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D'Antoni steps down as coach as Knicks skid
Source: Agencies |
March 16, 2012, Friday
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MIKE D'Antoni resigned on Wednesday as coach of the New York Knicks, whose brief resurgence in a wave of Linsanity quickly gave way to a late-season skid that puts them in danger of even making the NBA playoffs.
Assistant coach Mike Woodson will serve as interim head coach.
Knicks owner Jim Dolan said he and D'Antoni had a "very honest" conversation on Wednesday morning.
"He clearly felt it was best for the organization if he were not to continue as coach of the team. He did offer to stay," Dolan said. "After a long discussion, we did agree it was best for the organization to have new voice moving forward."
Facing a barrage of questions about his relationship with Carmelo Anthony, D'Antoni put the Knicks through a morning workout before stepping aside.
The Knicks have struggled since Anthony returned from a groin injury 10 games ago, losing six in a row for the second time this season and falling into a tie for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
There was speculation that he and D'Antoni did not get along, though the All-Star forward said on Wednesday he supported the coach "100 percent."
The surprise resignation first was reported by Yahoo Sports.
There's already speculation that the Knicks will try to lure a big-name coach such as Phil Jackson or Kentucky's John Calipari next season.
But Dolan insisted the Knicks can still contend this season.
"I believe in our players. I believe in our talent. I believe in their commitment to get the team together and get this right," he said. "I believe we have the talent and character to succeed. I believe we can do it."
D'Antoni seemed in good spirits at the team's training center and said players were, too. He acknowledged the media frenzy around the sinking club but believed the Knicks would handle it. "You battle against it. I think we're cohesive enough to battle through this, and we expect to do that," he said.
D'Antoni's departure comes less than a month after he seemed rejuvenated by the emergence of Jeremy Lin, the undrafted point guard from Harvard who came off the end of the bench and proved to be the player who could properly run the offensive system.
But the success didn't last once Anthony returned, with the Knicks going 2-8 in a season that D'Antoni had hoped would be one with where they had a shot at a championship.
Never able to duplicate his success in Phoenix, D'Antoni was headed to his third losing season since signing a US$24 million, four-year contract in 2008 that made him one of the NBA's highest-paid coaches.
Assistant coach Mike Woodson will serve as interim head coach.
Knicks owner Jim Dolan said he and D'Antoni had a "very honest" conversation on Wednesday morning.
"He clearly felt it was best for the organization if he were not to continue as coach of the team. He did offer to stay," Dolan said. "After a long discussion, we did agree it was best for the organization to have new voice moving forward."
Facing a barrage of questions about his relationship with Carmelo Anthony, D'Antoni put the Knicks through a morning workout before stepping aside.
The Knicks have struggled since Anthony returned from a groin injury 10 games ago, losing six in a row for the second time this season and falling into a tie for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
There was speculation that he and D'Antoni did not get along, though the All-Star forward said on Wednesday he supported the coach "100 percent."
The surprise resignation first was reported by Yahoo Sports.
There's already speculation that the Knicks will try to lure a big-name coach such as Phil Jackson or Kentucky's John Calipari next season.
But Dolan insisted the Knicks can still contend this season.
"I believe in our players. I believe in our talent. I believe in their commitment to get the team together and get this right," he said. "I believe we have the talent and character to succeed. I believe we can do it."
D'Antoni seemed in good spirits at the team's training center and said players were, too. He acknowledged the media frenzy around the sinking club but believed the Knicks would handle it. "You battle against it. I think we're cohesive enough to battle through this, and we expect to do that," he said.
D'Antoni's departure comes less than a month after he seemed rejuvenated by the emergence of Jeremy Lin, the undrafted point guard from Harvard who came off the end of the bench and proved to be the player who could properly run the offensive system.
But the success didn't last once Anthony returned, with the Knicks going 2-8 in a season that D'Antoni had hoped would be one with where they had a shot at a championship.
Never able to duplicate his success in Phoenix, D'Antoni was headed to his third losing season since signing a US$24 million, four-year contract in 2008 that made him one of the NBA's highest-paid coaches.
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