OT: D'Antoni to slow it down, focus on defense

Mr. Sun · Post #1 » by **Mr. Sun** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:18 am

Knicks' coach admits he must dial down the up-tempo system that brought him success in Phoenix.
His famous offense has been so bad this season that it could be retitled "Several Seconds of Mess." Mike D'Antoni is the leader of these 1-9 Knicks and, as he said after practice Monday, "So far I haven't led them anywhere.''

http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketbal ... -1.1593272

Post #2 » by **Qwigglez** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:21 am

LMAO @ Several Seconds of Mess.

Obviously the Knicks are placing all their eggs in one basket named the 2010 Free Agency. I believe their whole roster is expiring this upcoming off-season. But that was too be expected.

MaryvalesFinest · Post #3 » by **MaryvalesFinest** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:44 am

They should have just kept Isiah Thomas, better coach and drafter but at least Duhtoni is gone from the Suns and that's all that matters...

YouTube · Post #4 » by **Kerrsed** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:49 am

Qwigglez wrote:LMAO @ Several Seconds of Mess.

Obviously the Knicks are placing all their eggs in one basket named the 2010 Free Agency. I believe their whole roster is expiring this upcoming off-season. But that was too be expected.

Its hard for him to run 7 seconds or less with the team that he has. He only has 1 lights out shooter in Gallinari. He had a squad in PHX that were all shooters. Its just kinda impossible for him to do it with his roster. Next year when they make some moves, he will go back to it.

NashtyNas · Post #5 » by **NashtyNas** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:56 am

I'm guessing this shows which one depended on which one in the Nash/D'Antoni debate... Mike's gone and Nash, whether it be in a similar system or not, is still flourishing. Mike on the other hand...

OrangeNation · Post #6 » by **OrangeNation** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:00 am

I really feel for Knick's fan cuz I just recall that Knick does not have their 1st round pick this yr. :lol:

I think Utah has it, what a high-way robbery...That pick can potentially lend you John Wall.

MaryvalesFinest · Post #7 » by **MaryvalesFinest** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:18 am

OrangeNation wrote:I really feel for Knick's fan cuz I just recall that Knick does not have their 1st round pick this yr. I think Utah has it, what a high-way robbery...That pick can potentially lend you John Wall.

The worst part about it is that the Suns had it for a short time before they used it as a throw in to cut salary even though they didn't need to do it but Colangelo wanted less salary before he sold the team to Sarver...

That was 5 years ago though and at the time the Knicks were a decent team so we can't really say to much, hopefully management learns from that mistake.

Shuttlesworth · Post #8 » by **Shuttlesworth** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:29 am

MaryvalesFinest wrote:
OrangeNation wrote:I really feel for Knick's fan cuz I just recall that Knick does not have their 1st round pick this yr. I think Utah has it, what a high-way robbery...That pick can potentially lend you John Wall.

The worst part about it is that the Suns had it for a short time before they used it as a throw in to cut salary even though they didn't need to do it but Colangelo wanted less salary before he sold the team to Sarver...

That was 5 years ago though and at the time the Knicks were a decent team so we can't really say to much, hopefully management learns from that mistake.

I highly doubt that our management is going to say:

"Gosh darn, I really wish we wouldn't have traded that draft pick 5 years ago! Let's make a promise that we as management, will never trade away our future draft picks again...."

There not going to learn from their mistakes Mary. You roll the dice in this league, sometimes it pays off sometimes it doesn't.

MaryvalesFinest · Post #9 » by **MaryvalesFinest** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:44 am

Shuttlesworth wrote:
MaryvalesFinest wrote:
OrangeNation wrote:I really feel for Knick's fan cuz I just recall that Knick does not have their 1st round pick this yr. I think Utah has it, what a high-way robbery...That pick can potentially lend you John Wall.

The worst part about it is that the Suns had it for a short time before they used it as a throw in to cut salary even though they didn't need to do it but Colangelo wanted less salary before he sold the team to Sarver...

That was 5 years ago though and at the time the Knicks were a decent team so we can't really say to much, hopefully management learns from that mistake.

I highly doubt that our management is going to say:

"Gosh darn, I really wish we wouldn't have traded that draft pick 5 years ago! Let's make a promise that we as management, will never trade away our future draft picks again...."

There not going to learn from their mistakes Mary. You roll the dice in this league, sometimes it pays off sometimes it doesn't.

Well if that's the case and management doesn't think for the future your team can end up with the #27/30 brightest future in the NBA...

JohnVancouver · Post #10 » by **JohnVancouver** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:45 am

I had forgotten they have no pick this year - my god, please don't let Utah draft a franchise-changing player.

Damn -

MaryvalesFinest · Post #11 » by **MaryvalesFinest** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:50 am

If Utah wins the lotto on the Knicks pick and gets John Wall I wonder how Knicks fans would react...

Post #12 » by **Qwigglez** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:20 am

I would assume Knicks fans wouldn't care if they got someone like Lebron...

Post #13 » by **tsherkin** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:55 am

He's not a miracle worker... the Suns weren't red-hot with him before Nash, either. He was 21-40 in his first season as head coach in Phoenix, if you recall. Injuries, youth, weak roster, whatever, but he had issues and it wasn't until the addition of a brutally awesome PG that the team took off (and the development of depth, the acquisition of others, etc, etc).

New York sucks, and it's not D'Antoni's fault at all. He may not be the messiah or whatever, but Phil Jackson could coach that team and they'd still blow. They might look better with Jerry Sloan, because he'd just flat-out scare everyone into playing some defense. That man is INTIMIDATING. But even he'd have trouble.

Mr. Sun · Post #14 » by **Mr. Sun** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 12:17 am

tsherkin wrote:New York sucks, and it's not D'Antoni's fault at all. He may not be the messiah or whatever, but Phil Jackson could coach that team and they'd still blow. They might look better with Jerry Sloan, because he'd just flat-out scare everyone into playing some defense. That man is INTIMIDATING. But even he'd have trouble.

I don't think they would be better with anyone. Jackson wouldn't have them because no Kobe or MJ.

Post #15 » by **tsherkin** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 12:38 am

Mr. Sun wrote:
I don't think they would be better with anyone. Jackson wouldn't have them because no Kobe or MJ.

Even Pops couldn't make that team worth mentioning.

Of the coaches I know, MAYBE Riles, Sloan or Pops could make them a low-40s team in the .500 to .550 winning percentage range, maybe...

But even Riles could only do so much with the early 00s Heat, you know? And even Sloan was mortal when he coached the Bulls at the beginning of his career, and in the 04-05 season with Utah.

Sometimes, coaching just isn't sufficient to buoy weak rosters.

garrick · Post #16 » by **garrick** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 4:27 am

With a team that is as deficient as NY I would imagine that the only way to way games would be to play good defense since the offense is so inept.

Post #17 » by **tsherkin** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 4:36 am

That team doesn't have the pieces to play good D either.

TheMan44 · Post #18 » by **TheMan44** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 7:20 am

Kerrsed wrote:Its hard for him to run 7 seconds or less with the team that he has. He only has 1 lights out shooter in Gallinari. He had a squad in PHX that were all shooters. Its just kinda impossible for him to do it with his roster. Next year when they make some moves, he will go back to it.

Yes.

Testament that it is the players who make the difference, not the coach.

D'Antoni with Nash/Amare/Hill/Diaw/Marion = success

D'Antoni with Chandler/Lee/Hughes/Duhon = mess

same coach. different players. different results due to players.

justinb80 · Post #19 » by **justinb80** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 4:22 pm

Sunsman44 wrote:
Kerrsed wrote:Its hard for him to run 7 seconds or less with the team that he has. He only has 1 lights out shooter in Gallinari. He had a squad in PHX that were all shooters. Its just kinda impossible for him to do it with his roster. Next year when they make some moves, he will go back to it.

Yes.

Testament that it is the players who make the difference, not the coach.

D'Antoni with Nash/Amare/Hill/Diaw/Marion = success

D'Antoni with Chandler/Lee/Hughes/Duhon = mess

same coach. different players. different results due to players.

This is an oversimplification.

It requires the right combination of players and coach.

Post #20 » by **Miklo** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 4:41 pm

justinb80 wrote:It requires the right combination of players and coach.

+1

D'Antoni's style only works with very specific circumstances - which is to say that yes NY's roster is largely just an afterthought in preparation for the free agent class BUT another coach could do better.

I know we all got upset and wished DA had stayed here - but I've always opposed many elements of his coaching strategy, and I always will.

The main element being his development of young players. He is impatient and alienates certain players by bypassing potential for a shot at winning a ring selfishly for himself.