Knicks' Rautins has to learn on the job
Boston Celtics' Nate Robinson (4) drives past New York Knicks' Andy Rautins (11) and Toney Douglas (23) during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game. (Oct. 13, 2010) Credit: AP
Anthony Randolph went into last night's game against the Bobcats riding three straight "DNP-coach's decisions" as the Knicks try to develop the 21-year-old without the pressure of producing in games that are too critical to the team for experiments.
Mike D'Antoni also mentioned Andy Rautins as a player who is being asked to learn in practice, but Rautins, who is faced with the challenge of developing into a point guard, may eventually need live reps to check his progress.
D'Antoni last week entertained the idea of sending Rautins to the D-League sometime this season.
"The D-League would be good for him," D'Antoni said of Rautins. "But right now, it would be tough."
The Knicks share an affiliate with the Nets and 76ers with Springfield, which is coached by Dee Brown. D'Antoni said the difficulty with sending Rautins down was because the team was on the West Coast last week and it would be tough to get him back quickly if one of the guards ahead of him - Raymond Felton or Toney Douglas - got sick or injured.
The Knicks haven't used the D-League mainly because D'Antoni believes players get more out of being with the team and learning the system in practice.
But Rautins' situation is unique because he's trying to learn the point guard position after spending most of his career, especially at Syracuse, as a shooting guard.
"I would go if that's what they thought was best," Rautins said before the game.
Brown backs Walsh
Bobcats coach Larry Brown defended his friend Donnie Walsh's job performance that included the acquisition of A'mare Stoudemire from Phoenix this past summer and pointed out the Suns are "missing him and the way Mike [D'Antoni coaches], he'll get better and better."
