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David Fizdale reminisces about role in Knicks-Heat wars of past

MIAMI — Since taking over as Knicks head coach, David Fizdale has grown particularly close to Allan Houston, who is part of the team’s front office.

Fizdale calls it “ironic” after he once despised Houston — the former shooting guard who once caused so much pain on South Beach.
Tuesday, Fizdale was back at AmericanAirlines Arena, where he spent eight seasons as a Heat assistant coach (2007-2016) and pointed to the two NBA championship banners he was there for during the Miami Dream Team days.

But one of Fizdale’s most vivid memories is tied to when the Knicks and Heat were blood rivals in 1999 and he was when starting out as an intern to Heat video coordinator Erik Spoelstra.