NEW YORK — In the wake of the Miami Heat “crying” scandal, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni says there’s nothing wrong with grown men crying.
D’Antoni was referring to Miami coach Erik Spoelstra saying “tears were shed” after the Heat lost Sunday to the Chicago Bulls, raising the specter that the Heat are soft and not primed for a playoff run.
“He’s just being honest, and it happens. There’s nothing wrong with crying,” D’Antoni said Monday before the Knicks hosted the Utah Jazz at MSG. “Don’t we have a Speaker of the House [who] cries. It’s OK.”
John Boehner, the new Speaker of the House, has cried repeatedly in public, including during a “60 Minutes” appearance.
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” D’Antoni said of the Heat players. “I’m glad they care and it’ll build something if it doesn’t break it. That’s the whole thing. That’s what they’re going through right now. We go through the same thing.”
He added: “I know those guys and I know Erik and they’ll get through this, and they’re a good team.”
Asked if the Knicks had cried this season, D’Antoni joked, “Yeah, a lot of times. No, that I know of. Not yet.”
ESPNNewYork.com reported that Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony were having fun with the Heat story after beating the Hawks.
“I heard Chris Bosh was crying tears,” Stoudemire said, according to the report.
“Tears?” Anthony asked.
“Yeah, tears,” Stoudemire replied.
“Wait ’til I call him, man,” Anthony said. “I’ll be like: ‘What are you doing?'”
