OT: Lakers hire D'Antoni

[SO91]

his entire run with the Suns (and hell, even Knicks) says you're wrong. The guy was starting James FREAKING Jones and playing him major minutes instead of KT in the 2007-8 season because he wanted HIS system to work. Then, he tried to turn Grant Hill into a standstill 3 point shooter the next year. the guy is as stubborn as it comes and has never shown the ability to make modifications to his system.

James Jones wasn't on the team in 07-08. If you're thinking 06-07, JJ averaged 18 mins a game, just like KT. He also only started 7 gms that year. KT started 13 while only playing 67 games to JJ's 76. In the playoffs, KT was at 19. JJ @ 15.5.

uh... no. Amare was a pretty dead-eye mid-range shooter during our hey-day and he could attack the basket much better than Pau in his prime. The idea that Amare needed to be at the rim just doesn't jive at all with what his game used to be. He was always a face-up offensive player who could stick the mid-range of get past slower defenders to take it to the rack.

This I agree with. I don't want to compare players, but can Pau play more like Diaw did in that 06-07 team? I don't watch the Lakers much, so I'll defer to the people from LA and Lakers fans on that.

 

[Cheesebeef]

.

Completely incorrect, even the timeline is off.

sorry 2006-7. And it's not completely incorrect. James Jones was starting and started Game 1 of the 2007 WCSF against the Spurs, which was idiotic and led to us losing Game 1, at home, as usual which put us behind the 8 ball for the rest of the series.

Coach K has stated that they were running D'Antoni's offense and has even recommended D'Antoni as his replacement. Though it has no real bearing on the NBA

care to back this up with quotes because that offense didn't look anything like DA's offense in the NBA.

Kobe is a very capable playmaker, I wouldn't doubt D'Antoni's ability to make use of him.

this is true.

Mike Brown is a fraud.

I wouldn't even say he's a fraud. He's just a bad coach. Why anyone ever thought differently is beyond me.

D'Antoni may be flawed but he's still better than the guys leading every other contender with the exception of Pop.

Doc, Scott Brooks, Carlisle (assuming Dirk comes back healthy) are better coaches and hell, there's nothing to even suggest that DA is a better coach than Spoelstra at this point. He's an also ran as far as I'm concerned. Shown to be a one-trick pony with Nash and an abundance of talent that never once rose above what they were supposed to do in the playoffs and was an utter failure without him.

 

[Cheesebeef]

James Jones wasn't on the team in 07-08. If you're thinking 06-07, JJ averaged 18 mins a game, just like KT. He also only started 7 gms that year. KT started 13 while only playing 67 games to JJ's 76. In the playoffs, KT was at 19. JJ @ 15.5.

was all about the playoffs... where DA was going down swinging with JJ as the starter, starting him the first 6 games of the playoffs and that crucial Game 1 where we basically lost the series to the Spurs, putting us behind the 8 ball. why that guy was even getting COMPARABLE minutes to KT was ludicrous. And why KT only started 13 games period the entire year was ludicrous. it was because DA wanted to run small ball and prove he could win that way.

 

[SO91]

was all about the playoffs... where DA was going down swinging with JJ as the starter, starting him the first 6 games of the playoffs and that crucial Game 1 where we basically lost the series to the Spurs, putting us behind the 8 ball. why that guy was even getting COMPARABLE minutes to KT was ludicrous. And why KT only started 13 games period the entire year was ludicrous. it was because DA wanted to run small ball and prove he could win that way.

The first 5 games were against the Lakers, starting Kwame and Lamar. Would you have started KT in those games? The first SA game he fudged up, but adjusted for game 2, something some here claim he can't do. Oh by the way, JJ played less than 9 mins in that game one.

 

[SunsTzu]

sorry 2006-7. And it's not completely incorrect. James Jones was starting and started Game 1 of the 2007 WCSF against the Spurs, which was idiotic and led to us losing Game 1, at home, as usual which put us behind the 8 ball for the rest of the series.

I didn't agree with starting Jones in the playoffs but the Suns did take the Lakers to the woodshed with him as a starter. He only started 1 game in the Spurs series(again I didn't agree with it), but since when is less than 10mpg "major" minutes(assuming we're talking about the Spurs series)?. Overall Jones started fewer games than KT and played fewer mpg than KT that year.

care to back this up with quotes because that offense didn't look anything like DA's offense in the NBA.

It appears I didn't remember the quote correctly as he specifically avoids making a recommendation, but here it is.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b...ke-antoni-2012-olympic-games-article-1.362468

"I don't want to say who I think would be good (for the job), but Mike D'Antoni is a great friend and was huge in us winning the gold medal," said Krzyzewski, who was at the NBA Store on Fifth Ave. yesterday, signing copies of his new book, "The Gold Standard," which describes his Olympic experience and was written with his daughter Jamie K. Spatola. "He's really a genius, especially offensively. A lot of ideas we had on the offensive end of the court were Mike's."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b...-olympic-games-article-1.362468#ixzz2C3dEiEIh

I wouldn't even say he's a fraud. He's just a bad coach. Why anyone ever thought differently is beyond me.

Well he fooled the Lakers at least.

Doc, Scott Brooks, Carlisle (assuming Dirk comes back healthy) are better coaches and hell, there's nothing to even suggest that DA is a better coach than Spoelstra at this point. He's an also ran as far as I'm concerned. Shown to be a one-trick pony with Nash and an abundance of talent that never once rose above what they were supposed to do in the playoffs and was an utter failure without him.

Carlisle for sure is better, as is Thibodeau if you want to count them as contenders(I don't think they are). I feel Doc is about the same level as D'Antoni.

I very much disagree about Brooks and Spoelstra who I think are on par with Del Negro.

 

[Superbone]

Some of you guys really don't give D'Antoni enough credit. He has his issues, that's for sure, but having Howard in the middle is much different than having Amare in the middle when it comes to defense.

Agreed. A lot of people around here make him out to be the worst coach in the history of the league.

 

[Mainstreet]

Now this is simply a question, not based on any rumors or anything:

If the reports are to be believed, Phil Jackson was "stunned" at the hire. If he really wants to return to coaching, and it is a cold day in hell, would Sarver ever in a million years approach Phil to find out if he would coach the Suns? Close to LA, and he would probably get a lot of say in personnel decisions, which is what he wanted. And would you be satisfied with the possibility?

Again, this is just a question that didn't come from anywhere, just my warped mind.

Even if Phil Jackson had interest in coaching in Phoenix, I don't think Sarver would ever pay him the salary he would command or relinquish the power he would want.

 

[Phrazbit]

D'Antoni introduced an elite offensive system to the NBA that is geared around specific personel, whether the Lakers have the players to run that system is debatable. What I do not think is debatable is that in terms of using rotations, developing players, developing a bench, and most importantly, making adjustments in games and managing late game situations there are few coaches in basketball that are worse than Mike D'Antoni.

We can debate about whether or not we went ring-less souly because of a broken face or a couple suspensions, but to do so ignores the fatal flaw of Mike's teams. A cascade of blown leads in big games because of awful situational management and because he regularly exhausted his starters with his horrific use of rotations.

 

[Cheesebeef]

always knew this was the case:

"but the biggest issue for D'Antoni's defense has never been where it was ranked in the league, but how the Suns players – including Steve Nash – never believed they were prepared for the big possessions, the big moments, in series with San Antonio. There was a discipline missing, a mindset, an understanding, in those moments of truths."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--lakers-resist-phil-jackson-s-power-grab-11051709.html

this was always my problem with DA and those teams. He was mentally weak IMO and the team followed their leader in that respect. Never was that more evident when they let the Spurs goad them into self destruction in 2007.

 

[Griffin]

Even if Phil Jackson had interest in coaching in Phoenix, I don't think Sarver would ever pay him the salary he would command or relinquish the power he would want.

Yeah, Jackson reportedly was asking for $10M/year. The Suns don't even pay any their players that much anymore.

 

[D-Dogg]

What I do not think is debatable is that in terms of using rotations, developing players, developing a bench, and most importantly, making adjustments in games and managing late game situations there are few coaches in basketball that are worse than Mike D'Antoni. .

Mike Brown is one of them.

 

[BC867]

Mike Brown is one of them.

Out of the frying pan, into the frying pan.

 

[mojorizen7]

D'Antoni sucks.
Its amazing just how many fans were seduced by his dog n pony show here. I enjoyed the Suns being relevant under Pringles...winning a gazillion regular season game blah blah....but he got punked in the postseason time and time again.

Despite his "offensive genius", he couldn'tcoach his team to execute when it counted. Need a big shot late in a close playoff game? Rarely happened. His system wasn't wired that way.Trying to win games in crunch time 20 feet from the basket...dumb.

Need a big stop? Forget about it. We all knew it wasn't coming. Why? Because he was stubborn, and that made him not too smart in my book.

 

[Mainstreet]

D'Antoni sucks.
Its amazing just how many fans were seduced by his dog n pony show here. I enjoyed the Suns being relevant under Pringles...winning a gazillion regular season game blah blah....but he got punked in the postseason time and time again.

Despite his "offensive genius", he couldn'tcoach his team to execute when it counted. Need a big shot late in a close playoff game? Rarely happened. His system wasn't wired that way.Trying to win games in crunch time 20 feet from the basket...dumb.

Need a big stop? Forget about it. We all knew it wasn't coming. Why? Because he was stubborn, and that made him not too smart in my book.

Just think, you will get to relive Nash and DA all over again but this time in LA.

However, another thought. Dragic may turn out to be the PG you always wanted for the Suns who will get after it defensively. Might the Suns have a young star PG in the making?

 

[cly2tw]

DA is a good hire for Lakers. Apparently, he no longer rejects the idea of having a defensive coordinator for his team. On offense, the only issue would be whether Nash were too old to play enough effective mins for him.

 

[JCSunsfan]

DAntoni doesnt have to coach to be successful with that roster in LA. All he has to do is roll the ball out there and let the players play. He has three of the highest IQ players in the league in Kobe, Nash, and Gasol. He has maybe the most physically intimidating player in the league in Howard. That team is a good defensive team because it has good defensive players (save Nash). They arent going to quit playing D just because DAntoni is the coach.

Mike Brown got fired because he tried to implement a system. Here is what we do know. DAntoni love to play vet players. He has great vet players. DAntoni trusts Steve Nash. He has Steve Nash. Gotta believe, based on his history, that he trusts Kobe. He has Kobe.

I believe he will succeed.

BTW. I don't want Phil Jackson. He has has always succeeded but only with really great players. He thinks ALOT of himself. He wants buckets of money, ownership, to be free not to coach all of the games. I'm sorry.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

DAntoni doesnt have to coach to be successful with that roster in LA. All he has to do is roll the ball out there and let the players play. He has three of the highest IQ players in the league in Kobe, Nash, and Gasol. He has maybe the most physically intimidating player in the league in Howard. That team is a good defensive team because it has good defensive players (save Nash). They arent going to quit playing D just because DAntoni is the coach.

Mike Brown got fired because he tried to implement a system. Here is what we do know. DAntoni love to play vet players. He has great vet players. DAntoni trusts Steve Nash. He has Steve Nash. Gotta believe, based on his history, that he trusts Kobe. He has Kobe.

I believe he will succeed.

BTW. I don't want Phil Jackson. He has has always succeeded but only with really great players. He thinks ALOT of himself. He wants buckets of money, ownership, to be free not to coach all of the games. I'm sorry.

Agreed. However if he tries to actually run his system I don't think it will be very effective with their current personnel. If he basically just let's these guys play their games than I think they will be good, but it is going to depend a lot on how much SSOL and PnR he decides to run.

 

[Mainstreet]

Maybe it's already been pointed out, but Phil Jackson runs the triangle offense which takes time for players to adapt. Although Kobe and Gasol are familiar with it, Nash and Howard are not. I think this is why they chose DA because his system would be inclusive of these players style of play. The Lakers want to win now and do not want to go through another learning curve.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If Kobe has enough gas in the tank and if Howard comes all the way around to his pre-injury game, Mike will take this team to a championship. If Kobe and Dwight don't bounce back, no coach on this planet could get them to the finals.

Steve

 

[Rivercard]

I'm thinking Gasol may be the primary beneficiary of DA being there. DA loves a big man with skills.

The Llama will rise....

 

[JCSunsfan]

Maybe it's already been pointed out, but Phil Jackson runs the triangle offense which takes time for players to adapt. Although Kobe and Gasol are familiar with it, Nash and Howard are not. I think this is why they chose DA because his system would be inclusive of these players style of play. The Lakers want to win now and do not want to go through another learning curve.

Isn't the triagle just an evolution of the Princeton offense? Anyway, neither of those are good for Nash.

 

[leclerc]

Are you kidding me? D'Antoni in Hell A? Oh well, anything's better than Miami (and Boston). Would be great to see Steve raise the trophy, and I'll throw up a little of the purple and gold and friggin' Kobe the clown next to him. So yeah, if not OKC makes it I'll pull for the Lakers. Don't hold me to it. I sure as ... don't pull for the Spurs. Or Dallas.

Go Suns!

(and go Steve!)

 

[Covert Rain]

Screaming A Smith made a good point this morning in saying that Pau Gasol might be traded midseason for some perimeter help.

THIS RIGHT HERE. This is the problem with D'Antoni and his entire philosophy. Trade power, post and inside game at the 4 for 3 point shooting. If this happens, this is just the start of roster moves like this.

If you insert Pop or Phil back into this same coaching position that would never happen in a million years with this roster. D'Antoni thinks he can 3 point shoot and run and gun himself into a title.

Also, this roster is built around the triangle no? Have we ever seen a team put in a new offensive system after the start of the season and win a title?

 

[Mainstreet]

Isn't the triagle just an evolution of the Princeton offense? Anyway, neither of those are good for Nash.

It doesn't matter. I dislike both. The most exciting offense I have seen is DA's SSOL but it appears to have been written off. I still do not see why some defense cannot be mixed in with the system. Raja Bell showed it could be done if the offensive players have some defensive skills.

 

[Covert Rain]

It doesn't matter. I dislike both. The most exciting offense I have seen is DA's SSOL but it appears to have been written off. I still do not see why some defense cannot be mixed in with the system. Raja Bell showed it could be done if the offensive players have some defensive skills.

One has a track record of producing championships and D'Antoni's does not. Also, look at how many players the Suns went through before and after Raja. Raja was a rare bird that could play on both ends. The problem with D'Antoni's system is you have to assume those players are a dime a dozen and that you can get your hands on them.

D'Antoni proved time and time again both here and in New York that when push comes to shove...he picks offense. Good luck with that Lakers.

I think someone mentioned it earlier. What kind of power does D'Antoni have? If they can prevent him from strip mining this roster that can only help.