Pharzeone wrote:nixluva wrote:People underestimate MDA's system. Yes it works great with Nash running it, but there's plenty that can be accomplished if you simply have a few deft passers on the floor. It's why even tho we don't have a great PG we still avg 21 assists! We get good shots and the offense leads to open shots. We can do well so long as there are good passers like Lee, Gallo & TMac on the floor. In regard to MDA's record without Nash, it's slanted cuz in most of the games were with bad teams. Most coaches would have losing records with the teams he's had in NY and the brief stint in Denver. Besides which how many teams aren't worse without it's best player. What would Mike Browns record be without Lebron?
MDA's record when Nash was injured is 4-12 with the Suns from 2004-2008 seasons. In those games he either had Amare, Marion, Barbosa and Joe Johnson in the lineup. The reason why it was easy for me to recall this because he missed a few games in the 04-05 season and they went on a four game losing streak including the very first game he was out and it was constantly brought up during the Nash vs. Shaq MVP debate. MDA was still the coach while Nash was out.
My view on this is that at that time they didn't have a capable backup PG and since Nash had the ball so much it was very disruptive to suddenly yank him out of such a young team. Here we will have more players who can handle the ball. I think MDA learned how important it is to have a team with more ball movers at multiple positions. Lee has been used as a point forward in the half court and TMac is used as a point in the half court as well. We'll be looking for guys like Lebron or J Johnson who are capable ball movers. We won't be caught with a ball dominant PG and no other players who can make passes and set up teammates.
Nash actually goes against a lot of the principles of MDA's system as he holds the ball longer than the plays are designed for but since he's so great he was allowed to do it. The system is designed to work without a ball dominant PG. If you go and look up the concepts and plays you'd know how the early offense and half court sets are supposed to work. This is why I've disagreed with the notion that PHX was the perfect MDA team. NO IT WASN'T! The perfect team is one with multiple play makers and shooters that keep the ball moving and create open shots with spacing, player movement and quick decisions with the ball. The Suns actually at times didn't have enough of those guys. Guys like Diaw and Grant Hill are more like what MDA would want. Like I said we still avg'd 21 assists despite not having a single high ast PG. That's how the system is designed to work. It's wh Al isn't an MDA fav. Asts should be spread across the team, as everyone shares the ball.
