DALLAS – Amidst the rubble of Tuesday’s pitiful loss in Oklahoma City, Mike D’Antoni went on a long rant yesterday, saying the club has a loser’s mentality and doesn’t grasp the principles of his speedball offense.
D’Antoni feels his once-vaunted offensive machine has turned into a jalopy as his Knicks are on pace for another 50-loss season.
They dropped to 13-20 after losing 107-99 to the Thunder (5-30).
“There really is something to be said about people playing in a losing situation for a while and get in bad habits,” D’Antoni said. “Bad habits you have to break and it takes time.”
The Knicks’ offense, once leading the league, has fallen to fourth at 103.9 points per game, with D’Antoni pointing out his “Seven Seconds or Less” attack has noticeably been creaking. He blamed it partly on Nate Robinson and Al Harrington playing too selfishly. The Knicks had just 13 assists Tuesday.
“We’re going to get back to running more, that’s on me,” D’Antoni said. “We got too much 1-on-1 playing. . . . We’re just jacking shots up sometimes.”
The Knicks face Dallas (21-13) tonight before finishing off their southwestern trip in Houston Saturday and New Orleans Monday. The three remaining opponents’ combined record was 63-38 entering last night.
D’Antoni’s Knicks, meanwhile, don’t appear serious about making the playoffs. Some players were giggling in the locker room Tuesday night after a game in which they fell behind by 23 points, the largest lead the Thunder has owned this season.
D’Antoni’s speedball has turned into selfish ball. Ironically, D’Antoni made his remarks just as 300-plus-pound center Eddy Curry, who does not fit into a speedy attack, planned to dress tonight and likely make his season debut.
The main culprits are Harrington and Robinson, who is in a horrific shooting slump (25 of 86 in the past six games). Robinson was a brutal 4-of-18 in Oklahoma City.
marc.berman@nypost.com