Originally Posted by
pr0phecy718
[h1]STEPH: I DID NOT REFUSE TO PLAY[/h1] [h3]By MARC BERMAN[/h3]
Stephon Marbury Stephon Marbury told The Post yesterday that Mike D'Antoni's portrayal that he refused to play in Friday's game in Milwaukee is inaccurate.
Marbury said Friday morning's conversation with D'Antoni didn't last long enough for him to refuse to play.
According to Marbury, D'Antoni told him in the mid-afternoon he had 20-to-25 minutes for him in the wake of the
Jamal Crawford trade. The conversation took place before the second trade that left the team with just seven able bodies.
"He said I have 20, 25 minutes for you if you want to play," Marbury said in an interview yesterday morning. "I said, 'You've told me you're going in another direction and I'm not in the plans.' I never refused to play."
At that point, D'Antoni didn't bother to press the issue, according to Marbury. "He had a smile on and just said, "I totally understand it, I get you," Marbury said.
Marbury said he didn't think D'Antoni was upset and was shocked to read D'Antoni's rough comments in the newspaper yesterday.
Later Friday, D'Antoni called Marbury in his hotel room in Milwaukee to tell him he had to dress by league rules because they were making another trade, sending
Mardy Collins and Zach Randolph to the Clippers. That left the club with just seven players and league rules mandate that eight players dress. According to Marbury, at no point did D'Antoni then ask him if he wanted him to play because of their manpower shortage.
"I just said, 'OK coach, I'll dress,' " Marbury said.
Marbury said he taped his ankles in anticipation of being called upon, especially if players were in foul trouble.
"Refusing to play is when the coach tries to put you in the game and you say you're not going in," Marbury said. "If he asked me to go into the game, I was going into the game. That's why I taped my ankles."
D'Antoni said he didn't view it as insubordination. When asked if Marbury had committed an act that violated his contract, team president Donnie Walsh said, "I'm not completely clear with what happened. I don't know the situation. He did dress up so we can have eight players. That helped us for that trade. I'm not lauding that because we're paying the player."
Last night, Marbury told a group of reporters surrounding his locker he had "no comment" on his DNP Friday night.
Marbury admitted he wasn't enthused about playing because he hadn't scrimmaged in two-and-half weeks before Thursday.
D'Antoni bristled when Marbury's name was brought up. "It's done, it's over," D'Antoni said. "I think we made it clear [Friday] and what I said was the truth. That's what happened and we're not looking back."
at the Knicks for telling him to get the best shape of his career, and then pull a complete 180 on theguy. He had every right to not play for D'Antoni when he was in a sticky situation.
