ORLANDO, Fla. — The Chris Duhon Knicks Era ends Wednesday in Toronto — and it will end with him reinstalled as the starting point guard. Mission was not accomplished, but coach Mike D’Antoni is defending Duhon to the bitter end.
Duhon was supposed to restore a winning culture to the Garden. That’s what Duhon predicted. That’s what D’Antoni promised. The Knicks coach begged team president Donnie Walsh to sign the career backup point guard as a free agent in the summer of 2008.
Stephon Marbury was a losing playing, D’Antoni believed. Duhon was a winner one. Two 50-loss seasons later, D’Antoni still won’t admit he was wrong about Duhon.
But Duhon isn’t too proud to acknowledge his failure on Broadway.
“I chose to come here,” said Duhon, who had one of his best shooting nights yesterday, scoring 13 points on 5-of-6 from the field. “I could’ve been in Orlando if I wanted to. And I chose to come here for the new opportunity, trying to bring this organization to new things. It was a challenge. And I obviously didn’t succeed in that. I won’t regret that at all.”
D’Antoni won’t come close to regretting the Duhon signing.
“We weren’t very good [but] you’re not going to get me to go there,” D’Antoni said before the Knicks were routed by the Magic 118-103 at Amway Arena to fall to 28-51. “We made all kinds of trades — with the plan we stuck to. It’s not fair to blame anybody. He’s had an up-and-down two years. A lot guys did.”
Orlando offered Duhon a contract to be Jameer Nelson’s backup. Orlando made the finals last season and might get there again.
“The decision came to starting and trying to bring this team back up, or playing behind Jameer and trying to win a championship,” Duhon said. “No regrets.”
Duhon said this with a smile, making it appear he was fibbing. The only thing that brought a genuine smile to his face this season was his Saints winning the Super Bowl and Duke capturing another title.
“It was the toughest thing for me because I hate losing,” Duhon said. “Sometimes it effects me because I take it so personally. Sometimes it got me down where I can’t play the way I normally play. I hate losing.”
Duhon, who was averaging 7.1 points, 5.5 assists while shooting a dreadful 35.5 percent from the field heading into last night, has started the last four games, replacing rookie Toney Douglas, who still is getting big minutes off the pine. He played a solid game yesterday, scoring 13 points and adding five assists.
Why D’Antoni isn’t just rolling exclusively with Douglas and Sergio Rodriguez is baffling. Douglas is a keeper for next season, and D’Antoni still is evaluating Rodriguez, a free agent who probably hasn’t shown enough to return.
Duhon will be elsewhere next season for much less than the full mid-level exception the Knicks lavished on him. “I’m smart,” Duhon said. “I understand the league. I would love to be back. It’s a great spot. What they’re trying to do with free agency and Mike’s vision and Donnnie’s vision, I want to be part of that. But obviously I don’t know if I am.”
The Knicks are committed to finding new point guards to go along with Douglas. Duhon said he expects he will get a job but won’t entertain European offers.
“I would never go overseas,” Duhon said. “I would take less to stay here [in the NBA].”
D’Antoni said he expects to see Duhon resurface, though likely as a backup.
“I do think he’s an NBA player, and there’s a role for him,” D’Antoni said. “Whether that role is here, we’ll see. I like Chris.”
No kidding.
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The Vince Carter matchup vs. Tracy McGrady was an expected rout. Carter outscored his cousin 25-6. If this was an Orlando audition for McGrady, it didn’t go well. He played just 21:42, scored six points and was 2-of-6 — two 3-pointers — from the field. He also got booed during intros as usual.
“My mom said if they boo you, they miss you,” McGrady said.
Carter said of McGrady future, “It’s his business. I stay out of it. He looked fine to me. I’m not the same either. I’m 33 now.
“I . . . wish him well. He’s my cousin.”
Center Earl Barron had eight points, 12 boards, two blocks, but Dwight Howard ruled (25 points, 11-for-14, 13 rebounds).