David Fizdale to determine NY Knicks for successful season
David Fizdale reached out to his players early this summer, letting them know that conditioning was going to be crucial and they would need to be in peak physical shape.
Fizdale’s implementing a system that lets his players get out in transition and push the pace.
The challenge for his players has been to pick it up and execute it on the court, though Fizdale has given them the freedom to work through mistakes.
The Knicks will get a better gauge of how well they can run it on Monday night in the team’s preseason opener against the Wizards in Washington, D.C.
Trey Burke said it’s the fastest offense he’s played in. Trey Burke and the rest of the New York Knicks’ guards are looking to play fast.
“He wants us to get out and run and that plays to a lot of the guys’ strengths,” Burke said after Friday’s practice. “A lot of the personnel that we’ve got, we like to get out, we like to be able to create. He’s giving me the freedom to get in the lane, create for others and myself. That’s all you can ask for for a coach like him.”
Still, it’s been a lot of information to absorb.
“I still don’t have it all the way yet,” said Burke, who averaged 12.8 points in 36 games with the Knicks last season. “It’s only day [four], but when I go home obviously tonight going to watch film off the practice. I know it’s going to become easier to pick up.”
Burke is in the running for the Knicks’ starting point guard job, along with Emmanuel Mudiay and Frank Ntilikina.
Mudiay said Friday he shed about 10 or 15 pounds in the offseason as he got in better shape.
“Yeah I feel I’m in great shape right now,” Mudiay said. “Definitely got to keep it going, especially the way the coach wants to play this year all of us have to be in great shape. I feel like as far as being in shape we’re one of the best right now.”
Fizdale’s system also reflects his “positionless philosophy,” something that appeals to Mudiay.
“I like it because there’s really no position besides the ‘5’ man,” Mudiay said. “Everyone is out there and can handle the ball, everyone’s out there making plays. You don’t have just one position. You can go out there and play free.”
Fizdale has been adamant that he doesn’t want to label any of his guards as “point guards” or “shooting guards.” He instead considers them guards.
Still, his guards have a big responsibility in his system.
“My guards have to be an extension of me, all of them, because they’re all going to be handling, they’re going to be getting us organized,” Fizdale said this week. “The fastest guy to the ball a lot of times is going to get the ball. If I’ve got Trey and Frank on the court together whoever gets the ball first is the point guard. If you want to put positions on it that’s how they become the point guard. The other guy runs the wing, he just became a wing.”
Fizdale reiterated Friday that he would be hesitant to start Tim Hardaway Jr. or Courtney Lee at small forward because of the size disadvantage they would face.
“I’m not saying I won’t play them at the 3 but I just don’t want to start them there against – you’ve seen the 3’s in our league: Kawhi [Leonard], [Kevin Durant], [LeBron James], those dudes are huge,” Fizdale said. “We’re immediately at a disadvantage if I do that So I don’t think it’s fair to do that to them. We’ve got capable guys a little bit bigger that we can put in that position.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoPOLhmBOdl/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1je5bf4vi22w9
