NBA

Knicks fire coach Derek Fisher

Go, Fish.

Knicks president Phil Jackson fired coach Derek Fisher on Monday just 1½ seasons into a losing run on the sideline.

Fisher, 41, oversaw a 17-65 disaster last season — the worst finish in team history — and had the Knicks at 23-31 this season following nine losses in their past 10 games. He exits with a .294 winning percentage (40-96), the second-worst in franchise history.

Kurt Rambis, a former Phil Jackson aide with the Lakers and head coach for the Timberwolves, will become the interim coach for the remainder of the season and audition for the full-time job.

Jackson talked Monday about the Knicks’ recent losing streak, but also pointedly mentioned how Fisher did not take advantage of the experience on his coaching staff in triangle gurus Rambis and Jim Cleamons. Perhaps Jackson was also referring to himself as an asset Fisher didn’t utilize enough, referring to their short emails.

Jackson also credited his buddy Rambis for his “levity’’ — an indication the Zen Master thought the poker-faced Fisher was too tightly wound, which didn’t serve a sliding club well.

“I was able to surround him with very experienced coaches,’’ Jackson said. “If he didn’t take advantage of that, maybe that’s part of that. Kurt, Jim Cleamons, some of the guys that have had detailed experience. Derek hired some young guys that helped him and have good work ethics. There really wasn’t a consensus in our staff.’’

Regarding their communication, Jackson said: “We had a line of communication. A lot of times it was one way, and I understand. A lot of times the communication was through written emails and he sent me back a short note — ‘got it’ or ‘will get on it.'”

Jackson also mentioned a time when he wanted a group film sessions with the coaches and some of them “weren’t notified.”

Jackson added it was a bottom-line issue of the Knicks’ sagging record.

Knicks interim coach Kurt Rambis runs practice after being promoted on Feb. 8.AP

“There’s a way for them to play better that we should see,” Jackson said in his first remarks since three days before training camp. “It’s a lot easier to fire the coach than the 15 players. It’s nine losses out of the last 10 games.

“It’s a business of winning. Derek was prepared and took the job seriously. I know it’s a relief for him, taking away the stress of the job. It’s also a person I have a long relationship with. But it’s time for us to make a change to turn this team around and get some wins.”

Tom Thibodeau, a perennial playoff coach with the Bulls and former Knicks assistant coach, is the hottest name on the market, but is a Jeff Van Gundy protégé, which could hurt his candidacy with Jackson.

Warriors assistant Luke Walton, who once passed on a chance to join Fisher’s staff, is another big name to watch after his brilliant job subbing for Steve Kerr.

Former Nuggets coach Brian Shaw should be another candidate. Jackson preferred Shaw to Fisher after getting spurned by Kerr, a source told The Post, but Shaw was employed in Denver at the time and Fisher was hired.

Jackson made several hints he still would look for someone who shares his triangle philosophy, which doesn’t bode well for Mark Jackson.

“It’s always good to have a relationship. It’s not paramount,” Jackson said of hiring from within his coaching tree. “Someone has to match the style of the way we do things. I don’t know if all those [coaching free agents] measure up to that because I don’t know them well enough.’’

Rambis, if he logs a winning record, could be retained.

“I don’t look at it as an interim tag,’’ Rambis said. “We get along great, we’re friends.’’

For his part, Jackson said: “We’re not in a coaching hunt looking for anybody else.’’

When asked about Thibodeau, Jackson grew agitated.

“I respect Tom as a coach,’’ Jackson said. “He’s a really good coach. But I’m not soliciting. Have I said I’m soliciting coaches right now?’’

Fisher with rookie phenom Kristaps PorzingisCharles Wenzelberg

Fisher had taken some blame for the Knicks’ recent skid after Sunday’s lackluster loss to the visiting Denver Nuggets.

“Overall, it’s a lack of readiness mental or physical,’’ Fisher said. “I’ll take some responsibility for whatever isn’t happening so we’re ready to play right at the tipoff.’’

Fisher also made questionable recent comments downplaying the Knicks’ playoff chances and blasting prospective free-agent point guard Rajon Rondo.

Jackson talked up Rambis as a coach who can add some lightness to the proceedings – which is where Fisher may have failed.

“He has a lot of games under his belt,’’ Jackson said. “There is a certain amount of levity to Kurt, as you see him dealing with referees. He likes to make a joke, he is a little more relaxed in his approach to life and finds life humorous and fun in many ways. It is a serious business, but not that serious. We say games are supposed to be fun, and Kurt brings that attitude.’’

Jackson stunned many when he gave Fisher a five-year, $20 million-plus deal in June 2014, but not all of the contract is guaranteed.

Fisher’s ties to Jackson and familiarity with the triangle offense were pointed to as keys to the move. He played under Jackson for 10 years with the Lakers, winning five NBA titles.

A source said the call to fire Fisher was Jackson’s alone, though he needed sign-off from ownership to eat the remaining millions on Fisher’s contract.

Fisher’s tenure also was marred by an ugly public relations mess in October, when Page Six reported he got into a fight with Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes. Fisher had become romantically involved with Barnes’ estranged wife, Gloria Govan, prompting Barnes to attack Fisher at Govan’s Los Angeles home. Fisher missed the following training-camp practice. Barnes was suspended two games after an NBA investigation into the altercation.

“No one’s happy about that. It was embarrassing for us and Derek,” Jackson said. “But that had nothing to do with what’s happened here today.”

Jackson said before the season Fisher’s challenge was using the array of personnel on the roster, and Fisher never settled on any kind of steady rotation. The Post reported in late December some players considered Fisher more a “preacher” than a strategist.

Rambis is more experienced than Fisher in teaching the triangle, and the interim boss admitted things had slid.

“It doesn’t matter what offensive system you run, [it] has to be execution, precision, player movement, ball movement,’’ Rambis said. “We’d gotten away from that. A lot of it has to do, in my opinion, we didn’t practice it enough to build it up with our guys.’’

Rambis admitted Fisher had a big challenge after leaping into coach just nine days after retiring.

“It’s a huge transition from a player to a coach,’’ Rambis said. “At any point — let alone the season you retire — to go from playing, it was a very difficult situation. I think he’s going to reflect on what he learned about the situation and things he could do better.’’

Additional reporting by Zach Braziller