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Dikembe cut down to sizeOne of the many problems the Knicks are struggling through during their current five-game losing streak is a lack of defensive intensity. Dikembe Mutombo feels the problem could be linked to his recent benching. "My own observation from the sideline is I realize after 50-something games my teammates got used to having somebody who is an intimidator in the back," Mutombo said, trying to sound diplomatic. "I think they're kinda confused defensively because we didn't practice all of this." Adding insult to injury: Not only is Mutumbo buried on the bench, there is speculation that he may be released if the Knicks sign Vin Baker. Cutting Mutombo after tomorrow would be especially cruel since it would prohibit Mutombo from qualifying for a postseason roster. New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets $200K fine: Pistons have right to be madThe Pistons were fined $200,000 last week for what amounts to little more than a miscommunication. The Pistons thought their two new players — Rasheed Wallace and Mike James — were eligible to play because they hadn’t heard otherwise from the league. The league said the onus was on the Pistons to call and find out whether the deal was complete. Is that really a $200,000 offense? It’s absurd. It presupposes that the Pistons were trying to pull a fast one, trying, in essence, to cheat. McCoskey calls the fine "Garbage" If the league wants to fine someone, why not fine New Jersey president Rod Thorn? Tell me this isn’t tampering: Thorn, when he heard that the Hawks were about to send Wallace to the Pistons, made two phone calls to Atlanta General Manager Billy Knight, trying to talk him out of doing the deal. He told Knight that it was a horrible mistake for the Hawks and that they would be better served using Wallace in a sign-and-trade deal over the summer. Fortunately for the Pistons, Knight and Dumars have an excellent working relationship and Knight rejected Thorn’s self-serving advice. But isn’t that tampering? Isn’t that a finable offense? Via Chris McCosky of the The Detroit News Detroit Pistons, New Jersey Nets, Atlanta Hawks Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Nets waive troubled forward Eddie GriffinEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Troubled forward Eddie Griffin was waived by the New Jersey Nets on Friday, less than two months after signing with the team in hopes of resurrecting his career. Griffin, the seventh overall pick in the 2001 draft, didn't appear in any games for the Nets after signing on Jan. 8. The 21-year-old, who went to nearby Seton Hall, left the team in late January so he could check into the Betty Ford Center to get six weeks of treatment for alcohol abuse. He has since entered a residential alcohol treatment program overseen by former NBA player and coach John Lucas. ``At this time I don't think Eddie is ready to play in the NBA,'' Nets chief executive Rod Thorn said. ``He is a very nice young man and he worked hard when he was here. He has talent. If he gets his personal life together, he certainly could have an NBA career. We wish him well.'' A secretary for Griffin's lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said that Hardin was out of the country and unavailable for comment. Griffin, who was cut by Houston earlier this season after problems both on and off the court, signed a contract with the Nets that would have paid him roughly $375,000 for the rest of the season. Under an agreement, he will walk away with $125,000. Griffin was convicted of marijuana possession Jan. 20, and is under indictment for felony assault for allegedly firing a gun at his girlfriend last October. Griffin was jailed earlier this month for allegedly violating a curfew set as a condition of his bond in the aggravated assault charge. Griffin averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.63 blocks in 150 career games with the Rockets. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Nets Feb 2004 Archive
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