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Now Knicks fans can blame Eddy Curry for something else. It seems the Knicks center, not Allen Iverson, is "The Answer." Knicks president Donnie Walsh announced yesterday the team had decided not to sign Iverson, the controversial 34-year-old guard, to a one-year contract. Walsh linked Curry's emergence in his season debut Wednesday against the Pacers (10 points and four rebounds in 11 minutes) with tipping the scales against signing Iverson. In saying the Knicks "rethought" their position on Iverson, Walsh ended a wild week full of flip-flops and fan frenzy favoring the move.

New York Post

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Four months after Stephen Jackson arrived in Golden State in January 2007, the Warriors won their first playoff series in 16 years. They went 48-34 the following season, their best record in 14 years. Jackson would like to take plenty of credit for it. "The Warriors were (garbage) when I got there, so look what happened,'' Jackson said in an interview Friday with FanHouse. "So I love challenges.'' "I wanted to win and I didn't feel like winning was a priority (in Golden State),'' Jackson said. "I didn't feel like winning was the main goal there, and I didn't want to be a part of a situation where winning is not the main focus. I want to be somewhere where they want to win, where they want to compete. So that's why I wanted out.''

Yahoo! Sports

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Although Tracy McGrady made it clear he has grown weary with waiting for Monday's practice and MRI -- the Rockets' next step toward his return to the court -- he and coach Rick Adelman said Friday that their conversation about it Wednesday was not emotional and voices were not raised. Yahoo Sports reported McGrady and Adelman "engaged in an emotional and sometimes loud closed-door confrontation" after McGrady put on his uniform as if he was going to play.

Houston Chronicle

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Say hello to the kinder, gentler Stan Van Gundy. These days, he might even pet the egos of his sensitive Orlando Magic like "little puppies." Long a glass-half-empty type, the Magic coach is known for his tough love with players and keep-it-real attitude with the media. No more, Van Gundy says. Well, no more for now. After learning his players had tired of dreary, Van Gundy has pledged to cut the negativity.

Yahoo! Sports

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Mike D'Antoni fears the Knicks' roster might not be better than its horrible 2-9 start and is concerned a 20-win season would scare away LeBron James. At one point yesterday, D'Antoni referred to the Knicks as "dead in the water," but he quickly corrected himself. If Allen Iverson sparkles and warrants a new contract, he could turn into a lure for James. Leon Rose is the agent for both James and Iverson, who has the Knicks on top of his list.

New York Post

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