Terry Porter being a terrible coach isn't the same thing as Mike D being good. Nash showed that when he did just fine without Mike D (provided he wasn't being coached by a complete oaf in Porter), like in 2010. I'm not convinced Nash wouldn't have played that style of ball even without Mike D, provided his new coach let him. He was being held back in the Dallas system.
Good coaches help, but they're overstated. Pop is one of the best coaches, and he's the first to tell you this. "Players play" and when they play well "they make me look smart". The biggest thing a coach can do is know how to not get in the players way, and to create an environment conducive to players feeling comfortable. Stuff like "teaching them how to play D" isn't even something head coaches do much of, and rarely seems to change bad defensive players into good ones, or vice versa.
Mike D'Antoni Regrets Leaving Phoenix
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Re: Mike D'Antoni Regrets Leaving Phoenix
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Re: Mike D'Antoni Regrets Leaving Phoenix
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Re: Mike D'Antoni Regrets Leaving Phoenix
Speaking of Terry Porter, I kind of feel bad for him. Yes, he did a terrible job in Phoenix, but from all accounts, he's a super-nice guy with a great work-ethic who was a great point guard back in the day. Like many people, I thought he was unfairly fired by the Bucks.
Steve Kerr deserves a lot of the blame for the Porter debacle because he thought Porter's Detroit Pistons system would fit and he was wrong. The players hated it as well, but I feel for Porter because it seems like he was just doing what Kerr wanted him to do.
By his own admission, he was too stubborn by not letting the team play at a faster pace, but I think he learned some valuable lessons from his time as Suns coach and I wouldn't be surprised to see him do well in the future with a younger team.
He walked into a nearly impossible situation in 2009 as an inexperienced head-coach with a very veteran team in 2009 who never respected him.
He also had no experience coaching big-names like Shaq, Amare, and Nash and it's no secret they didn't respect him.
That's why Kerr deserves most of the blame.
Steve Kerr deserves a lot of the blame for the Porter debacle because he thought Porter's Detroit Pistons system would fit and he was wrong. The players hated it as well, but I feel for Porter because it seems like he was just doing what Kerr wanted him to do.
By his own admission, he was too stubborn by not letting the team play at a faster pace, but I think he learned some valuable lessons from his time as Suns coach and I wouldn't be surprised to see him do well in the future with a younger team.
He walked into a nearly impossible situation in 2009 as an inexperienced head-coach with a very veteran team in 2009 who never respected him.
He also had no experience coaching big-names like Shaq, Amare, and Nash and it's no secret they didn't respect him.
That's why Kerr deserves most of the blame.
Re: Mike D'Antoni Regrets Leaving Phoenix
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Re: Mike D'Antoni Regrets Leaving Phoenix
So from this thread, I can surmise that we should have won at least one or two rings with Thibs hired as a defensive coach if only Mike D'Antoni wasn't stubborn.
We must lead the league in "if only this happened" imaginary rings.
When I die in 60 or so years, I'll make sure my living relatives engrave on my tomb "Suns : #1 in NBA in Imaginary Championship Rings"
We must lead the league in "if only this happened" imaginary rings.
When I die in 60 or so years, I'll make sure my living relatives engrave on my tomb "Suns : #1 in NBA in Imaginary Championship Rings"