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For what it's worth, D'Antoni also was confident, realistic and at ease about how he fits here, even when asked unflattering questions about, say, the rap that he can't coach defense.

"We averaged 58 wins a year [in Phoenix], so 58 times a year we were the best defensive team on the floor, I know that," D'Antoni shot back.

Source: http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketbal ... 601.column

This thread is stupid IMO.

Try take what he's saying in context. Obviously he doesn't think that's what good defense is, he's just alluding to the fact that his team stopped the other team more than they stopped them.

Wes_Wesley wrote:This thread is stupid IMO.

Try take what he's saying in context. Obviously he doesn't think that's what good defense is, he's just alluding to the fact that his team stopped the other team more than they stopped them.

Agreed. D'antoni obviously isn't speaking literally. He makes a good point, everyone knocks him for not coaching defense, but the Suns played enough defense to win a lot of regular season games and reach the WCF finals on more than one occasion. They weren't Denver.

^exactly Wes. Im a Knick fan and D'Antoni wasnt my first choice but to say he cant coach defense is kind of stupid, he had Nash and Amare who both are below average defenders and his theory is that leaving some spots more open then others on D could force up unwanted shots by the other team in a fast paced game its all about forcing the tempo and by doing that alone they may be able to get some stops. Ive been reading some of his theories on his SSOL offense and I feel much more confidany in my beloved Knick now with a very smart basketball coach like D'Antoni rather than Thomas and im willing to watch and learn from him. I dont expect immediate success though and I dont think any of you should, its going to take a little bit of time to adjust to new players and to see what each player has in them and whos best the SSOL. After reading his defnitions on what each position should do for the team I think we have Renaldo Balkman as the clear SF and best defender on the team, Wilson Chandler will play PF alot which wont be bad because he played it in college and he will create a mismatch to anyone who doesnt matchup with us. Lee is the definition of his ideal Center, someone who can play the pick and roll by both popping and shooting a mid range jumper and someone who can roll to the hoop and has good enough hands to get the ball and finish with authority, he is also a good passer. Those three players along with others will be very successful if Pringles decides to use the same or similar system.

He's right. lol

D'Antoni is a fool in regards to defense. The Suns were a great offensive team so that masked the non-existent defense at times. The times it didn't are the reason why they never even made it to the finals.

D'antoni is a one-trick pony and defense takes a back seat in his offense. His idea of defense is an over powering offense. Which is why he's never done anything in the playoffs. His run and gun system is fine in the regular season and to re-instill energy and give life to a dead organization. Which is why I can see the move for New York to signing D'antoni. They've been decimated by Isaiah, and their primary objectives should be to bring a new sense of hope into the leadership and direction of the organization and to generate excitement within the fanbase. And these two goals can be accomplished by D'antoni's run and gun system. It's fun, entertaining and can fill seats. But it won't have you playing basketball in June.

Is there an asst coach out there who the Knicks can hire to stress/teach defense to the NYKs?

No offense but D'antoni is an overrated coach IMO.

And I don't see him succeeding in NY.

dantoney have a good point.

He's kind of right, plus, I don't blame him for their defense. Nash and Amare are just too horrible defensively.

Nash, fine. But, Amare has the athleticism to be a pretty damn good off-ball defender, and even with that he struggled.

Offensive players will always play a lot more minutes over defensive players in Dantoni's system. Even if you already have 4 decent scorers on the floor.

If Mikey was coaching the Hornets West would start center against Duncan and Pargo would be a starter with Chandler coming off the bench for spot minutes.

holidayhell wrote:Offensive players will always play a lot more minutes over defensive players in Dantoni's system. Even if you already have 4 decent scorers on the floor.

If Mikey was coaching the Hornets West would start center against Duncan and Pargo would be a starter with Chandler coming off the bench for spot minutes.

Didn't Kurt Thomas start against the Spurs last year until he proved to be relatively ineffective?

Nash, fine. But there is no reason for Amare to be such an atrocious defender. I completely blame D'Antoni. You take a kid out of high school with that kind of talent and athlecism, you should at least teach him how to block shots. A high school player can be molded moreso than the guys coming out with some college experience.

Don't get me wrong. The players make the team. Bad defenders will make a bad defensive team. But that's not the whole picture. The 7SoL Suns couldn't egt a stop when they needed one. It's not like they just weren't focused most of the time on D. They had absolutely no idea what to do, where to be, how to switch, or how to force a guy into a bad shot. Pretty much any player on any team could get a decent final look agains the 7SoL Suns. That's not from bad defenders. That's from bad coaching.

The suns are just soft, simple as that.

Flash3 wrote:Is there an asst coach out there who the Knicks can hire to stress/teach defense to the NYKs?

Tom Thibodeau!!!

His contract is over with the Celtics after this season and if he doesn't get offered a head coaching job, I'd welcome him to NY.

He is actually the guy I wanted as head coach...

Flash3 wrote:Nash, fine. But, Amare has the athleticism to be a pretty damn good off-ball defender, and even with that he struggled.

No not really, nash can't defend the pick and roll to save his life, he doesn't play the screen-roll well. And gets killed on it, he struggled to fight through screens on numerous occasions.

They weren't a bad defensive team before they traded Marion. They were actually around 13th or so (ie: above average). But I guess when you have a DPOTY-caliber player in Marion and an All-NBA defensive player in Raja Bell, it would be pretty hard not to at least be average. That may not say as much about the coach as it did about the players.

And I agree with Mahlinion that there's no excuse for Amare Stoudemire, for as athletically gifted as he is, to be as poor of a defender as he is. Obviously, most of the responsibility there has to go to Amare, himself, but D'Antoni was not a great influence either.