Kurt Rambis: Goal is to get Knicks to playoffs
Losers of nine of their last 10, the New York Knicks are fading quickly from the Eastern Conference playoff race, but interim head coach Kurt Rambis still has lofty goals for the stretch run.
"If we're healthy, yes," Rambis answered when asked if the current version of the Knicks has enough talent to win, at his first media gathering following Derek Fisher's dismissal.
The 23-31 Knicks have actually been one of the NBA's five healthiest teams this season, according to mangameslost.com, although the Knicks are 0-7 without All-Star Carmelo Anthony in the lineup.
Related: Carmelo Anthony: Knee soreness is here for the long haul
New York enters the week five games out of the last East playoff spot, but Knicks' fans hoping the team would turn its attention to asset collection may be disappointed by Rambis' comments.
Rambis says goal is to get the Knicks into the playoffs. Says he's been around too long to worry abt trying to secure the HC job long-term
— Chris Herring (@HerringWSJ) February 8, 2016
It shouldn't come as much of a shock the message revolves around the postseason chase, however, given the Knicks don't own a first-round draft pick to bottom-out for this summer.
One thing that became clear during Rambis' first media session is the Knicks may once again become more triangle-dependent. Under Fisher, the Knicks appeared to slowly move away from the offensive system that's become a staple of any Phil Jackson team.
With a hurting Anthony and an outdated system, the Knicks will be hard-pressed to make up ground on rival playoff contenders, but Rambis at least sounds the part of confident head coach, despite the franchise's rare taste of success over the last 15 years.
Kurt Rambis calls the Knicks a franchise and fan base that is used to winning. He's still kind of new here.
— Brian Mahoney (@briancmahoney) February 8, 2016