OK, so you're Larry Brown (age 62) and you're trying to decide between a team that made it to the Eastern Finals or a team that didn't make the play-offs. Who do you take and why? Factors... - Team composition: Both teams have a mix of young players and veterans. However, HOU clearly has two young superstars and some great role players to build a team. DET has a good team, with the #2 pick in the draft and a chance to win the East next year. Brown factor: Rockets favor...greater opportunity for sustained championship...no matter how good Darko is, he's only 17 and has much to learn...Yao can be great very soon. - Challenge: DET is a good team now...HOU does not have the chemistry that DET has and does not play as a good team should. Brown Factor: HOU is more of a challenge for a good coach. - Money: How much will it take? Brown Factor: Ego could play this part out...highest paid coach status? Les & CD have the ball...don't let the shot clock run out gentlemen! - Location, location, location: Mrs Brown Factor...HOU much better place to live and closer to a beach! If you're Brown were do you go and what other factors do you consider?
the way i look at it is no time in the near future will the Detroit Pistons win a championship. They overachieved, Rick Carlise got a hell of a lot of out of that team.
If championship is your bag, then Detroit is better for Brown. He has a team that is already close to the Eastern Finals. With a 2nd round pick it could push him into the Finals. What that means is he only needs to beat 1 Western team. If he comes to the Rox then he has to fight through an entire season and beat at least 4 Western teams to win it all.
Detroit couldn't beat San Antonio, LA or Sacramento could they? of course not... the rockets by year 3 will probably have the best center in basketball. Yao, Duncan, Webber, Shaq. Detroit wouldn't have a chance
I'm a bit biased but I agree that Detroit overachieved the past two years. They are now counting on a 17 year old to come in and be their star player. Personally I think the Rox are closer to a championship despite playing in the WC. Detroit deserves to lose out on LB after the way they dumped Carlisle.
Rick Carlise definitely got screwed, i don't see Larry Brown getting anymore out of that team, i don't think it's possible. Hopefully he makes the right decision and comes here but if he doesn't that leaves Van Gundy and Dunleavy who would love to have the job.
DT, I hope we steal LB from under DET's nose...that would be perfect justice! However, I think Carlise will get a good job. If we don't get LB, we should look at Carlise also. However, back to the thread...LB has a better op to get to championship with us then DET. Am I crazy, maybe, but DET despite the 2nd pick ain't all that.
Detroit will not beat ANY Western team in a 7-game finals series. They will have NO good picks after Milicic, and NO ONE from the West will give up their big men. He'll have to win by beating either Shaq, or Duncan, or Yao. Good luck,
Why would they have a good pick after Milic? If Milic is what everyone thinks he is, and they already have a decent young team that made it to the finals with less talent than Houston, why not go to that team. If I'm Larry Brown, I'm trying to get their as quick as possible and going through the west is going to be very,very hard.
True, but in the East he has a shot at getting there without facing those players. Once there 2 of those three are already out of the way, and maybe he gets lucky. In the West Larry would have to win over at least 2 if not all 3 of those guys even to have a shot at being in the finals. So if a quick championship is his only goal then I can see Detroit. However, if he wants a great organization with several key pieces in place, and waiting to be molded then Houston is the place.
If I'm Larry Brown and I'm as good as everyone seems to think, then I go West. If I'm not confident in my abilities, then I take the easy route and go to Detroit knowing full well that any team in the West can beat the Pistons.
Detroit made the Finals without Larry Brown. They obviously don't need Milicic OR Brown to do it. Brown has made the Finals. He hasn't won the championship. Here's the deal: He HAS to beat the West to get the ring. He will NOT beat a Western team with an Eastern team. Even if Darko Milicic is the next Dirk Nowitzki, it's not enough. It hasn't been enough. He'll face Duncan, Shaq, or Yao, and he'll lose because he can't contain any of them. However, he can JOIN one of them, and have the best chance at containing the other 2. I don't want to hear about making the Finals. I want you to look me straight in the eye and tell me that Detroit can beat any of these teams in the Finals before Larry Brown leaves (I.E. when Milicic is 20 or 21): Sacramento Lakers Dallas Spurs Rockets Put Larry Brown on next year's Detroit and put him on next year's Houston. Who's the better team? Who wins if they go head to head? Who has a better shot of winning the Finals? BEST case scenario, Detroit plays 3 crappy teams during the playoffs, sweeps em all, and probably go down in 5 or 6 games in the Finals. However, if Houston will likely face 2 of the major contenders, and if they win those 2, then the first round and the Finals are a piece of cake.
The Detroit Pistons and the 8th seeded Phoenix Suns square off in a 7 game series. Who wins? It's 50-50. Can you even TRY to imagine Detroit beating San Antonio? How badly would Shaq and Kobe HAMMER the Ben Wallace/Rip Hamilton duo? He knows he won't win it in the East, unless he goes to the Bulls, and is patient.
I agree. If Brown goes to the East, it is for one reason..............$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. His decision will reflect what he is really about. Does he really want the best chance at winning it all? Or does he just want $$$$$$$$$$$$? Really, all the rest of the coaches are rooting for this thing to drag out and for Larry to sign for $10 million a year to set a new standard in coaches pay. For the life of me, I can't imagine Larry really wanting to go to Detroit. The city is horrid. And the basketball team is average. Don't tell me his wife prefers Detroit and that is what his decision is predicated on, what his wife thinks. That is a bunch of hooey. Larry does what Larry wants to do. Right now, he's trying to shanghai Les for a few more million. If he could get Les to give him the $$$ that Detroit is giving him, total package $$$$, he will come to Houston. And if Detroit hires him, I would be surprised if the contract is just 5 years and $25 million. I bet there is more to that contract than just $25 million.
Maybe Larry Brown has a way of reading Clutch BBS and realised that the problems in the Houston Team were too much for a 62 year old to fix, without making some major changes.
Sane - Exactly the West is the biggest challenge and creating a HOU team that dominates is the biggest challenge in my mind. Jop - So, you've taken it to the conclusion I had made when I started this thread. Ego is LB's driving factor. He replaces a guy who was coach of the year (1yr prior) and took his team to the Eastern Finals...doesn't he feel special. He gets a huge contract. He helps the team win 55-58 games. They make it to the finals, but get whooped by a Western team. Just deserts. Although everyone sees Darko has DET's pick, does LB being their coach make them look to Melo? Maybe, he's as NBA ready as any draft choice this year and fills a need to DET. Potential big man stud vs solid rookie SF starter? BL: If LB signs with DET, its OK. We'll find someone who wants to coach our team...and I bet they'll be pretty damn good also.
1) Larry Brown called Tayshaun Prince a star in the making. So, I don't know that he's desperate for a SF. 2) Why do the Eastern teams have trouble with the top Western teams? Size. Enter a 7'1" 255 player with skills. You guys seriously underestimate the Eastern conference, but that's nothing new.
