Mike D'Antoni introductory press conference

Carl Herrera · Jun 1, 2016

J.R. said: ↑

Fightin' words from brother Dan! :grin:

[rQUOTEr]At first, Dan D'Antoni did not sound any different from most big brothers - loving and fiercely loyal.

Mike D'Antoni's older brother and his assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers might have spent a lifetime trying to defeat his brother in everything from board games to childhood races around West Virginia. He never needed prompting to defend his brother from any perceived slights. But he insisted his arguments were not about familial bias.

Dan D'Antoni did not hesitate to describe the Rockets new coach as "one of the greatest guys in the world."

"For being a tough guy as a competitor, one of the nicest guys in the world," D'Antoni said. "He feels for his players but is strong enough to do what he has to do to win."

Before long, however, the elder D'Antoni sounded like a basketball coach again, happy to rigorously dispute perceptions he believed were erroneous, from the accusations that Mike is not interested in his team's defense to the assumption that he would defend his brother so vigorously just out of loyalty.

"He was a great defender as an NBA player and a player in Europe," D'Antoni said Tuesday, the day before Mike is scheduled to be introduced as Rockets coach. "That was the strength of his game. For them to say he doesn't coach defense, that's a crock. Mr. (Jerry) Colangelo said defense is to get them to play hard. He gets them to play hard.

"Now, there are certain talents. Steve Nash was not a great defender. He physically wasn't, couldn't be. Amare Stoudemire wasn't and still isn't a great defender. But they rose the level of that team. That doesn't mean Mike doesn't value defense. … He teaches it every damn day.

"You are who you have on your team. This stuff about his defense is bull. Those players will be taught in a way they can be really good defenders. But it's on players to play hard. I promise you, the way Mike teaches defense, they'll be very good."

Mike D'Antoni's Phoenix teams ranked from 13th to 16th in defensive rating. (His Knicks and Lakers teams were never in the top 20.) Each of his Suns teams were in the top five in point differential per possession.

"If you look at the teams in Phoenix, where he got everybody buying in, and look at the point spread," said Dan D'Antoni, now the coach at Marshall. "That's what defense is. You can't just go by score. If you score 120 points, the other team is going to score 100. That would put you in last place back then. His reputation was started when defense was measured by how many points your opponents scored (per game, not by per possession).

"Were we a great defensive team? Probably not. We didn't have great defensive players. But they did defend as hard as they could, they competed, they put a points separation up and they won. It's a damn shame. It's perception, not reality. Reality is he produced teams that win and win offensively and defensively. You can't win with just one and he knows that."

Players must buy in

D'Antoni knew he sounded like a protective older brother or loyal assistant coach, having been both. If the Rockets defend opponents as hard as D'Antoni defended his brother's reputation, they will show enormous improvement. But D'Antoni insisted his opinions were not about those unbreakable ties.

"I don't say this because I'm his brother," D'Antoni said. "I would tell you if I thought he was terrible. They got a good coach. There's a lot of great coaches. But he has a special skill that puts him in an elite status. I get really upset because he is not getting credited and about the things they demean him with."

Those closest to D'Antoni's Suns have long felt the sting of criticism, having never won the validation of a breakthrough to a championship or the NBA Finals. The changes in NBA offenses the Suns led have seemed to end those arguments, with the recent champions all using variations of the open-post, pace-and-space style Mike D'Antoni popularized.

"He kind of invented the way the game is played now," Dan D'Antoni said. "It changed from where everybody was killing him with 'you can't play like that' to most of the NBA plays the same way. The NBA champions have been playing the way he was in Phoenix.

"He got butchered for that. They said 'You couldn't win a championship like that.' Basically, we didn't have the best team. The team that always beat us was in San Antonio, who ended up with Tim Duncan and four littles out there playing better at what we were doing. They had better players. He's always been successful when he got to that style and got players to buy in."

'He'll get it done'

That will be more important than earning the praise of his brother. Skeptics will not become converts so easily. But Dan D'Antoni needed no prodding to make his case.

"Houston got a hell of a coach," he said. "I don't think y'all even know how good a coach you got. If they support him and put a team around him, he'll turn that program around. He'll get it done."

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/spo...-proof-defense-runs-in-D-Antoni-s-7955777.php[/rQUOTEr]

Click to expand...

Dan Dan Tony is right!

Snow Villiers · Jun 1, 2016

Deuce said: ↑

Nook, question for ya. On the McHale hire, if Les was pushing for McHale, who was Morey pushing for (since Carlisle was already at Dallas) at that time.
Click to expand...

I think it was Frank Vogel.

Easy · Jun 1, 2016

J.R. said: ↑

Fightin' words from brother Dan! :grin:

[rQUOTEr]At first, Dan D'Antoni did not sound any different from most big brothers - loving and fiercely loyal.

Mike D'Antoni's older brother and his assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers might have spent a lifetime trying to defeat his brother in everything from board games to childhood races around West Virginia. He never needed prompting to defend his brother from any perceived slights. But he insisted his arguments were not about familial bias.

Dan D'Antoni did not hesitate to describe the Rockets new coach as "one of the greatest guys in the world."

"For being a tough guy as a competitor, one of the nicest guys in the world," D'Antoni said. "He feels for his players but is strong enough to do what he has to do to win."

Before long, however, the elder D'Antoni sounded like a basketball coach again, happy to rigorously dispute perceptions he believed were erroneous, from the accusations that Mike is not interested in his team's defense to the assumption that he would defend his brother so vigorously just out of loyalty.

"He was a great defender as an NBA player and a player in Europe," D'Antoni said Tuesday, the day before Mike is scheduled to be introduced as Rockets coach. "That was the strength of his game. For them to say he doesn't coach defense, that's a crock. Mr. (Jerry) Colangelo said defense is to get them to play hard. He gets them to play hard.

"Now, there are certain talents. Steve Nash was not a great defender. He physically wasn't, couldn't be. Amare Stoudemire wasn't and still isn't a great defender. But they rose the level of that team. That doesn't mean Mike doesn't value defense. … He teaches it every damn day.

"You are who you have on your team. This stuff about his defense is bull. Those players will be taught in a way they can be really good defenders. But it's on players to play hard. I promise you, the way Mike teaches defense, they'll be very good."

Mike D'Antoni's Phoenix teams ranked from 13th to 16th in defensive rating. (His Knicks and Lakers teams were never in the top 20.) Each of his Suns teams were in the top five in point differential per possession.

"If you look at the teams in Phoenix, where he got everybody buying in, and look at the point spread," said Dan D'Antoni, now the coach at Marshall. "That's what defense is. You can't just go by score. If you score 120 points, the other team is going to score 100. That would put you in last place back then. His reputation was started when defense was measured by how many points your opponents scored (per game, not by per possession).

"Were we a great defensive team? Probably not. We didn't have great defensive players. But they did defend as hard as they could, they competed, they put a points separation up and they won. It's a damn shame. It's perception, not reality. Reality is he produced teams that win and win offensively and defensively. You can't win with just one and he knows that."

Players must buy in

D'Antoni knew he sounded like a protective older brother or loyal assistant coach, having been both. If the Rockets defend opponents as hard as D'Antoni defended his brother's reputation, they will show enormous improvement. But D'Antoni insisted his opinions were not about those unbreakable ties.

"I don't say this because I'm his brother," D'Antoni said. "I would tell you if I thought he was terrible. They got a good coach. There's a lot of great coaches. But he has a special skill that puts him in an elite status. I get really upset because he is not getting credited and about the things they demean him with."

Those closest to D'Antoni's Suns have long felt the sting of criticism, having never won the validation of a breakthrough to a championship or the NBA Finals. The changes in NBA offenses the Suns led have seemed to end those arguments, with the recent champions all using variations of the open-post, pace-and-space style Mike D'Antoni popularized.

"He kind of invented the way the game is played now," Dan D'Antoni said. "It changed from where everybody was killing him with 'you can't play like that' to most of the NBA plays the same way. The NBA champions have been playing the way he was in Phoenix.

"He got butchered for that. They said 'You couldn't win a championship like that.' Basically, we didn't have the best team. The team that always beat us was in San Antonio, who ended up with Tim Duncan and four littles out there playing better at what we were doing. They had better players. He's always been successful when he got to that style and got players to buy in."

'He'll get it done'

That will be more important than earning the praise of his brother. Skeptics will not become converts so easily. But Dan D'Antoni needed no prodding to make his case.

"Houston got a hell of a coach," he said. "I don't think y'all even know how good a coach you got. If they support him and put a team around him, he'll turn that program around. He'll get it done."

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/spo...-proof-defense-runs-in-D-Antoni-s-7955777.php[/rQUOTEr]

Click to expand...

Parsons' bro stood up for Chandler too.

swyyyguy · Jun 1, 2016

I'm a little early but I'm here; eagerly anticipating the arrival of D'Antoni. Let's get this show on the road...

LabMouse · Jun 1, 2016

At least there is no flooding to stop the conference. What a great day for the city of Houston! We will be great, cheer for championships soon.

rocketman84 · Jun 1, 2016

Is it going to be streamed anywhere?

Fawkward · Jun 1, 2016

rocketman84 said: ↑

Is it going to be streamed anywhere?
Click to expand...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We're introducing our coach tomorrow at 2PM! Watch the live press conference on <a href="https://t.co/VBY18eSOmU">https://t.co/VBY18eSOmU</a> <a href="https://t.co/dOMjlgkvrg">pic.twitter.com/dOMjlgkvrg</a></p>— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/737735633368555522">May 31, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Deuce · Jun 1, 2016

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Michael Beasley, Andrew Goudelock and KJ McDaniels, working out at TC, come in to check out the press conference. <a href="https://t.co/oBx2e91yMN">pic.twitter.com/oBx2e91yMN</a></p>— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) <a href="https://twitter.com/clutchfans/status/738074336674750464">June 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Deuce · Jun 1, 2016

*Beas nods head of approval of the hiring of an offensive coach*

jump shooter · Jun 1, 2016

Deuce said: ↑

*Beas nods head of approval of the hiring of an offensive coach*
Click to expand...

He's almost the ideal four for MDA, he'll put up some serious points.

King901 · Jun 1, 2016

Any link to watch it online?

HTX Ninja · Jun 1, 2016

NO STACHE!!!! ****'s ABOUT TO GO DOWN!!!

NewRoxFan · Jun 1, 2016

King901 said: ↑

Any link to watch it online?
Click to expand...

Three posts above (#128)^

J.R. · Jun 1, 2016

I'm not sure what this has to do with anything but cool story Jon!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chatted w/ HOU VP Gianluca Pascucci about MDA, the player. "A winner. If he was 0 for 5 -- he didn't shoot much -- he'd make the gm-winner."</p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/738080504100970497">June 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pascucci was not a fan of D'Antoni, by the way. "He was a legend, but they always beat my team."</p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/738080690789453824">June 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Caesar · Jun 1, 2016

Sounds like Llull

Le$$ · Jun 1, 2016

Deuce said: ↑

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Michael Beasley, Andrew Goudelock and KJ McDaniels, working out at TC, come in to check out the press conference. <a href="https://t.co/oBx2e91yMN">pic.twitter.com/oBx2e91yMN</a></p>— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) <a href="https://twitter.com/clutchfans/status/738074336674750464">June 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Click to expand...

man they look high. lol

HillBoy · Jun 1, 2016

Nook said: ↑

I know that Mike D'Antoni is WELL KNOWN in NBA circles for being a brilliant offensive mind.... but also an enormous B.S. artist....... but the amount of empty and ass kissing answers he gives can get nauseating.
Click to expand...

My source at the Mavericks said almost the same thing verbatum.

No one ever knows what he really thinks or believes and he seldom takes responsibilities for his failures.
Click to expand...

He emphasized this point.

I don't blame D'Antoni for the Knicks demise. Anthony made it very clear that he would not run the offense that D'Antoni installed (which was working BTW). D'Antoni went to an extremely volatile organization and really had no choice. He was gone as soon as Anthony hit the floor because Anthony was going to ISO 35 minutes a game.
Click to expand...

It would be hilariously funny if Harden takes the same stance.

I don't even fully blame him for the Lakers mess. He inherited a team that had two post players that did not mesh, wanted to run the post passing through Gasol but was flat out told to get the ball to Howard. D'Antoni did not handle it well and openly let his resentment get leaked to the press and it was obvious on the floor as well.

When it comes to Kobe, D'Antoni turned into an omega. He did not stand up to his star player. He wanted to limit him to 30 minutes a game. Bryant would scream at D'Antoni during games that he wouldn't come out, that HE would decide when he would come out. Kobe ended up getting hurt....... and what did D'Antoni do? He blamed Kobe, said that he had no choice, that he couldn't make Kobe come out. The hell he can't, he is the head coach. If you are going to get fired, go out on YOUR terms; which D'Antoni didn't do. The truth is that it was too much effort for D'Antoni to reign in Kobe. Granted Kobe would eventually win the power struggle regardless (Buss would do whatever Kobe wanted), but do you think Phil Jackson or Greg Popovich would give in? Hell, would Adelman or Van Gundy?
Click to expand...

This highlights one of major concerns - that in order for D'Antoni to succeed, everything has to line up just perfectly: his team is stocked with speed, great shooters and a PG with the the talents of Steve Nash. Oh and the other team has to play NO defense and has a coaching staff that is incapable of watching film or scouting other teams, play fast, large players that can rebound and make adjustments during the course of a game. He gets that and D'Antoni is NBA Championship bound (not).

I look at it this way: It's not often that one has the opportunity to be able to watch the Titanic strike that iceberg in real time.

HillBoy · Jun 1, 2016

J Sizzle said: ↑

I remember reading the same, which is why I ask. Hopefully we can make it happen. Would make the D'Antoni hire more palatable for sure.
Click to expand...

How so? They already tried this approach twice with D'Antoni at LA & NY. We just finished trying the same thing with McHale. What leads you to believe that this time things will work out differently?

Scionxa · Jun 1, 2016

http://www.nba.com/live2/

Fawkward · Jun 1, 2016

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tune-in to <a href="https://t.co/HK9gBgKBuY">https://t.co/HK9gBgKBuY</a> as we introduce our new head coach! Press conference begins shortly! <a href="https://t.co/8tAFKyXxHP">pic.twitter.com/8tAFKyXxHP</a></p>— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/738082907302985728">June 1, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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