Mike D'Antoni Must Be Fired: How New York Knicks Can Save This Season

[The Lone Granger]

The Knicks are 3-7. I'm in full panic mode. Here's what I feel the Knicks need to do this season to get back in playoff contention.

 

Look at Mike D'Antoni's run 'n' gun system. Look at the success he had in Phoenix. This guy knows how to win basketball games right? WRONG!

 

Mike D'Antoni must be fired and not only that, he should be forced to move out of the state of New York. The guy won a lot of regular season games in Phoenix. That's cool, but it doesn't mean anything. Regular season wins aren't enough to make you a good NBA coach.

 

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Sure, the Knicks are only in need of a playoff berth just to give fans a sign of hope, but this guy wasn't even responsible for his wins in Phoenix. As of right now, it is clear that either Steve Nash or Alvin Gentry was running the show in Phoenix and not the mustached moron.

 

Since he's been in New York, he has had the excuse that the talent wasn't there. Maybe he was right in his first two seasons here, but for him to be sitting at 3-7 with losses to Philadelphia, Houston (without Aaron Brooks and Yao Ming) and Golden State with an injured Monta Ellis is absurd.

 

This team has upgraded everywhere with more experienced Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Toney Douglas. They turned Chris Duhon and David Lee into Raymond Felton and Amar'e Stoudemire. They also added defensive presences inside with Timofey Mozgov and Ronny Turiaf. This has done nothing for Mike.

 

The biggest problem I have with D'Antoni is his method of coaching guys individually. He gets unhappy with Anthony Randolph, a young player with unlimited potential, and benches him after one mistake instead of helping him out and telling him how to do better.

 

D'Antoni will play Randolph nine minutes a game and take him out for looking out of it, when in reality he didn't get enough time to get into the flow of the game. He also seems to be okay with Wilson Chandler taking six three-pointers a game. Last time I checked, Chandler' percentage shows that he'll hit one or two of those a game.

 

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I'm sorry, but D'Antoni's time here has got to be done. With the weak schedule the Knicks have played so far, they should be AT WORST 6-4.

 

This team has to find a coach first. Now, there aren't a lot of coaches available. Maybe give Herb Williams a try as coach or turn to former player Mark Jackson, who has expressed interest in coaching this team. He can show these guys what it's like to be real Knicks.

 

A center seems to be a position of need with the lack of rebounding, but I won't say this is what the team needs quite yet. I like how Mozgov has played, and he is improving over his last few games. The Knicks are much better with Turiaf on the court, as he has been injured the last few games and should be back soon.

 

The real glaring weakness is the shooting guard position. The Knicks need a shooter in the mold of Korver or Anthony Morrow. Gallinari's great, but outside of him there's nobody who consistently knocks down three's, and even he has been a little off this year.

 

Two guys I've hated this season have been Chandler and Douglas. They don't know when to stop shooting or to set up the offense. They both have upside and are talented players, but they are just way too stupid to be on a team that plays in close games on most nights.

 

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The game could be tied and instead of getting the ball to an open man, they'll come down the court and launch a long three early in the shot clock. I'm not sure what a package of Chandler and Douglas can get the Knicks, but I'm sure it can get them a decent shooter.

 

The next coach of this team must make these guys play defense. There are good defensive players on this team that D'Antoni has brainwashed into thinking that it's okay to give up open threes as long as you're shooting them on the next possession down the court. Well, he's an idiot and doesn't realize that he's coaching in America and not Europe. We need a defense first coach. The offensive talent is here and will take care of itself if these guys are getting stops.

 

I'm not sure what a trade for Nash would cost, but acquiring him would be the only way I'm okay with D'Antoni staying. If they acquire Nash, maybe the Knicks would need one more piece to get to the next level. But on the other hand, I don't know how I feel about the Knicks acquiring an old point guard who has an expensive contract.

 

The Knicks are far from contenders and maybe even far from a playoff team, but Coach D'Antoni has to go and this team must play some defense.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/518523-nba-2010-2011-mike-dantoni-must-be-fired-and-how-the-knick-save-this-season

 

I've been very disappointed with the kind of basketball that the Knicks have been playing this year. After signing Amare Stoudemire during the offseason, and having pieces like Danillo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, and more around him, I felt like they would start of the season strong. As it is obvious now, I was mistaken.

 

What do you guys think the Knicks need to do in order to save their season? Is it time to panic in New York? Or are people making too much out of just a slow start?

 

Thoughts?