By BRIAN LEWIS
With ex-Knick pariah Stephon Marbury about to join the Celtics tomorrow _ more on the Marbury Malaise already hitting Boston later _ his replacement at point guard is suffering through a slump. The last few games, Chris Duhon _ 0-for-6 last night vs. Orlando _ is looking flat worn-out.
“He’s in a little bit of slump,” Mike D’Antoni admitted. “A lot of people in February go through that. He played a lot of minutes early. He’ll come out of it. It’s a normal thing… but we can’t afford it. He knows that.”
Duhon’s career-high is 2,177 minutes, and with 2,158 logged already this year he’ll pass that tomorrow vs. Philadelphia. He’s never averaged more than 29.1 minutes/game, but this year he’s logging 38.5 and it’s taking a toll.
“A little bit. But I’m one not to make excuses,” Duhon said. “I’m just excited about the opportunity to get out there and play. You always want to go out ands play. I know I’m struggling a little, but I know I can turn it around as well.”
Duhon had been averaging 12.4 ppg and just 2.8 turnovers, but has mustered just 7.0 ppg on hideous 22.2 percent shooting with 4.7 turnovers in the last three games. D’Antoni admits he’d like to give Duhon a few more breathers, but needs newcomer Larry Hughes to play better first.
“Larry’s a good basketball player, he’s pressing a little bit right now. He
wants to play well, (he’s) not playing well; the only thing I can think of is keep playing him and hoping he’s going to come out of it,” D’Antoni said. “He’s a good player so there’s no reason he can’t come out of it.” *** D’Antoni sat David Lee for the final nine minutes yesterday, mainly to have Al Harrington pull Magic C Dwight Howard away from the paint and to get Danilo Gallinari’s 3-point shooting in the game. But he said he talked to Lee at the time and again yesterday, just to put his mind at ease.
“I told them right when I was doing it. You got to talk to them otherwise they might think something else. That’s fundamental coaching for me.
He said he understood,” D’Antoni said. “This morning I told him at least I took you out after you got your double-double, so he was happy.”
For his part, Lee praised not only D’Antoni’s game decision, but also his communication.
“Coach has always been fair with me; he does the best thing to help us win. Last night with them being so big inside we either had to put me and Chris Wilcox inside or try something different. We were down 12, 13 points and we knew we were going to need some 3s. That’s why he’s a great coach.
“It’s not about me; it’s not about how many minutes I’m playing. Ninety-nine percent of the time I’m in there making big plays at the end. Last night was not one of those nights. I applaud our guys that were in there.”
Both Lee and Duhon talked up the Italian Stallion.
“It was good. We always knew he could shoot; we’ve just got to give him opportunities. We all believe every time he lets it go that it’s going to go in,” Duhon said. “We expect him to play more minutes, and he’s doing a great job defensively for us as well. Again, we expect him to play more.”
*** Boston has called a press conference tomorrow to introduce Marbury. Guard Gabe Pruitt, who stands to lose his spot in the rotation to the ex-Knick pariah was busted yesterday morning for DUI. Ah, and so it starts already for Boston. His signature isn’t even dry on the paper and Starbury has already struck.
Ok, I kid. Kinda. But for real, if Hughes is this rusty after sitting a month-and-a-half _ he’d last played Jan. 12 _ how hard is it going to be for Starbury?
“It’s gong to be tough,” Hughes said. “In shape is a whole different thing from game-shape. That’s going to be hard. I wish him luck.”