Blood In The Garden
Blood In The Garden
Reserve One
Blood In The Garden
Reserve Two
Blood In The Garden
Reserve Three
Blood In The Garden
Now the Hard Part for Riley: Coaching Knicks
By Clifton Brown
June 1, 1991
Lured by the challenge and unable to resist the opportunity, Pat Riley has returned to coaching, confident he can return the Knicks to glory.
Ending weeks of speculation and arduous negotiations, the 46-year-old Riley was officially introduced as the Knicks' head coach at a news conference at Madison Square Garden yesterday afternoon. Never has a Knicks coach arrived accompanied by as much of a buildup, or saddled with as much expectation.
Having coached the Los Angeles Lakers to four National Basketball Association championships during the 1980's, Riley has credentials and box-office charisma unmatched by anyone else the Knicks could have hired. Those qualities cost the Knicks millions, making Riley the highest-paid coach in league history. Big Investment
The Knicks refused to disclose details of the contract but two people close to the negotiations, who insisted on anonymity, said Riley had signed a five-year contract worth $1.2 million per year, plus incentives that could increase his yearly income to $1.5 million.
By investing that kind of money in Riley, Paramount Communications, which owns the Knicks, along with the team's president, Dave Checketts, and vice president of player personnel, Ernie Grunfeld, obviously believe that Riley will help the Knicks regain status as one of the league's elite franchises. Now it is Riley's mission to prove he can do it.
With a 533-194 record in nine seasons with the Lakers, Riley has the highest winning percentage (.733) of any N.B.A. coach in history. He will be taking over a team mired in mediocrity last season, finishing at 39-43 before being swept out of the playoffs by Chicago. The Knicks have won only two championships in their history, in 1970 and 1973.
"I'm not concerned about the pressure," said Riley, who left a $400,000-a-year job as an NBC analyst to become the Knicks' sixth coach in six years. "That's part of the job. I don't want it to be easy. It won't be easy. But I don't like losing. I don't accept losing. And I don't want to be a part of losing.
"I consider this to be a great opportunity. As a player and as a coach, coming to Madison Square Garden was always special. It was an event. Whether it takes a year or two to get to that point, we want that atmosphere to come back to New York." Says He Would Have Applied
The tradition of the Knicks and the prestige of coaching them are important to Riley. He said he would not have left NBC for any other job. Asked if he would have called the Knicks if the Knicks had not called him, Riley said, "Yes, I probably would have."
"Eventually, I believe people go back to doing what they do best," Riley said. "I realize that I'm a coach. I don't believe I was as bad on TV as some of the first reviews I read said I was. But I guess my future was probably always going to be coaching."
Checketts said he sensed Riley's willingness to return three weeks ago, when he first contacted Riley to see if he would be interested in replacing John MacLeod, who left after the season to coach at Notre Dame.
"I could see the fire was still there," Checketts said. "After our initial meeting, it didn't take long for me to feel confident that this was the right coach, at the right time, for the Knicks.
"This city is so big, with so many people, and so much pressure to win, you almost need someone who's big enough to handle it all. New York deserves to have the best. And I think Pat Riley is the best man for the job."
Trent Tucker, the Knicks guard, said of Riley: "He gives the Knicks something we need: instant credibility. He'a a proven winner, someone you have to respect. I always felt he was the guy the Knicks would go after. It's a perfect fit."
Riley has not named his staff, but it is believed Lakers assistant Randy Pfund will join the Knicks after the playoffs. Paul Silas, a current Knicks assistant, has the inside track for the other position.
Riley avoided questions concerning what personnel changes the Knicks need to make. But he makes no secret that he is an admirer of Patrick Ewing, the Knicks' All-Star center. And with Checketts in the midst of contract negotiations with Ewing, it is obvious that Ewing fits into New York's long-term plans.
"I think Patrick is a great warrior," Riley said. "I know how tough he is. I don't think he's frustrated with New York. I just think he has a great desire to win. I know the value of having a great center. I think the Knicks have nothing but an upside, as far as which direction they can go."
When Riley resigned as the Lakers' coach last year, he reportedly fell out of favor with several players who felt he was too demanding. Riley said he may change some of his practice routines to try to make things more interesting, but the core of his coaching philosophy remains the same. He is an intense coach and an intense competitor.
"I think players demand discipline," Riley said. "I'm not a dictatorial coach, despite what has been said and written. But I don't think there's one New York Knick player who wants to spend eight months fooling around. If you want to fool around, then go to the Y.M.C.A.
"I'd have to think that all of the Knicks are tired of what they went through last year. There's no substitute for winning."
By Clifton Brown
June 1, 1991
Lured by the challenge and unable to resist the opportunity, Pat Riley has returned to coaching, confident he can return the Knicks to glory.
Ending weeks of speculation and arduous negotiations, the 46-year-old Riley was officially introduced as the Knicks' head coach at a news conference at Madison Square Garden yesterday afternoon. Never has a Knicks coach arrived accompanied by as much of a buildup, or saddled with as much expectation.
Having coached the Los Angeles Lakers to four National Basketball Association championships during the 1980's, Riley has credentials and box-office charisma unmatched by anyone else the Knicks could have hired. Those qualities cost the Knicks millions, making Riley the highest-paid coach in league history. Big Investment
The Knicks refused to disclose details of the contract but two people close to the negotiations, who insisted on anonymity, said Riley had signed a five-year contract worth $1.2 million per year, plus incentives that could increase his yearly income to $1.5 million.
By investing that kind of money in Riley, Paramount Communications, which owns the Knicks, along with the team's president, Dave Checketts, and vice president of player personnel, Ernie Grunfeld, obviously believe that Riley will help the Knicks regain status as one of the league's elite franchises. Now it is Riley's mission to prove he can do it.
With a 533-194 record in nine seasons with the Lakers, Riley has the highest winning percentage (.733) of any N.B.A. coach in history. He will be taking over a team mired in mediocrity last season, finishing at 39-43 before being swept out of the playoffs by Chicago. The Knicks have won only two championships in their history, in 1970 and 1973.
"I'm not concerned about the pressure," said Riley, who left a $400,000-a-year job as an NBC analyst to become the Knicks' sixth coach in six years. "That's part of the job. I don't want it to be easy. It won't be easy. But I don't like losing. I don't accept losing. And I don't want to be a part of losing.
"I consider this to be a great opportunity. As a player and as a coach, coming to Madison Square Garden was always special. It was an event. Whether it takes a year or two to get to that point, we want that atmosphere to come back to New York." Says He Would Have Applied
The tradition of the Knicks and the prestige of coaching them are important to Riley. He said he would not have left NBC for any other job. Asked if he would have called the Knicks if the Knicks had not called him, Riley said, "Yes, I probably would have."
"Eventually, I believe people go back to doing what they do best," Riley said. "I realize that I'm a coach. I don't believe I was as bad on TV as some of the first reviews I read said I was. But I guess my future was probably always going to be coaching."
Checketts said he sensed Riley's willingness to return three weeks ago, when he first contacted Riley to see if he would be interested in replacing John MacLeod, who left after the season to coach at Notre Dame.
"I could see the fire was still there," Checketts said. "After our initial meeting, it didn't take long for me to feel confident that this was the right coach, at the right time, for the Knicks.
"This city is so big, with so many people, and so much pressure to win, you almost need someone who's big enough to handle it all. New York deserves to have the best. And I think Pat Riley is the best man for the job."
Trent Tucker, the Knicks guard, said of Riley: "He gives the Knicks something we need: instant credibility. He'a a proven winner, someone you have to respect. I always felt he was the guy the Knicks would go after. It's a perfect fit."
Riley has not named his staff, but it is believed Lakers assistant Randy Pfund will join the Knicks after the playoffs. Paul Silas, a current Knicks assistant, has the inside track for the other position.
Riley avoided questions concerning what personnel changes the Knicks need to make. But he makes no secret that he is an admirer of Patrick Ewing, the Knicks' All-Star center. And with Checketts in the midst of contract negotiations with Ewing, it is obvious that Ewing fits into New York's long-term plans.
"I think Patrick is a great warrior," Riley said. "I know how tough he is. I don't think he's frustrated with New York. I just think he has a great desire to win. I know the value of having a great center. I think the Knicks have nothing but an upside, as far as which direction they can go."
When Riley resigned as the Lakers' coach last year, he reportedly fell out of favor with several players who felt he was too demanding. Riley said he may change some of his practice routines to try to make things more interesting, but the core of his coaching philosophy remains the same. He is an intense coach and an intense competitor.
"I think players demand discipline," Riley said. "I'm not a dictatorial coach, despite what has been said and written. But I don't think there's one New York Knick player who wants to spend eight months fooling around. If you want to fool around, then go to the Y.M.C.A.
"I'd have to think that all of the Knicks are tired of what they went through last year. There's no substitute for winning."
Blood In The Garden
1991-1992 New York Knicks Roster
Blood In The Garden
Ewing drops 46 and 20 as Knicks stomp Magic on opening night
November 1, 1991
STARKS HITS A JUMPER IN THE FOURTH QUARTER
@ 
130 - 88
NYK(1-0)|36|34|28|32|130
ORL(0-1)|33|13|16|26|88
November 1, 1991
STARKS HITS A JUMPER IN THE FOURTH QUARTER
@ 130 - 88
NYK(1-0)|36|34|28|32|130
ORL(0-1)|33|13|16|26|88
Knicks Key Players
P. Ewing - 46Pts, 20Reb, 4Ast, 1Stl, 1Blk
X. McDaniel - 21Pts, 2Reb, 4Ast
J. Starks - 16Pts, 1Reb, 4Ast
C. Oakley - 12Pts, 9Reb, 1Ast
G. Wilkins - 10Pts, 4Reb, 4Ast, 1Stl
M. Jackson - 6Pts, 12Ast, 2Stl
Magic Key Players
S. Skiles - 27Pts, 1Reb, 11Ast
D. Scott - 17Pts, 2Reb, 1Ast
J. Reynolds - 12Pts, 1Reb
N. Anderson - 10Pts, 7Reb, 7Ast
1-0
Next Game:
@ 0-0 | 1-0
Blood In The Garden
46 & 20 
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Captain Canada
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- Joined: 01 Dec 2018, 00:15
Blood In The Garden
Just abusing those poor man in the post with Ewing 