Is D'Antoni DUMB?

[pokerface]

I've always liked D'Antoni and thought he was a great coach but this is the first time I really question his brains. Why would he play these last two games with his regualer starters claiming its for momentum and then risk his players health and confidence by LOSING. If he truly believes in momentum then these last two losses can only hurt us....right?? Clearly these last two teams had more to play for and showed it while the Suns wern't willing to step it up.....SO WHY TRY?? Why not just do the smart thing and give the bench heavy minutes and give our guys a rest ESPECIALLY since they wern't up to it anyway. Was there really a game plan about this or is it just some half hearted half baked bull that just backfired all over his face?

 

[TBaslim]

Is D'Antoni DUMB?

No.









--- runs away from padding post count....

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I've always liked D'Antoni and thought he was a great coach but this is the first time I really question his brains. Why would he play these last two games with his regualer starters claiming its for momentum and then risk his players health and confidence by LOSING. If he truly believes in momentum then these last two losses can only hurt us....right?? Clearly these last two teams had more to play for and showed it while the Suns wern't willing to step it up.....SO WHY TRY?? Why not just do the smart thing and give the bench heavy minutes and give our guys a rest ESPECIALLY since they wern't up to it anyway. Was there really a game plan about this or is it just some half hearted half baked bull that just backfired all over his face?

He simply out thought himself here. This is where a general manager is needed who can say "Coach you need to rest your starters". At times having all the power brings downsides like this.

 

[Mainstreet]

In this case, I think it was "just some half hearted half baked bull that just backfired all over his face?"

If you play your starters and still lose the last two games what message does that send.... that the Suns are only the second seed because the Mavs beat SA. Not a real good confidence builder for me.

 

[TheHopToad]

I think it's a matter of the Coach trying to have some integrity and respect for the game by at least appearing to try to win the last two games when it mattered for the opponents. If the Suns were fighting for the #8 seed, they (and we) would sure appreciate a team with a locked up spot trying to help us.

Secondly, the team finishes a day ahead of all other teams (except Atlanta) who play a game tomorrow while we rest an extra day. Depending on whether the Suns draw a Saturday or Sunday playoff opener, they could potentially have four days off. That's plenty of rest for the starters. You have to balance rest against the risk of getting rusty without game competition for that long.

Coach D'Antoni has been coaching basketball as long or longer than many of us have been watching and second guessing it. I'm pretty sure he knows exactly what he is doing. IMO, I think we at least owe him the benefit of the doubt pending the outcome of the playoffs.

 

[jenna2891]

it looked to me like the players viewed this game as a scrimmage. if they won, awesome, but in the end it was about them (essentially) practicing. i think it, at the very least, won't hurt them, but it could prove valuable.

i also think that the players wanted to be out there. i would have more worries about a coach who benches players who feel like a game would be helpful. none of these players are morons. if they want to play, i'm sure they realize that it shouldn't be at the expense of the playoffs.

 

[Greg Popovich]

In this case, I think it was "just some half hearted half baked bull that just backfired all over his face?"

If you play your starters and still lose the last two games what message does that send.... that the Suns are only the second seed because the Mavs beat SA. Not a real good confidence builder for me.

Or because JOEY Crawford went crazy...

 

[Chaplin]

I think it's more like a week ago we were playing lethargic and like we didn't care. Our star players were openly questioning our chemistry--remember the Spurs debacle?

Whether D'Antoni succeeded or not, he did it this way to fight those chemistry issues and to a lesser extent get Diaw a bit more confidence. IMO, the former is questionable since we've lost the last 2, but there's no denying that Diaw has shown a bit more of his skills from last year over the past week.

I agree that he should have rested the guys a little bit more, but it's hard to fault him when we truly did look uninterested and uncomfortable on the court, even when winning..

 

[Errntknght]

D'Antoni is in the right position to judge what is best for the team going into the playoffs so I don't fault him. I certainly don't think that playing two good teams down to wire hurt the teams confidence since they were just scrimmages for our guys. Now he can go light in the practices in the days leading up to the playoff games.

 

[SO91]

It was a classy move by D'Antoni to play the starters like he did. Everybody is gonna have their opinion on the matter, and an injury was certainly a possiblity that I'm sure they thought of, but there really is no right or wrong answer. It was fan appreciation night, and those fans that payed for their tickets deserve to see what they pay for, whether we like it or not.

 

[D-Dogg]

The fact that it could have easily ended with Nash or Amare out for the playoffs is dumb. I caught the last four minutes of the clips/suns game and was SHOCKED to see Amare and Nash both in the game. WHY?????

 

[D-Dogg]

It was a classy move by D'Antoni to play the starters like he did. Everybody is gonna have their opinion on the matter, and an injury was certainly a possiblity that I'm sure they thought of, but there really is no right or wrong answer. It was fan appreciation night, and those fans that payed for their tickets deserve to see what they pay for, whether we like it or not.

I think your fans would like a championship more, and they risked that by putting their stars out in meaningless games twice in a row (and often injuries occur when a player isn't playing full speed or trying to take it easy). Quite lucky nothing went wrong, or you guys would be gathering up the torches and pitchforks as we speak.

 

[SO91]

Hey I would have prefered to see the bench play and rest everybody, but I still think it was a classy move by the organization with respect to the game and the fans that payed full price for their tickets. Again, simply an opinion to an issue that has no right or wrong answer.

 

[Chaplin]

I think your fans would like a championship more, and they risked that by putting their stars out in meaningless games twice in a row (and often injuries occur when a player isn't playing full speed or trying to take it easy). Quite lucky nothing went wrong, or you guys would be gathering up the torches and pitchforks as we speak.

Why is it lucky? Every time someone steps on the court it's "lucky" by that reasoning if they don't get hurt.

Players play the game--you most certainly will see the NBA look at intentionally sitting players like Dallas did tonight. It hurts the integrity of the game.

D'Antoni should have limited some minutes tonight, no question, but to sit healthy players out like Dallas did with Dirk and Josh Howard is inexcusable.

We've got 4 days of rest -- plenty of time considering the playoffs last 2 months.

 

[elindholm]

The fact that it could have easily ended with Nash or Amare out for the playoffs is dumb.

I guess they'd better not drive anywhere either then, or do anything else potentially risky.

Every option has its potential disadvantages. If the starters sit for a week, they may get out of rhythm or lose mental sharpness. Practice is valuable, and playing real games is the best practice you can get. Of course, if you're going to play, it's better to win, but otherwise I don't have any problem with playing the starters.

 

[msdundee]

D'Antoni is in the right position to judge what is best for the team going into the playoffs so I don't fault him. I certainly don't think that playing two good teams down to wire hurt the teams confidence since they were just scrimmages for our guys. Now he can go light in the practices in the days leading up to the playoff games.

Majerle talked about it tonight, and agreed with D'Antoni playing the full roster these last couple of games. According to him, most players don't want to sit out anyway unless they're hurt. He said in '93 the Suns had their standing sewn up and Westphal rested starters over the last 4-5 games. They went into the playoffs "cold and rusty" -- he said he feels that had a lot to do with their losing those first two at home to LA.

Tweaking the starting lineup looks to have been another good move -- Jr. and Boris are both playing way better. Let's hope they keep it up.

 

[pokerface]

I'm sure D'Antoni had some REASONS like some of you suggested but he's been riding our starters hard all year and now at the end he pig-headedly keeps riding them no matter the price. These other two teams were playing HARD and thats when bad things can happen like players diving excessively for loose balls and fouling harder etc etc....all the time while our guys are only half in it. We all got a scare the other night when Amare came down weird on his leg....If any of our guys would have been hurt we would have been riding D's arse like no tomorrow.

I'm not saying he's 100% wrong but this isnt one of his smartest moves either. The Suns are still looking for their first championship and we dont want it over before it begins!!

 

[D-Dogg]

Whatever, believe what you want. I wish you had beat the clips and the Mavs had beat GS so the Lakers could take tomorrow's game off.

Yeah, they could get hurt driving or shopping or effing thier wives/gfs/hoes/whatever but the fact remains that they didn't need to play as a win or loss didn't mean anything. The regular season for them is done...eyes on the prize...wasn't that a suns rally cry last season? Well, the prize isn't present during the last two meaningless games.

I'm really shocked, both e and chap, that you two do not agree. That you are cool with having Nash and Amare in the 4th quarter with 4 minutes left the last game of the season when two games ago you headlocked the 2 seed with no chance for improvement or falling lower. I guess the only way I'd know if your tune would have changed is if they had gotten hurt...

diff'rent strokes...

 

[Cheesebeef]

honestly, I wasn't crazy about the not resting guys, but everyone's healthy and Boris actually looks like himself and JR actually continued to play okay (which is a hell of a lot better than completely useless).

With no injuries occurring, I see no need to cry over milk that MIGHT have been spilled but wasn't.

 

[pokerface]

Also, D' said this is about momentum....so its no longer in our favor...its against us now.

 

[elindholm]

Whatever, believe what you want. I wish you had beat the clips and the Mavs had beat GS so the Lakers could take tomorrow's game off.

Yeah, they could get hurt driving or shopping or effing thier wives/gfs/hoes/whatever but the fact remains that they didn't need to play as a win or loss didn't mean anything. The regular season for them is done...eyes on the prize...wasn't that a suns rally cry last season? Well, the prize isn't present during the last two meaningless games.

I'm really shocked, both e and chap, that you two do not agree. That you are cool with having Nash and Amare in the 4th quarter with 4 minutes left the last game of the season when two games ago you headlocked the 2 seed with no chance for improvement or falling lower. I guess the only way I'd know if your tune would have changed is if they had gotten hurt...

diff'rent strokes...

Did you even read my post? Seriously?

Let me try again: There are risks either way. If you play, you might get hurt. If you don't play, you might get rusty. The Suns' offense is particularly dependent upon timing and confidence. I'd just as soon keep those skills honed through real games.

Perhaps you've forgotten how terrible the Suns looked at the start of the year, before they found their rhythm. We haven't.

Edit: By the way, according to your whole "eyes on the prize" rhetoric, teams shouldn't practice before the playoffs either. After all, someone might get hurt, and having a good practice doesn't advance you in the climb to 16 wins.

 

[Chaplin]

Whatever, believe what you want. I wish you had beat the clips and the Mavs had beat GS so the Lakers could take tomorrow's game off.

Yeah, they could get hurt driving or shopping or effing thier wives/gfs/hoes/whatever but the fact remains that they didn't need to play as a win or loss didn't mean anything. The regular season for them is done...eyes on the prize...wasn't that a suns rally cry last season? Well, the prize isn't present during the last two meaningless games.

I'm really shocked, both e and chap, that you two do not agree. That you are cool with having Nash and Amare in the 4th quarter with 4 minutes left the last game of the season when two games ago you headlocked the 2 seed with no chance for improvement or falling lower. I guess the only way I'd know if your tune would have changed is if they had gotten hurt...

diff'rent strokes...

I guess that's why we're the 2 seed and you're the 7th or the 8th seed...

Seriously though, I thought I was pretty clear that it would have been nice if we limited minutes a little more, but I'm not going to fault D'Antoni--my guess is you didn't see us play around that San Antonio game, where we were extremely lethargic. And I wonder if you read the local paper that had Nash and Raja Bell saying that our chemistry was "off". That's a big deal for this team.

And there's no question in my mind that Boris Diaw has took huge strides over the past 5 or 6 games and has stepped up. A lot of people don't notice it, but we had NEVER seen Boris this year do a play like he did a few games ago against the Lakers where he had like 2 offensive rebounds and a put-back.

A lot of people say chemistry is overrated--I believe I heard or read that recently--but I don't believe it when it pertains to the Phoenix Suns. We overachieved last season why? Because our chemistry was so good. We're a better team this year, but if our chemistry is suffering, it won't matter.

 

[Chaplin]

Also, D' said this is about momentum....so its no longer in our favor...its against us now.

Well, it's all in the past now. Nobody is injured and we still have the 2nd seed--hopefully against the Lakers, but that's out of our hands.

Take a breath and enjoy it for 2 seconds.

 

[D-Dogg]

Did you even read my post? Seriously?

Let me try again: There are risks either way. If you play, you might get hurt. If you don't play, you might get rusty. The Suns' offense is particularly dependent upon timing and confidence. I'd just as soon keep those skills honed through real games.

Perhaps you've forgotten how terrible the Suns looked at the start of the year, before they found their rhythm. We haven't.

I did read it, and I don't agree with the argument of "rust." Rust only applies if you aren't practicing. That's my opinion, but I think the "rust" argument is really just laziness and ego...and I've been there before in HS bball...resting games with the conference locked then thinking we were in a walk in the first round against an "inferior" opponent who didn't care what our record was and damn near beat us my senior year. I would have loved to say our problem was rust, but it was more us reading our own press, looking at the next opponent and not being ready to play mentally...had nothing to do with us resting which was a good thing.

I can only apply my experience here, but I'd much prefer the rest...

 

[Chaplin]

I did read it, and I don't agree with the argument of "rust." Rust only applies if you aren't practicing. That's my opinion, but I think the "rust" argument is really just laziness and ego...and I've been there before in HS bball...resting games with the conference locked then thinking we were in a walk in the first round against an "inferior" opponent who didn't care what our record was and damn near beat us my senior year. I would have loved to say our problem was rust, but it was more us reading our own press, looking at the next opponent and not being ready to play mentally...had nothing to do with us resting which was a good thing.

I can only apply my experience here, but I'd much prefer the rest...

This isn't High School.