New York Knicks legend Bill Bradley hopes the team keeps rolling along with James Dolan in charge.
Promoting the streaming release of his one-man show "Rolling Along" on streaming, the NBA champions-turned-United States Senator told Bob Williams of The US Sun that fans' anger toward Dolan, the owner of the Knicks and New York Rangers, is misguided.
"I don't think the issue is the owner. I think the issue is the team," Bradley said. "He's not in the locker room, he's not on the court. I think he's fine. If you ask me, I would tell him not to sell."
This isn't the first time that Bradley has come out in defense of Dolan, who has been in charge of the Knicks' affairs since the turn of the century. In addition to pushing its championship drought to five decades, New York has not been back to an Eastern Conference Finals series since 2000 and has been dogged by shortcomings and controversies both on and off the floor. When asked by Adam Zagoria of NJ.com if Dolan should sell last September, Bradley offered an emphatic "hell, no."
Some observers feel that Dolan's current group gives the Knicks franchise its best chance to end those streaks of futility: though spirits are a tad dimmer after dropping a 113-105 decision to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, the Knicks (32-18) have won 15 of their last 18 and currently sits in fourth place on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket.
Bradley, a member of each of the Knicks' two championship teams from 1970 and 1973, admitted to being impressed by the current crop led by head coach Tom Thibodeau and hinted that their ongoing winning ways will situate them well come playoff time. New York has not held homecourt advantage in a first-round playoff series after a full regular season since 2013.
"They have pretty good ingredients in the team now and hopefully they will begin to win," Bradley said. "Once you begin to win, then you understand why you've won."
Bradley's showcase "Rolling Alone" is currently available to stream on Max.
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