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nixluva
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8/20/2011  12:17 AM
The problem I have with all these articles is that they all rely on hearsay as most say it was reported that Kerr tried to get MDA to take Thibs. It's probably true, but to be honest it's still in the rumor category.

The thing that gets to me the most is that both the Suns and Knicks management failed to sign capable defensive players and rag on MDA for not getting them to defend. Our two stars are career lazy defenders. No change in coaching seems to have changed that. The biggest change will come when they bring in more defensive players. IMO if you start with KG and Perkins you're ahead of the game on D. If you start with Noah, Deng and a good group of other guys like Boozer, Gibson, Asik and KT it's gonna be easier to defend. We had Turiaf, Timo, and a little Jeffries mixed in. Hardly a serious group of stoppers.

I think the Knicks can get better and perhaps a new voice and more focus will help to improve the D, but they've also got to get more help.

AUTOADVERT
CrushAlot
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8/20/2011  1:27 AM
nixluva wrote:The problem I have with all these articles is that they all rely on hearsay as most say it was reported that Kerr tried to get MDA to take Thibs. It's probably true, but to be honest it's still in the rumor category.

The thing that gets to me the most is that both the Suns and Knicks management failed to sign capable defensive players and rag on MDA for not getting them to defend. Our two stars are career lazy defenders. No change in coaching seems to have changed that. The biggest change will come when they bring in more defensive players. IMO if you start with KG and Perkins you're ahead of the game on D. If you start with Noah, Deng and a good group of other guys like Boozer, Gibson, Asik and KT it's gonna be easier to defend. We had Turiaf, Timo, and a little Jeffries mixed in. Hardly a serious group of stoppers.

I think the Knicks can get better and perhaps a new voice and more focus will help to improve the D, but they've also got to get more help.

I have yet to see an article that refuted that D'Antoni promoted his brother over Thibs. I am not sure how hearsay involves direct quotes from the gm and owner but again please post articles that refute what the national media reported. Or if you are a mod whose name starts with 'M' you can 'share your opinion' that might mean more than what the gm and owner of a team are saying,
I'm tired,I'm tired, I'm so tired right now......Kristaps Porzingis 1/3/18
Nalod
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8/20/2011  1:35 AM
National media reported? Or a blog?
CrushAlot
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8/20/2011  1:37 AM
Nalod wrote:National media reported? Or a blog?

ESPN was just one of the sources. Google it please. I posted the first 5 links.
I'm tired,I'm tired, I'm so tired right now......Kristaps Porzingis 1/3/18
nixluva
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8/20/2011  7:41 AM
CrushAlot wrote:
Nalod wrote:National media reported? Or a blog?

ESPN was just one of the sources. Google it please. I posted the first 5 links.

I thought i'd clear up some facts that seem to have gotten all messed up. In PHX, Marc Iavaroni was Mike's defensive Assistant before Jay Humphries. Dan D'Antoni only got the job here in NY.

D’Antoni is expected to add a defensive specialist to the staff, at the behest of the front office.
D’Antoni called it "an option we will look at." It would not be a new concept.
In Phoenix, Marc Iavaroni served as D’Antoni’s defensive coach for three and a half seasons.

Marc Iavaroni- Obviously has history with D’Antoni in Phoenix, helping lead the Suns into the top half of the NBA in defensive rating. Born and raised in New York, Iavoroni was played for the successful Sixers teams of the 80s, helping them win a title in 1983. His first head coaching position didn’t last long as he went 30-92 in one and a half seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies.

So MDA isn't foreign to the idea of a defensive assistant. He had one for years in PHX. All this talk that MDA doesn't care and that Amar'e claims no one taught him D is garbage. Those Suns teams may not have been great on D, but they weren't anywhere near as bad as the Knicks have been. Amar'e is full of crap cuz even after Mike left they added another coach who focused on D, in Terry Porter. The only one responsible for Amar'e no playing D is Amar'e.

This is the most damning evidence i've read against the idea that Mike was the real reason they didn't hire Thibs:

http://arizonasports.com/?nid=41&sid=1418881

Back in 2007 the Suns found themselves looking for a new assistant. Tom Thibodeau's name was brought up, as the former Rockets coach was looking for a new home. The Suns, great on offense but a sieve on defense, seemed like a natural fit. Thibodeau was interested in the job. Mike D'Antoni and the Suns, however, were not interested in him, and hired Jay Humphries instead.

Thibodeau went to Boston to help the Celtics, who only became the best defensive team in the NBA under his watch. The Celtics went to a pair of NBA Finals, winning one, before Thibodeau left to become head coach of the Chicago Bulls. He won Coach of the Year in his first year at the helm.

Oops.

Hiring Cleamons, who was an assistant under Jackson with the Bulls and Lakers, would be a solid move. While he won't be able to turn players like Steve Nash, Hakim Warrick, Robin Lopez and Aaron Brooks into great defenders, his experience assisting on championship teams gives him a perspective that really couldn't hurt to have around.

So this Arizona paper explains it a bit differently than the way the MDA hating rest of the Media has put it. It wasn't MDA alone but the Suns management too that didn't take on Thibs.

nykshaknbake
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8/20/2011  8:20 AM
Nalod wrote:Crush.....you bought it up. I think the burden of proof is on you. In any event they went to Porter who went more to the Defense and it was a flat out disaster. Why? The roster was built to run.

Fishmike brings up a good point about how the roster is constructed. If you want MDA gone and go defense minded, then you got another gut job coming on the roster.

It would seem the articles he's posting as the proof. Certainly when asked to back something up in an online forum I've never seen anything else other than stats.

nixluva
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8/20/2011  8:46 AM
nykshaknbake wrote:
Nalod wrote:Crush.....you bought it up. I think the burden of proof is on you. In any event they went to Porter who went more to the Defense and it was a flat out disaster. Why? The roster was built to run.

Fishmike brings up a good point about how the roster is constructed. If you want MDA gone and go defense minded, then you got another gut job coming on the roster.

It would seem the articles he's posting as the proof. Certainly when asked to back something up in an online forum I've never seen anything else other than stats.


Apparently you just missed my post above yours. It seems that perhaps the idea that Martin posed could also be true. That the Suns being cheap decided to go with Jay Humphries who also had past ties to the Suns, instead of Thibs. The truth is that Mike never just said NO to having a defensive assistant. He had Marc Iavaroni for 3.5 years in PHX before hiring Jay Humphries. Only in NY did his brother take on the role.
Nalod
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8/20/2011  9:32 AM
One thing we know. MDA has one season left on his deal. Mike woodson might be the new D-Coach, and Either jordan or Jorts is our starting center.

I would gather that crush thinks that mike is a pig headed arrogant coach who does not like being told what to do and wants to do it his way. We'll, thats how the great ones get there. When they don't, they don't.

Somehow I doubt Crush is going to convince anyone of anything that is not all out there that a fan would not have read before. Mike is not a good defensive coach, but has that fact prevented them from winning a title with the suns? Or the knicks? Me think not. Just not good enough or lucky enough. The second point is could another coach have done better with the roster the knicks have had the last 3 years? Me think not. We have not been good enough, and last season too much change and Amare and Billups injury killed us. I thought the team played hard and never gave up. IN fact, Since MDA, even in losses he has not lost his team and the blowouts were few and far between.

nixluva
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8/20/2011  12:00 PM
This is primarily an offensive team with an offensive coach. Still as long as this team can play decent defense, they can win. They don't have to be the Bulls on D, but if they can get better than they've been, perhaps up into the middle of the league in terms of D, they'll win big.

TD, Iman, Williams, Fields and Jorts are clearly capable defensive players. Even Walker proved that he can defend when he puts his mind to it. I'm hoping and praying that Jordan has improved and can give us some help inside. If then we can get CB, Melo and STAT to give their best effort on D, this team should be able to improve.

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