<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">PORTLAND, Ore. -- The cost of the continuing education of Eddy Curry as a No. 1 option for the Knicks is high as the losses pile up. And he knows it. "It's starting to get frustrating to me," Curry said. "I feel like I'm trying hard to be what my team needs me to be out there. I just can't find a way to get it done . . . I think Coach put me in a position to help this team succeed and I keep coming up short." But Isiah Thomas has saved the quick hook for Jared Jeffries, who has been ineffective at both ends of the floor in recent games. Thomas had been talking up Jeffries throughout the first month of the season, when Jeffries was out with a wrist fracture. He signed Jeffries to the mid-level exception over the summer for his defensive ability, but lately Jeffries hasn't been effective as a stopper. And he was so overmatched against Ron Artest (39 points) Tuesday in Sacramento that Thomas eventually pulled him off Artest and used David Lee and Malik Rose. "I haven't been playing well," Jeffries said before last night's game against the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden. "I have to be honest with myself. If I'm playing good basketball, then he'll play me. If I'm not playing good, then he should take me out." There was great debate about Thomas' decision to re-insert Jeffries into the starting lineup when he returned from his four-game suspension for his part in the brawl with the Denver Nuggets. With Lee starting at the small forward spot, the Knicks won three of four games and showed great energy. With Jeffries back, the Knicks lost three of four and the offense has been stagnant. It doesn't help Jeffries that he's not a good outside shooter, which makes it easy for teams to double-team Curry by dropping off Jeffries. "We didn't bring Jared in here to score," Thomas said. "We want him to defend and rebound, get deflections and blocked shots. He doesn't necessarily have to make a shot for us, but in the process of doing all of those other things, you find a way to score." Quentin Richardson's anticipated return to the lineup from a back injury tomorrow in Seattle could result in Jeffries being sent to the bench. But Thomas seems less inclined to take Lee out of his reserve role, despite Lee being among the NBA's leaders in rebounding (10.6 per game) and in recording double-doubles (17). "It's great to have him in that position because he keeps everybody honest out there," Thomas said. "You could send him in for any of the frontcourt guys. They all know he's sitting there waiting for him to come in. He's to the big guys what Vinny Johnson was to Joe Dumars and I."</div> Source
I actually like it that Curry is hard on himself, MrJ. It shows that he truly cares about his game now and he's trying his hardest to learn how to handle the double team. Just imagine this guy if he eventually figures it all out..he could be the next Shaq in terms of dominant play. There's no stopping him 1 on 1 right now unless he himself messes up, and again it's something that is clearly bothering him which means he'll work even harder to fix it.
