NEW YORK: Mike D'Antoni was introduced as the new coach of the New York Knicks here on Tuesday after signing a weekend deal to guide the struggling National Basketball Association squad.

D'Antoni, who coached the Phoenix Suns until they were ousted in the first round of the NBA playoffs, has a deal worth a reported $24 million over four years after also being courted by the NBA's Chicago Bulls.

"The only thing I can promise is that we're going to play hard and be exciting - put on your seat belt and let's go," D'Antoni said.

That's a lot to ask from a Knicks team that has endured seven losing seasons in a row, going 23-59 this season to equal the worst record in team history.

While D'Antoni has stressed a fast-paced and high-scoring style in Phoenix, the Knicks have struggled to be competitive at any pace and would seem ill prepared to adopt his usual strategy without a major roster overhaul.

"That seems to be a hot topic of conversation," D'Antoni said. "I know one thing for sure. (The Suns) averaged 58 wins per year for four years, so I know we had the best defensive team on the floor 58 times a year.

"I think the guys in Phoenix got a bad rap for not playing defense."

D'Antoni was given permission to explore other job options by the Suns after they lost to the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in the first round.

With D'Antoni landing another job, the Suns will not owe him the $4.5 million a season for each of the next two years under his old contract.

D'Antoni, a former NBA Coach of the Year, went 253-136 in more than four seasons with the Suns.

Donnie Walsh, the former Indiana Pacers executive who took over as president of the Knicks last month, fired Isiah Thomas as coach of the Knicks after he went 56-108 in two seasons.

The Knicks have a slower-paced attack with big men Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph and guard Stephon Marbury but D'Antoni had the Suns hoisting the ball to the hoop before the 24-second shot clock had ticked one-third of the way down.

"We were seven seconds or less," D'Antoni said. "The rule says it has to be 24 seconds or less. We can adjust to whatever we want."

Roster changes might come quickly. Report said that D'Antoni, who turned 57 last Thursday, will try to trade Marbury to the Suns in a bid to obtain Frenchman Boris Diaw or Brazil's Leandro Barbosa.

AFP

(China Daily 05/15/2008 page22)