away from making his NBA debut as a member of the New York Knicks.
“The first regular-season game… it’s the real thing,” he said. “I just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing and keep helping the team.”
Douglas, who was selected 29th overall in last June’s NBA Draft, played a big part in the Knicks’ defensive success during the preseason. He is expected to be part of Mike D’Antoni’s nine-man rotation tonight.
“Whenever Coach D’Antoni calls my name, I’m going to be ready,” said Douglas, who averaged 8.1 points in seven exhibition games.
Douglas’ family is in attendance to watch his first game as a pro. They took the short flight from Atlanta and spent time with Douglas before he arrived at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Knicks Face a Familiar face
The Knicks traded Quentin Richardson to Memphis for Darko Milicic last June, and after being dealt three more times over the summer, Richardson is in the Heat’s starting lineup on opening day.
“I’m not surprised he’s starting,” D’Antoni said. “Quentin is a good player. We just thought we’d trade him because we thought that Darko Milicic was someone that could suit our needs. I think we’re right, but I also think it’s a good trade also for Miami. He’s a nice small forward.”
Richardson looks very slim after a summer of working out. He lists himself at 224, which was around his college playing weight.
“Good for him and losing weight,” D’Antoni said. “A contract year will do those things to you. Quentin is a very good competitor. I have no complaints, but I’m sure he figured out that he needs to be a little quicker and a little lighter. Good for him.
Heat Coach Focused on Knicks’ Fast-Paced Style
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra says his team is prepared to run.
“The last four days we spent a lot of time working on the pace, being ready for the pace and tempo and style of their game,” he said. “It comes quick, a lot of shots. The whole idea is to eventually wear you down or force you to lose focus. You have to be sharp on both ends.”
Spoelstra On David Lee
“He is like a couple of guys we have, like Udonis Haslem and Joel Anthony, which just brings an absolute purity to his effort and relentlessness. If you put on a Knicks game and you just watch David Lee, you don’t know whether it’s the third minute of the game or the 38th minute of the game. He’s in incredible condition and he plays at that pace the entire game. He’s a very skilled player for a center. He can pass and he can move, but he’s great at his role. He has great hands, great instincts and great timing with it.”
Sounds like Spoelstra’s a fan….
