The struggling Knicks fire head coach Derek Fisher in an attempt to revive their once-promising season, as NY1's Dario Melendez reports.
The Derek Fisher era in New York is over. On Monday, Fisher was fired as the Knicks head coach just a year and a half into the 5-year, $25 million contract he signed before last season, to become the 26th head coach in franchise history.
"It's time for us to make a change , turn this team around and move forward and get some wins and keep going down the road we had started here at the beginning of the year," said Knicks General Manager Phil Jackson.
Derek Fisher led the Knicks to a 22-22 record and to within a game of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, through the first 44 games of the season.
But since, the Knicks have gone 1-9, falling a season-high eight games under .500.
"I think his nine losses out of the last ten games, I think it's the business of winning," Jackson said. "I think that you know obviously there are some games in which we didn't get off to very good start recently, and you know but I think Derek was prepared, I think he took this business seriously , I think he was a dedicated worker so some of that onus is on players and I let them know that today."
Jackson also told the players on Monday here at the Knicks training facility that assistant coach Kurt Rambis would be promoted to interim head coach for the remainder of the season
"I have complete confidence in his ability to coach this team, and he's had plenty of experience," Jackson said.
"I've got to do things my way," Rambis said. "I've got to do the things the way that I feel is going to be right for this team at this particular juncture and I've got to feel comfortable and doing it the way that I want to do it and a lot of that is just challenging players holding them accountable
But for now the only thing Rambis and the Knicks are worrying about is their next opponent, The Wizards, Tuesday night at the Garden.