martin wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:I like D'Antoni. Is he the greatest coach around, nope, but he can get the job done with a PG and guys that buy into his system. But you can't neglect that Boston game. That was a friggin travesty. To even shovel TD out there in the 2nd half after Lin played well in the first half was pure and utter garbage. That 8 minute span probably cost the Knicks that game against a division rival, and hopefully not a tiebreaker if it factors in(Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy called the game and even questioned why not Lin in 2nd half). I won't even mention Chicago(0 minutes played by Lin), as that was an epic D'Antoni fail. Both were winnable games, and a ton of people thought Lin should've gotten at least 10-15 minutes. Either way, you can't say that D'Antoni has been doing right by Lin this whole time...it was circumstances, desperation and need, not to mention a nudge by Melo.

I literally can't remember Lin's minutes against Boston. He played well? 0-3, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 1 TO? Knowing that Boston was gonna clamp down in second half?

Tough call either way. Boston and Chicago are 2 teams that can turn an NBA player to jello in a NY second, ruin a kid's confidence very quickly. That's realistic.

Just to put in perspective, Lin played a hard 7 minutes in that first half against Boston, and JVG and Mike Breen were questioning D'Antoni's decision to have TD spell Shumpert because Lin was playing so hard. Also, if you want to play the numbers game, Lin plusminus of -1 and Toney Douglas plusminus -9...not sure if that played in the 2 pt loss at the end, but most say it would.

ChuckBuck wrote:

martin wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:I like D'Antoni. Is he the greatest coach around, nope, but he can get the job done with a PG and guys that buy into his system. But you can't neglect that Boston game. That was a friggin travesty. To even shovel TD out there in the 2nd half after Lin played well in the first half was pure and utter garbage. That 8 minute span probably cost the Knicks that game against a division rival, and hopefully not a tiebreaker if it factors in(Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy called the game and even questioned why not Lin in 2nd half). I won't even mention Chicago(0 minutes played by Lin), as that was an epic D'Antoni fail. Both were winnable games, and a ton of people thought Lin should've gotten at least 10-15 minutes. Either way, you can't say that D'Antoni has been doing right by Lin this whole time...it was circumstances, desperation and need, not to mention a nudge by Melo.

I literally can't remember Lin's minutes against Boston. He played well? 0-3, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 1 TO? Knowing that Boston was gonna clamp down in second half?

Tough call either way. Boston and Chicago are 2 teams that can turn an NBA player to jello in a NY second, ruin a kid's confidence very quickly. That's realistic.

Just to put in perspective, Lin played a hard 7 minutes in that first half against Boston, and JVG and Mike Breen were questioning D'Antoni's decision to have TD spell Shumpert because Lin was playing so hard. Also, if you want to play the numbers game, Lin plusminus of -1 and Toney Douglas plusminus -9...not sure if that played in the 2 pt loss at the end, but most say it would.

JVG was extremely perplexed. He did not question it once, he questioned it again and again! It was not just Lin's numbers but the way he made the whole team better when he was in. Spilled milk but I was going nuts and wanted to go out there and kick MDA in the nuts myself during this game. And, it was so obvious how much better they were with Lin in there than Horrible-TD. I don't have as much of a problem with MDA's coaching as I do with his stubbornness. Such as, why allow TD to jack up at will when he could not throw it in the ocean - HE WAS LEADING THE KNICKS IN 3 ATTEMPTS!!! MDA allowed that! Nobody can say that he did not! TD had the green light when it should have been bright RED.

ChuckBuck wrote:

martin wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:I like D'Antoni. Is he the greatest coach around, nope, but he can get the job done with a PG and guys that buy into his system. But you can't neglect that Boston game. That was a friggin travesty. To even shovel TD out there in the 2nd half after Lin played well in the first half was pure and utter garbage. That 8 minute span probably cost the Knicks that game against a division rival, and hopefully not a tiebreaker if it factors in(Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy called the game and even questioned why not Lin in 2nd half). I won't even mention Chicago(0 minutes played by Lin), as that was an epic D'Antoni fail. Both were winnable games, and a ton of people thought Lin should've gotten at least 10-15 minutes. Either way, you can't say that D'Antoni has been doing right by Lin this whole time...it was circumstances, desperation and need, not to mention a nudge by Melo.

I literally can't remember Lin's minutes against Boston. He played well? 0-3, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 1 TO? Knowing that Boston was gonna clamp down in second half?

Tough call either way. Boston and Chicago are 2 teams that can turn an NBA player to jello in a NY second, ruin a kid's confidence very quickly. That's realistic.

Just to put in perspective, Lin played a hard 7 minutes in that first half against Boston, and JVG and Mike Breen were questioning D'Antoni's decision to have TD spell Shumpert because Lin was playing so hard. Also, if you want to play the numbers game, Lin plusminus of -1 and Toney Douglas plusminus -9...not sure if that played in the 2 pt loss at the end, but most say it would.

Watching the game it was evident that the play worsened in the 2nd half when TD was brought in as we were up 9 and then tied once TD was finally pulled.

In that game the starters got off to a great start with Shump at PG built a 10pt lead. Lin came in and held the lead for the most part as the Knicks were still up 9 when he left. Thats where the (-1) comes from. He did that despite turning the ball over his first possession as he was clearly nervous and over excited and caught up in the moment. But he then went on to manage the game.

In those 7mins was he the Linsanity that he is now? No but he was clearly the best PG option on the team not TD. And that is what JVG & Breenie were referring to

ChuckBuck wrote:

fishmike wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:

fishmike wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:Figured it had to be one of the vets pushing MDA to play him...MDA is stubborn as a mule (See Toney Douglas).

its that same stubborness that is the reason players love him. Why Baron, Chandler, JJ and Amare have all publicly stated it was a big factor in them coming.

Players are allowed to work through slumps and nagging injuries. Players dont have to look over their shoulder if they have a bad stretch. They can just focus on fixing their game or eventually sit when its just not working. It can be frustrating for fans but it builds chemistry on the team. As a guy who's played a lot of team sports I know I would appreciate that

That stubborness is a Double-edged sword. Without dumb luck (Baron's infection and Jorts out 6 weeks), Lin's not called up from D league, D'Antoni stubbornly sticks to Shump and TD at PG and Melo at Point forward, Knicks lose to the Nets, and D'Antoni is probably fired for losing to the ****y Russian(no offense to anyone).

your 100% right. But is that a knock on MDA? Its what works for him. If Houston's floater doesnt drop JVG is surely fired. One shot. A lucky bounce? Whats the difference? Thats just sports. Every team that wins title has some luck involved unless you have Michael Jordan in your prime. Hell... even Shaq, Kobe and Duncan might not have titles if Robert Horry doesnt drill some insane 3s.

That being said as Nalod mentioned MDA has this team playing their asses off and its a new season right now. Just as using Melo at point forward was a bad idea that just didnt work and thats on MDA, listening to Melo to play Lin was simply good coaching.

Do the players play hard? On both sides of the ball? Is this a system that can win? I would yes, so why there is talk about the coach right now is beyond me. Some just like to hate

Not hating, I give credit where credit is due. D'Antoni nowhas made the right adjustments, substitutions, game plans etc. Can't knock him there. He finally got his PG(although it took him 23 games), and Knicks are now flourishing and playing balls to the wall. Like I said earlier, is he a great coach, HELLS NO. Is he a good one, yes, an offensive genius perhaps. But to excuse the other 3 and half years like it never happened after 7 games is kinda ridiculous.

I dont excuse him for anything.

Ive been saying since Chaney was coach that he wasnt the problem, it was the player, and I have stuck to that for as long as I have been posting.

All I ask is he gets the same blame/credit ratio. If everything that was wrong with the team this year was MDA's poor management then he gets the equal credit for fixing everything.

Or

We were losing not because of poor coaching but because of a flawed roster. Now we have a PG and the team is much improved.

Its my opinion that MDA has done whats been asked of him here. Now is the big test, and we talked about it all offseason, that this was the year he's got talent and the Knicks need results. So far those results have been mixed, but certainly the direction is a positive one.

What good now is MDA has the tools to do have an impact as a coach, and liability or not that his what this coach is. Give him a high IQ PG and the dude produces wins. Lots of em. Including in the post season

ChuckBuck wrote:Also, another thing to consider was this was the dreaded 3 games in 3 nights(Back to Back to Back games) for the Knicks. The Nets game was the last of the 3 games, why he wouldn't play Lin more in the first and 2nd games to rest the other bodies is beyond me. Before the nets games, both Fields and Shumpert averaged 42 minutes the first 2 games, until Linsanity. Oh well, it's all water under the bridge now, I'm All Lin with D'Antoni now!

Because playing Jeremy Lin was never part of the plan until after we lost to Chi/Bos and were losing to the Nets and MDA was about to be fired. Until Lin was finally inserted into the game out of desperation and the rest is history

ChuckBuck wrote:

gunsnewing wrote:I think the Knicks were down 30 in the 3rd quarter. Thats why Lin got in in extensive garbage time

From the game logs, it was only 9 pt game. Looks like 8:10 mark of 3rd quarter down 50-59 for Landry Fields, with all of Houston's big guns out that game due to injury.

8:10 Jeremy Lin enters the game for Landry Fields 50-59

oh right Lin did enter the game down 9 but he was in there with TD who was still running the point. Then TD was yanked as the deficit ballooned for shump who was still running the point. It wasn't until later that Lin was handed the keys. By that point Knicks were down big. I think Lin closed the gap if you look at the final score though

gunsnewing wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:

gunsnewing wrote:I think the Knicks were down 30 in the 3rd quarter. Thats why Lin got in in extensive garbage time

From the game logs, it was only 9 pt game. Looks like 8:10 mark of 3rd quarter down 50-59 for Landry Fields, with all of Houston's big guns out that game due to injury.

8:10 Jeremy Lin enters the game for Landry Fields 50-59

oh right Lin did enter the game down 9 but he was in there with TD who was still running the point. Then TD was yanked as the deficit ballooned for shump who was still running the point. It wasn't until later that Lin was handed the keys. By that point Knicks were down big. I think Lin closed the gap if you look at the final score though

Yup, either way, not nitpicking anymore. The past is the past, it's all about the Lin Dynasty now!

Bippity10 wrote:I wonder what Mark Jackson would have done if he was coach?

Jax is getting Heat for sitting his star, Monte Ellis, for the entire 4th quarter last night in a game wear the Warriors lead by 24 and still lost

ChuckBuck wrote:

fishmike wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote: it's all water under the bridge now, I'm All Lin with D'Antoni now!

unless your totally blinded by bias people must recognize there is a truly special combo being formed. Imagine if MDA does for Lin over the next couple of years what he did with Nash? Except instead of Marion, Diaw and James Jones its Melo, Chandler and Fields/Shump to go with Amare?

Its premature, but damn its a pretty thought.

I know it's a great combo, the whole world knows it's a great combo now. All I'm just saying MDA could've pulled the trigger earlier than the Nets game for sure. If you saw the Boston game, you would agree with me. If you didn't, I don't know what to tell you.

or you can say MDA played Lin at exactly the right time, and that allowed him to explode.