But, then Mike would have to communicate with all of his players.

Even Darko! Yea, he wants to go back to Europe. But wouldn't his prospects for a big deal from a European team be improved if he were playing and contributing? Even if he isn't putting up major points or minutes, he could show off his skills.

As far as the article being all subjective. Must agree. It could be pure BS.

But, it fits Mike's MO, and where there is smoke, there's fire.

Pharzeone wrote:nyk, I agree with a lot of what you have to say. While I don't think he is the right coach for this team. I don't expect him to be removed until Walsh has his summer. But my point is that while Walsh and D'Antoni have been lumped together. They in fact have different thresholds. Walsh's moment will be this summer. A coach is suppose to be accountable for his team's performance and their ability to execute from day one. I don't know if it is fair but that is the reality in sports.

To be fair, I think Walsh has given D'Antoni pretty much want he wanted with what he was able to do without wreaking his plans. IMHO, I think Walsh is just as confuse as fans are with the job that D'Antoni is doing. I'm sure there are many nights that Donnie has wtf expression on his face. It appears that a number of these "player issues" have caught Donnie off guard and seems to be having to play peacekeeper more than he should as a general manager. And I don't think Donnie is surprising him with any guy that he is bringing in here and their contract situation. That's my issue, it reminds me of the Brown/Francis stuff.

I think you're pretty much spot on. I just look at it this way; miked was ultimately brought in here to coach whoever is signed/traded for in 2010 and that's how i'm going to judge him. maybe that doesn't make sense to some people, but in reality that is the job he was hired to do; coach the 2010 team. if we get players in here and theres still problems, i have absolutely no problem with saying miked is doing a bad job and i will do that, but i gotta let him do what he was brought here to do first before i do any of that.

I also took it as MDA trying to salvage the vets so they can get another payday but soon will have to go with the rooks. Helps their trade values also.

Losing sucks anyway you look at it.

Is it really that intense that we isolate the problem when there will obvously be big changes this summer.

We are going to build a team to what works best under the MDA way, and why would we want him to change his previously successful formula?

I think you adapt when you can, and perhaps our coaching staff has tried. They slowed the game down.

But in the long run take what MDA does best and build on that.

Forget the rest, its just noise.

nixluva wrote:At some point the players have to be held accountable as we've called for in seasons past. Duhon stunk, Hughes was up an down, tho mostly down.

Duhon's been mostly down too... that's the point where MDA's preferential treatment of certain players becomes a problem & he starts to lose the respect of the guys he's been charged to coach... you're right, at some point the players have to be held accountable if they're screwing up, the problem is MDA only holds certain players accountable when they screw up & gives others huge leeway to screw up, & that is a sure fire way to lose the team if he hasn't done so already.

CrushAlot wrote:

TMS wrote:

nixluva wrote:At some point the players have to be held accountable as we've called for in seasons past. Duhon stunk, Hughes was up an down, tho mostly down.

Duhon's been mostly down too... that's the point where MDA's preferential treatment of certain players becomes a problem & he starts to lose the respect of the guys he's been charged to coach... you're right, at some point the players have to be held accountable if they're screwing up, the problem is MDA only holds certain players accountable when they screw up & gives others huge leeway to screw up, & that is a sure fire way to lose the team if he hasn't done so already.

I think he has lost the team and that is why they are trying so hard to trade Al. Al could be a valuable guy next year and he has said he wants to come back. I don't have a problem with the business aspect of trading Al but if he is being moved because he is a difficult guy for D'Antoni to handle I have a problem with the coach. If the need to move Al becomes desperate I will be even more frustrated with D'Antoni/Walsh. Earlier in the year D'Antoni called Al the leader on the team now he has morphed into the guy ruining the attitude of the rookies. Al may not be the best leader but the rooks aren't getting any minutes, the team is losing and guys on the bench in that situation are going to become frustrated. The guys D'Antoni trusts and wants to lead the team aren't that good. Walsh may need to start not blindly backing D'Antoni and thinking big picture. I don't have a problem if Al is traded to improve the team but I do have a problem if an Al trade is just a dump because D'Antoni has chosen his next uncoachable talented vet.

i'm not gonna get down on MDA cuz he thinks Al might be a hindrance to the rooks development... for all i know he could be causing problems in the lockerroom, none of us really knows what goes on behind the scenes... if that's the case then i agree w/MDA that he should be traded... the problem i have is when MDA makes it a point to discipline guys like Nate, Hughes, Al, etc. when they're not playing the way he wants them to play & taking ill advised shots, but then he allows guys like Duhon & Jeffries free reign to launch up bad shots & never gets on their case about it during & after games... i mean it's so obvious how this guy operates on a different scale w/certain players on this team & that's not a good way to manage a group of grown ass men looking to earn contracts next year... i wish we'd just get rid of everyone on the team & replace them with just 2 main guys who MDA is ready to go to war with & fill in the rest with scrub role players who all know their place... that way it keeps things real simple for this guy who seemingly has a distinct problem managing egos of non-star calibre talent.

Nalod wrote:Some of you say Duhan gets royal treatment but he lost his job starting for 3 games.

Considering Duhon is possible the worst starting player in the NBA, that would have to qualify as royal treatment. Fair treatment would have Duhon Glued to the bench and Douglas/Robinson playing the majority of minutes at the point guard.

oohah

Some of you say Duhan gets royal treatment but he lost his job starting for 3 games. Nate got yet another chance which is pretty cool considering the history.

Coming out of summer D'Antoni was quoted as saying he would play those that earn it.
In the second half of last game Hill had earned minutes based on his first half performance.
In December TD was earning minutes. To me this clouds his cdredibility ...no matter how transparent the motivation. Wilson had earned the right to take the last shot at least once in our most recent game. If covered he should have been first alternate...likely with Lee as the second. I like DLee's instincts enough to think he'd make a good decision if Chandler passes him the ball.

Losing sucks anyway you look at it.
Is it really that intense that we isolate the problem when there will obvously be big changes this summer.

Bright lights big city...did you expect anything else?

We are going to build a team to what works best under the MDA way, and why would we want him to change his previously successful formula?

What did he win with this formula? Will it win NBA championships? If Lee is suitable at center you never win rings. Just my $.02

I think you adapt when you can, and perhaps our coaching staff has tried. They slowed the game down.

But in the long run take what MDA does best and build on that.

Forget the rest, its just noise.

Even Darko! Yea, he wants to go back to Europe. But wouldn't his prospects for a big deal from a European team be improved if he were playing and contributing? Even if he isn't putting up major points or minutes, he could show off his skills.

Indeed. Darko. I have no idea what happened here but this man had the skills to contribute.

FREE DOUGLAS!!!

They coaching staff here has been adamant to say he is a rookie and must earn the respect of the vets. Yet somehow there are other rookies getting it done for their teams.

I've watched Douglas play for the last three years. Arenas with defense and without the antics is what you have here. But also the heart of a lion. Give him the ball and let him learn.

nixluva wrote:Every coach has a problem when the team is full of guys who think they're better than they are and on top of that the whole team is fairly even in ability. If you've got clear starters and role players then there are fewer causes for argument about playing time. Any coach would have problems tryin to coach this group.

We seem to be to ready to assume that MDA is the one with the problem with communication and all that, but I think a lot of this is the prima Donna attitudes of the players coming thru. Playing time is purely at the descretion of the coach. He doesn't owe them an explanation or to kiss their butts. All he's trying to do is win. Now Duhon has sucked but the guy really is his only option at the point. Don't assume that we know better than him when it comes to use of his roster. Duhon's not even a good example of the type of PG he prefers but on this team he's the closest thing to it he's got. That's not playing favorites it's just logic.

u can call Nate a lot of things but he's never been a primadonna... he likes to showboat yes, but he has taken a ton of abuse from coaches in the past & yet always gives 100% effort whenever he's on the floor... he doesn't sulk on the bench like Marbury, Francis, etc... i've never heard of Al Harrington being a primadonna either... i don't see how u can assume any coach would have personality problems dealing w/this team & these players... i think MDA has probably the strongest & most inflexible personality of anyone on this team & IMO that's the main source of most of the problems in terms of the conflicts.

who the hell said anything about playing time? i'm talking about the double standard treatment he gives to certain players over others... he throws Nate under the bus for his questionable decision to pass off to Jeffries in OT, where was that criticism when Duhon was doing his Zach Randolph impersonation w/the dribble & airball in the closing seconds of regulation? why didn't he get on Jeffries' case for launching up the 3 ball in OT when they still had time to swing it around for a better shot? go ahead & keep making excuses for MDA but there are plenty of posters here who see things for what they really are... u might want to consider their points every once in a while & take off the blinders.

oohah wrote:

Nalod wrote:Some of you say Duhan gets royal treatment but he lost his job starting for 3 games.

Considering Duhon is possible the worst starting player in the NBA, that would have to qualify as royal treatment. Fair treatment would have Duhon Glued to the bench and Douglas/Robinson playing the majority of minutes at the point guard.

oohah

Agree completely....... Would prefer him in the trunk of car but the bench will do!!

Wow he is the worst starting player in the NBA!!!

As for the media beating up on MDA, that's just what they do. Build guys up with praise and tear em down when they have a rough spot. You can win with talent and a guy like Mike Brown coaching, you can win with MDA if you get talent. You can't just ignore his record and how he had his team excelling. We need to see how this guy does when we have a real team of unselfish players and winning talent to coach.

TMS wrote:

You can win with talent and a guy like Mike Brown coaching, you can win with MDA if you get talent.

no offense but the only thing MDA has proven is that he can win with 3 Allstar calibre players on his roster... what NBA coach wouldn't be able to win under the same circumstances? i'm not hating, just stating facts here... he has yet to show he can get a team to play above their collective talent the way other coaches like Adelman & Larry Brown are doing this season... whether he can or can't remains to be seen, but so far he hasn't done a good job w/this Knicks team in that regard, nor has he done much to develop the rookies like he said was his mission this season... there is plenty to be critical of

Well, this does work both ways you know. What coach can win with TRASH?

I think Doc Rivers did pretty good in Orlando with the Darrell Armstrong led nobody roster.

I know there have been other instances. Jerry Sloan always seems to make it work.

But overall you give any coach the Knicks job today and they will all fail because this roster is a pile of trash.

At least for a change it's an EXPIRING pile of trash and not a 4+ years remaining on every contract pile of trash.

So we're....going places soon enough.

Not sure why people are still critiquing this season as if it was ever meant to be a winner.

Just don't get that. I think it's quite obvious what our plan is.