C M Y K Nxxx,2008-03-15,D,001,Bs-BK,E3 Nxxx,2008-03-15,D,002,Bs-BW,E3 Ø Ø N D1 SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2008 D2 Ø Ø N THE NEW YORK TIMES, SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2008 PRO BD1ASKETBALL SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2008 Gingerly, BIG EAST TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALInjurS y Ends Curry’s Frustrating Season By HOWARD BECK post. As a number of rival coach- est scoring and rebounding aver- Eddy Curry’s bitterly disap- es and scouts predicted, Ran- ages since 2002-3 (his second The Athlete dolph and Curry failed to mesh, N.B.A. season) and his fewest pointing season will end in an op- Hibbert Is Better, and So Are the Hando they Knickas’ ofsfense suffered. games played in his seven-year erating room. Curry’s season effectively end- career. Curry will have arthroscopic ed the night of March 7, when he Knicks officials — implicitly ac- Turns Activist knee surgery next week to re- injured his knee in a loss to De- knowledging their mistake — move a small piece of torn carti- shopped both Curry and Ran- In a public service announcement recently lage from his right knee, the Center Dominates dolph before the February trad- shown on cable television and available at Knicks announced Friday. ing deadline. They are expected several sites online, Kobe Bryant asks for The typical recovery time is to do so again this off-season. help on a mission that is somewhat more One DayMeager A offensivefter four to six weeks, which means Although the Knicks (19-46) daunting than winning another N.B.A. title. that Curry could return in time production, frequent can cite a half-dozen reasons for “If we can unite people who for the playoffs, if the KnickScoreless can s Outing their disastrous season, Curry’s HARVEY are willing to take a stand, push through a rules change al- benchings and now a regression and his inability to ARATON miracles can happen,” he says lowing every N.B.A. team to play. torn meniscus. play alongside Randolph were of stopping genocide in Dar- Curry averaged 13.2 points and among the most glaring. fur, on behalf of a Los Angeles- 4.7 rebounds in 59 games this sea-By JOE LAPOINTE SPORTS Thomas, who had been Curry’s OF THE TIMES based organization called Aid son, a dramatic decline Afterfrom hisRoy Hibbert of Georgetown greatest promoter, also lost faith Still Required. MIA FARROW career-best averagesscor ofed the19.5 lasttr ofoit. his Doctor 25 pointss later in adiagnosed 72- a in him, reducing his playing time Isn’t that what Ira Newble was saying to Ira Newble, an N.B.A. journeyman and son of a civil rights activist, at a refugee camp in Chad. points and 7 rebounds55 in victory 2006-7 .oversmal Westl meniscus Virginia tearon F. ri-Curry ini- and frequently benching him in his N.B.A. brethren last spring, but most of Curry’s production daandy nightconfi- in atial Bigly Eastexpr estournamentsed hope that he fourth quarters. The low point all to the government of China? dence soared last seasonsemif inal,when hecould stomped keep plaaroundying andthe postpone came in December, when Curry Newble, a career journeyman and the son Coach Isiah Thomas cornermade ofhim the fsurloorgery at M untiladison after Squar thee season. played just 14 minutes in a loss to of a civil rights activist, made himself an ath- Gingerly, the Athlete Turns Activist the focal point of the ofGarfense.den. But the pain and swelling never the Chicago Bulls — his home- lete activist during last season’s playoffs His role diminishedHis when chest subsided,GEORGE andTOWN Curry bo72wed to the town team — and Thomas pro- with the Cleveland Cavaliers. His letter to Pat Tillman was heard through initiative. Thomas acquired Zachw Randolphas puffed inevitWESTable. VIRGINIA Curry did not55 speak to claimed that he “probably won’t China’s president, Hu Jintao, joined a chorus From First Sports Page his enlistment to serve and his Hunter Payne, a singer-song- last June, forcing Curryout, and Ran-his reporters at Friday’s practice. ever” become a dominant two- dolph to share touches in the low Curry will finish with his low- way player. calling for intervention in the western region “But it was a sensitive issue and I subsequent death in Afghanistan. writer, said that his group target- arms extended, his mouth open. “I’m of Sudan, the African nation from which Chi- always understood the position At the other end of the political ed practical, grass-roots strat- a monster!” Hibbert shouted. “Be na is the leading importer of oil and by ex- LeBron was in.” spectrum, Etan Thomas of the egies to assist Darfur — for in- afraid!” Pass the word to Pittsburgh, tension the financier of weapons used in the Newble, 33, was careful not to N.B.A.’s Washington Wizards has stance, the reforestation of an which defeated MarNquet.B.te,A. R68OU-61,ND inUP slaughter and displacement of non-Arabs. be critical of James, but the pub- been an eloquent critic of the area ravaged by drought, and the the second semifinal and will face the Newble’s teammates signed the letter, the licity touched off another round Bush administration. Orlando’s building and distribution of solar Hoyas in Saturday’s championship most notable exception being LeBron of lamentation over the modern Adonal Foyle created a grass- stoves so camp refugees will not Rockets Mgame.ove Up, Winning 21st in a Row James, superstar extraordinaire in the Mi- athlete’s contractual servitude to roots organization on college have to search for firewood while Joe Alexander of West Virginia, the risking atrocities at the hands of chael Jordan risk-averse mold. corporations and how it typically campuses called Democracy By The Associated Prstesars of the tournamentJAZZ 110, CEL comingTICS 92 into Deron Wil- of the final minute, for the Magic. the Janjaweed and other armed King James’s reticence was tied to his lu- impedes the development of a Matters to rouse politically disen- Tracy McGrady thisscor edgame, 30 wasliams held had to 3212 pointspoints andand 8 assists, militias. HAWKS 117, CLIPPERS 93 Joe crative affiliation with Nike, which is heavily conscience. gaged youth. points and the hostw asH oustonasked afterwand arCarlosd what itBoozer was lik addede 17 “I’m not saying I disagree with Johnson scored 21 of his 28 points invested in China. He is also an ambassador Can there ever be another Mu- • Rockets beat the Charlotto tego, Bob- sometimespoints and man-to-man,12 rebounds as Utah the groups that have been going in the third quarter and Mike in an N.B.A. globalization plan that is fo- hammad Ali, the all-time heavy- cats, 89-80, on Friday night to win ended Boston’s 10-game winning For his part, Newble followed after China,” Payne said in a tele- against Hibbert, a 7-foot-2 senior cen- Bibby handed out 14 assists for cused on the Beijing Olympics. weight champion of outspoken, their 21st game in a row, the sec- streak. Boston played three- up on his letter-writing advocacy phone interview. “But I believe ter who had a game-high 13 re- host Atlanta. Los Angeles has politicized athletes? The question ond-longest streak in league his- quarters of the game without Ray “I was taught growing up that you take a by taking what he called a “life- that a broad-based approach bounds. lost 10 of 12. surely is worthy of discussion, al- tory. Allen, who injured his left ankle. stand for things you believe in,” Newble, re- changing trip” last summer with works better for us. And in this “When he plays extremely phys- Al- though icons like Ali tend to be The victory gave the Rockets a NUGGETS 137, RAPTORS 105 leased recently by Seattle after a trade from the actress and Darfur advocate case, it allows the athletes to be in- ical and gets HORNEaway TSwi t108,h ev eLrAKERythinSg ,98 Chris share of first place in the Western len Iverson scored 28 points de- Cleveland, said in a telephone interview. romanticized in the context of the Mia Farrow to refugee camps in volved with less commercial risk.” yeah, it’s tough,”Paul hadsaid 27 Alexander points and, a17 assists Conference and broke a tie with spite having a broken finger, and 1960s. To be fair, isn’t today’s ath- Chad near the border of Sudan. Fine, too, by Newble’s think- 6-8 forward. “Ifor don host’t ev Nenew kno Orleansw what in what Continued on Page D2 the 1970-71 Bucks, who won 20 in host Denver won its fifth in a row lete more a reflection of a main- Tracy McGrady followed two ing. they were doingcould. T hatpro vgeame to bewent a co bystly game a row. Only the 1971-72 Lakers, at home. It was the second-most stream culture that prefers reali- months later. so fast. It feltfor lik bothe they teams. had P aultwoand or Los An- “Hunter set up a more relaxed who won 33 in a row, had a longer points the Nuggets have scored ty television to real-life horror, be But no matter how much they geles’s Pau Gasol and David approach so the players could streak. three guys on me all the time.” this season. it in Darfur or Iraq? are prodded, the most leveraged feel comfortable,” he said. “I’m West each injured an ankle. Kobe Jason Richardson scorAlexandered 28 was well covered be- Dirk My guess is that the ratio of of sports stars will continue to be all for it.