NEW ORLEANS — Rookie lottery pick Austin Rivers, son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers, is part of the basketball resurgence in the Big Easy, with Anthony Davis as the cornerstone. The Hornets no longer are bolting town: They have a new popular owner in the Saints’ Tom Benson, a plan to refurbish their arena this offseason and recent four-year contract extensions for head coach Monty Williams and general manager Dell Demps.
But Rivers, whose Hornets face the Knicks tonight, sounds just like his gregarious coaching father in focusing on the present. He wants to win now and the Hornets (3-5) have lost three straight.
“It’s something being built here, but it’s something we can’t get caught up in all that,’’ Rivers told The Post yesterday. “Everybody’s caught up in we’re supposed to be the new up-and-coming team, the new young guys. That’s great, but we’ve lost the past [three] games. Every team has heard that and are tired of that. They’re going to come after us. We have to show resilience then we can become that and be whatever everybody says.’’
Austin Rivers, who is averaging 6.7 points and 2.7 assists as the starting shooting guard, said his father watches film of almost all his games on plane rides after watching Celtics tape. Doc also is in touch with Hornets coach Monty Williams, his former Spurs and Knicks teammate. The Hornets visit Boston on Jan. 16.
“He’s going to have to treat it like any other game,’’ the former Duke star said. “He’s going to come out and try to have me score zero points. At the same time, I’ll do everything I can to beat my dad. That will be a fun game.’’
* Williams on Carmelo Anthony playing power forward: “It’s one more thing you have to scout for. I’m sure everyone who scouts them wonders if they’re going to put my 4 on him or do I put my 3 on him. And if I put my 3 on him, do I put my 4 on their 3? It’s a dilemma for everybody. Carmelo is one of the few guys in the league who can do it from a starting position.’’
* Off to a 7-1 start, Mike Woodson said he is far from satisfied.
“I think we can improve all over the place,” the Knicks coach said. “I’m still trying to learn this team as the coach, and the players, they’re still trying to learn each other in terms of who does what on the floor. We’re still in that learning mode, we can improve across the board on both sides of the ball.”
* Former Knicks president Donnie Walsh, who attended Sunday’s Garden win over the Pacers, praised Anthony’s play on both ends of the court, raving about Anthony’s unselfishness and defense as much as his scoring ability. Anthony said he is focused on becoming more versatile.
“That was my motivation, especially coming off last season and the season before last, to approach this season as a new beginning for me,” he said. “My focus is extremely high right now. I have to lead by example.”
– With Zach Braziller