Mike D'Antoni resigned Wednesday as coach of the New York Knicks, who are in danger of missing the playoffs when he said they should contend for a championship.
Facing a late-season skid and continued questions about his relationship with Carmelo Anthony, D'Antoni put the Knicks through a morning workout, shortly before news broke that he was stepping down.
Knicks owner Jim Dolan said in a statement that he and D'Antoni "mutually agreed that it would be best for the organization if he did not continue in his role as coach of the Knicks."
New York has lost six in a row for the second time this season and has fallen into a tie for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. The decision came just hours after Anthony denied there was a rift with D'Antoni.
The Knicks have struggled since Anthony returned from a groin injury 10 games ago. There was speculation that he and D'Antoni did not get along, though the All-Star forward said Wednesday he supported the coach "100 percent."
The surprise resignation first was reported by Yahoo! Sports.
D'Antoni seemed in good spirits Wednesday morning at the team's training center and said players were, too. He acknowledged the media frenzy around the sinking club but believed the Knicks would handle it.
The New York Post reported in Wednesday's editions that Anthony would welcome a trade, which he denied at the team's shootaround. The report also said Anthony was unhappy in part because he believed D'Antoni and interim general manager Glen Grunwald do not trust him.
"You battle against it. I think we're cohesive enough to battle through this, and we expect to do that," he said.
Source: ESPN
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