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Isiah Thomas coaches first game after contract exension

Mar 14, 2007 - 1:07 PM New York (29-34) at Toronto (35-29) 7:00 pm EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) -- The New York Knicks only have to focus on the playoff chase. They know their coach Isiah Thomas will be back next season.

Thomas will coach for the first time since receiving a multi-year contract extension when the Knicks continue their playoff push with a game against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.

New York's much-maligned president and coach was rewarded with the extension on Monday, less than nine months after Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan put him on the hot seat by demanding "significant progress" this season. The Knicks won just 23 games last season under Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown.

But after getting off to a slow start, the Knicks have battled back into postseason contention and are in a three-way tie with Indiana (29-34) and New Jersey (30-35) for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

It has been a tumultuous tenure in the New York spotlight for Thomas, who has gone 114-167, missing the playoffs each of the last two seasons, since joining the club in December 2003.

But the 2005-06 season - possibly the worst in New York's history - sent the organization into a tailspin and Thomas fighting to keep his job. However, not only have the Knicks improved on their 23-59 record, franchise-center Eddy Curry and second-year forward David Lee have both stepped to forefront as legitimate stars.

New York is coming off one of its most dramatic wins of the season, a 90-89 victory at Washington on Saturday. Steve Francis nailed a game-winning 3-pointer as time expired.

The first-place Raptors won the season series with Milwaukee for the first time in franchise history with a 108-93 victory on Monday. T.J. Ford scored 19 points and added nine assists and three steals against his former team.

Toronto is on the verge of winning its first Atlantic Division title, holding a 5 1/2-game lead over New York, which continues to make a push despite injuries to Lee and Quentin Richardson.

The Raptors have won seven of their last nine games with the Knicks.