Top 5 to Replace D'Antoni; You Know, If He Gets Fired Because Knicks Play No D

The Mike D'Antoni New York Knicks play no defense whatsoever.

You know this, I know this, any casual fan watching a random Knicks game knows this, and you can bet that Donnie Walsh and James Dolan know it too.

If D'Antoni can't get the Knicks to buy-in defensively by the end of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs, it's going to be time to seriously consider a new direction.

What follows is my wish list, the Top Five coaches I'd like to see lead the new generation of Knicks basketball.

5. Patrick Ewing

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CLEVELAND - MAY 28: Dwight Howard #12 and assistant coach Patrick Ewing of the Orlando Magic talk on the sideline against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2009 Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena on May 28, 2009

Patrick Ewing needs to be associated with the Knicks in some way. I don't actually want him to be the coach, because I think Amar'e and Carmelo need someone with a resume and pedigree that will demand respect.

But if we can't get that, Patrick would be a decent fallback option, if for tradition purposes only.

4. Maurice Cheeks

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PHILADELPHIA - MAY 01: Head coach Maurice Cheeks of the Philadelphia 76ers on the sideline against the Detroit Pistons in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2008 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia

Cheeks' teams, if nothing else, always bring the defensive intensity every night.

He led some good, focused and intense basketball teams in both Portland and Philadelphia. He played for the Knicks in 1990-91 and was a championship-winning point guard in his playing days.

He's someone who can command respect and teach team defense.

3. Doc Rivers

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DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 24: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Boston Celtics leads his team against the Denver Nuggets during NBA action at the Pepsi Center on February 24, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Nuggets defeated the Celtics 89-75. NOTE TO USER: User exp

Supposedly, this is Doc's last year in Boston.

He's also supposedly taking at least a year off to watch his sons play college basketball and his daughter play college volleyball.

However, he also clearly knows hows to coach a team of superstars, as evidenced by his championship with the Celtics' "Big Three".

He also played for the Knicks in the 90's, and stealing Boston's coach would be the icing on the cake.

2. Jeff Van Gundy

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HOUSTON - APRIL 21: Coach Jeff Van Gundy of the Houston Rockets on the sidelines as his teams plays the Utah Jazz in Game One of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2007 NBA Playoffs at the Toyota Center April 21, 2007 in Houston, Texas. NOTE

This, obviously, will never happen.

JVG isn't coming back to the Garden unless he gets an apology for what happened last time he was employed there, and that just isn't gonna happen.

Ever.

However, he would be the perfect coach in my opinion. He obviously knows how to coach and win in New York, and he always led teams that were near the top of the league in defense.

1. Phil Jackson

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 20: Head Coach Phil Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts from the bench against the Portland Trail Blazers during an 84-80 win at the Staples Center on March 20, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly a

Phil won championships as a Knick. He won a few more in Chicago with the Bulls. And then some more in Los Angeles with the Lakers.

The man knows how to win.

He knows how to coach superstars (e.g. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol...etc).

He's a living, breathing, legend of basketball, and everyone involved would have no choice but to completely buy into whatever he was selling.

He could work his Zen magic on this squad real quick.