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Report: D’Antoni hopes to make coaching debut Tuesday

Lakers head coach Mike D'Antoni announces he is unable to coach his new team against the Rockets, due to recovery from a knee operation, in Los Angeles

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni announces he is unable to coach his new team against the Houston Rockets, due to recovery from a knee operation, in Los Angeles, California November 18, 2012. REUTERS/Alex Gallardo (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

REUTERS

Of course, that’s what he said about Sunday…

Mike D’Antoni clearly wants to get on the sidelines and start coaching the Lakers, not just watch them put up triple-digit scores and win. He had said he planned to coach Sunday but pushed that back due to concerns about his energy levels — he did just have knee replacement surgery a few weeks ago, so cut him some slack. He’s got a lot of pain, is taking painkillers and is understandably fatigued.

Now he’s targeting Tuesday against the Nets reports Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

That game against a 6-2 Nets team will be a good test of a Lakers squad that has put up 119 and 114 points in its last two games. The Nets are playing at the slowest pace in the league and have a decent (league average so far) defense.

The Lakers are 4-1 since firing Mike Brown but the wins came against teams not expected to make the playoffs — Sacramento, Golden State, Phoenix and Houston. They have played a lot better freed from the shackles of Mike Brown’s overly-complicated system, but they lost their one real test against San Antonio and Brooklyn is the next good measuring stick.