Development is main Fiz biz
David Fizdale was in Miami, making the playoffs nearly every season — and collecting two championship rings — while “The Process” played out in Philadelphia. From afar, the former Heat assistant saw the 76ers endure five straight losing seasons, with three sub-20 win years, under coach Brett Brown.
So, a five-game losing streak entering Monday’s meeting with the Nets at Madison Square Garden doesn’t concern Fizdale.
During a rebuild, wins and losses are far more subtle.
“I’m growing something here. My motivation is these guys. My victories are in watching them take steps forward, and that’s all I’m focused on,” Fizdale said Sunday. “If I get caught up in the big picture of wins, and losses, and the record, and all of that, I’m gonna end up not coaching them the way they need to be coached. I’m gonna be coaching them in a way that really hinders their development and growth, and I don’t want to do that to them. I have to take my ego out of it, and don’t get caught in that whole record thing.
“If Brett Brown can do some of this stuff the way he went through it, and come out the way he came out of it, then I sure as hell can, so that’s my focus right now.”
Fizdale may sacrifice wins tinkering with an inexperienced lineup. He may give extra minutes to his youngest players, at the expense of established veterans.
In Friday’s loss to the Warriors, Fizdale used a younger, and more athletic, lineup — inserting Noah Vonleh, Damyean Dotson and rookie Mitchell Robinson while sending Enes Kanter, Lance Thomas and Trey Burke to the bench — and will likely roll out the same starters again Monday.
Kanter made it fairly clear afterwards he wasn’t thrilled with the demotion, but Fizdale pointed out the future is his greatest priority.
“It’s a tough juggle,” Fizdale said. “We all un-derstand where our team is at and what we’re trying to accomplish right now. One way or another we do have to bring our puppies along. We need [the veterans’] help with that. They’re a big part of developing this culture and developing these young guys, while we try to figure out how we win games. So, I really lean on them for that. But it’s always going to be a juggle from that standpoint of how much do you play the young guys, but still keeping your veterans engaged and finding that balance because you’ve got to develop these youngsters.”
Fizdale reiterated that the starting lineup could change in another few games, and added it may never “be in stone,” this season, since no group has “clearly separated” from another, and none have displayed “great cohesion.”
As the Knicks’ top rebounder (11.2) and secondleading scorer (15.3), Kanter has been told to lead the second unit. Though the big man thinks his play warrants a more prominent role, he is hopeful that will still come.
“Of course everybody would want to start,” Kanter said. “But, I mean, this year I think I’ve been playing at an All-Star level, so my thing is I’m trying to make the All-Star [team] this year. I’m not worried about coming from the bench or starting or not. That’s the last thing I should be worried about. My thing is just go out and try to play like an All-Star. I don’t care if they put me on the bench, start me, whatever. My thing is just go out there and beat everybody.”