I don't know if you want to give D'Antoni, Woodson, or Tyson Chandler (and Jeffries and Shump to a lesser extent) credit for getting the team to play defense, but they have been playing it.

I am not going to vote because I'm in the wait-and-see camp. But the trend has been positive, and if that can be sustained I do like his chances.

I am also interested to see how the Knicks do *offensively* in April and May when the pace of the game slows down too

1. MDA was a top coach when he came here. Chicago wanted him too.
2. MDA has done well whenever he's had good talent and time to coach them up.
3. This team is much better defensively using the same system we've had since MDA got here. The difference is that the defensive talent is better and they're finally developing chemistry as a team. It also helps to have another coach like Woodson who seems to be effective in getting thru to the players. Tyson is the anchor and Shump and Jared really make for a great shutdown unit.
4. As for the Defense, let's get one thing straight Mike is the one calling the rotations and making the lineups. So when he put Shump on Calderon and had his defensive unit in there that's his call!!!!
5. If we get our shooting fixed this team is gonna be hard to beat. We haven't had good shooting all year and it's a big part of this offense.
6. Mike has been to the Conference Finals so it's not like he hasn't been deep before. This will be the most talented and balanced team he's ever had so we'll see how things go.

I want to see him coach this team for an entire season, with a full team and no drama or lockout. He won 50+ in PHX and here this team is coming together. Let's have some continuity for a change.

nixluva wrote:You have to breakdown the facts and not get caught up in the cliche's and media talking points.

1. MDA was a top coach when he came here. Chicago wanted him too.
2. MDA has done well whenever he's had good talent and time to coach them up.
3. This team is much better defensively using the same system we've had since MDA got here. The difference is that the defensive talent is better and they're finally developing chemistry as a team. It also helps to have another coach like Woodson who seems to be effective in getting thru to the players. Tyson is the anchor and Shump and Jared really make for a great shutdown unit.
4. As for the Defense, let's get one thing straight Mike is the one calling the rotations and making the lineups. So when he put Shump on Calderon and had his defensive unit in there that's his call!!!!
5. If we get our shooting fixed this team is gonna be hard to beat. We haven't had good shooting all year and it's a big part of this offense.
6. Mike has been to the Conference Finals so it's not like he hasn't been deep before. This will be the most talented and balanced team he's ever had so we'll see how things go.

I want to see him coach this team for an entire season, with a full team and no drama or lockout. He won 50+ in PHX and here this team is coming together. Let's have some continuity for a change.

You're really starting to be a problem with all the sense you're making. You have.to take it easy on islesfan.

As long as we don't win a championship "Isles is right"!

Who is a better choice? Seriously, until you offer one that is feasible then you really can't just say "a better coach".

Thats my opinion. If you don't like him, then thats yours.

But sounding like the Rush Limbough of knick Hate offering criticism and no tangable solution is kind of week.

holfresh wrote:I think it's fair to evaluate MDA the rest of the year into the playoffs...He should not be extended until he shows he can progress in the playoffs...He has nice pieces now and willing defenders...There really isn't an excuse for him now...First round out is unacceptable...It's also depends on who we play, on how we play and how he caoches in the playoffs...The playoffs are always a truth teller...I know who a player is and who a coach is from there playoff performance...MDA didn't do well last year..I'm skeptical ...

Not for nothing but MDA was wanted by the Bulls and Knicks because he had PROVEN that he can get deep into the playoffs. MDA did have this team ready to play in the Celtic's series. If not for injuries who knows what happens in that series. Can we at least be honest about what really went down? MDA has been to the Conference finals twice. It's not a question that he can help get a team there.

Right now, we have 2 core guys (Amare, Tyson) and 1 potential core guy (Lin) who thrive in both the pick and roll and in this team-first system....so why would we want to bring in another coach when our coach is an expert in the PnR and employs a system that maximizes the strengths of our best players?

Melo is also very adept at the PnR and if we're able to get him to buy into this system and rely a little less on iso (which I think he is smart enough to do after seeing the results of our recent play)....then sky is the limit for this team. People said D'Antoni couldn't coach defense....our team is playing good defense...seriously, what other reason is there to get rid of this guy at this point?

Extend the guy and show some confidence in him for once. This team loves playing for him and more importantly, they have shown they can play very well under him. No Melo and no Amare and we still win 5 straight games....no other coach in the league could have done that with our roster. Moreover, no other coach in this league would have given Lin the freedom to do what he has been able to do (something the idiots on TNT criticized Mike for during the Grizz game when he put his trust in Shump).

People who are waiting for D'Antoni to prove himself in the playoffs should realize that the guy has already shown he can coach in both the regular season and the post-season (Western Conference Finals without Amare, Kurt Thomas, etc). Yeah, we didn't win a playoff game last season but we were also without 2 of our best players for 3 of those games (Amare was limited severely in 2 of them so I don't even count those games). Not to mention, the refs completely screwed us over in game 1....D'Antoni actually did a very good job or else we would have been blown the hell out.

nixluva wrote:

holfresh wrote:

nixluva wrote:

holfresh wrote:I think it's fair to evaluate MDA the rest of the year into the playoffs...He should not be extended until he shows he can progress in the playoffs...He has nice pieces now and willing defenders...There really isn't an excuse for him now...First round out is unacceptable...It's also depends on who we play, on how we play and how he caoches in the playoffs...The playoffs are always a truth teller...I know who a player is and who a coach is from there playoff performance...MDA didn't do well last year..I'm skeptical ...

Not for nothing but MDA was wanted by the Bulls and Knicks because he had PROVEN that he can get deep into the playoffs. MDA did have this team ready to play in the Celtic's series. If not for injuries who knows what happens in that series. Can we at least be honest about what really went down? MDA has been to the Conference finals twice. It's not a question that he can help get a team there.

I'm not sure what you want NIx, You want us to go all in on this guy because of his record in Phoenix...I'm not a Phoenix fan, I'm a Knick fan...Since he has been here, lets be honest, no matter how bad the many teams were, when has any of these teams overachieved???...When have you once said, wow, now that's what this coach brings that no other coach could have...U also have to admit, Doc clearly out coached him...I wasn't looking for playoff wins, I was looking for timely time outs...Looking for plays called, looking for the right subs...I remember going nuts during the playoffs posting these things...It's wasn't about wins...

Before Lin we had some nice pieces..This guy is so rigid that he couldn't see a way thru his style of play...He couldn't come up with a way to use the strength of his front line and u telling me about Phoenix and what the Bulls could have done...

It's very difficult for any coach to have a team all season that was working and knew what to do. Then you change out that roster and bring in new guys and the PG that you need to learn the system and bring everything together gets hurt and misses important games. Billups lost important time in the regular season and then went down in the playoffs. You think Mike got out coached when he lost his best PG??? You're WAY off base. That Knicks team kept playing hard even undermanned. I saw nothing to suggest that he was out coached. That's just not being fair to MDA. If you took away Doc's big weapons and he lost would you say he was out coached?

What has he done here to warrant an extension?

martin wrote:

holfresh wrote:What has he done here to warrant an extension?

when you give a gourmet cook nothing but hotdogs, powdered egg whites and water and say go, what do you expect?

And if you finally give that cook ingredients to work with and ask what has he done to warrant an extension, you are asking the wrong question.

Great analogy and I think it is spot on.