D'Antoni is a genius. But seriously, who is shocked that Mr No Defence hasn't fixed the problems of a team that was struggling defensively???
Honestly his players just aren't defending out there. Maybe it's a chemistry issue but Kobe and Nash is probably the worst starting backcourt in the NBA, and Dwight doesn't look like he's trying out there. Hard to know whether that's on the coach or on the players.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Dwight unhappy about 5 field-goal attempts tonight: "Look at the stat sheet."</p>— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinDing/status/293602119448162304" data-datetime="2013-01-22T06:12:54+00:00">January 22, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I asked Dwight how he can get more shots. He said: "It's simple. Play inside-out."</p>— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinDing/status/293602307432673280" data-datetime="2013-01-22T06:13:39+00:00">January 22, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Awwww, poor widdle baby dwight mad stupid kobe no pass da ball. Now he want antoni to use da system his old coachy in orlando who he got fired used to use. WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! You made yo bed now sleep in it b****.
defensively they're probably top 10 offensively they shouldn't be worst than the brooks-martin backcourt
No it is the coach. This team doesn't believe in D'antoni (nor Brown earlier in the season). They don't know what they are doing offensively or defensively. And their best player (Kobe) isn't buying into what D'antoni is preaching. They need to get like JVG or something like that, a traditional defensive-minded coach. On offense, just play inside-out and pick and roll to death (keep it simple).
Lol people still blaming the coach? How many guys have to lose their jobs until somebody realizes that this experiment either needs time, or some players have to go?
While he's an idiot its not his fault Nash kept getting crossed tonight, not his fault Kobe gets burned on the perimeter and not his fault his players don't execute. They had mike brown who preached defense took lebron and no names to the finals...didn't want him either Buss old and young, Mitch and Kobe all wanted what you see right now..they all approved. Jvg would make it worse. He'd have Dwight chasing PGs on the perimeter like he did with Yao...and he'd have them packing the paint leaving shooters open all day because these guys are athletic enough to close out, nor together enough to play sustained defense In short they are a disaster and I hope Dwight bounces leaving them to kiss up to Gasol because they're cap strapped, no draft picks and nobody really wants to trade with them let alone stars wanting to play with kobe
You put JVG or a coach of that caliber on that team and they will win 60% of their games the rest of the way. Guaranteed.
Yes I believe ~.500 will get the 8th seed. I'm not looking at past years trends, just this season only. If injuries to Kevin Love and Dirk hadn't happened, we would not be having this conversation. It would take 48-50 wins and we'd all agree the Lakers' goose is already cooked. Let's assume the top 6 are set (OKC, LAC, SAS, MEM, GSW, DEN). Let's also assume the Jazz will hold on to #7 leaving the Rockets, Blazers, T-Wolves, Mavs & Lakers to fight for #8. The Blazers will fade and finish under .500. I guarantee it. Cross them off. The T-Wolves will have a very tough time reaching .500 with Love out so long and he won't be himself right away after returning. They are probably done. The Mavs have a realistic chance of making a big run but everything has to go right for them. Dirk must return to form and none of their other key players can afford to miss playing time. They have won 5/6 and the loss was in OT to OKC. If any team pushes the bar up higher for the Lakers, it might the Mavs. We'll see what the Rockets do from here on. I expected them (and Harden) to hit the wall in January but didn't see a 7-game losing streak. Harden has to catch his second wind. This is the first time in his career heavy production is mandatory every game. He's also never played this many minutes. His road woes last season were something only OKC followers noticed because KD & WB carried them when Harden no-showed (same thing is happening with K-Mart). Home or road, the Rockets have nobody else to lean on when JH struggles. Jeremy Lin just isn't good enough. The PF position is too weak. Chandler Parsons isn't there yet. If the Rockets stay intact, I don't see them making a strong push. Trades could blow everything up. Most people think the Jazz will dump Big Al, the Grizzlies either Rudy Gay or Z-Bo. After tonight, Lakers seem doubtful. Watching Calderon carve them up and play like Nash wasn't even there on defense blew my mind. My opinion of Calderon isn't high. But seeing a seriously offensively-challenged player like Kirk Hinrich find a comfort zone against Nash was even worse. A couple of times he dribbled around and crossed Nash like he was toying with him. Hadn't done that all season and didn't think he had it in him.
You think this is a player who has any respect for his coach? Let alone the best player on the team. That's the problem right there. Nobody believes in D'antoni stupid offense, which has ZERO flexibility. He even put out a call to ditch Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo style and post up more after Pau Gasol got moved into a reserve role. "We're going to have to look at some things," Bryant said after Los Angeles lost 95-83 at Chicago on Monday. "We're going to have to change something. Probably going to have to post the ball a lot more, slow the game down a lot more. That's just my intuition, but that's my gut right now. I have to take a look at the film again, but we're definitely going to have to change something." http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/50545345/ns/sports-nba/ And benching Pau after he had arguably his best game all season? And their supposed best big man can't get more than 10 shots most nights? C'mon man, this is ALL coaching. If you watch the Lakers enough, you clearly see they do not know what the hell they are doing. Why? B/c their coach isn't good.
Very interesting take. It could play out that way. Eight games ago, I figured we were a lock to make the playoffs. I still think we will, but we are far from a lock. I'm also surprised with the players Morey added, especially Beverley. That has to have some guys looking over their shoulder. Morey has to be up to something. Maybe things will fall through for him, but I think he'll shake things up and get an upgrade at the 4. Alexander expects the Rockets to get in the playoffs, regardless of how young and inexperienced they are. Adding a solid, veteran PF would go a long way towards getting us there.
