You can trade the man out of the Knicks but you can’t take the Knicks out of Starbury. Former New York Knicks star Stephon Marbury is obviously riding the emotional high of his team returning to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years. And he’s feeling that Game 3 loss sting too. But worst of all, his nerves are rattled from that one first quarter sequence that has ignited a firestorm in New York City. The NBA may have overlooked Victor Wembanyama’s foul on Jalen Brunson, but the Knicks legend will not. Ahead of Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Marbury is already plotting revenge on Wemby.

In a livestream, the one time Knicks enforcer did not mince words, launching into an intense tirade that accused international players of bringing a dangerous, underhanded style of play to the NBA stage. “Wemby’s an international player… they play dirty overseas, just so you know.” Maybe he’s speaking for experience. Marbury spent his post-NBA career playing in China though that wouldn’t make him an expert on the European style Wemby played.

Yet he made a blunt demand to Brunson’s teammates to completely change their defensive demeanor. “We’re not used to playing dirty in America the way how Wemby just now proved Jalen Brunson… If I watch film and I see Wemby throw somebody on my team, if he throw somebody like that, the next game I’m gonna pop him in his rib cage so hard with my elbow that he’s gonna fall and drop to the ground and he’s gonna wish he never put his hands on me.”

Some irony is to be pointed in Starbury claiming the overseas brand of physicality didn’t exist in the NBA. The 6’2″ player blurred the lines between court and the gridiron. With the build of a running back, he made it his nightly business overpowering defenders. He was one of the few guards who could draw fouls and rack up free throws during his prime by actively seeking contact.

He’s pretty much advocating his style of play for the current Knicks to stop Wemby. For what it’s worth, Jose Alvarado is down for it. Starbury goes as far as to put himself in a KAT or Mitchell Robinson’s shoes.

“Next game, I guarantee you, after y’all watch film what he did to Jalen Brunson, you better know that whenever he get on the basketball court… you better make sure you put that knife in his neck. Alright? You see what he did when he came in, he said was gonna come in, he was gonna win Game 2. He did exactly what he was supposed to do. Alright make sure y’all take note and next game you make sure you bring that same energy.”

Marbury’s fury mirrors the rage boiling over in NYC since the Game 3 loss. The aftermath of that missed call on Wemby only added salt to the wound.

NBA takes a different stance on Victor Wembanyama-Jalen Brunson scuffle

Stephon Marbury’s and the Knicks fanbase’s collective fury stems from a very contentious unwhistled first-quarter incident during Game 3. Wembanyama violently shoved against Jalen Brunson’s neck. The Knicks guard fell to the floor and Wemby smirked at him. Brunson had retaliated when the officials didn’t call that shove.

Even during the replays, former NBA player-turned-commentator, Richard Jefferson was saying it should’ve been a flagrant foul.

San Antonio supporters argued that Brunson initiated the scuffle by grabbing Wemby’s jersey and the 7’4″ center retaliated by shoving him.

While the arena erupted in fury over the non-call, Wembanyama went on to dominate the contest, pouring in 32 points, eight rebounds, and six assists to carry the Spurs to a gritty 115-111 victory, trimming New York’s series lead to 2-1.

When pressed about the incident after the game, Brunson coldly remarked, “Whatever you saw is what you saw.” 

Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s head of officiating, was on ESPN the next day, acknowledging that crew missed the foul during the game. Despite the admission, the league announced on Tuesday that it would not be retroactively assessed a flagrant foul. Given that Wemby got a flagrant 2 on his record for elbowing Naz Reid in the Minnesota series, this judgment keeps him a suspension during the NBA Finals.

However, with Marbury publicly demanding that the Knicks up the aggression on the floor and Wembanyama’s interior dominance, the competitive tension of Game 4 is close to a boiling point. A couple of flagrants might be due.