By Tennie Sumague
EBC New York Bureau
NEW YORK (Eagle News) – The humiliation continued for the New York Knicks and management. Their loyal fan base had seen enough.
After suffering a 44-point beatdown by the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, the Knicks were dismantled by the Denver Nuggets 129-92 Thursday night. New York’s second consecutive lopsided loss extended their losing streak to eight games and cost Head Coach David Fizdale and top assistant Keith Smart their jobs.
The Knicks kept up with the Nuggets in the first quarter and a half – down by six in the first and got within 37-36 early in the second. Denver ended on a 17-1 run to go up 67-45 at halftime and took charge in the second half, extending the Nuggets lead over the Knicks by as many as 43 points entering the fourth.
Loud boos became rampant. “Fire Fizdale” chants escalated and fans once again left the Garden in disappointment.
Overall, the Knicks looked lifeless on offense and their defense was abysmal, allowing the Nuggets, ranked 23rd in field goal percentage and 24th in three-point shooting percentage in the NBA, to record a season-high 21 shots from downtown. Denver’s bench outscored New York’s 73-54.
The firing of Fizdale did not come as a surprise for many. Last month after a blowout home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Knicks President Steve Mills and General Manager Scott Perry addressed the media on their discontentment with the team’s performance. The impromptu appearance of the two during the coach’s postgame interview was an inkling to Fizdale that his job was already in jeopardy.
Fans, however, put most of the blame on Mills, Perry, and Knicks owner James Dolan for their inconsistent management and direction.
“I don’t think Fizdale was the problem necessarily, just another scapegoat in a lost season,” said Patrick Palugod of Kenilworth, New Jersey. “Dolan, Perry, [and] Mills haven’t created an atmosphere where the stars in their prime want to play and they’ve had years of the same routine. Then they’re pressured into playing our temp vets just to make their off-season moves look intentional after striking out on bigger names. Fans wouldn’t be as mad with the current record if it was from development of our younger players to either increase their trade value or prove their long-term worth.”
The difficulty of being an NBA coach in America’s largest basketball market comes with great pressure as Nuggets coach Michael Malone said before Thursday’s game.
“I give Fiz credit. His job is a tough job. We all know that. That comes with this job and that comes with this city. But he [had] them playing hard. He [had] them fighting. And that’s something that I think he deserves credit for. Very tough, very physical, very hard playing team.”
Fizdale compiled an overall 21-83 record in less than two seasons with the Knicks, who replaced Jeff Hornacek in 2018. Assistant Mike Miller will serve as the team’s interim coach.
(Eagle News Service)