NEW YORK (AP) -- Latrell Sprewell wants to concentrate on the playoffs before pursuing his grievance against the New York Knicks. Sprewell was fined $25,000 by Madison Square Garden president Dave Checketts in April for remarks by his agent. Agent Robert Gist was quoted as saying Sprewell would demand an offseason trade if the team persists in using him off the bench. Sprewell reiterated his unhappiness with his role Thursday night before New York's 77-70 victory over the Atlanta Hawks for a 2-0 lead in their best-of-7 second-round playoff series. A grievance was filed by the union Wednesday night, just before the 30-day deadline expired. ``We're still hoping the Knicks will do the right thing and rescind the fine, but if they don't, it's not something we're going to let stand without a fight,'' union lawyer Ron Klempner said Friday. Rather than put the grievance on the fast track, Klempner said the union will wait until the season ends before requesting a hearing date, which would be the next step in the process. Sprewell has already had the fine money deducted from his paycheck, although a sneaker company that Sprewell endorses has said it would pay the $25,000. ``Once the season ends, we'll see what the Knicks want to do. Right now, Latrell wants to remain focused on basketball,'' Klempner said. Sprewell has scored 31 points in each of the Knicks' playoff victories over the Hawks and has emerged in the postseason -- in part because of Patrick Ewing's various injuries -- as New York's primary offensive weapon. Sprewell was the starting small forward in the first two games of the regular season, then lost his job when a foot injury sidelined him for 13 games. Coach Jeff Van Gundy has been bringing him off the bench ever, a tactic that has been questioned as the Knicks have consistently gotten off to bad offensive starts like their 1-for-15 opening against the Hawks on Thursday night that prompted the coach to insert Sprewell earlier than usual. During the regular season, Sprewell usually sat for the first eight minutes of the first and third quarters as Van Gundy went with a lineup of Ewing, Allan Houston, Kurt Thomas, Larry Johnson and Charlie Ward. Sprewell has been checking in around the six-minute mark of the first quarter during the playoffs. ``I've accepted it, but I still feel the way I did in the past,'' Sprewell said before Game 2. ``It's just a situation I'm in right now and I have to deal with it.'' -=-=- 