David Fizdale Receives Vote Of Confidence From Dolan

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This sounds familiar, a New York head coach on the hot seat, receives a vote of confidence from the team owner. One week after Jets CEO Christopher Johnson said Adam Gase will return to the sideline next season, Knicks head coach David Fizdale says he received similar encouragement from James Dolan. “Every game, every game. Jim Dolan comes in and gives me a vote of confidence, a pat on my back and really has just been incredibly encouraging over the last year and a half or whatever it’s been,” Fizdale said. “All we talk about is just sticking to the process of making these guys better and building for a future of sustainable winning.”

James DolanUSA TODAY Images

Christopher Johnson showed support for his Jets' head coach while the team was sputtering, and shortly after fans broke out a chant of 'Fire Gase.' Fizdale similarly, has seen his seat get hotter after ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported dismissal of the Knicks' head coach is 'inevitable.'

The ESPN report came after Knicks president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry held an impromptu news conference expressing dissatisfaction regarding the current state of the team. Since the news conference, the Knicks have responded with improved play, winning two of their last four games. 

During the presser, Mills implied Dolan was unhappy with where the Knicks were at that time, saying, "he has the same kind of expectations that we have. And this is really about how we feel about what we should be doing, what we should be delivering as a group and we all take responsibility."

In their first 10 games this season, the Knicks were non-competitive during five of them. Since the Perry and Mills news conference, the team has lost by double-digits just once, even enjoying a blowout win of their own, beating the Cavaliers 123-105. For Fizdale to keep comfortable in his head coaching chair, the Knicks will need to show effort and progression from their young players.

After finding just four wins on the season through their first 14 games, their next ten contests will present a difficult task for the Knicks. With games against the 76ers, Raptors, Celtics, Bucks and Nuggets, the Knicks won't catch a break until playing the Golden State Warriors Dec. 11.