<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MIAMI -- Evident progress might be defined by the fact that the Knicks have reached the midpoint of the season and we're no longer talking about last season. Instead, we're already looking forward to next season and if it will include Isiah Thomas still in charge of the franchise. "You're human and those thoughts do creep in," Thomas said of his yet-to-be determined status for next season. "But they're one out of a hundred and what you do is you quickly knock yourself out of that mode and try to stay where you are and concentrate on what you're doing. "You can very easily fall into sympathy and feeling sorry for yourself. You get rid of those thoughts as quickly as they come and you get back to what it is you have to do." The Knicks almost certainly would save Thomas' job by making the playoffs, but even if they don't reach the postseason, they have shown definite improvement. At 18-24, they are three games behind the first-place Nets in the Atlantic Division and are very much alive in the playoff race. After losing two straight games in which they brought a one-point lead into the final seconds, on Saturday night, the visiting Knicks held on to beat a reshuffled Pacers team that is above them in the East standings. The Knicks face the Heat, another team above them in the standings, twice this week, including tonight in Miami. And they face yet another team above them, the Bucks, on Sunday. Even in defeat lately, the Knicks are showing evidence that they are getting close to where they want to be. Maybe a lot closer than even Thomas imagined. "We're definitely in a good spot," he said. "I think a lot of the close games have helped us. We've had an opportunity to play in a lot of close games, and guys who haven't traditionally played in close games in the NBA have had a chance to have success out on the floor and have also had a chance to make some mistakes. And we've been able to do all that and learn and continue to grow without having the confidence knocked out of the team." Instead, it seems the Knicks' confidence is starting to grow. It started with the emergence of Eddy Curry (19.1 points per game), who continues to develop as a dominant low-post threat, though he still needs to improve his defense and rebounding. Stephon Marbury's play - especially on the defensive end - since late December has been a major reason why the Knicks have gone 9-7 since Dec. 18. But his ailing left knee, which forced him to sit out the final minutes of the 108-106 win over the Pacers, could be a major issue if it keeps him out of the lineup for any stretch of time. Marbury said he plans to play against Miami, but if the knee continues to cause him pain, he will have trouble guarding Dwyane Wade of the Heat and Steve Nash of the Suns, who face the Knicks Wednesday. Steve Francis remains in Houston, where he is rehabilitating tendinitis in his right knee - and possibly some other undisclosed damage. It is not expected that he will hasten his return to the lineup if Marbury can't play. Shaq back to face Knicks? The Heat could have Shaquille O'Neal back in the lineup for tonight's game against the Knicks, but it appears unlikely. He missed the past 34 games after undergoing surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee but started practicing last week. O'Neal, who has said he won't return until he is "1,000 percent" and is listed as day-to-day, did not play in yesterday afternoon's 99-93 loss to the Mavericks.</div> Source
