Thanks for the recaps, gents. Great interview. JET to Lakes? Good for Russell. JBJ trashed? Ouch. But, DHo and JH13? Interesting.
It was obviously either a coaching failure, or coaching and general manager failure for not creating the structure in which both of your best players can be successful on the court.
Terry on in Dallas: 5-17 Jason Terry [GS/OKC] [Westbrook] [Start a team with Durant or Westbrook] What happened with your team? It's obvious. We fired our coach 11 games in. He was the guy. He's a legend in this game. When you're under direct leadership with him, there's a certain respect level that goes along with it. He knows what he's doing & how to get the best of his players. Not to belittle Coach Bickerstaff but these guys responded a little bit different to McHale. When your two star players don't quite have the chemistry, you need the voice like McHale to step in and say put your pride to the side, do what's right for the team and let's see what happens. That's what we had gotten to last year getting to the WCF and then this year, for whatever reason, took a step back. What was it like watching [Howard] with Barkley & Kenny & those guys? I enjoyed it. Big fella answered the questions best he could. Very honest. Charles & Kenny did what they do best - they tried to ruffle his feathers. Charles said one thing right: you gotta find what's best for you & your family and where you can obtain a championship. Will it be in Houston? We don't know. He's yet to opt out. It may as well likely be somewhere else. Wherever it is, you have to buy into your role and perform at a high level. You can't play half the season and you can't complain if you don't get the touches you think you should get. Go in there, open arms and do whatever it takes for your team to win. Something missing on the court with Harden & Howard. Can that be fixed? It was just a chemistry issue. They have two different styles. Big fella wants to go inside, Beard would prefer the outside. There's nothing wrong with that. Dwight earned his. He's been a DPOY two times. He's taken his team to the Finals as the focal point. He has a valid point. That's where leadership needs to step in and make those two hash things out and go forward. It's not a relationship that's unrepairable. They see each other every day & laugh & joke. On the court, it, for some odd reason, doesn't fit at times. That's the biggest problem. You know Rick Carlisle & Dirk. If Howard opts out, can that be a fit? It'd be a great fit. They key cog is Dwight. Are you willing to come in & accept Carlisle's style of coaching? He has a great offensive system. It's all about structure, player movement, ball movement but the big guy doesn't touch it a lot on the inside. Rick is great with personnel. Maybe he'd get some touches inside but that's not Rick's style of play. Would he adjust? Maybe but whatever his role, he'd have to buy in first. He & Dirk together, that's a powerful combination. ... A player like Dwight reminds me a little of Tyson. I love Tyson to death. He's a selfless guy who will do whatever it takes. Didn't work with Kobe & Harden. Sounds like the guy you're describing isn't a bad teammate. Not a bad teammate. Guys go to his house to hangout. It's just a situation...it just didn't work out. If he gets in another system, maybe with Carlisle or if Houston brings in a coach with structure and a system that will involve him, you can maximize his potential there but we'll see. Still wanting to play another year? Sometimes offers come up that no way you turn down. HC position is one of those. My dream & passion is to play one more year. ... I'm still chasing that championship. One was not good enough for me. That's what drives me these days. I want to play another year, yessir. Would you come back to Dallas & be a mentor? That's another phone call you can't turn down. Cuban will always have first dibs in my heart. Dallas is home. I'm a Maverick for life.
Cool interview. Interesting take. Very candid. And then he says... Went from zero to 100 to GTFOH real quick.
Two quotes jump out in both interviews: I believe we all know who we are as players but there has to be structure in place where each player can maximize his individual talent in the team concept. We didn't have that structure this year. If they stay together, there will have to be a coach who comes in and puts that structure in place. Yeah, you want to play one way but if you don't have the personnel to dictate that style of play, you have to alter it and mold it towards your players unless your Pop and you can get anyone to do whatever you want. It starts at the top man and they gotta get it corrected. (Dallas interview) Are you willing to come in & accept Carlisle's style of coaching? He has a great offensive system. It's all about structure, player movement, ball movement - Something else - it sounds like he doesn't expect to be back.
"When your two star players don't quite have the chemistry," can someone tell this outsider idiot to keep shut. that's how rumors get started. thanks in advanced, Moorely.
First of all, thanks JR for posting that 2nd interview! Nice to be dealing with some info. Sounds to me like he was saying : 1) McHale was a coach those guys respected and he shouldn't have been fired. Good job, Morey/Les getting him. Apparently they don't value the X's and O's as much. lol. Ok, I jest ... 2) Bickerstaff was someone who didn't have the pedigree of a McHale, so they didn't respect him as much or at least his voice didn't carry the weight of a McHale in the lockerroom. He obviously thinks that McHale could've righted the boat given time. Not to mention, to say Bickerstaff failed would be a stretch. What the hell is he supposed to implement when he's thrown into a head coaching role part of the way through the season? Probably another reason why they didn't get a "name" coach at that point. They probably were waiting for a better selection because I doubt anyone of note out there would want to come in there at that point. 3) On-court, Terry confirmed there was a problem integrating those Harden and Howard, but they don't hate each other. I'd be more worried about the latter. From the way they acted, I never could understand how they could hate each other. His comments also seem to indicate the team didn't hate Dwight like others had thought earlier in the season. JVG it is.
Better Jeff than D'Antoni, for crying out loud. As a top assistant "head coach" for the offense? Sure. I can't see D'Antoni settling for that role, however. Yeah, J.R. is amazing. -
Well, I can see him being an assistant head coach because that's what he is, but since he is one already, I don't see how he'd justify leaving Philly after having been there for about 6 months in basically the same position. lol.
That was my thought. I guess Les could throw more money at him. In that role, I'd find him very intriguing.
J.R. thanks for posting that 2nd Jason Terry interview. Honestly, he isn't really saying anything that is all that surprising. But it CONFIRMS a lot of our beliefs in the lack of structure, coaching, and dealing with players. Blame Les for hiring McHale Blame Les for EXTENDING McHale Blame Les for firing McHale Blame McHale for ALLOWING himself to be fired BECAUSE of his loose structure and getting players to buy in.
Somebody please call up and ask what the hell happened again. :grin: I wonder if he'll speak openly about it?
