Isiah Thomas fired as Knicks coach

by Jarrett Martineau | April 18, 2008 at 02:34 pm

400 views | 0 Recommendations | 0 comments

Too bad for ol' Isiah, but just look at what the Knicks accomplished: seven straight losing seasons and a franchise record for losses this past season.

NEW YORK — Isaiah Thomas was fired as coach of the New York Knicks on Friday after a season of listless and dreadful basketball, a tawdry lawsuit and unending chants from fans demanding Thomas' dismissal.

Thomas, the coach for two seasons, will remain with the organization reporting directly to new president Donnie Walsh, a rapid fall for Thomas who also was team president a little more than two weeks ago.

Walsh took over that role April 2, and his first big decision was to change coaches as he begins the process of turning around a team that never won a playoff game in Thomas' tenure.

"I just believe a new voice, a new coach, is necessary to change the direction of the team," Walsh said.

The Knicks finished 23-59, matching the franchise record for losses, in their seventh straight losing season.

"I can't tell you really where we failed," Walsh said. "The bottom line is we haven't won, and the team didn't look like it was motivated to try to win."