***2012-13 NBA THREAD!!! New Season/New Thread - LET'S GO!!!!!***

[stevemcqueen1]

I don't know how that would work when the season is already underway though. Then you have to manage all of the egos on the team as well. I think it would only work (from that perspective) with a guy who's been around the block a few times. Whether or not D'Antoni was the right guy for the job systematically, is debatable, but I don't know how things would work with a "fresh face," right now.

I don't know, I think a young coach doesn't have all of the ego and baggage a big name hire would. That more established coach has certain expectations and he's got habits already formed that might be incompatible. A guy like Spo is a good example. He's young and connects with his players and is willing to be flexible to get his guys on the same page. I think that's important when you've got a lot stars you have to manage.

And when you're hiring a coach, I think it's a move you try and make to find that guy for you who can be a long term solution. You want to find that Doc Rivers or Poppovich or George Karl that can be your coach for years and years. At D'Antoni's age, it just feels like he's a quick fix to try and salvage this season and milk the most out of Steve Nash even though Nash is already 38 years old.

The Lakers aren't thinking long term IMO. They've rushed this whole thing. They traded for an injured Dwight without an extension even though Bynum was already a good player. They went after Nash when he was already so old. They've got a roster that's too expensive to keep intact. All this while not having a coach they liked to run the thing. The Lakers left themselves no time to pull this mix together and don't have a margin for error in the one or two year window they locked themselves in.

I think they should have taken their time getting the right coach for Dwight. You need to figure out a way to convince him to stay in LA so you can build around him.

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

a young coach would be eaten alive by those egos in LA, and the LA media unless he had prior experience there (like a Brian Shaw).

It just doesnt work like that. Mike Brown himself is a relatively young coach who even had experience dealing with a superstar and media scrutiny and he got destroyed there.

[DCranon21]

Asiatic, it was the 2006-07 playoffs. Because they lost Amar'e for the next game as his foot just touched the line if I remember correctly. That changed the whole dynamics of the series.

[Momma There Goes That Man]

indeed I was, lol. My bad

I thought it was the 07/08 season

The Suns ended up winning that game 4 tho. I dont believe it had anything to do with Nash being hip checked.

They lost in 2007 because they had no answer for Tim Duncan. Those Suns teams were never going to win a title. You cannot win a title without an emphasis on defense.

The point is that now they have 2 7footers in the paint, one of them being arguably the best defensive player of the last 3-4 years or so.

Edit: The other being Paula Gasoft the white swan, but still. Dwight back there is better than any Suns defender he had in his prime, and they came close many times just couldn't get over SA.

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

Asiatic, it was the 2006-07 playoffs. Because they lost Amar'e for the next game as his foot just touched the line if I remember correctly. That changed the whole dynamics of the series.

yeah, I corrected myself later

Im still not willing to say it changed the series because the Spurs still won game 4 and the Suns had no answer for Duncan.

The Spurs never lost to the Suns under D'Antoni in 3 playoffs.

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

The point is that now they have 2 7footers in the paint, one of them being arguably the best defensive player of the last 3-4 years or so.

Edit: The other being Paula Gasoft the white swan, but still. Dwight back there is better than any Suns defender he had in his prime, and they came close many times just couldn't get over SA.

what does 2 big men in the paint mean when they wont be used there on offense?

Defense is more than the sum of its parts, the Lakers saw that this year under Mike Brown.

I would love for Kobe to get 6, but I just cant see it. Hope to be wrong tho.

[Momma There Goes That Man]

I don't know, I think a young coach doesn't have all of the ego and baggage a big name hire would. That more established coach has certain expectations and he's got habits already formed that might be incompatible. A guy like Spo is a good example. He's young and connects with his players and is willing to be flexible to get his guys on the same page. I think that's important when you've got a lot stars you have to manage.

.

I don't give Spo a whole lot of credit. I don't really think he connects with his players, they don't fully respect him it appears. He won with that team due to LeBron absolutely going off and Wade rebounding from his injury against Indiana but they were pushed to the brink by Boston. Had he lost that series he would probably be in the unemployment line about now. He also doens't get credit for melding egos the way Phil Jackson does because LeBron, Wade and Bosh all love each other and are best buds. Its not exactly Kobe and Shaq or Jordan and Pippen.

[RonArtest15]

I don't give Spo a whole lot of credit. I don't really think he connects with his players, they don't fully respect him it appears. He won with that team due to LeBron absolutely going off and Wade rebounding from his injury against Indiana but they were pushed to the brink by Boston. Had he lost that series he would probably be in the unemployment line about now. He also doens't get credit for melding egos the way Phil Jackson does because LeBron, Wade and Bosh all love each other and are best buds. Its not exactly Kobe and Shaq or Jordan and Pippen.

No matter what problems the Heat had in their first year in finding cohesion on the offensive end, Spo had these guys defending from day 1.

I think the job Spo did is underrated. As a matter of fact, he should get some credit for figuring out a way to make it through the playoffs while missing Bosh for a good chunk of their run.

*Lakers/D'Antoni are talking to Nate McMillan to come on as a defensive assistant. That would be a GREAT look for them. I like this hire.

[Momma There Goes That Man]

No matter what problems the Heat had in their first year in finding cohesion on the offensive end, Spo had these guys defending from day 1.

.

Thats a good point I hadn't put much thought into.

Also Nate being brought on as the defensive mind would be a solid addition.

[stevemcqueen1]

I don't give Spo a whole lot of credit. I don't really think he connects with his players, they don't fully respect him it appears. He won with that team due to LeBron absolutely going off and Wade rebounding from his injury against Indiana but they were pushed to the brink by Boston. Had he lost that series he would probably be in the unemployment line about now. He also doens't get credit for melding egos the way Phil Jackson does because LeBron, Wade and Bosh all love each other and are best buds. Its not exactly Kobe and Shaq or Jordan and Pippen.

I think Spo absolutely commands the respect of that team and I think they love playing for him and he does have a connection with them. Just listen to the way his players talk about him.

Spo is a really good coach. He's probably one of the best in the league in terms of preparation, he's a ridiculous worker. I think he's also innovative. LeBron/Wade combination was one people didn't think would work and that Miami needed to go out and find a PG or a Center. Spo found a way to make it work incredibly well, and is basically on the forefront of the "positionless" wave.

Spo is 2 for 2 in Finals appearances, with one win in his 2 seasons in charge. What's he going to have to do to get respect?

[Fight4RGIII]

[DCranon21]

*Lakers/D'Antoni are talking to Nate McMillan to come on as a defensive assistant. That would be a GREAT look for them. I like this hire.

If this true, I like this move right here.

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nb...ntoni-hire.nba

Webber in on the _'Antoni hire. Wow.

[Die Hard]

D`Antoni had Mike Woodson as a defensive assistant last year. And nothing changed.

And the minute D`Antoni quit last season.... the defense automatically and instantly improved into one of the league`s best.

People say, well... he never had 2 bigs. Absolutely, he did last year. And what happened.... when Amare and Tyson Chandler were on the floor together... his system couldn`t space them out and they cancelled each other out offensively.

D`Antoni is a terrible hire for the Lakers. I`m shocked.

[KDawg]

The Celtics looked like themselves last night. They are notorious slow starters. Can't wait to see my guys fight for the Eastern Conference Title this year. Should be fun to watch, especially with teams like the Knicks and Heat playing so well.

I made this point last year and I'll say it again here: Rajon Rondo is the best point guard in the NBA. 31 straight games with 10 assists or more? Out of this world. And his jump shot has drastically improved.