D'Antoni fires back at report he dissed ex-Knick Lee
Golden State's David Lee goes after a loose ball against the Memphis Grizzlies. (Nov. 3, 2010) Credit: AP
GREENBURGH, N.Y. - Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni reacted incredulously Monday to a published report suggesting he had taken "digs" at former Knick David Lee, who will make his return to the Garden Wednesday night.
D'Antoni was miffed at a story in the New York Post that claimed he had taken a shot at Lee's athleticism on Sunday.
Lee, the Garden fan favorite who went to the Golden State Warriors in a sign-and-trade deal in the offseason, wanted to return to the Knicks. But he also wanted a maximum contract - he got six years and $80 million - and the Knicks didn't have room for that once they signed Amar'e Stoudemire.
D'Antoni interrupted an innocuous question Monday about Lee's return by saying, "David Lee? I'm going to take another shot at him. I didn't know I did . . . I didn't take a shot at David Lee. David Lee's great. He's an All-Star. We took him from a bench player to an All-Star. Making an unbelievable amount of money. I'm so happy for him . . . why would I take a shot at him?"
It was as animated as D'Antoni gets.
On Sunday, D'Antoni had said: "We just have better athletes and taller people [this season]. It allows us to play faster. It's not a knock on the other group. They played hard. They weren't athletic enough."
Team president Donnie Walsh said Mondaythe decision to trade Lee was based solely on economics.
"I like David," he said. "He's a hell of a player . . . We couldn't have done the same things . Fill out the whole team. We need more than just one player. That's what it was."
Lee's return is the headline of a busy week for the Knicks. They visit Milwaukee Tuesday to play the 2-5 Bucks before hosting the Warriors, who are 5-2 after winning in Toronto last night. Then it's right back on the road to visit the 1-6 Timberwolves in Minneapolis on Friday.
D'Antoni felt the Knicks were a little winded in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 106-96 loss to the 76ers; they let a nine-point lead in the third quarter slip away in their third game in four days. Their record is now 3-3. D'Antoni thinks they could be 5-1.
"We kicked another one," he said. "That's a couple at home that we could have had . . . We're better than a 3-3 team. We're pretty upset we kicked a couple games, but [there are] 76 left. We know that we can come together as a group and make it a good year."
Notes & quotes: Eddy Curry (hamstring) practiced for the first time as the Knicks did halfcourt drills. "He's playing on the court now, which is good," Walsh said. "When he comes out on the court and starts going with the team, that's when he pulls things. I think it's good for him to get out there and jump with them." Curry did not speak with reporters.
