CrushAlot wrote:nixluva wrote:When LB 1st got here he WAS trying. People are crazy if they think that all it takes is a defensive coach and you turn any team into a defensive force. Since MDA got here they've been talking about defense and the last camp it was a primary focus. The only thing everyone was concerned about was how they'd get rebounds! We never solved that problem and still haven't. Until we find rebounders this team won't improve defensively. That's the biggest weakness. Inside defense and rebounding, not defensive coaching!
The Knicks came out of the last training camp and went 3-8 including a 6 game losing streak. It seems like it is the same every year with D'Antoni and his training camps. He doesn't have seem to figure things out until about 15 games into the season. Also, I don't know how you solve the rebounding problem when the coach doesn't see enough value in playing his rebounders. S. Williams and Randolph both were good rebounders with their other teams last year but couldn't get minutes with D'Antoni. Moz had a 22 game stint where he played less than 20 minutes total and only got into 4 games. I think the coach has to value the contributions that traditional players with size bring. I don't think he does. D'Antoni did at least acknowledge defense this year. We know now that the mantra isn't just other teams have to adjust to the Knicks. Apparently a folder is put together by a scout detailing opponents tendencies. This is progress because it wasn't done before under him but that doesn't make this team a defensive team or D'Antoni a guy that stresses defense. His show where he explained a zone defense like grade school kids learn on Saturday morning doesn't mean he stresses it either.
You're a real trip. You think we lost those early games this year cuz they weren't playing hard on D? That's the only issue we had to start this year huh? Had nothing to do with throwing a totally revamped roster together. One filled with kids that had little experience. It had nothing to do with a confused Felton/STAT or slumping Gallo. Nothing to do with having 2 rookies in the starting lineup. Nothing to do with the fact we didn't have one real power rebounder/post defender on the team. It was widely accepted that the defense was far ahead of the offense at the start of last season and that the team wasn't losing because of the defense. You really are something special.
This constant BS about MDA not valuing size has got to stop too. How do you explain him starting Moz? How can you even have any credibility when you want to make it seem like MDA held Moz back this year? Don't give me Shelden W. when he played less than half a season with the team. PLEASE! As for AR he caused his own problems. Talk to me about AR when he can put together a complete season where he plays well. He may yet get there, but he wasn't doing much here.
Mike is who he is. From what we saw this team was very capable of winning in the postseason if healthy. We need to fix our rebounding and PG issues. That's more important than some defensive assistant coach. We got outrebounded on a consistent basis and that was one of the biggest issues that led to the team losses. Those defensive rebounds that the team wasn't getting can be the difference between a win or loss because that is the last play of a defensive possession!!! If you don't secure the rebound and allow another point blank shot it was a bad defensive stand verses a good one. I guarantee you that if you brought in Thibs but made not change to the bigs on the roster not much would change, but if you didn't hire a defensive assistant but added D. Howard, all of a sudden the team is a much better defensive team and winning.
