depends depends depends... there are really so many factors. The NBA has small rosters, so even more than systems and subs the most important thing is that personalities gel. If you don't like your coach, if you aren't happy at work, your effort is going to suffer. However the same goes for teammates. If you don't like the guys you are playing next to your effort is going to suffer.
What made Phil great as a coach was his ability to get into guy's heads and turn it around onto them. What are YOU going to do to be a better player? A better teammate? That is not an easy thing to do with adults in ANY situation. Blame is easy and it absolves you from having to work and look at yourself.
Doc won coach of the year. Then McGrady quit on him and he got ousted. Then he won a title in Boston. Look how good Woody was here. Then when we replaced Camby, Sheed, Kidd and Novak with Bargs, Woody was the problem. Didn't motivate, nothing but ISO-Melo, bla bla bla
I think its a simple formula. 2 1/2 of these 3 things need to happen for a coach to succeed:
1) You need a talented and reasonably balanced roster
2) You need the backing/support of the front office
3) you need to connect with the players enough that the environment isn't toxic and the guys want to work, learn and have some synergy
Show me ANY coach in the NBA that has a good year and I promise he got 2 of these and half of another. That being said these are always fluid and what works one year may not work the next.
If the Knicks go with Rambis he will have #2. #1 depends on Phil and #3 is my concern, but is also something Phil can help with, especially if he is taking a more hands on approach and has more dialogue with players. Its not a given, but it strikes me as doable.
"winning is more fun... then fun is fun" -Thibs
