Despite having all summer to cool down and having the "culprit' bolt to Denver, Knicks forward Tim Thomas is still fuming about his treatment during last season's Knicks-Nets first round playoff series.  Threatening retaliation all summer, Thomas now believes that he was a target for the Nets after New Jersey had problems containing him when he was a member of the Milwaukee Bucks in 2003.

"It just took out a scorer, someone who in a series the year before that gave them trouble," said Thomas, referring to the Nets-Bucks series in 2003.

"The worst part of it was just knowing my kids were home watching. Losing a game, they can deal with that. But having Daddy (wheeled) out on a stretcher, that's something totally different. But you have some guys that know how to play, you have some guys that are dirty, you have some guys that really don't care. So it is what it is."

Does that mean center Jason Collins, who inflicted the hard foul, should expect retaliation?

"I'm expecting a game," said Collins. "It's a preseason game. Last year was last year. I don't worry about anything. As far as that other stuff, I just go out and play basketball."

It has been Thomas's point, however, that Collins' act had little to do with basketball. Thomas had elevated over him and had a clear path to the rim, until he was bumped in midair, causing him to land flat on his back. He suffered back and wrist injuries, and didn't recover until late summer.

"I made a solid basketball play," Collins said. "Anyone who knows anything about basketball knows I made a good play. As far as the result, I mean, I made a good basketball play."

Thomas is also miffed that his opponent never offered an apology, but he never really expected one.

"Some guys are cowards about it," he said.