The New York Knicks may be faltering as of late but thus far, they have reached a point where no one expected them to be at.
And once a team loses, the head coach is put on the spot and so Derek Fisher is facing some kind of heat right now. One thing that is being brought out in the open is that Fisher is reportedly not well-versed on the Xs and Os and that the Knicks are (or were) getting it done courtesy of his assistant coaches.
Such could be the case in the early run which saw the Knicks make a surprise rise just when critics never gave them a chance. If the preseason calls are to be recalled, the Knicks were seen to be at the bottom part of the standings.
Right now, they are in 12th spot but are within striking distance. A few tweaks that results in wins could change their fortunes in a snap.
Sporting a 15–18 win–loss record as of this writing, the season isn't even yet in the halfway point for the Knicks and its fans to push the panic button. The Knicks could have fallen in the common slump teams have to deal with during a tournament and each time that happens, coaches and certain players take the blame.
With regards to Fisher, he is still a neophyte in the world of coaching even if it is already his sophomore year. Not all coaches were born overnight and Fisher is one who may need time to get used to his new role.
He showed his leadership and familiarity with the triangle offense during his playing days and that is one reason why Jackson picked him to preach the Zen Master's philosophy.
It may not be turning out great right now, but there are other factors to consider as well such as the proper manpower to fill up the spots to make the celebrated triangle offense work perfectly.
