The Steve Clifford Thread 2.0 - Off the Cliff we go

[yosemiteben]

I've decided I'm all in on Tony Bennett as our next coach. Sustained success with low level recruits using a consistent system and has a low key persona that I think works in the league.

The only issue I have is I'm worried his defensive approach won't translate, but I thought the same thing about Brad Stevens and that obviously wasn't an issue.

[Bassman]

Clifford spoke about how poorly the defense has been this season, how defense is all about intensity, and how intensity is set by the coach. He basically was holding a weapon in front of cops saying “SHOOT ME”. How MJ or the new GM could keep him after this year is beyond me.

[catch20two]

I've decided I'm all in on Tony Bennett as our next coach. Sustained success with low level recruits using a consistent system and has a low key persona that I think works in the league.

The only issue I have is I'm worried his defensive approach won't translate, but I thought the same thing about Brad Stevens and that obviously wasn't an issue.

The question is if Tony Bennett is the least bit interested in taking the Hornets job. I understand the conjecture around him being a former player that played in Charlotte and etc. but I don’t think you could say all-in on somebody unless there’s some legit interest.

I hope they do whatever to get in his ear while he’s in town for the NCAA tournament the next few days tho.

Bennett is my favorite on the list of possibilities as well.

[yosemiteben]

Yeah, no clue if he's interested but the tie to the organization can't hurt.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

Bennett is my guy too.

[Bassman]

Bennett is my guy too.

Tony is a a model coach for college, and we all loved the guy when he was a Hornet. Not sure that really qualifies him to coach NBA. Big leap for any coach into the pro’s. I guess if we were in high lottery land for a few years (full tank like the 76ers), anticipating all young kids coming in, he could relate.

Frankly I don’t have a clue who could come here and, hands down, be a great coach. We all love the Pop model where he finds talent in any draft and molds those players into a TEAM. Not many Pops out there.

[catch20two]

I personally believe the best way to evaluate a coach is how he manage and get the best out of his players that aren’t stars or top recruits. At the end of the day it’s still just basketball whether it’s collegiate or pro.

A lot of college coaches are just successful because they know how to recruit well with a machine and prestige behind them. We’ve seen this lack of success from college to the pros from guys like Saban in the NFL and Calipari in the NBA. I like the guy but Calipari is a prime example of a overrated coach to me whom success is mostly the talent he was able to acquire more than his X and Os.

Bennett is much like Brad Stevens at Butler to me in the sense of being able to coach up the players and using strategy to win rather than relying on talent.

[Hornet Mania]

I'd be interested to see what a Bennett offense would look like in the NBA. Would we be Utah East or would he allow a more free-flowing style? I haven't been familiar with Virginia at all the last few years, but now that I'm paying attention to them I see a team who loves to slow the pace and grind opponents down with execution in order to win 65-55. Obviously that won't work in the NBA, so the big question is: how is he going to adapt?

To be honest I'm highly skeptical a defense-first (and by that I mean not attacking on offense and slowing down the pace) team can win a title in the modern NBA. The rules have been tilted to favor the offense and play style has for the most part caught up league-wide. I'd expect more teams to tilt towards offense moving forward, not less, and I also expect they'll be rewarded for it. Of course defense still matters, it will always matter to an extent regardless of rules, but consistently winning 90-85 might be gone for good. Can Bennett thrive in such a league? That is my concern with him.

[Diop]

Bennett is much like Brad Stevens at Butler to me in the sense of being able to coach up the players and using strategy to win rather than relying on talent.

this sounds perfect to me as I can't see us having a super star team.

[Diop]

I don't care if it's not a fast past offence if it's efficient.

[catch20two]

I'd be interested to see what a Bennett offense would look like in the NBA. Would we be Utah East or would he allow a more free-flowing style? I haven't been familiar with Virginia at all the last few years, but now that I'm paying attention to them I see a team who loves to slow the pace and grind opponents down with execution in order to win 65-55. Obviously that won't work in the NBA, so the big question is: how is he going to adapt?

To be honest I'm highly skeptical a defense-first (and by that I mean not attacking on offense and slowing down the pace) team can win a title in the modern NBA. The rules have been tilted to favor the offense and play style has for the most part caught up league-wide. I'd expect more teams to tilt towards offense moving forward, not less, and I also expect they'll be rewarded for it. Of course defense still matters, it will always matter to an extent regardless of rules, but consistently winning 90-85 might be gone for good. Can Bennett thrive in such a league? That is my concern with him.

I understand this concern and within good reasoning but the way how our team is constructed and void of superstar offensive talent the best way we’re going to be able to offset that weakness is to make our strengths stronger.

We’re not going to be able to outshoot no team that has more offensive power than us but with a defensive scheme that minimizes our opponents’ strengths we may have a chance.

Like Diop said as long as our offense is efficient then we should be okay. Virginia is 46th of 351 teams in offensive rating (3rd in ACC).

Once again I understand the concern but I just can’t imagine a world where we become worst under Bennett than continuing with Clifford.

[Hornet Mania]

I'd be interested to see what a Bennett offense would look like in the NBA. Would we be Utah East or would he allow a more free-flowing style? I haven't been familiar with Virginia at all the last few years, but now that I'm paying attention to them I see a team who loves to slow the pace and grind opponents down with execution in order to win 65-55. Obviously that won't work in the NBA, so the big question is: how is he going to adapt?

To be honest I'm highly skeptical a defense-first (and by that I mean not attacking on offense and slowing down the pace) team can win a title in the modern NBA. The rules have been tilted to favor the offense and play style has for the most part caught up league-wide. I'd expect more teams to tilt towards offense moving forward, not less, and I also expect they'll be rewarded for it. Of course defense still matters, it will always matter to an extent regardless of rules, but consistently winning 90-85 might be gone for good. Can Bennett thrive in such a league? That is my concern with him.

I understand this concern and within good reasoning but the way how our team is constructed and void of superstar offensive talent the best way we’re going to be able to offset that weakness is to make our strengths stronger.

We’re not going to be able to outshoot no team that has more offensive power than us but with a defensive scheme that minimizes our opponents’ strengths we may have a chance.

Like Diop said as long as our offense is efficient then we should be okay. Virginia is 46th of 351 teams in offensive rating (3rd in ACC).

Once again I understand the concern but I just can’t imagine a world where we become worst under Bennett than continuing with Clifford.

Oh don't get me wrong, I'd much rather take a shot on Bennett (or a lot of other candidates) than run it back with Cliff another year, I just wanted to share my concern and see if everyone thought he could adapt. To be honest of all the guys we could hire he would probably be my first choice as well, but I did/do wonder if that's wise given the tilt of the league. It sounds like UVA has a better offense than I assumed (at least in efficiency), so that's a positive sign.

[Eoghan]

I also echo Hornet Mania's concerns. I'd like Bennett as coach just out of morbid curiosity to see if that style can still be effective today. Defense in the NBA is all but outlawed. But I'd rather see the team play to its strengths instead of pretending to be homeless version of the GSW. At least the losses then would be more honorable I guess. Bennett doesn't sound like the kind of guy to leave college though, he's very low-profile.

[catch20two]

Virginia getting bounced might be our blessing in disguise for Tony Bennett to consider leaving for the pros while his iron is hot.

The question I would like to ask is how did Virginia go 31-2 when they don’t have any highly skilled offensive players like that?

I’m watching this game and I’m perplexed by how marginalized they are talent-wise compared to their record. Nobody seems to be an above average ballhandler or deadeye shooter on their team.

[NCHeels2008]

Tony managing the offense scares the crap out of me, not sure the defense would translate. Regardless, it's time for a new voice in that locker room. Hope Clifford gets a job in like Milwaukee, maybe he can help them take the next step.

[catch20two]

Hope Clifford gets a job in like Milwaukee, maybe he can help them take the next step.

The next step backwards lol.

[NCHeels2008]

Hope Clifford gets a job in like Milwaukee, maybe he can help them take the next step.

The next step backwards lol.

players can just get tired of the same voice, I think Clifford is a pretty good coach. We just need another voice.

[catch20two]

Hope Clifford gets a job in like Milwaukee, maybe he can help them take the next step.

The next step backwards lol.

players can just get tired of the same voice, I think Clifford is a pretty good coach. We just need another voice.

Clifford is a average coach at best that rest on the laurels of strategies and principles he learned from the Van Gundy’s a decade ago. I refuse to give him that much credit just because we’ve been to the playoffs 2 out of 5 seasons by taking advantage of tanking teams post all-star break.

[HornetJail]

Hope Clifford gets a job in like Milwaukee, maybe he can help them take the next step.

The next step backwards lol.

players can just get tired of the same voice, I think Clifford is a pretty good coach. We just need another voice.

hehehe i hope the Bucks think that

[yosemiteben]

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