"O Stephon, Stephon, wherefore art thou Stephon?" Those are the words that Isiah Thomas might be saying. At least if what one media outlet is reporting is true. Not because the Knicks seem like they their star point guard after last night, or because Stephon Marbury is AWOL, but because the Knicks star point guard may have the dish on his head coach.
While on the flight to Phoenix, Marbury learned that he wasn't going to start in last night's game. After confronting Thomas about his back-up role, the Daily News reports that Marbury said he wouldn't dress unless he was starting. But that's not all he said. He apparently told his teammates, "Isiah has to start me. I've got so much (stuff) on Isiah and he knows it. He thinks he can (get) me. But I'll (get) him first. You have no idea what I know." We're going to say that the original words were "shit", "fuck", and "fuck".
Could Thomas, who is also the Knicks general manager be retaliating for Marbury's testimony in the Anucha Browne-Sanders sexual harassment trial this summer? Maybe Thomas is big on the no snitching concept and figures that his reputation, and that of the Knicks, can go no lower.
How will the saga of the missing Marbury end? Nobody knows yet, but Isiah Thomas thinks things will work out, "He and I go through this every November and a couple of weeks goes by and we kind of kiss and make up and we get back to the business of trying to win basketball games." Trying is the the key word.
Update: Marbury has been fined 1/110th of his salary for missing last night's game against Phoenix. That works out to about $182,800. It seems odd that a player that supposedly received permission to leave the team, which Marbury said he had via text message yesterday, would receive a fine from his team.
Update: The Post says they got an email from Marbury and that he's on his way to Los Angeles today and will join the Knicks for their game against the Clippers. Whether or not he'll start or play remains to be seen. Perhaps the love of the game changed his mind, or the Knicks hit Marbury where it hurts the most, his wallet.
Image of a missing Stephon Marbury by the brilliant graphics department of The Post - note the last seen location and the phone number
