The Knicks and Mavericks are examples of what coaching changes can do – the good and the bad.
The two teams meet tonight at Madison Square Garden with two very different experiences early in the season under new leadership. While the Knicks have been invigorated by their coaching change, the Mavs are struggling to adjust.
At 6-3 and routinely putting up triple digits, the Knicks are feeling good about themselves and their new coach, Mike D’Antoni. The Mavs, meanwhile, limp into the Garden at 2-6, losers of five straight with Rick Carlisle at the helm.
“They have a new coach, new system,” D’Antoni said. “It’s going to take a little while, but when you’ve got Nowitzki and Josh Howard and Jason Terry and Jason Kidd, they’re pretty good.
“It just takes a while some time to adjust to a completely different style, but they’ll get it.”
D’Antoni’s team seems to have gotten it much quicker. The Knicks romped Memphis last week then held on Friday night to beat Oklahoma City after opening up a big lead. They have embraced D’Antoni’s freewheeling style and are making the dismal memories of the Isiah Thomas era disappear with every win.
“I think it gives the fans hope,” Knicks guard Jamal Crawford said. “It gives our team confidence because 6-3 is pretty good right now. We’re not even 10 games into the season and we’re jelling pretty fast. You figure you’ll get better as the season goes along.”
The Mavs hope that is the case. The current five-game skid is their longest since 2000. Dallas has been one of the top teams in the West for the last decade, but this season has been rough so far. Carlisle replaced Avery Johnson, who led them to the NBA Finals in 2006.
Tonight marks the return of Jason Kidd to the metropolitan area. Dallas acquired him last year in February from the Nets, but the team has not gotten the boost they hoped from the veteran point guard. The Mavs are 19-24 since the trade.
D’Antoni watched Kidd up close this summer when the two were part of the U.S. Olympic team.
“He’s a terrific leader and playmaker,” D’Antoni said. “He’s [been] one of the best, if not the best, for a long time. He hasn’t slowed down any. I do know that.”
The job of slowing him down falls on Chris Duhon.
“He’s a Hall of Famer so every game you’ve got to bring your best game,” Duhon said. “For years, he’s been doing it the right way and he does a great job. That’s going to be a good challenge for me to try to neutralize that.”
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F Quentin Richardson was sent home from practice yesterday with an upper respiratory infection. He is probable for tonight’s game. . . . C Jerome James, who has not played this season, missed yesterday’s practice due to personal reasons and will not be at tonight’s game. Mavs PG Jose Juan Barea of Puerto Rico will be honored by the Latino Sports Writers and Broadcasters Association today at Sofrito restaurant in Manhattan.