Mike D’Antoni could have the perfect opportunity for a last chance.
The former Knicks coach was linked to the Suns coaching job by ESPN three weeks ago — as pointed out by NJ.com — if it became available. It did on Sunday night when Phoenix fired coach Jeff Hornacek after the latest loss in a dreadful 14-35 start.
D’Antoni came to prominence with the Suns in the mid-2000s, when he led the team to four straight playoff trips, including the conference finals twice, by featuring a revolutionary speedball offense. But he has been unable to recreate the magic of his attack outside of Phoenix, where Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire and an array of 3-point shooters ran it to perfection.
D’Antoni and the Knicks parted ways after three and a half seasons and one brief playoff appearance. He only made it to a second year with the Lakers after they stunningly chose D’Antoni over Phil Jackson, while the Suns have gone through a string of coaches — Terry Porter, Alvin Gentry, Hornacek — who have been unable to replicate D’Antoni’s success.
The 64-year-old got back in the league in December when the 76ers hired him as their offensive coordinator under head coach Brett Brown.
The Suns said an interim coach would be in place by Tuesday. Assistant coaches Corey Gaines, Earl Watson and Nate Bjorkgren are to be interviewed Monday, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
The team’s two most experienced assistants, Jerry Sichting and Mike Longabardi, were fired in late December following a home loss to Philadelphia, the 76ers’ first road win in 24 games.
Hornacek coached the Suns for 2 1/2 seasons. His team had lost 10 of 11 games and 19 of its last 21. Phoenix is tied for the fourth-worst record in the NBA and is headed for a franchise-record sixth consecutive season without making the playoffs.
Phoenix plays its next five games, and nine of its next 10, at home. The Suns host Toronto on Tuesday night.
This year’s team was expected to contend for the playoffs, but there were problems from the start when forward Markieff Morris said he wanted to be traded after the team dealt twin brother Marcus to Detroit in the offseason.
The Suns’ best player, Eric Bledsoe, tore knee cartilage in the loss to Philadelphia and is out for the season. Point guards Brandon Knight and Ronnie Price also have been sidelined with injuries in recent weeks.
That left youngsters Archie Goodwin, Devin Booker and T.J. Warren in starting roles. The team’s top free-agent acquisition, center Tyson Chandler, has battled injury problems and has not been the veteran help the team envisioned.
And the losses mounted at an alarming rate.
The firing came after Phoenix’s 91-78 loss at Dallas on Sunday night, the Suns’ 14th straight defeat on the road, tied for second longest in franchise history.
With AP