Comments on: No, New York, D’Antoni Is Not the Guy http://thestartingfive.net/2008/05/20/no-new-york-d%e2%80%99antoni-is-not-the-guy/ Bangin’ and Scorin’ Every Trip Down the Floor Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:08:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Uzo http://thestartingfive.net/2008/05/20/no-new-york-d%e2%80%99antoni-is-not-the-guy/#comment-12008 Uzo Wed, 21 May 2008 17:45:14 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=1133#comment-12008 I agree with most of you, and most of you seem to agree to me. To those who say D'Antoni came close to winning a championship, I would really disagree. Never did they come as close as a Game 7 to going to the NBA Finals. And last year's match up against the Spurs was not all that close in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, they were a formdible opponnent, but the Spurs won the close games down the stretch because they played defense. And as for the Amare suspension, more important series than that have been lost due to that very rule. As for the comment about the Suns not playing defense because they can't... well, that's interesting. Especially considering that Amare shows flashes a great defensive ability, Bell is great, Marion was always good, Barbosa is as quick as anybody, and he had Q-Rich and Kurt Thomas for a combined 2 sseason. He never demanded defense from his players and he never put a defensive lineup on the floor because of his offensive philosophy. Uzo Ometu Editor holla@thesportswatchers.com www.TheSportsWatchers.com I agree with most of you, and most of you seem to agree to me. To those who say D’Antoni came close to winning a championship, I would really disagree. Never did they come as close as a Game 7 to going to the NBA Finals. And last year’s match up against the Spurs was not all that close in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, they were a formdible opponnent, but the Spurs won the close games down the stretch because they played defense. And as for the Amare suspension, more important series than that have been lost due to that very rule.

As for the comment about the Suns not playing defense because they can’t… well, that’s interesting. Especially considering that Amare shows flashes a great defensive ability, Bell is great, Marion was always good, Barbosa is as quick as anybody, and he had Q-Rich and Kurt Thomas for a combined 2 sseason. He never demanded defense from his players and he never put a defensive lineup on the floor because of his offensive philosophy.

Uzo Ometu
Editor
holla@thesportswatchers.com
http://www.TheSportsWatchers.com

]]> By: Morpheus http://thestartingfive.net/2008/05/20/no-new-york-d%e2%80%99antoni-is-not-the-guy/#comment-12004 Morpheus Wed, 21 May 2008 15:09:04 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=1133#comment-12004 Maybe D'Antoni's Suns team didnt play defense because they CAN'T? Maybe D’Antoni’s Suns team didnt play defense because they CAN’T?

]]> By: MODI http://thestartingfive.net/2008/05/20/no-new-york-d%e2%80%99antoni-is-not-the-guy/#comment-11967 MODI Tue, 20 May 2008 22:36:52 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=1133#comment-11967 Uzo, nice write-up. Your sentiment was my first one, but I have since back-pedaled to a wait and see approach. The fact is that a lot of this depends on what are the long-range plans with D'Antoni and the Knicks roster. I'm not willing to concede - YET - that "Donnie Walsh is saying that he is willing to cede building a championship team in exchange for immediate success". Maybe in a year from now after seeing the personell moves, but not now. As for can a D'Antoni coached team win a championship? I'm also not willing to write that off either even though I agree with you more than i don't. But just last year The Suns may have been champions if it were not for a Robert Horry hip-check. I mean the series was pretty damn close. Their mistake was to give away Kurt Thomas in the off-season. Finally, here is the million-dollar question. Will D'Antoni's rep as a run-and-gun players coach help land a prize? Time will tell. I'll let you know how I feel about this column a year from now... call it 2009-Quarterbacking... Uzo, nice write-up. Your sentiment was my first one, but I have since back-pedaled to a wait and see approach. The fact is that a lot of this depends on what are the long-range plans with D’Antoni and the Knicks roster. I’m not willing to concede - YET - that “Donnie Walsh is saying that he is willing to cede building a championship team in exchange for immediate success”. Maybe in a year from now after seeing the personell moves, but not now.

As for can a D’Antoni coached team win a championship? I’m also not willing to write that off either even though I agree with you more than i don’t. But just last year The Suns may have been champions if it were not for a Robert Horry hip-check. I mean the series was pretty damn close. Their mistake was to give away Kurt Thomas in the off-season.

Finally, here is the million-dollar question. Will D’Antoni’s rep as a run-and-gun players coach help land a prize? Time will tell. I’ll let you know how I feel about this column a year from now… call it 2009-Quarterbacking…

]]> By: TheLastPoet http://thestartingfive.net/2008/05/20/no-new-york-d%e2%80%99antoni-is-not-the-guy/#comment-11930 TheLastPoet Tue, 20 May 2008 16:04:35 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=1133#comment-11930 No doubt D'Antoni is something like a stopgap measure: stop the bleeding and regenerate some interest in the team via a high-octane offense. It's all about treading water until 2010 when LeKong comes to Broadway (yes, he is coming - the only competition for his tapdancin shufflin corporate husltin routine will be the Nets, but only if they move to Brooklyn and get that new arena built in time...). Once Kong James is on board, D'Antoni will depart and make way for The Closer... I'm not overly upset about these developments, nor should any Knicks fan be. You gotta think long range, Uzo my brudda! No doubt D’Antoni is something like a stopgap measure: stop the bleeding and regenerate some interest in the team via a high-octane offense.

It’s all about treading water until 2010 when LeKong comes to Broadway (yes, he is coming - the only competition for his tapdancin shufflin corporate husltin routine will be the Nets, but only if they move to Brooklyn and get that new arena built in time…).

Once Kong James is on board, D’Antoni will depart and make way for The Closer…

I’m not overly upset about these developments, nor should any Knicks fan be. You gotta think long range, Uzo my brudda!

]]> By: DavidMac http://thestartingfive.net/2008/05/20/no-new-york-d%e2%80%99antoni-is-not-the-guy/#comment-11906 DavidMac Tue, 20 May 2008 12:51:32 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=1133#comment-11906 I support this post whole heartedly Uzo. Nice write up. I support this post whole heartedly Uzo. Nice write up.

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