2010-2011 NBA Season

That, and some guy named James who was a FA signing this year.

 

D'Antoni's whining on the sidelines really annoys me. The Suns and Knicks have literally never committed a foul, according to him. But I'll always defend him against this charge. 2005, they make it to the Western Conference Finals. Joe Johnson broke his face earlier and was severely limited. I don't think they beat the Spurs if he's healthy but I think they push them to six or seven. Still, losing in five in the WCF is hardly proof that his style doesn't win in May.

The next season, no Amare. And, for the last half of the year, no Kurt Thomas. The team had absolutely nothing inside. Nash, Marion, Diaw, Raja Bell was the third-leading scorer for God's sake. Yet they make it to Game 6 of the WCF. I don't see how that's proof D'Antoni can't win in May. In fact, that season was one of the best coaching jobs this decade.

2007, the ridiculous suspensions against the Spurs, come with the series tied 2-2, right after Phoenix had reclaimed homecourt. I think they win that series without the suspensions. Still, hardly proof that D'Antoni can't win in May.

What's the superior style that wins in May? The Jeff Van Gundy style? Defense all the way! What's he ever won? Oh, yes, 1999, the pseudo season. They "upset" the No. 1 seed, a team that won six more games than the Knicks. They got demolished in the Finals. Put it this way: any Suns team between 05-07 would have embarrassed those Knicks in four or five.

Basically, in the last 15 years, the only coaches whose styles have won are Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich, with a Larry Brown and Doc Rivers with three Hall of Famers (better third-leading scorer for a team, Ray Allen or Raja Bell?) thrown in.

And that style is basically what Gentry brought back to Phoenix, after Kerr was adamant about getting rid of the style. They, too, make it to Game 6 of the WCF (after crushing the Spurs) and if Artest doesn't put that layup in at the buzzer in Game 5, who knows.

D'Antoni's style has just as much chance of winning as anyone else's, especially if he has a healthy team.

 

That is a very solid repudiation of my post. Well done. However, the point I was making was actually not just about the D'Antoni Suns, it also applies to the Don Nelson Mavs/Warriors/Bucks, the Doug Moe Nuggets/Spurs, and others who've tried the run n gun all-O no-D approach over the years. Those teams often put up gaudy regular season records, were damn fun to watch, but they always seemed to break down and get exposed at playoff time.

 

Yeah, very true. Part of my defense of D'Antoni is also based on my bias that I'm a guy who loves watching great offense. I can't stand these control-freak coaches who dictate every single offensive play and think the only way to win is slowing it down and mauling people on defense. I want their styles to succeed.

But I do think D'Antoni's style can win a title. Nellie Ball, Moe, they did fall short. Although I wonder how much of it was their style failing, and how much was they just ran into great teams at the peak of their powers. Was just watching part of the 1985 WCF. Nuggets, without English who was hurt, took the Lakers to the final seconds of Game 4. They would have tied it at 2-2, but lost, then lost in 5. And Nellie's Bucks teams had to go against the great Celtics and Sixers teams. Would a different style have worked against those teams? Impossible to know, I suppose. But I think that style can win a title. But they'll obviously have to do it, otherwise it will just be my love of great offense clouding my judgment.

 

Stoney, most of those teams you cited played that style not just from preference, but necessity, to compensate for a lack of inside power offense.

 

A wild turn of events in the Denver/San Antonio game. Spurs up, 111-108, Carmelo drives down the lane and gets a dunk uncontested, down 111-110. Spurs inbound the ball, turns it over under the basket, Carmelo gets the ball and puts it in, giving the Nuggets a 112-111 lead, with about 7.8 seconds left.

Spurs inbound the ball at mid-court. Manu gets it and makes a circus shot for SA to retake the lead, 113-112. Nuggets inbound, ball goes to 'Melo, drives down the lane, makes the shot, but is called for an offensive foul as Manu steps in to take the charge at the buzzer.

Refs put :0.04 on the clock, Spurs ball and they end it with a win.

Heck of an ending.

 

Sounds rigged.

 

It was a great game. Nuggets choked on some free throws down the stretch. Manu didn't do much of anything, then hit a couple of threes in the second half, then the game-winner again. Bald bastard is tough. JR Smith with one of the dunks of the year.

And, Harlan on the call.

 

"We just saw a man fly!"

Holy shit, that's funny.

 

The Bucks definitely did NOT run-and-gun when Nelson was the coach. They were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA at the time, sometimes THE best.

Nelson always applied his style to the talent he had.

 

Good point Bubbler. I always liked those teams too. Sidney, Pressey, Pierce, Sikma. Wish they could have gotten past the Celts some of those years. I think the Nellie Ball really came into play with the Warriors on the first go-round, the Run-TMC crew, which, as you said, thrived because Nelson adapted to the talent he had.

 

Damn good theatre tonight, for sure.