New York Knicks head coach David Fizdale was a happy man following his team's big win on Saturday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. After the 136-134 victory, the 44-year-old coach fielded a couple of questions that pertained to a couple of noteworthy circumstances from the game.

Sophomore guard Frank Ntilikina was handed his first DNP-CD of the season on Saturday, and coach Fizdale was asked whether or not the 20-year-old was headed to his doghouse. Fortunately for Ntilikina, his coach was quick to deny such claims.

“The last two games I gave Frank the look in the first half, and then if it didn't go well I came with [Damyean Dotson],” said Fizdale, via reddit user u/dannylenwinn. “And Dot came in both of those games and really performed. So I felt like the fair thing to do tonight was to give Dot that first look. And Dot got it going. So that's just where it was.”

Fizdale went on to explain that he is not one to freeze out his players, and that Ntilikina — and the rest of the team, for that matter — ought to keep their heads up and be ready once their numbers are called.

“I'm just going to keep trying to pump confidence into him and all of these guys. And like I said, they know one thing about me is they're never out. They're never in the doghouse with me. They always have a chance to get themselves back into the rotation.”

Fizdale was also asked to comment on Mario Hezonja's ala Allen Iverson moment that came at the expense of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. When asked if he felt a little bit scared following the rather disrespectful incident, Fizdale was again defiant in his response.

“No, I never scare,” he exclaimed. “There's nothing in basketball to fear.”

Obviously, Fizdale does not “fear the dear,” and this valiant attitude was on full display on Saturday night.