TORONTO — Raptors first-year coach and former Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey got a big surprise when Knicks center Tyson Chandler presented him his championship ring in a ceremony before last night’s thrilling 90-87 Knicks win.
Casey got his ring in the mail Sunday, but the Raptors wanted to see a more public presentation, and who better than his defensive anchor with the Mavericks last season, Chandler, to give him the ring officially. Casey wasn’t told about the ceremony, which included video messages from Dallas’ Jason Kidd, coach Rick Carlisle and Dirk Nowitzki.
When Toronto visited Dallas last month, the rings weren’t ready. Chandler refused to look at the ring last night, wanting to wait until he receives his when the Knicks visit Dallas on March 6. The Mavericks are at the Garden on Sunday.
Casey was with the Mavericks coaching staff when Lin was with the Dallas’ summer-league team in 2010. Despite his domination of John Wall in Las Vegas, Casey said the Mavericks didn’t think he could play in the NBA at that time. They didn’t sign him, leaving him for Golden State.
“I don’t think he was quite ready,’’ Casey said. “He worked at his craft and got better. He did a good job in the summer league for us. He did a good that summer vs. Wall that got our attention at the time, but he wasn’t quite ready. Dallas, we had a numbers problem, too.’
“But he did a great job there,’’ Casey recalled. “He told me he wanted to be a preacher. I don’t know if that’s changed. I asked him, ‘Why are you a basketball player?’ He said it is his dream [to be an NBA player], and he’s living his dream.’
* Steve Van Zandt sat courtside last night next to ex-Knick Jerome Williams.