AP
Posted: 4:38 am
July 19, 2008
LAS VEGAS - It didn't take long for Mike D'Antoni to lose his loyalty to the Suns.
All it took was an NBA Summer League victory yesterday by the coach's Knicks over the Suns to do the trick.
"It's already canceled out," D'Antoni said after the Knicks' 85-80 win. "I've moved on."
D'Antoni, who went 253-136 in five seasons with the Suns, hasn't coached his new club yet - leaving summer league duties to assistant coach Phil Weber. So far, D'Antoni likes what he has seen of his team while watching from the reserved section on the far side of the court.
The Knicks have gone 2-1, largely behind the scoring of Wilson Chandler, who is fourth in summer league scoring with a 22.3 average, and the passing of Mardy Collins, who is fourth with 5.3 assists per game.
Chandler scored 31 points against the Suns, and Collins added 13 points and seven assists.
D'Antoni has been able to detach himself from the Suns because he currently is an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic basketball team.
"It's only three games," D'Antoni said of the Knicks' summer schedule. "You're not going to see that [great improvement from any players]. It's a long process. . . . It takes at least a month."
Danilo Gallinari did not and won't play in Las Vegas again due to a sore lower back.
"There's no use rushing him,'' D'Antoni said.
SUMMER LEAGUE Knicks 85 Suns 80
