Popovich comments on D'Antoni

[Griffin]

I was going to stick this into one of the D'Antoni bashing threads, but I think it deserves its own. A coach like Pop seems to get more respect around here than our own, so his professional opinion will certainly be valued by those who would like to see D'Antoni gone.

Before the game, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich would not believe that there had been a swelling of fan criticism of D'Antoni. Once convinced, he said, "It's ridiculous. Silly. I'll just stop there."

But he didn't. After the game, Popovich added, "The last thing Mike D'Antoni has to worry about is fans who are not knowledgeable, who react childishly. It's a hell of a program. He's a hell of a coach. Criticism he gets for whatever he got around here is just ignorant."

 

[Proteus]

He just wants D'Antoni to stick around cuz he usually outcoaches him.

 

[msdundee]

Rosen post-game:

"Most importantly, Mike D'Antoni (gasp!) out-coached Gregg Popovich, as the Suns' in-game adjustments were more successful than the Spurs'."

 

[Black Jesus]

I think Pop should be fired for even thinking that...

 

[sLapzsHaQ]

Before being a Suns fan, I thought that D'Antoni is a great coach. But then I joined this forum, and I read alot of hate on D'Antoni, then I was confused.

 

[TJ]

Pop should be fired for looking like he took a cheese grater to his face!! Ugly ugly man

 

[Chaplin]

D'Antoni has ALWAYS gotten respect from most, if not all, of the league, from top to bottom.

 

[passenger]

Not related to this but how the heck did Popovich ask a pg like Udrih to leave?Why did he prefer to use Vaughn,Stoudamire now instead of Udrih?
I think Popovich is a great coach but that has surprised me.

 

[cly2tw]

He just wants D'Antoni to stick around cuz he usually outcoaches him.

Very likely. Mike, sticking to your 7 men rotation and wear your guys down, so that we Spurs have a better chance at you guys. Thumbs up for helping us, Mike is great coach!

 

[Lorenzo]

pop is a great coach. and he pretty much says what he feels. He said the same thing about mavs fans who booed michael finley(ignorance reference). what I think he failed to realize is that dirk made a joke to the media about the fans needing to boo nash and finley now that they wern't mavs anymore. for some reason they booed finley, but didn't boo nash. He also said it during that series vs SA though and..... the mavs fans don't boo finley anymore. I think d'anotione is respected around the league, but until he wins a title he is going to take heat from his hometown fans. mack brown went through it in austin at UT and don nelson did in dallas. avery will soon too if the mavs continue to get close and stumble. there's also wade phillups as the cowboys coach. I can relate to how suns fans feel about their HC at the moment.

 

[passenger]

pop is a great coach. and he pretty much says what he feels. He said the same thing about mavs fans who booed michael finley(ignorance reference). what I think he failed to realize is that dirk made a joke to the media about the fans needing to boo nash and finley now that they wern't mavs anymore. for some reason they booed finley, but didn't boo nash. He also said it during that series vs SA though and..... the mavs fans don't boo finley anymore. I think d'anotione is respected around the league, but until he wins a title he is going to take heat from his hometown fans. mack brown went through it in austin at UT and don nelson did in dallas. avery will soon too if the mavs continue to get close and stumble. there's also wade phillups as the cowboys coach. I can relate to how suns fans feel about their HC at the moment.

Yes,Dirk and Nash are really great friends,I can never think of Dirk making a comment like this,and as you told it's a joke.

Btw,was Finley injured,why didn't he play today?

 

[SO91]

Btw,was Finley injured,why didn't he play today?

He did play today and scored a grand total of 1 point. Suns D baby!!

 

[some_user86]

He did play today and scored a grand total of 1 point. Suns D baby!!

Fin's shooting, baby!

He's a hot and cold shooter. He's been cold now for the last 4 or 5 games (often going 1 for 9).

 

[French Fries]

Not related to this but how the heck did Popovich ask a pg like Udrih to leave?Why did he prefer to use Vaughn,Stoudamire now instead of Udrih?
I think Popovich is a great coach but that has surprised me.

i heard somewhere that beno was asking for more playing time. if you got a tony parker on your roster, that's not realistic...

 

[Bufalay]

i heard somewhere that beno was asking for more playing time. if you got a tony parker on your roster, that's not realistic...

not realistic for him to get more than the zero minutes that he was getting? what about vaughn's 10 minutes?

 

[French Fries]

not realistic for him to get more than the zero minutes that he was getting? what about vaughn's 10 minutes?

sorry dude, i can't understand your question. can you elaborate?

 

[jandaman]

what did anyone expect him to say?

D'Antoni, upon coming to the Suns has done a very good job no doubt. He is easy on players, he is likable off the court, he is charismatic.

How does he match up with other elite coaches? They all have to stand up for each other somehow, coaches have to support the coaching side sometimes because they do cope a lot of pressure and blame when a team fails to perform, when most of the time its the players... But in D'Antoni's case... as of late anyways...
Lets just say it doesnt matches up with his reputation.

He is still better than most coaches, sometimes by default as he has players that suits him.

The one thing that fans have bashed him for is his inability to reinforce decent defensive tactics, when needed.

He is too lenient and "nice". Popovic is a heck of a coach, he wants perfect execution while being reasonable.... I remember a training session they televised, Popovic screamed at Parker.. "It doesnt have to be execute it quickest or the fastest, but it has tobe perfect"

Thats just great discipline. Sometimes, D'Antoni needs to establish the importance of perfect execution as opposed to getting it done as fast or as quick as possible. And D'Antoni is still highly reliant on a lot of miraculous plays from some of his players come clutch time. Defense in clutch time also has many "cringe" moments, where the other team has an open shot and its when they miss that the Suns are able to get away with it... Still lacking consistency... hey, it could be player based but it could also be the other coach predicting D'Antoni's patterns.

 

[Phade]

But he didn't. After the game, Popovich added, "The last thing Mike D'Antoni has to worry about is fans who are not knowledgeable, who react childishly. It's a hell of a program. He's a hell of a coach. Criticism he gets for whatever he got around here is just ignorant."

lol that is so true.. you people on this forum think you know how to run an NBA basketball team.. that is pretty comical..

 

[boisesuns]

But he didn't. After the game, Popovich added, "The last thing Mike D'Antoni has to worry about is fans who are not knowledgeable, who react childishly. It's a hell of a program. He's a hell of a coach. Criticism he gets for whatever he got around here is just ignorant."

lol that is so true.. you people on this forum think you know how to run an NBA basketball team.. that is pretty comical..

Leave the running the suns team to us, and stick with what you do best.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Leave the running the suns team to us, and stick with what you do best.

winning championships?

 

[TucsonDevil]

The idea that Popp gives D'Antoni props is similar to how I (as a Sun Devil Football Fan) thinks the UofA should give Stoops an extension.

 

[boisesuns]

winning championships?

I was referring to Phades comment(s) not Popovich

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I was referring to Phades comment(s) not Popovich

Ah, the comment was still bolded... figured that's what you were discussing. My bad.

 

[ambchang_]

Not related to this but how the heck did Popovich ask a pg like Udrih to leave?Why did he prefer to use Vaughn,Stoudamire now instead of Udrih?
I think Popovich is a great coach but that has surprised me.

It has gone with much debate amongst Spurs fans.
There is no question that Udrih is talented, he played very well as a Spur in the first half of his rookie season. Unfortunately, his work ethic has been suspect his entire career, and he has stated publicly that the only thing holding him back is Pop playing favourites with Parker over him because he is Slovenian (ignoring the fact that Parker is French and Rasho played a huge role with the Spurs during his stay).

Now, with the Kings, he is given all the minutes, and can do whatever he wants on the floor instead of running a methodical offense and completing complex defensive plays. It is no surprise that he would prosper.

Back to the topic, I was surprised by D'antoni's coaching yesterday, and I must say that the Suns played very well and deserved the win, Shaq dominated Duncan in huge stretches of the game, and the Spurs just choked and couldn't execute down the stretch. Good game.

 

[ambchang_]

not realistic for him to get more than the zero minutes that he was getting? what about vaughn's 10 minutes?

What Vaughn does that Udrih never could is hustle and bring in defensive intensity. Vaughn, if he is not trigger happy and just concentrates on running an offense, is great as a 3rd PG in the Spurs system because he is mostly disciplined. Udrih on the other hand is slow to learn, and just like to run things his way. Again, great talent as he can shoot, pass, and penetrate, just don't have the discipline to assert himself to do the things Popovich craves most in his players.