One week after his signing shocked the NBA world, Mike D'Antoni will make his highly anticipated debut as the new coach of the Los Angeles Lakers (5-5) tonight against the Brooklyn Nets (6-2) at the Staples Center.
D'Antoni, who the Lakers hired on Nov. 12 days after firing head coach Mike Brown for the team's 1-4 start, has been delaying appearing on the sidelines for the Lakers as he recovered from knee replacement surgery. Originally, he was scheduled to debut Sunday during the Lakers win over the Houston Rockets, but his wife and team trainer Gary Vitti convinced him to postpone it so he could continue his post-surgical recovery.
"Knee replacement is serious stuff," Kobe Bryant told NBA.com. "We just want him to take his time."
However, it appears he's set to go for his debut at the Staples Center tonight in front of the Lakers faithful.
"I'm too psyched up and too ready to go," D'Antoni told reporters after shootaround Tuesday. "I'll get through this; it's no big deal."
Coming off a coaching stint in New York, D'Antoni's hiring stunned many around the league, particularly as the Lakers were said to have been close to a deal to bring back ex-Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who coached the Lakers to five world championships in the last decade.
The D'Antoni hiring has been greeted with both praise and skepticism from basketball fans and analysts. Lakers legend Magic Johnson, who has openly admitted to rooting for Jackson's hiring, saying Tuesday on ESPN's "Mike and Mike" radio program that he was hopeful-but unsure-regarding D'Antoni's ability to bring a championship to the Lakers with his offense style.
"I think what he wants to incorporate a spread type offense, make sure that the spacing is there, to make sure the creators can now get their shot," Johnson said. "That's going to really affect Steve Nash's game in a positive way. It helps Gasol, it helps Dwight Howard, but the Lakers really need more outside shooting for this offense to really do well.
After Brown's departure, the Lakers have won four of five games, scoring more than 100 points. In the last two, under the influence of D'Antoni-who made his reputation in the league for his fast-paced fast break offense that won him the 2004-05 NBA Coach of the Year award in Phoenix--the Lakers has averaged 116.5 points a game.
Although he still has several months of rehab left for his knee, D'Antoni said he wanted to start his coaching tenure on the Lakers' home court tonight.
"If I don't do it today, why do it tomorrow? And then we go on the road," D'Antoni said. "I don't want to miss too many games."
Tipoff starts at 10:30 p.m. For more game information, visit NBA.com or ESPN.
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