The "When Will George Karl Really Screw Us" Thread

[legendarywalton]

It's pretty obvious that Chauncey BIllups should have won coach of the year. After the terrible decisions in Game 1, when do you think George will make his next big mistake? I was reading the Bill Simmons mailbag, and thought that I had to post this, only because I have nothing but complete and utter hatred for Coach Sloth.

Q: Thanks for praising Ray Allen's amazing performance in the '01 Eastern Conference finals. You forgot to mention one thing: On the final play that could have put the Bucks in the NBA Finals, George Karl drew up a play for Glenn Robinson instead of Ray-Ray or Sam Cassell. What happened? Big Dog missed an open baseline jumper. Of course he did. It's the Bucks. It was Big Dog. Ray takes that shot and the MILWAUKEE EFFING BUCKS make the NBA FINALS! The entire course of the franchise is altered forever. I hate George Karl. Now, let's say the Western finals comes down to one final possession. The equivalent to the '01 series would be to draw up a play for Kenyon Martin, using Chauncey (Cassell) and Carmelo (Allen) as decoys. Again, I hate George Karl.
-- Dan, Oshkosh, Wis.

]SG: Just for the record, I received that e-mail three weeks ago … you know, before Karl blew Game 1 of the Lakers series by having his shortest player (Anthony Carter) inbound the ball on Denver's biggest possession with 6-foot-9 Lamar Odom hounding him (and forcing a bad pass that Trevor Ariza swiped). Nuggets fans, before you get your hopes up for the Finals, please read the e-mail above; please remember that Karl feuded with Ray Allen (by all accounts, one of the nicest guys in basketball) to the degree that he talked Milwaukee into giving him away; please remember that he presided over the 2002 World Championships debacle; please remember that Karl remains one of two coaches who blew a Round 1 series to a No. 1 seed; please remember that he gets covered in mostly gushing tones because he's spent the last 20-plus years giving everyone access and great quotes; and please remember that it took him until Game 4 of the 1996 Finals to defend Michael Jordan with the best defensive guard of that decade (Gary Payton, who subsequently hounded MJ into the worst three-game playoff stretch of his career). George Karl is like President Taylor's daughter on "24" this season: You always knew it would end badly, you just didn't know how. Especially given this economy.

What do you guys think?

[corona]

i think president taylors daughter was hot.

and i hope that billups (and maybe even melo...after that lk thing last night) have enough voice/pull to tell karl what to do, and karl is humble enough to just do it.

[The Rebel]

i think president taylors daughter was hot.

Agreed.

and i hope that billups (and maybe even melo...after that lk thing last night) have enough voice/pull to tell karl what to do, and karl is humble enough to just do it.

After melo making Karl pull AC for Kleiza I am feeling much better overall about our coaching. Maybe Karl has realized it is okay to get out of the way and let Billups and to a much smaller extent Melo truly run the team. I mean why not, they don't have a history of chocking at the end of games, like our coach does.

[MHZ]

i think president taylors daughter was hot.

Jack's daughter >>>> President Taylor's daughter

Also, as much as I love to pile on George Karl, I hate Bill Simmons with too much of a passion to do so in this context. I wonder why he's gushing over Ray Allen so much... that's right, he's in Boston.

[JRmakes_it_rain]

Did the announcers really mention anything about Melo telling Karl to pull AC out? I didn't hear a thing about it.

[Nutty Nats Fan]

Yeah, they mentioned it.

If it's true, I'm surprised Karl didn't suspend Melo for telling him what to do again.

[el loco]

He already managed to do it in game one, so hopefully he is through with it in this series.

[corona]

her name's sprague?

[TunaFish]

Simmons’ opinion is garbage. It is the same old line. If a player makes a good play, it is because of how good the player is. If the player makes a bad play, it’s the coach’s fault.

I remember how well coached all of Karl’s teams were in the past. Buck’s fans may hate Karl now but you can’t blame Karl for a missed shot by Big Dog in the playoffs. I remember when Big Dog carved up a lot of teams (including a memorable night at McNicols’ arena against the Nuggets) with his deadly mid range shot. They constantly used a lot of screens to free up that shot for Robinson and it was the Buck’s bread and butter; a major part of why the Bucks were so good that year. He hit that shot with accuracy. His defense was another matter.

This sounds a lot like Lakers fans bemoaning Phil Jackson’s decision for Fisher to shoot a three at the end of game two (WCF). PJ thought that as soon as Kobe would get the ball he would be fouled and never get a shot off. Fisher did get a shot off and it was damn good thing he missed it but he got it off. It was not a bad strategy unless you just want to second guess a coach for every missed shot.

Every coach makes a mistake and so do players. Preparation for the game is also important. Can anyone argue that the Nuggets' aren't prepared?

[pistonsnuggets]

her name's sprague?

I personally think she isnt very good looking

[legendarywalton]

Anyone care to comment?

[Nutty Nats Fan]

Anyone care to comment?

No one can. Can't comment on Karl's coaching since he didn't coach tonight.

Insane he went away from the one smart in game adjustment he has made in his career though (too harsh?). It helps the team win game 2 and worked great, doesn't even try it again this game. I hate Karl is making me right. I think this Nuggets team beats LAL with a good coach. Actually think, minus Karl's bad coaching decisions, this team is up 3-0.

Oh well. Doesn't matter. Being in the WCF's means we're stuck with him next year.

[Nutty Nats Fan]

Preparation for the game is also important. Can anyone argue that the Nuggets' aren't prepared?

Pretty obvious Karl has not prepared the team for inbound passes.

[pickaxe]

Preparation for the game is also important. Can anyone argue that the Nuggets' aren't prepared?

Pretty obvious Karl has not prepared the team for inbound passes.

Maybe he listened to AC, who was quoted as saying his inbounds pass was not why they lost in game one. Mayne he thought, "Ok, I'll add 9 inches to the height of the inbounds passer, but won't say anything about the strategy of late game inbounds passing." Nah, he never thought that.

Seems Melo figured out how to break free but there was obviously little to no communication between players as to what to do if certain things played out. That should probably fall on the coach.

[Nutty Nats Fan]

What did AC say about that? Of course, it wasn't the only reason they lost. But did he completely pass the buck? There was still time and Melo is pretty much money from three at the end of games.

Having the taller player was better, but I wonder if he mentioned to the team they could bounce pass it in? To me it looked like Kmart was trying to avoid Odom with the throw in.

[pickaxe]

What did AC say about that? Of course, it wasn't the only reason they lost. But did he completely pass the buck? There was still time and Melo is pretty much money from three at the end of games.

Having the taller player was better, but I wonder if he mentioned to the team they could bounce pass it in? To me it looked like Kmart was trying to avoid Odom with the throw in.

He was asked directly after game 1 by a reporter if he thought that pass was the reason they lost, and he stated it was not. He then cited the 30 seconds following as having been their opportunity to win.

Which, it is true it was not the only reason they lost, but when you still have an opportunity to win that late in the game, and a big mistake happens like that, and 2 games later, it happens AGAIN.....

It's completel denial. The one thing AC or anyone else inbounding the ball needs to know, is regardless of what he thinks of the importance of the pass, the Lakers now know they can apply a little pressure in that area of the game and force unneeded timeouts and bad passes and maybe steal all 4 wins because we don't learn from our mistakes.

[Nutty Nats Fan]

He was asked directly after game 1 by a reporter if he thought that pass was the reason they lost, and he stated it was not. He then cited the 30 seconds following as having been their opportunity to win.

Wow. He takes right after Karl, doesn't he? Wasn't his fault at all!

At least be a man, admit you f'ed up.

[sportsmikegm23]

Not to say Karl doesn't have his faults this series, but the players have to execute plays better too!!!! I think they need to share the responsiblity.

[sportsmikegm23]

In my opinion

Karl > AC

We have to find a true back up PG this off season.

[el loco]

Not to say Karl doesn't have his faults this series, but the players have to execute plays better too!!!! I think they need to share the responsiblity.

He could come up with a new inbounds play because the one he is using isn't working no matter if it is Billups or Melo curling around to the already determined spot on the floor.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.