Donnie Walsh Takes Blame for Knicks’ Struggles

Walsh hopes to relieve his players and the coach of the growing pressure by asking Knicks fans and media to direct their vitriol at him. From the NY Post: “In an attempt to take heat off coach Mike D’Antoni, team president Donnie Walsh said the Knicks’ doldrums since the Carmelo Anthony trade are his fault because he broke up a team in midseason and the dividends may not pay off right away. ‘I take more responsibility than the players or the coaches because I made a monumental trade in the middle of the season, and it appears to me they’re having a hard time getting together, which is understandable,’ Walsh said. ‘That’s why I don’t like to do it in the middle of the season,’ Walsh added. ‘We gave up a lot. We got back a lot. But I do think this trade is going to make us better in the future. In the long run, this trade will make us a better franchise.’ Walsh’s remarks last night echoed Anthony’s comments Sunday that the club may not get on the same page until next season. The Knicks have lost three in a row and are 7-9 since the 13-player Melo blockbuster after last night’s 96-86 loss to the Celtics in which they blew a 15-point second-half lead.”