Donnie Walsh: Struggling Knicks 'Missing Pieces'
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- Knicks president Donnie Walsh admitted to the NY Post on Sunday that he "didn't expect" to see his team falter with Carmelo Anthony.
"Nobody did," he added.
The Charlotte Bobcats became the latest team to run past the struggling Knicks on Saturday night.
Coach Mike D'Antoni was worried before the game, saying his team lacks "pizazz."
"There was work to do before. There's work to do now," Walsh told the paper. "We were missing pieces before the trade. We're still missing the same pieces."
With center Ronny Turiaf sidelined, Landry Fields was sent to the bench for a smaller, quicker lineup.
"What I see is I still got to get players to put around him to help (Carmelo)," said Walsh, admitting Anthony needs sizable help. "I know what I have to add to this team. We need bigger people on the team. We need more of them."
Walsh said last week if there's blame to go around, it falls on him -- not D'Antoni.
"I think it's very little (on D'Antoni)," said Walsh. "It's very difficult to put these pieces back together in a short time. That's why it's more my responsibility. That's why I rarely trade in the middle of the season, because it's a big adjustment. But I made it because it's better for the franchise long term."
Not even lineups changes helped the Knicks, who are 7-12 since acquiring Anthony and Chauncey Billups in a deal that was supposed to shoot them up the East standings. Instead, the Knicks' lead over ninth-place Charlotte is down to 4½ games.
"We haven't played well. We're definitely struggling as a team," said Walsh. "We're starting from scratch, on offense and defense. You can throw the records out."
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