D'Antoni pleased that Walsh executed play perfectly

GREENBURGH, N.Y. - Mike D'Antoni was never totally sure Donnie Walsh's plan would come to fruition, but he was intrigued enough to believe in it when he took the job of Knicks coach in May 2008. Less than two years later, Walsh has the Knicks right where he planned to be, with more than $30 million in salary-cap space to spend this summer on marquee free agents for his marquee coach.

"The good thing about it is, what Donnie kind of laid out for me, he has executed almost perfectly," D'Antoni said Friday. "I think that's what's reassuring."

D'Antoni was the first step in Walsh's 2010 Plan, which called for the coach to endure two losing seasons - and a massive amount of salary dumping - before the actual rebuilding could begin.

D'Antoni, a former coach of the year who averaged 58 wins in four seasons with the Phoenix Suns, could have chosen a less-daunting challenge with the Chicago Bulls. But he decided to buy into the plan and trust in Walsh.

"That's why I came to New York," D'Antoni said, "to go with a guy who's proven over and over again that he can do what he says. And he did."