Thomas Irked Teammates Did Not Hit Back By CHRIS SHERIDAN AP Basketball Writer GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) -- Injured Knicks forward Tim Thomas ripped Nets forward Kenyon Martin as a phony tough guy and criticized his teammates, too, for failing to respond to the flagrant foul that sidelined him. Thomas will not play in Game 3 Thursday night, when New Jersey will try to take a 3-0 lead over New York, but if he makes it back for Game 4, a confrontation is all but guaranteed. "My goal is just to get back out there on the court before this series is over so I can go hit somebody. That's it. That's all I'm looking forward to," Thomas said Wednesday. "What's been done to me is going to be done to them. It's very simple." Thomas' statements were his first public comments since he was fouled by Jason Collins in Game 1 while going up for a dunk. Thomas took a hard fall, bruising his back, hip and ankle. Thomas said he has not yet seen a videotape of the foul, but he considered it dirty, with Collins never attempting to go for the ball as the Nets' center has claimed. Thomas said he was more angry with Collins than with his teammates - but only because the rest of the Knicks still have a chance to retaliate. "When I was laying on the floor I was expecting somebody to do something, to push, to shove, anybody. But it never happened," Thomas said. "In that situation you have to respond. You have to, that's the bottom line. "For it to go down that way and for nobody to really respond, I'm just waiting for somebody to do something." The Knicks were more physical in Game 2 than they were in Game 1, yet it was the Nets who continued to commit the hardest fouls. Richard Jefferson clobbered Stephon Marbury on a breakaway, and Kenyon Martin responded to an elbow from Dikembe Mutombo with a vicious swipe and shove that earned him a technical foul. Thomas saved his most caustic comments for Martin, repeatedly calling him "fugazy" - a slang term for fake used in the mafia movie "Donnie Brasco." "Just knowing his character, he's a fugazy guy. I read a comment that Jason Richardson said nobody wants to mess with a pit bull, but I've never seen a pit bull who picks and chooses who he wants to bite," Thomas said. "He's fugazy as far as the whole tough guy role. You get techs and you get fines and that makes you tough? Because your game is wild and crazy, that makes you tough? "When a scuffle breaks out, you have 13 guys that can protect you. When it's you and someone else, what happens then? "Somebody call Don King and hook it up for us." Martin was not available to respond to Thomas' comments, which were made after the Nets had finished practice. Many of the other Knicks had left practice by the time Thomas spoke. "I think he's probably a little angry because he feels like he could be helping us," coach Lenny Wilkens said. New Jersey has defeated New York in five of their six meetings this season, the only loss coming March 19 at Madison Square Garden, the site of Game 3, on a night when Jason Kidd was injured. Kidd's only appearance at the Garden this season came Jan. 4 when he had 35 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in a 95-85 victory. "In the enemy's building, it's always hostile on the road. We understand that," Kidd said. "I think the Garden brings the best out of everybody in the sense all the great games that have been played there, the history alone. It ranks up there with the Forum, the old Boston Garden. The big thing is the history when you walk into that building. You can feel the electricity." Thanks to Thomas' comments, they'll probably feel the tension, too.
Tim Thomas is an idiot. He's just asking for an ass-whoopin. I know the foul on him was intentional...but I really don't think they were trying to hurt him.
LOL. As soft as he may be, what he said is True. I'd love to see Martin try something with Ben Wallace or Ron Artest. Especially an Artest that's slightly in a bad mood.
Thomas has been in NY for what 1/2 a season and he is already using the word "fugazy"...fuhgedaboudit
K- Mart is one guy I wouldn't want to F(&*%# With. He stepped up to Shaq and made him flinch like a little B(*#$ and very nearly destoryed Corey Maggette.
True. KMart is an ass. Beating up on Tim Thomas and Zo with one kidney is one thing. Beating up last season's Ron Artest would prove it, if he ever dares.
Are you talking about the same Shaq that swings like a girl, and was beat down by Barkley? ....and Corey? Again, there's a reason Martin doesn't try any of his **** with certain people.
Isiah Thomas is likely pretty disappointed by the team's reaction. Can you imagine his Pistons standing around after a hit like that?
I wouldn't want to meet artest in a fight that guy would probably go crazy and ballistic all over you for 48 min non stop.
Tim Thomas' comments should make Isiah proud as hell. "He wants to hit somebody," smiles Isiah. "Yes!" Then, to the media, "I talked with Tim and instructed him we don't do that sort of thing." The officials will undoubtedly address the players before the next game in the series and tell them not to get excessive, because the refs will call it closer. Maybe?
Bizarre that Thomas is calling out Kenyon Martin, when it was Jason Collins that hit him with the flagrant foul.
OG posted by JBIIRockets Uh, you might want to back this up. I aint buying this. I believe it happend during K-marts 2nd season where he had all those flagran fouls. Anyway the game was played in NJ and Shaq n Kmart got in a tussel and Kmart acted as if he was gonna throw a punch and Shaq backed away in horror. If there are any fans of NJ I'm sure they know which incident I'm talking about.
