New York Knicks president Phil Jackson had reportedly said that he is willing to trade before the deadline but that team leader Carmelo Anthony and super-rookie Kristaps Porzingis are both unavailable. Fisher is the fourth coach sacked by the Knicks since Anthony joined the team in 2011, and he feels this has become part of the business. It’s a program that I have that I will be sticking to starting [Thursday] morning, and I’ll be sticking to that until we come back.
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Jackson said that some of the onus for the Knicks’ 23-31 win-loss record this season falls on the players, but felt Monday’s move was necessary.
Associate head coach Kurt Rambis, who played at Cupertino High and Santa Clara University, was promoted to interim head coach at least through the rest of the season.
“This is a very talented team with strong character and I am confident that they can succeed”, Fisher said.
Speaking roughly 90 minutes before the opening tip against the Washington Wizards, Anthony professed respect for his third coach with the Knicks while reiterating he was stunned at the news.
They allowed 63 first-half points, trying their most this season, after Rambis said they had to toughen up their defense.
Anthony said on Tuesday that he has become “immune” to the constant changes in NY and is committed to remaining with the organization. Kurt Rambis will coach the Knicks as an interim basis. His desire to stay in NY should be a sigh of relief for Knicks fans – he has three years left on his contract – but that instability remains a constant concern.
Fisher, who was originally hired in June 2014, finishes his Knicks coaching career with an overall record of 40-96 (.294). This year Anthony has been able to play for the most part but he has missed games here and there and even when he is on the court he hasn’t exactly looked like himself. But the biggest problem is Jackson, whose ego requires any coach to use his pet offense. “Obviously, I am disappointed, but have learned an enormous amount from this experience and hope to grow from it”. League sources told ESPN.com’s Ian Begley that the Knicks have been informed that their chances of signing Durant would be influenced by hiring Scott Brooks, who coached Durant with the Oklahoma City Thunder up until his firing in April.
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In Dallas, Gordon Hayward hit a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer in overtime and Utah extended its season-best winning streak to seven games.
