New York Knicks: It’s Mike Miller time at head coach

New York Knicks head coach David Fizdale has been entrenched in the hottest of hot seats following a disappointing start to the 2019 campaign. Is it possible the Knicks have a better option currently employed by the team?

New York Knicks assistant coach Mike Miller has risen from absolute basketball obscurity, beginning his hoops career as a member of the 1987 Lone-Star Conference champion East Texas State University. In 2015 Miller was hired as the head coach of the Westchester Knicks, signifying likely the highest stage in his accession through the coaching ranks. In the 28 years between Miller’s final minutes as a player and his arrival in Westchester, the veteran coach has witnessed the evolution of modern-day basketball firsthand and has demonstrated so in his team’s play-style.

The Westchester Knicks embody the offensive approach of many of the NBA’s elite squads. Miller’s group focuses on sticking to basketball’s two most logical ways to put the ball in the basket; the layup and the three-pointer. The G-League Knicks prioritize ball movement and continuity to outgun their opponents, exactly the strategy the Knicks had hoped to implement.

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Not only has Miller demonstrated the correct approach to cultivate a successful offense in today’s NBA, but his ability to connect to his players has proven instrumental in individual development. Miller’s ability to squeeze out maximum productivity from his players was evident in his receiving of the G – league coach of the year award for the 2017-18 season. After receiving the accolade, Miller’s players were unanimous in their belief that he deserved the award.

Former Knick John Jenkins‘ quote on his time under Miller was particularly telling towards the coach’s ability to impact the performance of his players:

"“I wasn’t surprised at all. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had in my professional career. He’s No. 1 as far as giving me an opportunity and challenging me every day. I owe tons of my success here to him. Sometimes in this league— NBA and professional in general— you’re only as good as your coach lets you be. He’s letting me go out there and play every night and puts me in situations for me to shine and that’s all I can ask for.”"

Mike Miller is essentially what we were all told David Fizdale would be, an enthusiastic players-coach capable of extracting production throughout a roster. This article is not an effort to proclaim Miller as the savior of New York basketball, but Fizdale has reached a point of no return. Why not promote Miller to head coach for the remainder of the season and see if he can impact the progression of the team’s young talent?

The Knicks will be a lottery team for the sixth consecutive year, yet the front office still has a chance to make something of this season. By instilling a coach potentially capable of modernizing the offense and willing to give minutes to the team’s recent draft picks, the 2019 campaign can still be saved. So Knicks fans, next time you take your seat at the Garden and the home squad is already trailing by twenty by the time you get your burger, “We want Miller” is not the dumbest chant we’ve ever done.