Derek Fisher has been relieved of his duties as coach of the New York Knicks.
Big, big, big news.
Listen, just like how Fisher was in hot water, Phil Jackson is under more scrutiny. Jackson is pressured to make this Knick team a championship contender NEXT SEASON. Although this season didn't have that expectation, this team is suppose to be good enough to make the playoffs.
With this team being EIGHT GAMES under .500 and six games out of the playoffs, a big change needed to happen.
Here's what needed to happen: Either Fisher goes, or the Knicks trade Carmelo Anthony and rebuild. And there was no way Knicks owner James Dolan was not gonna let Melo go.
This Knick team has too much talent and passion to be this bad. It's not the Golden State Warriors or the LeBron James' Miami Heat, but this Knick team should be - at least - in the eighth or seventh spot in the eastern conference.
The only reason I could think of is the coach. And if you noticed watching Fisher around this team, there was no chemistry between him and the players. Especially with Melo. I never see Melo and Fisher laughing together, joking, or Melo really listening to what Fisher was saying.
I saw more chemistry with the Knicks last coach, Mike Woodson.
Fisher was too soft spoken for this team. This Knick team needs a real, kick-in-the-ass, experienced coach. It's difficult for Fisher to coach big personalities like Melo, Robin Lopez, Kyle O'Quinn; these guys need a coach with a big presence.
Phil's first choice to be Knicks coach was Steve Kerr. Your first choice is always your only choice.
The Matt Barnes incident, no doubt, hurt him. Once I heard that news, I began to dislike him a bit. Because that showed me his first priority was not about becoming a great coach and helping this team win. He was here for something else. That sorta distraction is what the Knicks don't need. And players need someone to set a good example from their coach; not someone making mistakes a 20-something-year-old would do.
If Jackson is gonna bring in a coach, it has to be someone with experience. NO MORE ROOKIES. Which means, NO to Luke Walton. I don't know who Melo would want as coach, but I have feeling he would not want Walton coaching him.
We know Jackson is not gonna pick who the Knicks fans want, like Mark Jackson -- who would be perfect -- or former Chicago Bulls coach Tim Thibodeau.
Hey, if Kurt Rambis does well as interim coach and somehow takes this team to the playoffs, I wouldn't keeping him.
No comments:
Post a Comment