Around the League: Week 9 12/19-12/25

[ShelC]

I think MikeD's learned a lot since he left Phx. Every coach has his flaws and our FO wasn't exactly stellar while he was coaching the team. The teams in NY and LA weren't built for his system (Linsanity was as close as he came). And while he's doing some good things in Houston, it's also not even halfway through his first season. If he's there 3-4 years and is losing the same way in the playoffs to the same teams, as was the case here, it'll be a different story. But right now, he has Harden playing at another level. He has a defensive minded assistant in Bzdelik on the bench. He has a solid roster of vets that fit his style (Anderson, Ariza, Gordon, Brewer) and is also getting some contributions from the young guys in Capela, Dekker, and Harrell. He's going about 9-10 deep because he can. So things have lined up nicely for him down there. It'll be interesting to see how they keep going.

[Shabazz]

D'Antonio is a good coach. If you give him good players to fit his system he'll be successful.

He's not the kind of coach who can adapt his system to the personnel he has if they don't fit his preferred style of play though.

In all due respect that is the argument against him that really makes no sense, but everyone uses it.

What coach really has been successful with a group of players that did not fit their system?

It surely isn't Phil Jackson or Greg Popovich.

Popovich is constantly adjusting his system to fit his roster and the league around him. His first and fifth championship teams played nearly opposite styles.

[JustWinBaby]

D'Antonio is a good coach. If you give him good players to fit his system he'll be successful.

He's not the kind of coach who can adapt his system to the personnel he has if they don't fit his preferred style of play though.

In all due respect that is the argument against him that really makes no sense, but everyone uses it.

What coach really has been successful with a group of players that did not fit their system?

It surely isn't Phil Jackson or Greg Popovich.

Popovich is constantly adjusting his system to fit his roster and the league around him. His first and fifth championship teams played nearly opposite styles.

Another myth that fit the argument against D'Antoni.

I just don't see many differences in the way San Antonio over the years. Now his best players are Aldridge and Leonard, that is a Wing and a Big man. It used to be Duncan and Ginobili. They share the ball and play defense. That is what they always have done.They now probably shoot more 3 pointers but still defend the 3point line better than most. Quite frankly Popovich beat us at out own game. It really was no so much Duncan that beat us but the Ginobili's and Horry's of the world making 3's at the most crucial times, along with the dagger 3 that Duncan made against us. Those were great playoff series played by two great TEAMS that both shared the ball. The Spurs never had a dominant PG and still don't.

The huge difference between Popovich and D'Antoni was their relationship with the front office of their respective teams. Popovich came from the front office to the bench and has always had a lot to say about what player or players they have acquired. The Spurs actually hired front office people to fill his spot when be became head coach. Our moron or an owner thought that General Managers were not needed so he added that to Mike's job description.
when that didn't work, he brought in his drinking buddy from U of A who was a broadcaster to be his replacement. He sucked the energy out of the room almost entirely. Then he hires humpty dumpty 1 and 2 (Babby and that other guy). Now we have McDonough who has made what appear to good moves but we still suck. Our front office has and still is the major problem for this franchise.

[Superbone]

I just wish that D'antoni's ego hadn't gotten in the way of us hiring Thibs as his defensive coach. That could have been a good combination for us. Even D'antoni later admitted that he should have cooled down and not run off to NY in a huff.

[Mori Chu]

I just don't see many differences in the way San Antonio over the years.

Do you watch them? The Spurs' team styles have been quite different over the years. Some years they have had more of an inside-out style focused on Duncan, and some years they've essentially run an SSOL offense, and some years they do a lot of isolations with guys like Kawhi and LaMarcus. Their pace, points per possession, amount of use of zones, amount of 3s as a portion of their offense, etc. have all changed quite a lot up and down over the years. They have one of the most versatile styles of any team over the years. The main real constants have been strong defenses and good rebounding.

[Shabazz]

Giannis is so much fun.

[JustWinBaby]

I just wish that D'antoni's ego hadn't gotten in the way of us hiring Thibs as his defensive coach. That could have been a good combination for us. Even D'antoni later admitted that he should have cooled down and not run off to NY in a huff.

Why can't Thibs get the Wolves to play defense? When I asked that question, I was told that he just does not have the right players to play defense. Maybe just maybe neither did MDA?

Do you really think Thibs could have made Nash and Amare great defenders?

I am really disappointed in the current results Thibs is getting in Minnesota. I believe he is GM and Coach. I don't like Watson but I am glad we didn't get Thibodeau.

To repeat we have played our best defense as a franchise with MDA as our head coach and he has the Rockets in the upper half of the league this year with the horrible defender James Harden as his best player.

[Superbone]

I just wish that D'antoni's ego hadn't gotten in the way of us hiring Thibs as his defensive coach. That could have been a good combination for us. Even D'antoni later admitted that he should have cooled down and not run off to NY in a huff.

Why can't Thibs get the Wolves to play defense? When I asked that question, I was told that he just does not have the right players to play defense. Maybe just maybe neither did MDA?

Do you really think Thibs could have made Nash and Amare great defenders?

I am really disappointed in the current results Thibs is getting in Minnesota. I believe he is GM and Coach. I don't like Watson but I am glad we didn't get Thibodeau.

To repeat we have played our best defense as a franchise with MDA as our head coach and he has the Rockets in the upper half of the league this year with the horrible defender James Harden as his best player.

I like how you pick and choose. What about Thibs great job with Chicago?

[JustWinBaby]

I just don't see many differences in the way San Antonio over the years.

Do you watch them? The Spurs' team styles have been quite different over the years. Some years they have had more of an inside-out style focused on Duncan, and some years they've essentially run an SSOL offense, and some years they do a lot of isolations with guys like Kawhi and LaMarcus. Their pace, points per possession, amount of use of zones, amount of 3s as a portion of their offense, etc. have all changed quite a lot up and down over the years. They have one of the most versatile styles of any team over the years. The main real constants have been strong defenses and good rebounding.

Yeah I watch them, they are fun to watch. To me they are the same old Spurs just with different faces. Pop's players play both ends of the court or they don't play. They do and have done a little bit of everything. He always has had a lot of options due their great front office. Duncan always had at least one big stiff to protect him from getting in foul trouble. That is something that Amare never had in Phoenix. Unless you count Steven Hunter, which Sarver would not pay for. You guys just make up stuff to fit your argument against MDA.

I just wonder why Popovich did not win the championship every year. After all he is the 2nd coming.

He also has had the best front office in the business helping him get and keep key players.

I have never been a Laker fan but I really think that Mike would have had great success in LA if Jerry Buss were still alive. You can see how important Jerry really was to that franchise. He would have told Magic to STFU and went out and got players to fit Mike's system. With Dolan as owner in New York he really had no chance. Similar to Sarver in Phoenix.

Do you really believe that Popovich would have got along with Kobe Bryant or Carmelo Anthony? What would he have done when they pouted after he benched them? How would he have dealt with Dwight Howard?

Houston seems to be enjoying life without Dwight.

[Indy]

I just wish that D'antoni's ego hadn't gotten in the way of us hiring Thibs as his defensive coach. That could have been a good combination for us. Even D'antoni later admitted that he should have cooled down and not run off to NY in a huff.

Why can't Thibs get the Wolves to play defense? When I asked that question, I was told that he just does not have the right players to play defense. Maybe just maybe neither did MDA?

Do you really think Thibs could have made Nash and Amare great defenders?

I am really disappointed in the current results Thibs is getting in Minnesota. I believe he is GM and Coach. I don't like Watson but I am glad we didn't get Thibodeau.

To repeat we have played our best defense as a franchise with MDA as our head coach and he has the Rockets in the upper half of the league this year with the horrible defender James Harden as his best player.

I like how you pick and choose. What about Thibs great job with Chicago?

Maybe he had the players there to play defense. And everyone seems to forget how good we were on the defensive side of the ball with KT before we shipped him off and picks for nothing.

[O_Gardino]

I just wish that D'antoni's ego hadn't gotten in the way of us hiring Thibs as his defensive coach. That could have been a good combination for us. Even D'antoni later admitted that he should have cooled down and not run off to NY in a huff.

Why can't Thibs get the Wolves to play defense? When I asked that question, I was told that he just does not have the right players to play defense. Maybe just maybe neither did MDA?

Do you really think Thibs could have made Nash and Amare great defenders?

I am really disappointed in the current results Thibs is getting in Minnesota. I believe he is GM and Coach. I don't like Watson but I am glad we didn't get Thibodeau.

To repeat we have played our best defense as a franchise with MDA as our head coach and he has the Rockets in the upper half of the league this year with the horrible defender James Harden as his best player.

I like how you pick and choose. What about Thibs great job with Chicago?

Maybe he had the players there to play defense. And everyone seems to forget how good we were on the defensive side of the ball with KT before we shipped him off and picks for nothing.

Guys who played bad defense:
Nash
Amare
QRich
Tim Thomas

Everybody else was decent or better.

[Ring_Wanted]

Guys who played bad defense:
Nash
Amare
QRich
Tim Thomas

Everybody else was decent or better.

Barbosa was never a decent defender, despite his nice wingspan and quickness. Today (and during his time with the Ws) he looks like a better defender to me. Shaq wasn't a decent defender either by the time Mike D got to coach him, as he could barely move. Jimmy Jackson was questionable too on that end of the floor. Marcus Banks was hopeless.

The season I saw actual good defense was 05-06, because Amare went down. He and QRich were replaced by KT and Diaw, while also adding Raja to Marion. Nash was our only weak link in that starting lineup.

[ShelC]

We were around 12th in the league in defensive FG% in 05-06 with Boris and KT in the frontcourt. They were excellent team and individual defenders. KT, while not a shotblocker, could change half a dozen shots just by being in the right place at the right time.

[pickle]

With D'Antoni, I wonder, why could he not find any use for Steven Hunter back then, but suddenly he's able to devise enough offensive sets with Capela/Harrell today? I mean ... was Hunter just a really poor roll man and couldn't take advantage of Nash passes or something?

[LazarusLong]

With D'Antoni, I wonder, why could he not find any use for Steven Hunter back then, but suddenly he's able to devise enough offensive sets with Capela/Harrell today? I mean ... was Hunter just a really poor roll man and couldn't take advantage of Nash passes or something?

Hunter had what I would politely call "nervous hands" which didn't respond well to the Suns' quick-passing SSOL style.

Capella is a better athlete with better hands, while Harrell is a strong, active Ken-Faried type of player with a high work rate.

[Mori Chu]

^ That. Also, Mike D has changed and grown somewhat as a coach over the years. 2017 Mike D might be able to find a way to make Hunter productive. Unknown.

[LazarusLong]

^ That. Also, Mike D has changed and grown somewhat as a coach over the years. 2017 Mike D might be able to find a way to make Hunter productive. Unknown.

Agree. With the Suns, he had a very short bench, and thought KT slowed down the offense (he did, a bit, but he also slowed the other team's offense).
I remember Suns bringing in McCarty for the playoff run, and Walter mostly sitting on the bench. Hmmmmm.

With the Rockets, he's using more of his bench, and effectively, too.

[JustWinBaby]

With D'Antoni, I wonder, why could he not find any use for Steven Hunter back then, but suddenly he's able to devise enough offensive sets with Capela/Harrell today? I mean ... was Hunter just a really poor roll man and couldn't take advantage of Nash passes or something?

Lot's of folks pick on D'Antoni about Steven Hunter, why? He was probably had his best year in the league with us 4.6 Pts & 3.0 rebounds. His career average was 4.5 & 3.2. His high water mark was 6.4 & 4.8 in Philadelphia in more minutes. He played for 5 different teams in his short career. The reason he left us was because Philadelphia offered more money and Sarver was unwilling to match. I like most everyone on this board wanted to keep him. However you cannot blame MDA for his departure or say that another coach turned him into a beast. I expect that he would have had a better career if he would have just stayed in Phoenix.

[JustWinBaby]

I just wish that D'antoni's ego hadn't gotten in the way of us hiring Thibs as his defensive coach. That could have been a good combination for us. Even D'antoni later admitted that he should have cooled down and not run off to NY in a huff.

Why can't Thibs get the Wolves to play defense? When I asked that question, I was told that he just does not have the right players to play defense. Maybe just maybe neither did MDA?

Do you really think Thibs could have made Nash and Amare great defenders?

I am really disappointed in the current results Thibs is getting in Minnesota. I believe he is GM and Coach. I don't like Watson but I am glad we didn't get Thibodeau.

To repeat we have played our best defense as a franchise with MDA as our head coach and he has the Rockets in the upper half of the league this year with the horrible defender James Harden as his best player.

I like how you pick and choose. What about Thibs great job with Chicago?

I like how Thibs gets put on a pedestal for what he did in Chicago. What did he actually do? He has zero championships, just like Mike. What year did you really think that he had a chance to win the championship in Chicago? Mike had us as the talk of the NBA and in the hunt for a championship until the day he left town. That was because our lame brain GM thought he new more about coaching than Mike. When Kerr did become a head coach he inherited a loaded team that was taught how to play defense by Mark Jackson and taught how to play offense by Mike's lead assistant. Bottom line both coaches have done a fine job with the talent they have been given. I really did not like they way the Bulls played when Thibs was their coach and love to watch teams play Mikes style. I also think the Wolves are loaded with talent and if MDA were their coach they would have a winning record. I actually hoped that he landed there. I also think Thibs would be a total disaster in Houston.

[O_Gardino]

I can't believe the guys we blame Mike D for not turning into good players, or not turning them into good defenders. Hunter was tall, good at jumping, and quick. But he wasn't a good basketball player for any team. McCarty was not a good basketball player.

We trash Mike for not playing KT enough, the trashed him for playing Grant Hill too much.

Come on, guys. We had very shallow teams with some strange fitting parts. We were shocked to do as well as we did the first two years Mike was here, then after that we decided we had this great roster and Mike was holding them back. Come on. He got the most out of some very flawed rosters.