With the New York Knicks losing eight of the last 10 games, coinciding with the return from injury of star Carmelo Anthony, and disgruntlement from players seeping into the news media, coach Mike D’Antoni abruptly resigned Wednesday, according to a person close to the situation who requested anonymity because an official announcement has not been made.
D’Antoni, coach of the Knicks since the start of the 2008-09 season, had been reveling in his team’s play during Anthony’s absence because of the emergence of point guard Jeremy Lin. With Lin spurring the Knicks to a seven-game winning streak, D’Antoni even remarked it was fun again to call a play and have it run.
There has been no fun of late, with the Knicks (18-24) on a season high-tying six game losing streak entering Tuesday’s home against the Portland Trail Blazers and having dropped into a tie with the Milwaukee Bucks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Earlier in the day, Anthony’s agent, Leon Rose, told USA TODAY that his client did not want out of New York and was not seeking a trade, as reported by the New York Post.
After the morning shootaround, run by D’Antoni, Anthony even said he supported the coach “100 percent.”
Knicks assistant Mike Woodson will coach tonight’s game, but a source close to the situation who requested anonymity does not know if Woodson will finish the season as interim coach.
Source: USA Today
