So maybe it wasn’t Hampton beating Manhattan, but the Knicks upending the world champion Spurs was a shocker.
It left coach Derek Fisher feeling positive about his woebegone Knicks, knowing, as he put it, that they had such a performance in them.
But Fisher also felt a tinge of “where the heck was all this before?” As always, Fisher chose the upbeat view, although he admitted there was a shake-the-head quality about the victory. As a player, he could do something about it on the court. As a coach, he must hope players get his message from the sidelines.
“This is my first year, but, in my opinion, that’s the most frustrating part of being a coach: you’re not out there,” Fisher said at the Knicks’ Tarrytown facility Wednesday when the team had a recovery day following Tuesday’s 104-100 overtime victory against the Spurs. “So you’re trying to impart some knowledge and wisdom and thoughts and experiences onto your players.
“A lot of times, you see things in them that they’re still trying to discover in themselves. Being a guy that was just in that position a year ago at this date, there are a lot of things I can relate to and I can offer. Everybody’s not always at a certain place in their journey at the same time [but] hopefully we can continue to grow together so more guys are farther along and we can do things like last night 50 or 60 times in a season as opposed to what we’ve experienced this season.”
Anything is better than this season which already has 50, headed for 60, losses.
All that left Spurs coach Gregg Popovich calling his team’s effort “pathetic.” Popovich stressed there was not enough respect for the game or the opponent from the champs. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Knicks became the first NBA team ever to enter a game with a sub-.200 winning percentage (.197) at least 60 games into season and beat a defending champion.
A gander at the Knicks’ schedule shows Minnesota at home Thursday and then the 76ers in Philadelphia Friday. Figure the Knicks could get cocky. After all, they’re facing bad teams, not champion-slayers like themselves.
Fisher seemed horrified at the notion the Knicks would overlook anyone, especially after they apparently did just that recently.
“I don’t know if the guys feel like we should win. But I do know that coming off good wins against Detroit and Toronto a couple weeks ago, we didn’t handle that really well,” said Fisher whose Knicks followed those wins over the Pistons and Raptors by being nipped by the Kings, 124-86, and losing a 105-82 heartbreaker to the Pacers as part of a five-game losing funk. “Maybe the guys did take a step back. Maybe they did feel too good about what they learned at the time. Hopefully we learned from that.
“I don’t think any of us are in a position to overlook or disrespect an opponent,” Fisher added, noting the Knicks are embarking on a seven-games-in-10-nights adventure and likely “we won’t even know where we are. So we have to show up and play every night the best we can.”
Popovich praised Fisher and said watching the rookie coach “all year long is a really impressive thing.”
Fisher said praise from Popovich means something, especially given their history.
“Respect is something that is earned and not always just given,” Fisher said. “That’s always good that people that have meant to so much to the game and accomplished so much, they observe certain things that you do.”
Fisher noted he and Popovich “have a very strange relationship because we have literally cost each other a lot. A lot has been at stake over the years when we kind of played against each other. Last night’s game was probably the least meaningful game we have ever played against each other.”
There’s nothing new on the Jose Calderon front. The guard has missed 11 games with an Achilles ailment and hopes to return before season’s end. … Fisher said he doubts Tim Hardaway Jr. (wrist) or Cleanthony Early (ankle) would play Thursday. He hopes they are ready Friday.