Knicks coach Thomas philosophical before season finale; might lose job

Isiah Thomas sounds like a man resigned to his fate.\nWith speculation swirling about his future as head coach of the New York Knicks, a subdued Thomas spoke philosophically about New York’s dismal season just hours before the team played its season finale at Indiana.\n“What I’ve been asked to do and required to do by the Knicks, I’ve tried to perform to the best of my ability,” Thomas said before the team’s scheduled shootaround. “This is a very disappointing season. I’m not used to being at the bottom. But this is what it’s like on the bottom, and this is how you get treated on the bottom. That’s how it is.”\nNew York must win Wednesday night to avoid tying the franchise record of 59 losses, and many believe Thomas will be gone by Friday.\nThe Knicks’ new president, Donnie Walsh, said Tuesday he has spoken with Thomas about his future, but that the conversations were continuing. Walsh has said he wants the coaching situation cleared up before June’s NBA Draft.\nThomas already has lost one job, as team president, to Walsh. After going 56-107 in two seasons as the Knicks coach, Thomas could be about to lose that job, too.\nTeam spokesman Jonathan Supranowitz said no news conference had been scheduled for Thursday.\nThomas insisted Wednesday his thoughts were still on basketball.\n“The last day (of the season) will be tomorrow,” he said. “Today, I’m worried about how we’re going to play, how we’re going to defend, how we’re going to execute and the game itself.”\nInjuries certainly aren’t helping.\nSupranowitz said backup forward Renaldo Balkman was doubtful for Wednesday night’s game after getting hurt in Monday night’s home finale against Boston. Forward Wilson Chandler also will miss the Indiana game with a sprained left knee, leaving the Knicks short-handed in their quest to avoid the franchise’s dubious record.\nIt has been that type of season.\n“I’m not looking for sympathy or anything like that,” Thomas said. “That’s sports, and basketball has been extremely good to me. You can’t be on top all the time, although I want to be. You’ve got to overcome the bad times and hold onto your dignity.”\nBut can he hold onto his job?\nThomas seemed to acknowledge there have been mistakes.\n“I know in basketball, just like in football or golf or baseball or whatever sport you choose, there are some times you get it right and some times you don’t,” he said. “I’ve had many high points in my life, and I’ve definitely had my low points. But none of it is permanent, and you keep moving forward.”