By Jim Scott
DNAinfo Senior Editor
MANHATTAN — Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni ripped his team's performance after the Knicks 116-108 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
"The effort's not good enough," D'Antoni told reporters after the game, the Associated Press reported. "There's times you lay an egg, but it should never be because we don't have the necessary heart or desire to do it. That was a total lack of commitment to beat a team that's talented."
The Knicks trailed by as many as 20 points, but cut the lead to three points in the fourth quarter before Clippers guard Randy Foye took over the game. Foye scored 17 of his 24 points in the final quarter to stifle a Knicks comeback.
Amar'e Stoudemire had 23 points for New York and after the game expressed his displeasure at the team's effort.
"We’re not playing hard, we’re not getting loose balls. Seems like we’re afraid out there," Stoudemire told the New York Post. "I said it before the game that we have to have supreme focus. I guess they figured I was talking to the wall because we didn't come out with any focus."
Danillo Gallinari added 21 points and center Timofey Mozgov had 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting for New York. Clippers rookie Blake Griffin finished with 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting.
The Knicks have one day to regroup before hosting the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.
