| | NEW YORK -- In an odd twist to their ongoing saga, P.J.
Carlesimo came to Latrell Sprewell's defense Tuesday.
In their first meeting since Sprewell's choking attack two years
ago, Sprewell snubbed Carlesimo's attempt at a public handshake 2½
weeks ago. The teams played again Tuesday night, and the Golden
State coach said there would be no need for a handshake this time.
| |  | | | Sprewell |
"People have boxed him into a corner. It's not fair,"
Carlesimo said at a shootaround Tuesday before the Knicks played
the Warriors. "If he feels he wants to do it, that's fine. But
he's under no obligation."
Sprewell, for his part, said no handshake would be forthcoming.
"If it's on the court and it's staged for the media, it
wouldn't be as meaningful or genuine as doing something in private.
It wouldn't be a sincere deal," Sprewell said.
Sprewell, who received a mixed reaction from the crowd in Golden
State last month, heard only cheers in New York, where he has
become one of the most popular players.
Sprewell showed why early, using an array of jumpers and drives
to score 16 points in the first quarter -- two more than he had in
the entire first meeting. He finished with 21 points, all in the
first half, in the Knicks' 89-83 victory.
Before their meeting last month in Oakland, Carlesimo expressed
hopes of talking with his former player, perhaps even shaking hands
in hopes of closing a festering wound.
But Sprewell didn't approach Carlesimo at midcourt before the
game. He stayed beneath the Knicks' basket after the introductions,
and Carlesimo finally walked back to his bench.
There was no snub this time.
"It's not important," Carlesimo said. "I think it's been
dealt with. I don't feel like anything else has to happen. It's
water under the dam for both of us. We have to move on. He's done
extremely well. We need to do as well as he and the Knicks are
doing."
Sprewell choked Carlesimo during practice Dec. 1, 1997. He lost
about $6 million in wages while serving a 68-game suspension that
followed.
He was reinstated after a long arbitration and traded in January
to the Knicks for John Starks, Terry Cummings and Chris Mills.
Those three will be playing their first game at Madison Square
Garden since the deal.
Last season, Sprewell helped the Knicks reach the NBA Finals and
they recently signed him to a $61.8 million contract, marking a
dramatic turnaround to a career that was near ruin.
Carlesimo's Warriors have the second-worst record in the league
and his job is in jeopardy, providing bigger worries than his
relationship with Sprewell.
"It is getting a little less but people will always link the
two of us together," Carlesimo said. "It's safe to say that both
Spree and I would like to put this behind us."
In the days leading to the first reunion, Sprewell had said he
wanted to "crush" and "kill" his old team. He has been quiet
this week.
After that game, Sprewell said a meeting with Carlesimo wasn't
to be. But he suggested it could occur in time.
"I think if we saw each other, we could have gotten past
everything, said 'hello' and moved on, but that didn't happen,"
Sprewell said then.
In that game, an 86-79 Knicks' win, Sprewell confronted taunting
fans. He was fined $10,000 by the NBA for profane and vulgar
remarks.
"They won the game and Spree played well," Carlesimo said.
"People want to focus on the underlying side stories." | |
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