Knicks' D'Antoni to slow it down, focus on defense
GREENBURGH, N.Y. - His famous offense has been so bad this season that it could be retitled "Several Seconds of Mess." Mike D'Antoni is the leader of these 1-9 Knicks and, as he said after practice Monday, "So far I haven't led them anywhere.''
But the poor start, which comes after a 32-50 season, won't lead Donnie Walsh to reconsider his coach.
Walsh, whose first major move as Knicks president was to hire D'Antoni in May 2008, said it is "unfair'' that some Garden fans already have targeted D'Antoni. Asked at what point a coach becomes responsible, Walsh replied, "When I think that there's something to judge him on. [And it's] not even close.''
D'Antoni chose the Knicks over a more immediately promising situation in Chicago, knowing there was a two-year plan in place to get the Knicks under the salary cap and rebuild through free agency. Consider this the hump year. (The Knicks are owned by Cablevision, which also owns Newsday.)
"I didn't take the job thinking this was going to be ready-made,'' D'Antoni said. "I knew it was going to be hard . . . But it's no excuse for being 1-9.''
It's to a point that D'Antoni admitted after practice that he must dial down the system that made the Suns an offensive juggernaut during four seasons in which they averaged 58 wins. He has emphasized defense and is working in more half-court sets rather the up-tempo game.
"The thing I have to do as a coach is find the style that fits our guys,'' he said. "If we don't do the other way real well, then we have to tone it down and find something that works and stay with it.''
