RoyBatty wrote:For better or worse, I think D'Antoni's departure has led to some internal panic buttons being pushed. Whether that turns them into a team, or into individual "I know best and I'm doing what's best for me" we won't have to wait much longer to find out...

In fairness, I’m willing to give Carmelo some more time because usually after a coach gets fired teams go on a winning straight, the good ones stay winning, the bad ones return to losing.

crzymdups wrote:

KnicksFE wrote:

RoyBatty wrote:For better or worse, I think D'Antoni's departure has led to some internal panic buttons being pushed. Whether that turns them into a team, or into individual "I know best and I'm doing what's best for me" we won't have to wait much longer to find out...

In fairness, I’m willing to give Carmelo some more time because usually after a coach gets fired teams go on a winning straight, the good ones stay winning, the bad ones return to losing.

this is the key. if this is a turning point - GREAT.

if not, we've just enabled our superstar but haven't really fixed anything. i wonder how people will look back on this if the move doesn't work out or backfires? probably convince themselves that phil jackson is coming to save us, i guess.

again, i'm not rooting against it and i hope it works. but you make a fine point - almost EVERY team runs off a few wins after a tense coaching situation is resolved with a firing. but a lot of times the same warts resurface under a different coach.

You are right and this can definitely fail. And, if history bares any credence then it has a good chance to fail. But, many did not think that under the status quo it would have gotten any better and believed that it was failing and would continue to fail. So, it's really the greater of two possible evil's that one has to or could assume.

I like what Woodson's plans are for this offense (down screens / cross screens etc...) and I like that while everyone is killing Melo, and saying what a jerk he is, he refuses to stoop and throw Melo under the bus. He still had not said anything bad about any his teammates or MDA. Very un-starbury like.

BTW, I think MDA was classy in the way he left as well and lets hope this continues. The only thing through this whole process that I thought that MDA stooped is when he said that Melo did not tell him to play Lin. He should of stayed away from that crap/trap.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/knicks/post/_/id/14439/melo-bothered-by-talk-he-forced-out-dan

Uptown wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

metra wrote:Damn even Amare admits it: "we didn't quite buy into [D'Antoni's system]"

Really?! Amare? The system that you excelled in? I'm shocked to hear Amare say that. Melo I understand. But Amare is proven perfect for D'Antoni's system. Makes me wonder how many sides there were in the locker room.

Have a feeling that Lin and Fields were the only ones on D'Antoni's side.

Amar'e isn't calling out himself - he's calling out one guy. Melo.

Read this, and it's the new york times, not a tabloid like espn:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/sports/basketball/anthonys-return-has-hurt-the-knicks.html?_r=1&ref=basketball

Anthony and Knicks Can’t Play Together

By HOWARD BECK
Published: March 13, 2012

As they steeled themselves late Monday for a grinding, gripping final 12 minutes in Chicago, the Knicks broke into two factions along the bench. At one end, a swarm of players gathered around the coaching staff. At the other, Carmelo Anthony sat stoically, a towel over his shoulders, alone.

“I do that every game,” Anthony would say later, smiling.

Anthony knew he would be on the bench to start the fourth quarter, as he often is. It was perhaps not that vital for him to join his 14 teammates in the huddle. Yet in the context of the Knicks’ current struggles, the imagery was striking, and telling.

The Knicks are not a unified team. On one side is Anthony. On the other is everyone else.

Explain why Stat looked like Sh*t most of this year in the system? Yet, he came out last night with bundles of energy. Was Stat dogging it too?

mrKnickShot wrote:http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/knicks/post/_/id/14368/melo-on-dan-we-never-had-any-issues

I still never heard any interview where Melo threw MDA under the bus. Before the quitting or after. He has sucked this year but he was used as a scapegoat as well being painted as a cancer and a bad guy:

Carmelo Anthony insists that he had no bearing on Mike D'Antoni's decision to step down as head coach of the Knicks.

"I didn't have anything to do with that. That was coach's decision. I really didn't know ... what he was thinking as far as his decision to step down," Anthony said hours after the Knicks announced that they'd mutually agreed to part ways with D'Antoni.

Anthony insisted that he "never had any issues" with D'Antoni, whom he played 59 games for over two seasons.

"Any disagreements that he had with us as a team we talked it out and we went from there," he said.

According to reports, Anthony and others had 'tuned out' D'Antoni in recent weeks. Anthony also had a difficult time adapting to D'Antoni's up-tempo offense.

Anthony is a player who thrives in isolation. D'Antoni's offense is predicated on ball movement and spacing.

The disconnect was evident between the two last month when the Knicks went 8-1 in a nine-game stretch on the strength of point guard Jeremy Lin. Anthony sat out seven of those nine games due to a groin injury.

But once Anthony returned from injury and the Knicks' recent slide began, the discontent from it created a gulf between Anthony and D'Antoni. The Knicks lost eight of ten after Anthony returned on Feb. 20.

After Wednesday's game, Anthony acknowledged that he had to make 'sacrifices' to fit into D'Antoni's system. He cited D'Antoni asking him to play point forward earlier in the season as one of those sacrifices. D'Antoni and his staff asked Anthony to handle the ball because they didn't have a capable point guard on the roster, before they found one in Lin

"Then Jeremy came out overnight and put us back to a .500 and got us playing geat basketball," Anthony said. "When I came back ... I had to sacrifice for the system, for Mike D'Antoni's system. I had no problem with that."

With the Knicks struggling, Anthony turned into a public scapegoat. He was booed before Sunday's home loss to Philadelphia. His reception before Wednesday's game was lukewarm at best. But fans showered Anthony with cheers soon after tipoff against Portland.

He had ten points in the first quarter, knocking down two of his three 3-point attempts, and finished with 16 points and seven assists in 24 minutes.

"Tonight, it was a different system," Anthony said in reference to the offense in interim coach Mike Woodson's first night on the bench. "Everybody felt comfortable out there tonight. Ya'll saw it out there, everybody was smiling, having fun."

That's not the only difference between Woodson and D'Antoni, according to Anthony. The All Star small forward said Woodson is more apt to call a player out publicly, while D'Antoni preferred to talk to players privately.

"Coach Mike would pull yoiu to the side, he won't say it in front of the guys. Woody, he'll tell you right there, just like it is," Anthony said. Anthony said Woodson's accountability-based approach would help the Knicks.

"In life, there's times when change can be for the better," Anthony said. "This is an unfortunate situation with coach Mike. But sometimes you need something to spark off and for guys to wake up and say OK something's not right here and we've got to change it."

Earlier in the day, before shoot around, Anthony talked to D'Antoni about the direction of the Knicks, who had lost six straight entering play Wednesday. He said after shootaround that he supported D'Antoni '100 percent.'

Anthony then went home after shoot around to take a nap and woke up to '30-something' text messages.

"That's when I found out," Anthony said. "Nobody saw this coming."

You know MELO Anthony is far far from perfect.

But listen to what I have to say
1) Because he is or plays at times like a selfish player that don't mean he is a cancer to team.
2) Before he was a Knick he was a nugget. The issues stated in media with George Karl ever notice that:
-While Denver won yr after yr 50 game seasons always in playoffs. Sometimes bumped early sometimes going deep in rounds
-Never EVER heard of G.Karl issues or problems of being disloyal or disruptive to TEAM Denver until the Melo Anthony talks
of contract options and possible leaving Denver-land. All in all the yrs with Nuggets past and current rosters I've only
heard of frictions with Nuggets when the org. had notion that Melo may leave and later on made confusing demands of trades.

All in all this is players choice. Never heard gripes about contract or leaving until Anthony contract was about to be up
Then all this trash from George Karl throwing Melo under the bus, did never here in Nuggets success times Melo throwing coach down.

3)Now about Mike D'Antoni forget Marbury incident which I dont like Steph, I do not know too many coaches whom had all kind of
issues with certain players in the league. Or call it the D'Antoni "Doghouse".

of course Superstars or stars never had to worry or fret, were NEVER in his doghouse unless you consider 1-3 time star Marbury
an exception.

4) Mike D'Antoni had Steve Nash running his show, covering his deficient coaching ways and even Nash backed MDA in the press over
and over again. Mike got the reputation around the league he's a players coach. Everyone, superstars/stars loved Mike.

What exactly is definition of a Player's coach ? whom folks like. What that mean ? You're allowed to get away with stuff
or ignored things that a good coach needs to work on to improve players. Other than PGs Mike D'Antoni didn't offer much
when it had anything to do with outside of offensive basketball.

Mike D'Antoni isn't innocent here is a fact. He leaving or QUITTING the mess he left is as much D'Antoni's fault as MELOs or rest
of stars roster (Amare).

Mike has a way of spinning sentiment in his favor for failures in his career. Just listen to Francessa & MELO is Monster of NY hoops
same Mike Francessa wfan whom had Melo interview 1 month ago kissing Carmelo Anthony's ass..about working his talent to Knicks roster
Melo Anthony isn't the coach, Mike D'Antoni is the coach whom could not cut it, when his trade demand of MELO fell on deaf ears.

This was an easy out for Mike D'Antoni exodus from Knickerbockers mess & place whole fiasco on MELO.

Mike was led out of Phoenix with winning Records PCT highest in yrs coached. He privately was against Shaq joining Phoenix.
Dont like bigs. By the way D'Antoni's boy S.Nash states Shaq Oneal was one of best teammates he ever had! Yet MDA had no use for him

Imagine a NBA coach having an issue with Shaq O'Neal (4 NBA rings) on your squad. Imagine eh ?

Why ? Cause he didn't like changes that had anything to oppose "Small Ball". Jumpshots, 3 Pointers, and simple hoisting up more
shots than opposition TEAMs to win games. Mike concept was "We let you shoot 105 attempts". We shoot "112 attempts" The 7 difference
will be outcome for a win! Wow

Small ball is what Mike D'Antoni system is primary about. It aint about Centers, It aint about true Powerforwards, Its not
conventional way to win championships but sole only way he knows.

If Melo was deficient OR needed more fine, But you cant expect Melo Anthony allstar not to need Coach D'Antoni to meet some
of Melo's needs and skills to be utilized to win basketball games.

Regardless of the feelings Melo poor play and all was still 1-2 BEST Players on Knickerbockers. End of story

Mike wanted his way. Melo wanted his way. The two needed to work it out & that didnt involved Quitting on the Mess D'Antoni
left that he started.

D'Antoni is a good coach but he's used the public media as he always has.
Used the media negatively toward Marbury to soil Marbs even more when D'Antoni wasn't being fair himself.
This coach lets the Stars police themselves then wants to hold them responsible for things he isnt' even responsible himself.

Don't feel sorry for this man, He will have another NBA job.
You do not have to love Melo Anthony whom may not last his Knick tenure here. Its under 1 year Carmelo Anthony is crucified for
a poor bad season, injuries and worst play of his life.

You know what ? he stands up in front of microphone. Gives interviews don't duck. WIN/or Lose
He takes blame and also puts heat on his shoulders. He may not like it but he doesnt complain

Mike D'Antoni ? he gave us garbled Post game interviews. He wasnt' straight up honest to Knick fans in talks about players
Mike D'Antoni was never EVER ever NewYork. Folks all loved him, D'Antoni perhaps never ever showed Knicks players tapes or
anything of past Knicks Title history, its pride and tradition. Mike used NY as just another job $$$ for his system which
failed again just like it flunked in Phoenix-Sunland

That is fact! NBA experts are on to D'Antoni & until he bends and changes a little bit towards the players He won't win squat.

KnicksFE wrote:

Uptown wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:Nobody ever remembers Kidd got Byron Scott canned, same with CP3. Or like Yellowboy90 mentioned Magic Johnson got his first coach fired even after winning a title with him. Phil Jackson dedicated a good portion of his book ripping Kobe to shreds. Not saying Melo is a victim, but there's alot of instances where stars don't always get along with the coach.

Dont forget, Deron williams supposedly got Jerry Sloan fired aswell, yet we all want to trade Melo for Deron so we can root for him instead of Melo....

I understand, players get coaches fired every year in the NBA, however I have never seen JK, CP3 or Kobe lacking for an entire season (can’t speak for Deron since I rarely saw Utah played the last two years) they usually are very upset because their teams may not be winning a lot, but they leave it all in the court like A TRUE SUPERSTAR SHOULD DO. AND THAT MY FRIEND IS A BIG DIFFERENCE AND WHY FANS BOO MELO YERSTERDAY, HE DIDN’T HANDLE IT PROPERLY.

Were those players asked to play in an offense that they were completely misfitted for?

nixluva wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

KnicksFE wrote:

Uptown wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:Nobody ever remembers Kidd got Byron Scott canned, same with CP3. Or like Yellowboy90 mentioned Magic Johnson got his first coach fired even after winning a title with him. Phil Jackson dedicated a good portion of his book ripping Kobe to shreds. Not saying Melo is a victim, but there's alot of instances where stars don't always get along with the coach.

Dont forget, Deron williams supposedly got Jerry Sloan fired aswell, yet we all want to trade Melo for Deron so we can root for him instead of Melo....

I understand, players get coaches fired every year in the NBA, however I have never seen JK, CP3 or Kobe lacking for an entire season (can’t speak for Deron since I rarely saw Utah played the last two years) they usually are very upset because their teams may not be winning a lot, but they leave it all in the court like A TRUE SUPERSTAR SHOULD DO. AND THAT MY FRIEND IS A BIG DIFFERENCE AND WHY FANS BOO MELO YERSTERDAY, HE DIDN’T HANDLE IT PROPERLY.

Were those players asked to play in an offense that they were completely misfitted for?

Is it really true that Melo was misfitted for playing TEAM BB??? The whole idea that a star BB player can't fit into a team oriented offense seems a bit strange. Last game he seemed to suddenly find it easy to stay spread in the early shot clock and even took some catch and shoot jumpers with ease. He really did make too much of this and psyched himself out of playing well and perhaps FINALLY becoming a more efficient player. That's all MDA does is make players more efficient. His record in impeccable in this regard. Really Melo is the only good player to not increase his production under MDA.

Nix, as you have often displayed articles as proof. Everyone thought it did not fit him. Pick any article from the last few days and its there - not just my opinion. Who's fault was that? I think - both of them.

You had a great post today of Melo's psyche and if he was dogging it or out of place and I agreed with you 100 pct.

They just did not click - regardless of why, someone had to go. I don't think it was all on MDA or Melo - I think it was shared blame. I believe that it is a balanced opinion.