Kerr: Jax moves not all aw-Phil
STEVE KERR looks like the smartest person in NBA history for turning down Phil Jackson’s offer to coach the Knicks in 2014, instead accepting the same position with the Golden State Warriors and winning two championships over the past three seasons.
Kerr’s team remained in New York for a couple of days after winning in Brooklyn on Sunday and practiced at St. John’s earlier this week before departing for Wednesday’s game in Oklahoma City. Kerr acknowledged he “felt bad for the way things ended” with the Knicks for Jackson, who was canned shortly after the NBA draft in June.
“It’s a hard league, man,” Kerr told reporters on Tuesday at St. John’s. “Things really have to fall (in your favor), you have to do a good job. But you also have to get some luck. Phil knows that better than anybody. You can be really lucky and inherit Michael Jordan, and you can also be unlucky and things don’t go your way.”
The Knicks went 80-166 during Jackson’s three years as team president, but Kerr believes his mentor and former coach from their days together with Jordan’s Bulls should be credited for some of the draft picks and moves he made while employed at the Garden.
“I think Phil did some good things here. Drafting (Kristaps) Porzingis and hiring Jeff Hornacek. I think (Frank) Ntilikina looks like a good player,” Kerr said. “It feels like they’re on a good path right now.”
CELEBRITY, WOAH!
Corresponding with the Knicks’ 10-7 start, the star-crazed atmosphere has returned to the Garden, and newcomer Enes Kanter and others certainly noticed Celebrity Row on Wednesday.
“I see this, the front row, all of these famous people, I came from Utah and Oklahoma City, we didn’t have much famous people around,” Kanter said. “Ben Stiller was there clapping, it just pumped me up seeing all of these famous people coming in and supporting us.”
Courtney Lee added that comedian Tracy Morgan told him “he’s been waiting years for a team like this, so you appreciate the fan support out there. It’s just fun.”
Kanther even took his sneakers off and gifted them to Morgan after the game.
THE WORM IS TURNING
Kanter only grabbed four rebounds in Wednesday’s win, but Raptors coach Dwane Casey likened the imported big man’s ability on the boards to Dennis Rodman, one of the greatest rebounders in league history.
“He is a handful…Just one guy, I don’t think, is going to box him out by himself because he’s like the old-school Rodman,” Casey said before the game. “Rodman goes to the boards, doesn’t even look for his offensive shot and that’s kind of Kanter.”
SICK FEELING
Joakim Noah was unavailable due to flu symptoms, but Hornacek said the big man “was going to be inactive anyway” for the fifth straight game since returning from a 20-game PED suspension.