Can the Knicks take something negative and turn it into a positive?

New York Knicks, Julius Randle
Nov 10, 2019; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) drives past Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

With a 2-8 record to start the first 10 games of the NBA season, it is no surprise that there is disappointment thus far in both the Knicks fan base and its front office. 

Following Sunday’s home game, Knicks president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry spoke their frustration to the media after being outclassed by the Cleveland Cavaliers. There seemed to be the feeling that both Mills and Perry were planning a change in the organization. 

Reports have surfaced that Steve Mills and the Knicks were angling to firing head coach, David Fizdale. It was too many people’s surprising considering the amount of talent that has been given to Coach Fizdale to work with. Regardless of the amount of talent on the team, the Knicks are still dead last in both free throw percentage and field goal percentage, and there seems to be no improvement in both areas.

David Fizdale is a very well respected coach throughout the league; he has been labeled as a “player-coach” and received high praise from future NBA Hall of Famers, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade. Current Knicks forward, Marcus Morris, came to support  Coach Fizdale, just last weekend. “I think it’s us, we’ve got to execute the game plan better. He’s been nothing but a great coach for us, he’s been giving us what we need”, Morris said given the loss handed by the Sacramento Kings.

Whether or not it is justified to put most of the blame to the Knicks dreadful start on Coach Fizdale, this can be a spark to the season that we are all hoping to see. Players on the Knicks have been supporting Fizdale since he first came into the franchise. Now in the wake of rumors of the potential departure of their coach, whom they respect, can they finally come together and rally behind their coach? Will there be a fire in this team that can come out onto the court and show what we’ve seen glimpses of in Thursday’s win over the Dallas Mavericks? Can they come in with the energy to play for their coach’s job, day in and day out? We’ve seen games last year, where the players won games for their coaches. Can they replicate that this year?

 

Mentioned in this article:

More about: