"At the very least, embattled Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni has the support of Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler.

Those players' cutting postgame remarks late Saturday night in Houston were aimed at their teammates — not a coaching staff under fire.

Stoudemire and Chandler have been around the league long enough to know D'Antoni will go from lame duck to dead duck soon if the club continues to come unglued. The Knicks next play tomorrow against the Pistons at the Garden.

Stoudemire ripped some of his mates for not studying the game plan and "reading the board'' before games. Stoudemire, who mostly has been upbeat, is calculating in what he says to the media and his accusations serve a purpose. Time is running out on D'Antoni."