Coach Mike is starting to feel the heat

[DeAnna]

Did anyone catch him on Jude LaCava's show last night? Wow, I have never seen him so dejected and serious after a win. He looked tired and drained.

Jude asked him straight out "is there a discrepancy between coaching and managment?" Normally he would gloss over a question like that, but he replied "it could be better."

Maybe they had a little meeting after Friday's game with Kerr?

Still don't know why he was tossed - he wouldn't say.

 

[95pro]

i think him & kerr had a serious talk after friday nights loss.

 

[Mulli]

Did Jude mean "difference of opinion" and not discrepancy?

 

[DeAnna]

Did Jude mean "difference of opinion" and not discrepancy?

Is there a legal difference? other than the fact that I spelled discrepancy wrong?

 

[Mulli]

Is there a legal difference? other than the fact that I spelled discrepancy wrong?

I guess not. Upon further review, discrepancy fits.

 

[DeAnna]

I guess not. Upon further review, discrepancy fits.

 

[msdundee]

There has been a lot of discussion here on DA giving the bench more minutes, especially DJ. Some interesting comments and some strong words from JVG: (in Jerry Brown's notebook)

"ABC commentator and former Houston and New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy scoffed at the notion that Suns coach Mike D’Antoni should play his bench more in the interest of player development.

“Who do you want him to play?” Van Gundy said, incredulously. “(Eric) Piatkowski? (Sean) Marks? D.J. Strawberry? Are you kidding me?

“Now if you had said Marcus Banks (before he was traded to Miami) I might have said ‘OK, you paid money and you had a part in the evaluation of getting him as the coach.’ Maybe he should have played. But when (Steve) Nash bloodied his nose last year (in Game 1 against the Spurs), was anybody saying ‘Marcus Banks hasn’t been playing. That’s what got in our way?’ No.

“So who should he develop? Alando Tucker? You’re going to tell me that a late-first rounder’s development is critical to the Suns winning a championship this year?

“I think the Suns do develop their players. Nash went from being a really good point guard to being an MVP. Shawn Marion went from being a pretty good forward to an All-Star. Amaré Stoudemire went from being a pretty good player to being a great player … Who haven’t they developed? A bunch of (expletive) on the end of the bench? Those guys can’t play in the NBA in a playoff series. They do what they’re supposed to do. Be enthusiastic and be great on the bench.”

 

[DeAnna]

In all fairness, maybe 'develop the bench' is not the correct way to put it. Those guys are already veterans so I doubt they need to be developed.

What most people mean by that is those bench guys never get a lot of minutes during the regular season so they are not in sync with the others during crunch time. So, it becomes a question of: Do they not play because coach doesn't trust them, or does he not trust them since they don't play alot?

 

[jandaman]

Strawberry doesnt have the talent to be a starter, but he could be a decent backup PG/SG, lock down defender....

only if he could shoot the 3... maybe a corner.. but the looks at the elbow.. it doesnt look close.

 

[95pro]

DJ just cant hit a shot.
last game vs portlant. he had the whole 2nd half. was 1 for 8 or something.

yesterday vs spurs, i dont think he made any.

kid needs to work on his shot. his D is gtg.

 

[nowagimp]

In all fairness, maybe 'develop the bench' is not the correct way to put it. Those guys are already veterans so I doubt they need to be developed.

What most people mean by that is those bench guys never get a lot of minutes during the regular season so they are not in sync with the others during crunch time. So, it becomes a question of: Do they not play because coach doesn't trust them, or does he not trust them since they don't play alot?

And what van Gundy is saying is that HE wouldnt play them either, they stink! The suns bench is pretty bad, and part of that has to do with the suns failing to go out and get usable guys to add to the bench. For all the whining around ASFN about the bench and the picks lost, there are very few servicable players the the suns could have obtained in the draft, and neither former GM DA, or current GM Kerr has done much to add anyone in any other way. Kerr has the advantage of being on a "honeymoon" of sorts, not so with DA. But you know if JJ was still here, this wouldnt even be a discussion. Sarver is at least as much to blame for the suns problems, personnel wise. JJ at 10 mil/per would have changed the suns future. He's just wasted and regressing in atlanta.

 

[Mainstreet]

Did anyone catch him on Jude LaCava's show last night? Wow, I have never seen him so dejected and serious after a win. He looked tired and drained.

Jude asked him straight out "is there a discrepancy between coaching and managment?" Normally he would gloss over a question like that, but he replied "it could be better."

Maybe they had a little meeting after Friday's game with Kerr?

Maybe it all rolls down hill and at the end of the line is Diaw.

He sure played well the last game. Come to think about it, Diaw played his best the year Amare was injured. Maybe Hill's injury may be a blessing in disguise if Diaw indeed steps up as a starter and Hill can come off the bench.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

There has been a lot of discussion here on DA giving the bench more minutes, especially DJ. Some interesting comments and some strong words from JVG: (in Jerry Brown's notebook)

"ABC commentator and former Houston and New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy scoffed at the notion that Suns coach Mike D’Antoni should play his bench more in the interest of player development.

“Who do you want him to play?” Van Gundy said, incredulously. “(Eric) Piatkowski? (Sean) Marks? D.J. Strawberry? Are you kidding me?

“Now if you had said Marcus Banks (before he was traded to Miami) I might have said ‘OK, you paid money and you had a part in the evaluation of getting him as the coach.’ Maybe he should have played. But when (Steve) Nash bloodied his nose last year (in Game 1 against the Spurs), was anybody saying ‘Marcus Banks hasn’t been playing. That’s what got in our way?’ No.

“So who should he develop? Alando Tucker? You’re going to tell me that a late-first rounder’s development is critical to the Suns winning a championship this year?

“I think the Suns do develop their players. Nash went from being a really good point guard to being an MVP. Shawn Marion went from being a pretty good forward to an All-Star. Amaré Stoudemire went from being a pretty good player to being a great player … Who haven’t they developed? A bunch of (expletive) on the end of the bench? Those guys can’t play in the NBA in a playoff series. They do what they’re supposed to do. Be enthusiastic and be great on the bench.”

Shhh....you don't want to introduce reality to a large portion of the board.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Strawberry doesnt have the talent to be a starter, but he could be a decent backup PG/SG, lock down defender....

only if he could shoot the 3... maybe a corner.. but the looks at the elbow.. it doesnt look close.

Strawberry doesn't have the talent to be on a NBA roster. He has a long way to go to be "Jacque Vaughn good" so that should tell you something right there.

 

[Mainstreet]

Strawberry doesn't have the talent to be on a NBA roster. He has a long way to go to be "Jacque Vaughn good" so that should tell you something right there.

I agree, at least this season about DJ. I'm also skeptical about his future. However, what are the implications about the Suns drafting Tucker in the first round? He apparently does not even have the talent to suit-up.

 

[95pro]

i think the suns envisioned a suns all-star party.

nash doing the skills
bell doing the 3pt contest
STAT & tucker doing the dunk contest

???

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I agree, at least this season about DJ. I'm also skeptical about his future. However, what are the implications about the Suns drafting Tucker in the first round? He apparently does not even have the talent to suit-up.

The implications of the Suns taking a short guy that can't shoot in round 1? Here they are:

#1 Kerr can't evalute talent. No one thought that Tucker was the pick there.

#2 With Glen Davis sitting on the board you pass over him twice. Small ball is here to stay regardless of the coach.

#3 After selling off another pick for cash, Sarver wanted to take someone worthless so he could say "See this is why I sell the picks!"

 

[nowagimp]

The implications of the Suns taking a short guy that can't shoot in round 1? Here they are:

#1 Kerr can't evalute talent. No one thought that Tucker was the pick there.

#2 With Glen Davis sitting on the board you pass over him twice. Small ball is here to stay regardless of the coach.

#3 After selling off another pick for cash, Sarver wanted to take someone worthless so he could say "See this is why I sell the picks!"

Kind of hard to argue with those points. Its about time people started evaluating kerrs moves. I wonder why he was never a GM before? Maybe this is his time to learn how to be a GM, but wouldnt that be better if he were being GM on a non contender?

 

[Griffin]

#2 With Glen Davis sitting on the board you pass over him twice. Small ball is here to stay regardless of the coach.

Yes, but realistically how many decent players were taken after Tucker? This late in the draft, generally you are more likely to get a player who will be out of the league in a year or two than someone who will actually contribute. There are exceptions of course, but look at last year's late picks and see how many names you actually recognize and how many of those players are already out of the league.

 

[TucsonDevil]

WOW,

Half of the comments by JVG are there to protect the coaching fraternity. MOST analysts question why D'Antoni doesn't play his bench and develop his players. As far as DJ playing time is - I don't think the anyone has made the case for DJ as an All-Star or even starter. The argument lies in 'playing time' for DJ is equal to 'resting time' for starters. Gives them fresher legs during the year, and helps give DJ experience to really see what his is capable of doing.

 

[btimsah]

Why do NBA owners do stuff like that for cash? NFL never does that. Makes you want a better owner, someone with deeper pockets and not such a cheapskate.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Yes, but realistically how many decent players were taken after Tucker? This late in the draft, generally you are more likely to get a player who will be out of the league in a year or two than someone who will actually contribute. There are exceptions of course, but look at last year's late picks and see how many names you actually recognize and how many of those players are already out of the league.

I have already listed 6 rookies who have played well and were taken after the pick we sold for cash and nothing else.

 

[Chaplin]

WOW,

Half of the comments by JVG are there to protect the coaching fraternity. MOST analysts question why D'Antoni doesn't play his bench and develop his players. As far as DJ playing time is - I don't think the anyone has made the case for DJ as an All-Star or even starter. The argument lies in 'playing time' for DJ is equal to 'resting time' for starters. Gives them fresher legs during the year, and helps give DJ experience to really see what his is capable of doing.

I think the general idea from the Suns is that they HAVE seen what he is capable of doing right now (read that again--capable of doing NOW, not capable of what he MAY be able to do), and he is not a playoff performer. He was awful in the 4th quarter yesterday. What makes you think he could do any good against a Spurs team that is a goliath?

 

[Chaplin]

Why do NBA owners do stuff like that for cash? NFL never does that. Makes you want a better owner, someone with deeper pockets and not such a cheapskate.

If every owner had deeper pockets, what's the point of a salary cap? It's a no-win situation. They either aren't paying enough or are paying too much. There's no middle ground.

 

[Cheesebeef]

coach D has been feeling the heat all season long snipping at the press, fans, even other coaches in the 2nd game of the season. He's great at playing the role of underdog (first two years), but he really hasn't seemed like someone who can deal with playing with expectations.