Toney's Terrific Play Has the Knicks Buzzing

Toney Douglas is becoming the feel-good story of the final stretch of the 
season. After sitting on the bench throughout most of his rookie year, the 
6-foot-1 point guard is making the most out of his recently increased 
playing time and his veteran teammates are taking notice.

"You know why he's been playing so well right now?" seven-time All-Star 
Tracy McGrady asked MSG after Saturday's 128-94 road win over the Dallas 
Mavericks. "I've been watching him and he's been working. He's been working 
in practice, he's been putting in the extra work and it's paying off for 
him."

Douglas showed up to the Knicks' training center a day after the team 
selected him with the 29th overall pick in last June's draft and let it be 
known that he plans to bring energy and defense every time he touches the 
floor. And now that he is getting the chance to play big minutes each night, 
Douglas is showing just how much those two areas of his game can change the 
outcomes of games.

Douglas has appeared in just 40 of the Knicks' 66 games, but he has played 
an important role in their previous four contests, including victories over 
two playoff-bound teams, the Hawks and Mavericks. Douglas was on the floor 
during the fourth quarter of each of the four games and earned a starting 
spot against Dallas two nights after posting 19 points and six rebounds in a 
loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

"I control my playing time by producing," Douglas said.

While providing much-needed energy, Douglas has racked up some nice numbers 
over the past week, including a 21-point, eight-assist effort against the 
Mavericks while making his third start of the season. Douglas is also 
beginning to get more comfortable running the offense and working with his 
teammates after playing such a limited role with the team for much of the 
season.

Douglas has learned the NBA game by sitting on the bench and talking to his 
older teammates. McGrady told him to take advantage of his speed and point 
guard Chris Duhon is passing along any tips that will help Douglas develop 
into a great player.

"To me, all of us players are like a fraternity," Duhon said. "No matter if 
I'm teammates with him or not, I still want to see him succeed. I think he's 
a great guy, we built a great friendship and I want him to grow and stay in 
this league as long as he can. So any knowledge I can get to him to help him 
get better, that's what I'm going to do."

Duhon, who says he wants to be a coach one day, is focusing on helping 
Douglas develop even if it means he's losing out on some minutes of his own. 
Duhon, who had not seen any action in 11 games leading up Saturday's meeting 
in Dallas, played 10 minutes against the Mavericks and finished with three 
points and three assists.

"It's tough just sitting there, but at the same time, I'm out there just 
trying to support my teammates as much as they support me," Duhon said. "I'm 
just trying to be professional about it."

Douglas' increased minutes also affects Sergio Rodriguez's playing time, but 
D'Antoni says he plans on using the Spanish point guard more despite leaving 
him on the bench in Dallas. Rodriguez has started in eight of the 13 games 
since joining the Knicks at last month's trade deadline.

"We're looking at different people and we want to give (Douglas) a chance at 
it now and he deserves it, and it could go the whole time," D'Antoni said. 
"I'm not set on going four games for him and four games for the other guys. 
Right now it's his spot, and if he keeps it, he keeps it."

It's probably safe to assume Douglas will be back in the starting lineup 
when the Knicks visit the Philadelphia on Monday before ending the road trip 
Wednesday night in Boston.