Press conference is for 2:30pm today

[Chaplin]

I don't know, but I like Andre Igoudala in the 2nd round...

 

[kps0001]

Originally posted by jbeecham
I don't know, but I don't like what D'Antoni has been saying is his gameplan.

Basically he's said he wants the team to start playing high-scoring basketball again. I think this team needs to focus on defense. They will get more fast breaks and an up-tempo offense by creating turnovers and getting defensive rebounds.

I'd like to see that. Let them get out and run and use some of that athletic talent. Hopefully they can stop all the double teaming on defense and the absurd amount of perimeter shots so they can get to the foul line every now and then as well.

 

[Gee!]

If D'Atoni can stop Marion from trying 10 three points shots a game I would be somewhat happy. And oh ya, take it to the hole.

 

[az1965]

I'm at work. Can someone post summary of the press conference?

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by SameOleGee
If D'Atoni can stop Marion from trying 10 three points shots a game I would be somewhat happy. And oh ya, take it to the hole.

He needs to be working the baselining going to the hole without the basketball first. Even a very good on handler will have trouble dribbling to the basket against a good zone defense.

I agree that they are not going to be able to run if they can't defend anyone. For a lease the next couple weeks D'Antoni is in a real tough spot because the Suns frontcourt stinks without Amare Stoudemire and Zarko Cabarkapa.

The guys on The Press Box on 1060AM were not impressed by D'Antoni's little speech. I'm not sure what exactly they wanted him to say. He was part of the coaching staff, and I'm sure he's friends with Frank Johnson. He can't come out and say they exactly what he plans to do because people would question why he wasn't in the ear of Johnson giving him the suggestions in the first place.

Joe Mama

 

[jbeecham]

The way I see it, there are only 3 ways to score a lot of points.

1) Shoot a really high percentage from the field (not going to be done consistently).

2) Play very tough defense that causes turnovers and gets defensive rebounds which lead to easy baskets.

3) Play no defense at all and let the other team take quick easy shots so you get more field goal attempts.

Hopefully D'Antoni will go the route of #2 rather than the others. I realize he doesn't want to go into detail of an offensive and defensive gameplan during a press conference, but it's stupid to make a general statement that he wants the team to be high scoring. He may as well have just said that his plan was to get the team to score more points than the other team.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Call me an optimist but I think his speach was like Joe said, in respect of FJ. Not to mention he was 3 feet from his employers, who just gave him a head coaching job. He basically said exactly what the Cs said they wanted at the beginning of the season. They are going to run and put up points.

Lets wait for hte first game to see how he actually runs it. I am interested in player quotes, anyone see any yet?

 

[Gee!]

Was it just me or were they laughing and chuckling too much in that news conference? Hello? We suck why are you laughing?

 

[JJ Slim]

Originally posted by thegrahamcrackr
Lets wait for hte first game to see how he actually runs it. I am interested in player quotes, anyone see any yet?

There probably won't be any today. They said they got in about 3:30am and most didnt'g et home until about 4-4:30 so they were tired but they did have a quick meeting with the players this morning and then gave them the day off. They will start with a practice tomorrow morning. We'll probably start to hear comments after that.

Somewhere I read a Penny comment about him having 7 coaches in 11 years.

 

[Dr. Dumas]

No complaints here with the change. I would just about take anyone and be happier then having FJ. Lets wait a couple of games to see if the players respond.

 

[slinslin]

I don't like D'Antoni , he can't possibly be worse than Frank Johnson for a couple of games.
But his motion offense idea at the beginning of last season was simply the worst basketball I ever saw.

Suns should be playing a bit better just because of the coaching change.

 

[Chaplin]

And of course, his first game is against a good team in New Orleans, AND it's on TNT tomorrow.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by jbeecham
The way I see it, there are only 3 ways to score a lot of points.

1) Shoot a really high percentage from the field (not going to be done consistently).

2) Play very tough defense that causes turnovers and gets defensive rebounds which lead to easy baskets.

3) Play no defense at all and let the other team take quick easy shots so you get more field goal attempts.

Hopefully D'Antoni will go the route of #2 rather than the others. I realize he doesn't want to go into detail of an offensive and defensive gameplan during a press conference, but it's stupid to make a general statement that he wants the team to be high scoring. He may as well have just said that his plan was to get the team to score more points than the other team.

There's no doubt the Suns definitely need to improve their defense. As I pointed out many times in the last couple days their perimeter defense is flat out pathetic. The double teaming, scrambling defense with total disregard to who they are double teaming or scrambling towards must stop. Every once in awhile it's probably a good changeup, but it is a poor defensive philosophy to use 100% of the time. It's ineffective and a terrible waste of energy.

Offensively the Suns have actually looked decent lately when they aren't facing a zone defense. If all of a sudden the Suns are playing well against a zone I have to wonder why D'Antoni wasn't doing more as an assistant to help Frank Johnson. Unfortunately I'm not sure much will change there.

Joe Mama

 

[SweetD]

I say lets let them play a game and see what they have worked on in practice.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Just out of curiosity, was the any announcement of a search for another assistant?

 

[fordronken]

In a few ways, D'Antoni is different from previous Suns coaches.

a) He was brought in as an already highly regarded assistant, not an in-house promotion who slid one spot up the bench every year and a half.
b) He was brought in by the front office instead of the head coach.
c) He has a fair amount of head coaching experience with a great deal of success(albeit in Europe).
d) He isn't a former Suns player.

Does that mean he'll succeed? Hell no. Does he have a shot? God, I hope so.