The Front Row: Starbury on his way out

END OF THE LINE: It’s too bad it had to come to an end this way.

Yesterday, ESPN.com reported that New York Knicks’ point guard Stephon Marbury will likely be put on waivers by the end of the week. The Knicks would still owe Marbury the remainder of the $22 million left on his contract.

Few athletes entered the NBA with as much promise as the self-proclaimed “Starbury.” After being profiled in Darcy Frey’s wonderful book “The Last Shot,” everyone from Marbury’s native Coney Island was certain that he would become the next great New York city point guard.

One year at Georgia Tech further asserted that point. Marbury did anything he pleased on a basketball court. Sadly, he became the poster-boy for the “too much, too soon” generation of potential NBA stars.

His reputation as a “shoot first, shoot second” player proceeded him wherever he went. His teams always seemed to lose more often than they won.

He arrived in New York as Isiah Thomas’ big score — the prime-time New Yorker who knew what it meant to play in Madison Square Garden.

Dozens of losses and an embarrassing sexual harrassment trial hung over everything, with Marbury’s game deteriorating to an unrecognizable degree.

He’ll now look for a fresh start — perhaps in Miami — where he can reclaim what was once his.

However, his attitude and his reputation might keep that from ever happening.

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THE STRETCH RUN: While the Diamondbacks continue chasing the Dodgers for the NL West lead, the Tampa Bay Rays, Anaheim Angels and Chicago Cubs can sit back and watch the handful of other teams within smelling distance of the baseball postseason.

Conventional logic would dictate that it makes more sense to rest the key contributors while everyone else beats up on each other, but that never seems to work in baseball.

Teams that come into the playoffs with a head of steam often take down those squads that jumped out to massive division leads in July and coasted into October.

Rays, Angels and Cubs fans should hope to see their squads continue to play out the remaining schedule in order to stay sharp when the games really count.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747