New York’s Cuttino Mobley says leaving court will prolong his life. Just as the Stephon Marbury drama comes to a close, another New York Knicks guard brings a plot twist to Madison Square Garden. Eleven-year NBA vet Cuttino Mobley has retired from the court, saying his hypertrophic cardiomyopathy condition has worsened. The disease, which causes heart muscle to thicken and challenges blood circulation, made his decision necessary, Mobley says. “The specialists I’ve seen made it clear that my heart condition has gotten worse and I couldn’t continue to play professional basketball without putting my health and life in serious danger,” says Mobley. “As much as I want to keep playing in the NBA, I have no choice but to follow the advice of my doctors and step away from the league.” Mobley had recently been traded to the Knicks from the Clippers, requiring physical screenings that alerted him to the increased problem. “The doctors said to not chance it and I feel as though they’re right, having an 8-year-old son, having a long life ahead of me, it’s the smart thing,” Mobley adds. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has been connected to the deaths of Celtics forward Reggie Lewis and Loyola Marymount star Hank Gathers, who collapsed on court.