It could be the most important decision he makes while in New York, so Knicks president Donnie Walsh wasn't rushing the process. But in the end, it appeared that Walsh had chosen Mike D'Antoni -- and not Mark Jackson -- to be the Knicks' new head coach.

It's a fascinating choice. D'Antoni comes from a Phoenix Suns team that has averaged 58 wins per season over the last two years. The Knicks have won a total of only 56 games in that span and, because of salary cap issues, don't figure to get much better anytime soon.

If D'Antoni wants his new team to run, he's going to need to find some new pieces. Starting with plodding big men Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph, the Knicks don't have much mobility.

Jackson would have been a popular choice because he's a former Knick and is from New York. But D'Antoni's resume obviously was more attractive to Walsh and the Knicks.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT
There wasn't anything happening on the court all season to get excited about, so New York didn't react until the Knicks went out and hired Donnie Walsh as the new president of basketball operations with two weeks to go in the season. It was a signal that ownership was no longer charmed by Isiah Thomas, who failed to deliver in four-plus seasons as president and two seasons as head coach and was fired.

TURNING POINT
Embattled head coach Isiah Thomas lost respect in the locker room after Stephon Marbury learned he might get benched on a flight to Phoenix where the Knicks were kicking off the first extended road trip of the season. Marbury went AWOL for a game, and when he came back, Thomas gave the controversial point guard extended minutes against the wishes of his teammates. When the Knicks got home following the winless trip out West, they had a 2-7 record and no confidence.

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