New York Knicks: Five Christmas gifts fans have received in 2018-19

3. A refreshing face at head coach

The New York Knicks, before hiring David Fizdale, had 11 head coaches since 2000. Only Mike D’Antoni made it through three full seasons, and he resigned in his fourth year on the job. It made this one of the most unstable roles in the NBA.

Fizdale has over two full seasons to coach before he approaches D’Antoni’s mark. But, through 34 games, his presence has provided a fresh face that fans should appreciate.

Fizdale, publicly, has shown belief and support for his players. One of them, Emmanuel Mudiay, rose up from three underwhelming seasons and followed up on his head coach’s promise with surprising play in the starting lineup.

When criticism arose for Kevin Knox and Frank Ntilikina, both of whom faced struggles, Fizdale defended them:

"“No, [I didn’t see the story], but I think I’ve got a 19-year-old and a 20-year-old trying to figure out the NBA, the league that’s full of the absolute best players in the world, the best coaches in the world, doing it in the absolute toughest market in America. Give them a break,” he said following practice. “These guys are learning on the fly. Whoever’s criticizing them, let me know how many people can become great at 19 and 20 while they’re being punched in the face and they’re learning it all at the same time. I don’t hear those critics.”"

Supporting these players, Knox and Ntilikina eventually returned with breakout games, and the former has taken a spot in the starting lineup.

Why is this all refreshing? It’s a Knicks coach developing a relationship with his players, rather than public spats that plagued this organization through multiple tenures. Limiting this spotlight, at least for now, has moved New York into the background, while it develops a basketball team that wins games in the next few seasons.

Fizdale is at the face of it all, and that’s a gift in itself for Knicks fans through the first part of 2018-19.