Despite a tough 116-110 loss in Philadelphia tonight, the New York Knicks are playing surprisingly well under their new head coach, Mike D'Antoni. The Knicks had won three in a row prior to this evening's contest, including an impressive victory over D'Antoni's old team, the immensely-talented Phoenix Suns.
D'Antoni deserves to be in the discussion for NBA Coach of the Year because he's had to deal with a franchise in transition, and a general manager that traded away his best two players -- Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford -- in an effort to clear space for a shopping spree in 2010. Of course the fact that the Knicks were one of the worst, if not the worst team in the entire league last season, also works to D'Antoni's advantage in any Coach of the Year discussions.
If the season ended tonight, the Knicks would finish just shy of one of the final Eastern Conference playoff spots. With that in mind, I wouldn't be able to vote for D'Antoni if I had to vote today. I'd go with either Stan Van Gundy of the Orlando Magic, or Mike Brown of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, there seems to be a strong possibility that the Knicks will sneak their way into playoff position by the end of the year. If they do, D'Antoni deserves a world of credit for the franchise's collective accomplishment.
What D'Antoni does with his "Seven Seconds or Less" offense, is instill confidence in his players. Without a shadow of a doubt, point guard Chris Duhon is having the most productive season of his NBA career. David Lee continues to post monster numbers, and Al Harrington and Nate Robinson are also enjoying the free-flowing nature of D'Antoni's unique system. Quentin Richardson, Tim Thomas, and Wilson Chandler show bright flashes of life at times, as well.
D'Antoni has this Knicks group thinking it's better than it is, and that's a good thing. These guys expect to compete, and certainly expect to win against all mid-line competition (and below). They are holding themselves to a high standard, and Coach Mike is to thank for that.
Hey, I was on his case earlier in the season for the way he handled the Stephon Marbury situation, and I've yet to forgive him for that particular ordeal. Regardless, he's turned the Knicks into a serious playoff contender. I wouldn't be shocked if they finished as high as seventh in the Eastern Conference.
D'Antoni's a smart guy, and he seems to be pushing all the right buttons. Watch out Stan Van Gundy, Mike Brown, and Phil Jackson...
Keywords: Al Harrington, Chris Duhon, Coach Mike D'Antoni, Coach of the Year, Danilo Gallinari, David Lee, Jared Jeffries, Knicks, Mike Brown, Mike D'Antoni, Nate Robinson, NBA Coach of the Year, New York Knicks, Phil Jackson, Quentin Richardson, Stan Van Gundy, Tim Thomas, Wilson Chandler
