Knicks vs. Bucks: Postgame Grades and Analysis

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Oct 17, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; New York Knicks head coach Derek Fisher looks on during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Head Coach: Derek Fisher

Overall Grade: A+

Throughout the 2015 NBA offseason, Derek Fisher maintained that the abysmal 2014-15 campaign was a developmental experience. Phil Jackson tore the roster to shreds, thus giving Fisher an excusable learning curve.

According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, Fisher is significantly more comfortable in the role of head coach entering 2015-16.

"“I understand a lot more,” Fisher said. “Obviously there are coaches that understand a million times more than I do. But in terms of my comfort level personally, yes, I’m more comfortable in terms of what we need to focus on and be prepared for.”"

Against the Milwaukee Bucks, it showed.

Fisher made a number of timely substitutions in the first half, bringing on the likes of Kyle O’Quinn and Derrick Williams to breathe life into an otherwise corpse-like attack. He then trusted the second unit to dominate a vast majority of the rest of the game.

That they did.

After a poor start to the first quarter, Fisher’s coaching decisions helped win the game. He called a key time out when Milwaukee scored six straight points and cut the lead to 15 points in the fourth quarter, substituted Carmelo Anthony in to stop the bleeding and trusted the hot hand throughout.

It’s only one game, but Fisher is already looking like a significantly more competent coach.

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