New Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni’s will make his game debut Tuesday night against the New Jersey Nets, the coach told reporters Tuesday.
“I’m too psyched up and too ready to go, I’ll get through this,” D’Antoni said.
D’Antoni hopes to coach Sunday, but opted out because of pain caused by his recent knee replacement surgery, according to Lakers spokesman John Black.
After Tuesday, the Lakers travel to Sacramento for a Wednesday game.
“The biggest problem I have is just energy kind of waning toward the end (of the game),” D’Antoni said.
Bernie Bickerstaff has gone 4-1 as interim coach after taking over for the fired Mike Brown. D’Antoni said that Bickerstaff would be part of his staff for the rest of the season.
The team also announced the hiring of Dan D’Antoni — Mike’s older brother — as an assistant coach.