Amid 6-Game Losing Streak, New York Knicks Head Coach Mike D'Antoni Resigns

According to Yahoo Sports, head coach Mike D'Antoni has resigned as coach of the New York Knicks. Assistants Phil Weber and Dan D'Antoni are also out the door, according to the source. Assistant coach Mike Woodson has been named interim head coach for the rest of the season.

Over the past 24 hours, there have been conflicting reports regarding the relationship between the head coach and the players, specifically supposed superstar Carmelo Anthony.

Late last night, ESPN reporter Chris Broussard reported that some of the Knicks players have grown tired of playing for the lame-duck coach, citing D'Antoni "doesn't have the respect of the team anymore."

Then, on the back page of this morning's New York Post appeared the headline "Melo Wants Out!," which stated Anthony's desire to be moved elsewhere at the trade deadline if D'Antoni would be returning as coach next season.

When Anthony appeared at practice today, he immediately shot down the alleged reports, saying, "No, no, no, no. Let's nip this in the bud right now. I don't want to be traded, I don't know where that foolishness came from, so let's put a cap on that and make (sure) this the last time I hear about that." 

Anthony also attempted to shatter any disbelief in D'Antoni that the media had been reporting, saying:

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"I support Mike 100 percent regardless of what is going on, as far as us losing basketball games. We all need each other right now and this is the best time to come together and stick with one another. ... There's a lot of things being said out there about Mike, about myself, and it's just a bunch of nonsense right now. So we've got to stick together. We're not going to do it without one another."

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And now, on top of all the previous reports, D'Antoni has walked out on the reeling Knicks, claiming "conflicting visions of the club's future." Yahoo Sports has recently reported D'Antoni and the organization came to a mutual decision to end his tenure as coach and that it was not a pure resignation. 

You could argue that a decision had to be made sooner rather than later, but did the Knicks boot out the right person?

D'Antoni has been on the hot seat all season, but the flame had been turned up significantly as of the team's recent slide. There were rumors earlier in the season that D'Antoni would be fired after a loss to the Boston Celtics in February, but Jeremy Lin's emergence while Anthony was out with a groin injury sparked the Knicks on an seven-game winning streak to bring them back to .500.

During the stretch, it appeared that D'Antoni's system was finally working, after the Knicks struggled so badly earlier in the season to adapt. The ball was moving effectively, and even the defensive effort was greatly improved.

However, since Carmelo's return, the Knicks have gone just 2-10, struggling mightily on both sides of the ball.

Coincidence? Or D'Antoni's fault to properly form constructive rotations?

Knicks management seemed to think it was the latter and D'Antoni clearly could not take the criticism any longer.

Time will tell if the right decision was made, but clearly the Knicks had to do something. They will take on the Portland Trail Blazers tonight at Madison Square Garden, in front of a crowd that has been chanting "Fire D'Antoni" for years now.

The fans got their wish, but one thing is clear. Carmelo Anthony no longer has anyone to hide behind for the team's failures. Everything that goes wrong with the organization from here on out will be on his shoulders.

Will he step up? Tonight wouldn't be a bad time to start, but time will tell.