Phil Jackson rips Knicks via Twitter after loss to Cavaliers

Phil Jackson apparently wasn't too happy with the Knicks' performance during a 101-83 blowout loss to the Cavaliers Sunday night. And afterwards, the Knicks president tweeted his feelings about the team he helped dismantle after the embarrassing defeat.

Late Sunday night, Jackson tweeted that the game gave the basketball gods " heartburn." He ended with the acronym "smh" — meaning "shake my head."

Today's game vs Cavs gave bb gods heartburn and those that know what "it" takes/means a smh.
— Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) February 23, 2015

It's especially ironic since the superior Cleveland team they lost to featured a couple of players Jackson traded away in January and who were making their first return visit to Madison Square Garden.

Adding to the Zen master's agita was the sight of those two former Knicks, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert, hooking up on a spectacular alley-oop dunk:

The Knicks fell behind by 19 points in the first quarter and trailed by as many as 30 in the Pepto-inducing beatdown.

J.R. Smith questionable for Game 3 because of illness

New York Knicks sixth man J.R. Smith is questionable for Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night due to illness, the team said.

Smith did not participate in shootaround on Saturday morning, according to ESPN.com.

The extent and nature of his illness is unclear but Mike Woodson said Smith woke up with a 102-degree fever and was back with the team doctors at the hotel.

"I got to wait until I get back to see where he is," said the head coach. "We just got to gauge it. I don’t know if he’s going to play tonight. If he don’t, someone else has to step up."

Smith is mired in an extended shooting slump. He's missed 23 of 30 shots in the first two games of the series and has been the focus of the Knicks' woes.  Smith was accused of partying too late on Saturday before the opening game and was fined $5,000 by the NBA for taking a flop in the game.

Carmelo Anthony was a lot more confident, smirking when asked about possibly not having Smith tonight.

"J.R.’s going to play tonight," Anthony said about his teammate

If Smith can't play in Game 3, Iman Shumpert, Pablo Prigioni or Chris Copeland could see an increase in playing time.

I wonder if there is a quick cure for Rihanna-itis.

The series is tied at 1-1.

Knicks' Iman Shumpert throws down monster dunk against Pacers (VIDEO)

New York Knicks small forward Iman Shumpert is mostly known for his defensive prowess on the court.  But last night — during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers —he threw down a monster tomahawk dunk that was totally offensive and nearly brought down the house at Madison Square Garden.

It was just a year ago the Knick with the Kid 'n Play hairstyle tore his ACL in the playoffs.  It looks like he is back to normal — big time.

The Pacers' Chris Copeland got an open look on the left wing but missed the shot off the back of the rim. With four Pacers planted in the paint, Shumpert soared to grab the ball. The 6'6" Shumpert leaped into the air, caught the ball with one hand and threw down the blistering dunk. Knicks fans went into a frenzy as the home team took an 11-point lead early in the second quarter.

"I think I was trying to make a statement," said Shumpert after the game. "I just wanted to win this game real bad. We needed this game."

Shumpert finished with 15 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field and six rebounds as the Knicks won Game 2, 105-79, to even the series.

Good news for Knicks fans — Shumpert is also only 22-years-old.

Carmelo to Knicks: Don't put Shumpert on trading block

Carmelo Anthony wasn't happy to hear about rumors surrounding Iman Shumpert that the New York Knicks were tendering trade offers for the struggling swingman.

"He shouldn't be worrying about that," Anthony said. "The Knicks shouldn't even be in trade talks right now."

Shumpert — who has had a rough time since his return from ACL surgery — was just plain dismal guarding guard Chris Paul in Sunday's 102-88 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.  Shumpert scored just two points on 1-of-4 shooting in almost 21 minutes of play while Paul blistered the Knicks for 25 points and seven assists.

Talk about trading the young defensive stud to Phoenix for Jared Dudley and a first-round pick are getting louder.  So loud, head coach Mike Woodson pulled Shumpert aside before the Knicks debacle against the Clippers.

"He said, 'Don't worry about it,'" Shumpert recalled.  "Rumors are rumors. I just got to play ball.  something I can't control."

Woodson said a trade was out of his jurisdiction and up to Knicks brass.

"I don't think you can ever tell a player he's not [on the trading block].  That's kind of out of my hands," said Woodson. "If the owners came to me and said we have to do a deal, then you do the deal. I sat him down and I told him. He knows how I feel."

Shumpert discussed the Paul game and his recent slump.

"It's a challenge to guard a guy like Chris Paul when you're not in the best form," said Shumpert. "Sooner or later, I'll get back to where I was."

If it's up to 'Melo, it'll still be in New York.

Iman Shumpert's 'do takes Knicks back to the 90's

The New York Knicks had a lot of old faces dribbling around the floor at Monday's Media Day in Greenburgh, N.Y. — and some came with even older hairstyles.

Knicks guard Iman Shumpert channelled his best inner Dwayne Wayne (that's Wayne, not Wade) and showed up with a high top haircut that will remind fans of the days Kid 'n Play (the Christopher Reid Kid, not Jason) were front row attractions at the Garden.  Or worse yet, former Knicks forward Kenny Walker.

"Sky," who sported a foot-high 'do, was better known for his fade than his fade-away.

Shumpert posted a photo of his own fade and —  if it doesn't bring back memories of Ewing and Starks' best years— maybe he can start wearing retro bell bottoms and fur fedoras to remind fans of the last Knicks title in '73.

Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler only makes All-Defensive Second Team

Was Tyson Chandler slighted with his All-Defensive Second Team selection? For the New York Knicks center, the second straight  Second Team pick is nice— if not a bit perplexing— especially since he was already named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year.

Since that award is voted on by the media, the All-defensive Team honor comes from all 30 NBA coaches with one important rule— coaches can't vote for their own players.

Dwight Howard— who had won three DPOY awards prior to this season— was nominated to the first team in Chandler's place.  He was joined by LeBron James and shot-blocking phenom Serge Ibaka and guards Chris Paul and Tony Allen.

Chandler was joined on the second team by Kevin Garnett, Luol Deng, Rajon Rondo and Kobe Bryant.

Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin was confused by the slight and even questioned the logic behind Chandler's snub via Twitter.

Lin tweeted: "im no genius or anything but someone explain how @tysonchandler is defensive player of the year but not make the nba all-defensive team."

He did go to Harvard.

Chandler did have more points (36 overall and 13 first-team votes) than both Allen and Paul, but since only one center can be nominated per team, the honor went to Howard (16 first-place and 41 overall points).

If it was any consolation to Chandler, his teammate rookie Iman Shumpert received honorable mention after getting one first-place vote and 13 overall.

Howard's team, the Orlando Magic actually regressed from one of the top-three defensive teams to No. 13 last season while Chandler helped turn the Knicks into defensive force.

Knicks fans' poll: We like Amar'e Stoudemire's fire extinguisher

The New York Daily News is conducting a "Knicks' Keep 'Em/Dump 'Em" web poll and after the first day of returns, it is clear who the fan favorites are— and aren't.   In a tight race, the fire extinguisher that Amar'e Stoudemire tried to take out in Miami's AmericanAirlines Arena got 51% on the "keep" side.

That's funny because only 56% of the responses want Stoudemire (the actual player)— who missed a playoff game because of the boneheaded injury— back next year.

The newspaper is giving fans a chance to act as general manager for the New York Knicks after the team's first-round fizzle against the Miami Heat.

More than 75,000 votes were received during the opening day of voting. Tyson Chandler and Iman Shumpert were the most popular players with a 95% approval rating each.  Other players the fans have been overwhelmingly voting to stay in Madison Square Garden are Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak (both with an 85% approval rating) along with head coach Mike Woodson (74%).

It was no surprise that owner Jim Dolan (79% said take a hike) would be shipped off faster than Spike Lee at a Brooklyn Nets game if the fans had the power.

Other players the fans would like to see extinguished are J.R. Smith (53% dump), Baron Davis (83% said bye-bye) and Mike Bibby (76% had no use for him).

Surprisingly, only 69% of the respondents want to keep Carmelo Anthony; which makes him as popular as that other offensive powerhouse Josh (who?) Harrellson.

Linsanity looks like it has passed Landry Fields by.  Lin's best bud is barely hanging on with a 51% approval rating— a number that would probably be bumped up a few points if Lin was still crashing on his living room couch.

The bad news for Knicks fans is that there is no way the team will ever unload Stoudemire— their $100 million forward— and, even worse news, the fire extinguisher has been re-signed in Miami.

Bosh doubtful for Game 3 after rushing home to pregnant wife

Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh will probably miss tonight's Game 3 against the New York Knicks after rushing back home to Miami to attend the birth of his first son.

Bosh had been carrying a beeper throughout the NBA first-round series in preparation for the birth of his second child.  The original due date was around the third week of May but a message posted online by his heavily-pregnant wife,  Adrienne Bosh, suggested that the baby boy— the couple's first together— was coming ahead of time, reports The New York Post.

"Thank God for private flights... Hurry home Baby :)" she wrote on instant messaging picture site Instagram, next to a photo of Bosh on a runway walking close to a small plane."

Last week, Bosh had made it clear he would be drop everything to be at his wife's side when the beeper buzzed.

"When it goes off, I'll be ready," he said.  "We'll see what happens, man, just waiting."

The Heat are in New York for Thursday night's Game 3 at Madison Square Garden after back-to-back wins in Miami.  The Heat have a comfortable 2-0 lead over the battered Knicks in the series.

Knicks fans might be breathing a sigh of relief because of the Heat's probable lineup vacancy.  New York is already missing Jeremy Lin and Iman Shumpert to legitimate injuries while Amar'e Stoudemire— who cut his hand by punching a glass-enclosed fire extinguisher after Monday's loss— will be joining them on the bench.

Let's hope Bosh's plane ride home is faster than the stork's.

Carmelo to Lin: Take your time coming back

The New York Knicks were totally demolished, humiliated, undressed (pick a word) 100-67 in their playoff opening loss to the Miami Heat on Saturday.  The sight of Iman Shumpert being carried off the court with a torn left ACL only added injury to the insult but Carmelo Anthony still doesn't think it's time for Jeremy Lin to rush back and fill the gap.

In fact, the Knicks forward is advising the point guard to not come back at all against the Heat.

"No," Anthony said.  "We don't want him to rush it.  I've seen situations like that before.  That's something we do not want."

The horrible Game 1 injury to the rookie Shumpert may inspire Lin to attempt a hasty return, but considering that he hasn't played since March 24, it's likely that Lin could really effective.

Even when healthy, the Heat ate Lin up in their last meeting on Feb. 23 when he went 1-for-11 with eight turnovers.

Lin has been progressing from left knee surgery and has not ruled out returning for Game 4 on Sunday.

"I don't really want to make a promise because I just don't know how it's going to feel," Lin said on Sunday.  "If I felt good today, that would be more of a possibility, but I didn't feel that great today."

"I don't want to make myself vulnerable to something even worse,"  he added.

Meanwhile, Anthony knows he will be shouldering the burden of the Knicks offense but will not let the pressure get to him.

"Pressure?  I try not to play with pressure," he said.  "I go out there, I play ball."

It might be a little easier with healthy Lin at his side.

LeBron does his best soccer flop in Heat win over Knicks

The New York Knicks were called for 21 fouls in the first half of a 100-67 demolition at the hands of the Miami Heat in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Saturday.

The most absurd call had to be the flagrant foul called on the Knicks' Tyson Chandler against LeBron James.  Everyone knew the game would be physical but LeBron really sells this flop better an Italian soccer player.

At halftime with a 23 point Heat advantage, James told a TV reporter, "Tyson got me pretty good.  Got a little whiplash in my neck but I'm OK.  I mean it's playoff basketball."

The refs originally called it a flagrant-2 against Chandler— which would have meant an automatic ejection— but downgraded it to a flagrant-1 after review.

It wouldn't have mattered.

The Heat ran off a 32-2 stretch at one point to put the game totally out of reach after the Knicks Carmelo Anthony missed his first seven shots.  Talk about flopping.

To add injury to insult— literally— a couple of Knicks players carted Iman Shumpert off the court after the point guard collapsed and grabbed his knee while dribbling the ball up court in the third quarter.  Shumpert went down on the same spot where the Chandler-James collision took place.

That wasn't a flop.