nixluva wrote:Uptown wrote:nixluva wrote:Uptown wrote:nixluva wrote:MDA did not have a losing record last year. This year with Melo playing his worst BB for most of the season, that was a major contributor to the losing record. Yeah we had the stretch with the no PG thing, but even in that instance if Melo was playing great they could've overcome the lack of a PG. Sometimes you have to look at the players as the PRIMARY source of why a team plays well or not. Take Tyson and Jared off the floor and the team still stinks on D even with Woody. The players are the bulk of the reason teams win. The coach can set an agenda and get a team to operate at a higher level in many areas, but the bulk of the work is still on the players. This is why Melo get's so much blame for the teams record since he's come here. Just think about how little press Scott Brooks gets in OKC. The credit goes mostly to the players. No one thinks that they win because Brooks is such a masterful head coach. Tho he's doing a GREAT job and should get more credit. It's just that people rightly acknowledge that it's the great talent they have and the players holding up their end of the bargain. Doc Rivers is a great coach, but it's not like he doesn't have a top tier level of talent in KG, Pierce, Allen and Rondo. Melo has had GOOD coaches. He's really only got himself to blame for not doing more in his career. He can look in the mirror and say to himself that he needs to take his conditioning MUCH more seriously. He needs to listen to his coaches that have tried to get him to play more team oriented. Karl and MDA have very good track records for getting players to play team ball at a high level. There's no excuse for Melo not to have learned the lessons. Instead now he has a coach that believes in ISO ball and Melo is happy. I can only hope that Woody can get thru to Melo about taking things more seriously.
Woodson recognized the strength of the roster and planned accordingly to play to that strength. He's a coach not a GM. Coach what you have and make it work. Woodson coached this team to an over .700 win percentage and had this team playing better than any team in the league that didn't play in San Antonio. The Previous coach ignored the strength, and didn't coach the players he had but coached them into what he wanted them to be. It was foolish; it didn't work and MDA knew this thats why he quit.
Also, what do you mean Melo has only himself to blame for not doing more i his career? In terms of what? Going further in the playoffs? Those Denver teams were not better than the Lakers or Spurs the teams they lost to and you know it. Was he supposed to beat Boston by himself last year while Stat and Billups sat on the bench?
These top teir players you speak of are successful because they ave each other. KG, Ray and Pierce were on losing teams until they teamed up. What the hell did KG do in the playoffs in Minny? The Celts and Pierce were as bad as us before KG and Allen. The Sonics never did a thing in the playoffs either. Swap and Pierce and Melo and Pierce would be the one we would call and under achiever and Melo would be the standard for Pierce.
The team as a whole was not against MDA!!! This so called ignored strength is 100% total BS. In what way did MDA not use Melo? He put the ball in his hands and basically allowed him to do whatever he wanted for most of the year. The only time Melo was restricted in any way was when he came back in the 10 game stretch before MDA resigned. The TEAM was winning before Melo came back and it was clear that the LOVED playing team ball MDA's way just like MOST players love playing in that system. You NEVER hear any player saying "OH NO! I don't wanna play in that players system and score a ton of points".
The team was winning with Defense and offense before Melo came back. People don't want to admit the defense part, even tho it's true!!! They didn't only start defending under Woody!!!
As for Melo not going further, he was part of a TEAM and only one time did that team advance playing TEAM BALL because Billups made sure they did!!!
The team as a whole was not against MDA!!! This so called ignored strength is 100% total BS. In what way did MDA not use Melo? He put the ball in his hands and basically allowed him to do whatever he wanted for most of the year.
Having Melo run point forward setting up plays 30 feet from the basket is not playing to his strength. When Melo came back, he was camping out on the wing behind the 3 point line like Shawne Williams. Melo is a career 31% 3 pt shooter. That is not a strength. He's a high post rhythm shooter who excells mid range and in. That wasn't happening on a consistant level.
The TEAM was winning before Melo came back and it was clear that the LOVED playing team ball MDA's way just like MOST players love playing in that system. You NEVER hear any player saying "OH NO! I don't wanna play in that players system and score a ton of points".
The team won some games before Melo came back and won way more after MDA left. So whats your point? Its not about loving a system its about winning with the players you have. Yes, they played defense during the Linsanity streak and they played even better defense when Woodson took over. They won more games when Lin and Stat sat-out than they did when Melo was out. Theres no way they win those games without Lin had MDA not resigned.
As for Melo not going further, he was part of a TEAM and only one time did that team advance playing TEAM BALL because Billups made sure they did!!!
So the only reason the Nuggs advanced is because Billups made sure they played team ball? Dude, how biased does that sound?! How about, they advanced because Melo finally had a legit second option and a legit PG to play alongside him. Just like KG finally advanced because he was paired with a legit 2nd and third option.
The team most certainly would've won a ton of games with the same D they played during Linsanity and Melo actually trying like he did the second that MDA resigned. There's not a thing you or anyone else can say that will change my mind about Melo dogging in and then flipping a switch the day MDA resigned. Had he given the same effort the last 10 games MDA was coach, there's no way this team ends up in the 7th spot.
Same goes for Melo slumping for the majority of the season. If he's playing at his usual level and in shape enough to play on both ends without hurting himself, the team would've won games even with MDA. This whole idea that the team couldn't win with MDA is utter BULL!!! This entire thing has been about Melo since the day he got here. That's what happens when a team banks it's future on a star player. He has to play like a star and be the leader of the team. Melo did that for exactly one month this year. It wasn't anything that Woody did, despite what people seem to think. Woody didn't improve the offense!!! When asked the players admitted that there really weren't any changes to what they do on defense. The big difference was Melo from day one. He played like he gave a damn. If Melo plays great and leads his team with a winning attitude this team would've won more games this year PERIOD!!!
There's not a thing you or anyone else can say that will change my mind about Melo
No Sh*t!!!!
If he's playing at his usual level and in shape enough to play on both ends without hurting himself, the team would've won games even with MDA.
So being out of shape caused him to hurt his wrist and thumb? I guess it was from doing curls with hot dogs. Seriously, how does a fat, out of shape player start the year off putting up these numbers: 37, 23, 35, 32 and 37 pts. So maybe he started the year in shape, then lost his shape, then found it again when Woody took over. Or maybe, just maybe the poor shooting slump cohensides with the wrist injury he suffered against Memphis.
This whole idea that the team couldn't win with MDA is utter BULL!!!
MDA 121 wins and 167 loses....Yeah, its total BS!!!
This entire thing has been about Melo since the day he got here. That's what happens when a team banks it's future on a star player.
So basically, your upset that Dolan pulled the trigger on the trade and you're taking your angst out on Melo? I get it.
It wasn't anything that Woody did, despite what people seem to think. Woody didn't improve the offense!!! When asked the players admitted that there really weren't any changes to what they do on defense.
Jeff Vangundy and Hubie Brown who have covered Knick before and after Woodson took over vehemently disagree with you. Both have stated the offense is better mainly because everyone knows there roles and now and they know where the ball is going. You may call it boring or iso, but Woodson calls it winning. So does Hubie Brown who during the Chicago game (MDA's last) was calling to post Melo up. But hey, what does Hubie and Van Gundy know...
And the defense is better now than it was before, just look at the numbers. And according to your posts, Melo gets all the blame for us losing in the beginning (not MDA) and Melo gets all the credit for us winning since the coaching change (not Woodson). Wow, Melo has that much impact on a game? who does he think he is, a SuperStar or Something.....
5/8/2012 7:13 PM
