Steve Clifford was having chest pains Thursday night and was admitted to the hospital where he had two stents placed in his heart Friday morning. Assistant coach Patrick Ewing will fill in to coach the team.
Steve Clifford remains in the hospital to recover from the procedure, and Ewing will make his NBA head coaching debut against his former team, the Knicks. According to NY Daily News Clifford is expected to be back with the team shortly.
In the meantime Patrick Ewing, who has been an assistant coach with the Wizards, Rockets, and Magic in the past, will hold down the fort.
“My emotion is all about Cliff and the team,” Ewing said. “Cliff is a very dear and good friend of mine and I'm concerned for his health and safety and well being. We have a great staff assembled here. So if he doesn't make it then myself and the rest of the staff will have to carry on until he comes back.”
News Day reports that Ewing has never been a lead assistant before, so this is the first time he is next in line to step in for a head coach who will miss a game.
“I’m going to have to curse Cliff out for especially it being this game against [the Knicks],’ Ewing said.
“I mean it is strange,” he added. “The only head coaching that I've done is during the summer league. Like I said, against [the Knicks]. I see all of you guys here, I can see the writing on the wall right now.”