Mike D'Antoni: Carmelo Anthony 'A Lot Better Fit' with Rockets Than Knicks

Mike D'Antoni and Carmelo Anthony didn't get along well when they were together with the New York Knicks, but the coach and player will now have to work things out with the Houston Rockets.

Despite the past disputes, D'Antoni thinks it will be different this time around.

"Back then, there wasn't even analytics. I was going by my gut, and he was going by [his] gut, and it's just, you know, styles clash," the Rockets coach said in an interview with Sam Amick of USA Today. "And I think now, things have changed and everybody is playing the same way. I think it's a lot better fit, and I think we have a really good chance to be really good."

After weeks of speculation, Anthony signed a one-year deal with Houston on Monday worth $2.4 million, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

D'Antoni and Anthony only overlapped for one-and-a-half seasons with the Knicks from 2011 to 2012, but it got bad enough that the 10-time All-Star was forced to give the front office an ultimatum to keep one of them.

The coach resigned before the organization made a decision.

However, the 67-year-old believes there won't be a similar issue six years later.

"I think this is totally different," D'Antoni said. "We've got a team that is a whole bunch of veterans that really, we've got one thing in mind, and that's to win a championship, and we have the possibility."

He also noted that putting Chris Paul and James Harden together last season was "relatively noneventful" despite seemingly having clashing styles.

The relationship could be based on what type of role Anthony accepts in 2018-19. While the 34-year-old has started all 1,054 games he has played in the NBA, he could be forced to come off the bench with D'Antoni not guaranteeing a starting spot for the veteran.