D'Antoni On Donnie's Mishandling + Lawrence Frank To Handle Defence?

[Crazy⑧s]

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni says Donnie Walsh's surprising departure as Knicks president doesn't change anything for him.

He is headed into the last year of his contract with a great deal of pressure on him to win next season. And he told Newsday that he has no intention of leaving the Knicks.

"Even if Donnie was here, it would be exactly the same scenario,'' D'Antoni told Newsday Saturday. "The team needs to produce and I need to produce and we have to go forward.''

The news about Walsh caught D'Antoni by surprise. "Like everybody,'' he said, "I was just waiting for it to be finalized.

"You hate that he's not here and I'll miss him, but at the same time, we're on the brink of something good, and it's up to me to make it happen.''

Hiring D'Antoni was the first major move that Walsh made after he took over the franchise in April 2008. At the time, Walsh said he chose D'Antoni mainly because of his experience, connection with the game's biggest stars through USA Basketball and dynamic offensive system.

The plan was to lure a few of these stars to New York via free agency in 2010, but the catch was that D'Antoni would have to handle major salary cap-clearing roster shake-ups along the way.

"He set out the plan three years ago,'' D'Antoni said, "and he executed it exactly how he told me he would.''

Walsh said Friday that he is "glad'' he chose D'Antoni and added that "it's a thankless job . . . He and I were always working toward trying to get it to a team that can contend for a championship and ultimately win a championship.''

According to a source, one issue Walsh had with D'Antoni was addressed at the end of the season. It involved a need for more of a defensive mind-set, which was something veteran point guard Chauncey Billups stressed with Walsh in his exit interview, the source said.

☆　According to several sources, D'Antoni is expected to follow through on something that has been widely discussed: the hiring of an assistant coach to oversee the defense. Lawrence Frank, who spent some time around the Knicks' organization before he joined the Celtics this past season, would be considered a strong candidate. However, he is in line for one of two head-coaching vacancies and could have the inside track on the Toronto job.

D'Antoni will closely monitor the process to hire Walsh's successor, but don't expect him to apply for the job. With the Phoenix Suns, he added the title of executive VP of basketball operations to his coaching responsibilities for the 2006-07 season, and said he found it overwhelming.

The dual role does, however, ensure some job security. At the end of that season, the Suns brought in Steve Kerr to be the general manager -- and a year later, D'Antoni was gone.

There was suggestion in the media that D'Antoni might consider walking away from his final season with the Knicks to fill the vacancy in Toronto, joining his friend, former Suns general manager Bryan Colangelo, with the Raptors.

It seemed reasonable to speculate that he might consider the move. He was under heavy fire from the media and the fans for most of the past season and admitted he wasn't initially supportive of the Carmelo Anthony trade because of how dramatically it shook up the roster.

But D'Antoni said he has no plans to leave the Knicks. "I'm definitely committed to staying here,'' he said. "That didn't even enter into my thoughts. We set out to do a job and we made the playoffs and now we're trying to make the next step. I'm looking forward to that challenge.''

The Dolan family owns

controlling interests in the Knicks, MSG, Dog Rimming and Cablevision. Cablevision owns Newsday.

[mafra]

DOLAN does everything based on PR... He has to balance the bad news of letting Walsh walk with getting a defensive assistant to help D'antoni become more defense-orientated. Mike has enough to concentrate on devising an offense tailored to our dynamic duo's stengths. Of course, knowing he has 1 year left on his contract, and that he left PHO b/c of this same issue, will relent and allow an assistant to come aboard.

Expect FRANK to be offered a bunch of cash. AND, why would he settle for another losing gig in a can't-win place like TOR? He'll come to NY knowing this team will compete and have a chance, and if there's success... He can wait for a better opportunity to present itself.

Who knows.

[MSGhobo247]

MD isn't going anywhere for now... grab Lawrence Frank while he's available.

[SSj4Wingzero]

Yes, we need at least a defensive assistant really badly. I'd argue for a defensive head coach, but a defensive assistant at the very least. I knew we needed a defensive assistant after THAT alleyoop in the playoffs...

[la2ny]

Dolan looks eerily similar to some type of hobbit from LOTR

[Crazy⑧s]

Dolan looks eerily similar to some type of hobbit from LOTR

Dildo Faggins

[JoHnNyBoXeR]

Coach D'Antoni isn't a terrible coahc.. He's very very good offensive mind.. but his defensive approach , obviously, needs some work.. I think a 2 headed monster coach of Dantoni and a defensiv guy could be just what our team needs honestly.. D'Antoni needs help.. MDA will always have a spot open to him on just about any team to help with their offensive game.. lets make use of MDAs strengths and get another assistant in here that can get STAT and Melo and the rest of the athletic guys on our team scheme to put that athletic ability to use and come up with ways to defend

[Crazy⑧s]

Coach D'Antoni isn't a terrible coahc.. He's very very good offensive mind..

I don't agree with that. I think he's a mathematician. Possibly an autistic one at that. He can't facilitate the human equation in to his offence without having someone at the point, where he himself played. That's a bit of an overstatement, I know.

When called upon to be creative offensively in the dire 4th, someone please remind me of an instance in which we ran anything of merit, other than the isolations for Melo's game winners?

And when you think of the clutch plays that got the Knicks W's during the season, how many of them were within 15 feet of the basket? How many of our designed plays - other than P&Rs - were run within that 15 foot arch all season?

I can quite easily think of a handful of instances in which we royally **** the bed with missed T.Os and bungled plays, none more so than Jefferies' enormous f*** up. But how can you blame him for being the wrong man to receive the ball on that play?

[JoHnNyBoXeR]

I don't agree with that. I think he's a mathematician. Possibly an autistic one at that. He can't facilitate the human equation in to his offence without having someone at the point, where he himself played. That's a bit of an overstatement, I know.

When called upon to be creative offensively in the dire 4th, someone please remind me of an instance in which we ran anything of merit, other than the isolations for Melo's game winners?

And when you think of the clutch plays that got the Knicks W's during the season, how many of them were within 15 feet of the basket? How many of our designed plays - other than P&Rs - were run within that 15 foot arch all season?

I can quite easily think of a handful of instances in which we royally **** the bed with missed T.Os and bungled plays, none more so than Jefferies' enormous f*** up. But how can you blame him for being the wrong man to receive the ball on that play?

Honestly..You cant judge the end of this season offensively for the coahc.. considering the whoel team got flipped , etc.. Im basing this on his days in PHX and the first half the season.. I mean he's had success in this league obviously.. I know we sucked running our set play in the playoffs witthe game on the line..

Im not here to defend him ...Put it this way.. If he doesn't get that defensive assistant I want him gone

[nuckles2k2]

Like I, and others, have said before...if you run an offensive system that's based on creating extra possessions, you're going to STRUGGLE on the defensive end.

An inside out offense goes hand-in-hand with defense. We CAN NOT run this perimeter oriented offense and play playoff caliber defense. We have to limit possessions somehow, and we can either achieve that by rebounding or systematically use more shot/game clock...ideally both.

I don't know what our defensive assistant will be doing/saying/thinking when we put up an early perimeter shot, miss it, and can't get to the rebound...that scenario DIRECTLY leads to the opposing team being in transition...ok...so do we sacrifice offensive rebounds like the Celtics, solely to play transition D? Because they're routinely one of the higher field goal percentage teams...which means easy shots...not necessarily open shots (which everyone says MDA creates) but easy shots. Open shots mean nothing if you miss and can't get the rebound because it was a long range shot that lead to a long rebound for the opposition.

Defense in any team based game with a game clock is always based on limiting possessions...always. Think about it....the Bulls had the lowest OPP Field Goal % at 43% for the season...that's tops in the league. They also had the lowest Pace (Possessions per 48 minutes), and gave up the fewest points per 100 possessions. Which both tie directly into that 43% opponents field goals. 43% of the 92-93 possessions they allowed is less than 43% of say...95-97 possessions per game, plus that field goal percentage probably gets bumped up a little bit because of transition buckets (where the extra possessions really kill you.)

So if the Knicks are to ever play potential chip-worthy defense, they have to make changes to the offense as well. Hiring a defensive assistant alone won't do the trick.

[Red]

I don't agree with that. I think he's a mathematician. Possibly an autistic one at that. He can't facilitate the human equation in to his offence without having someone at the point, where he himself played. That's a bit of an overstatement, I know.

When called upon to be creative offensively in the dire 4th, someone please remind me of an instance in which we ran anything of merit, other than the isolations for Melo's game winners?

And when you think of the clutch plays that got the Knicks W's during the season, how many of them were within 15 feet of the basket? How many of our designed plays - other than P&Rs - were run within that 15 foot arch all season?

I can quite easily think of a handful of instances in which we royally **** the bed with missed T.Os and bungled plays, none more so than Jefferies' enormous f*** up. But how can you blame him for being the wrong man to receive the ball on that play?

We ran a high double screen ala Dirk Nowitzki for Amare in the LOSS to the Celtics during the regular season, when Stat hit the three after the buzzer.

How's that?

[Red]

Like I, and others, have said before...if you run an offensive system that's based on creating extra possessions, you're going to STRUGGLE on the defensive end.

An inside out offense goes hand-in-hand with defense. We CAN NOT run this perimeter oriented offense and play playoff caliber defense. We have to limit possessions somehow, and we can either achieve that by rebounding or systematically use more shot/game clock...ideally both.

I don't know what our defensive assistant will be doing/saying/thinking when we put up an early perimeter shot, miss it, and can't get to the rebound...that scenario DIRECTLY leads to the opposing team being in transition...ok...so do we sacrifice offensive rebounds like the Celtics, solely to play transition D? Because they're routinely one of the higher field goal percentage teams...which means easy shots...not necessarily open shots (which everyone says MDA creates) but easy shots. Open shots mean nothing if you miss and can't get the rebound because it was a long range shot that lead to a long rebound for the opposition.

Defense in any team based game with a game clock is always based on limiting possessions...always. Think about it....the Bulls had the lowest OPP Field Goal % at 43% for the season...that's tops in the league. They also had the lowest Pace (Possessions per 48 minutes), and gave up the fewest points per 100 possessions. Which both tie directly into that 43% opponents field goals. 43% of the 92-93 possessions they allowed is less than 43% of say...95-97 possessions per game, plus that field goal percentage probably gets bumped up a little bit because of transition buckets (where the extra possessions really kill you.)

So if the Knicks are to ever play potential chip-worthy defense, they have to make changes to the offense as well. Hiring a defensive assistant alone won't do the trick.

Agreed.

Offense & defense AREN'T mutually exclusive, they're part of a combined strategy where one compliments the other.

IF D'Antoni would understand that IF his team APPROACHED defense as a priority- and were successful at doing so- it would dictate no need to play offense his way.

His way is a result of an inability to perform defensively consistently and can be used when the defense isn't there over long stretches, its a desperate, get back into the game approach that should be used sparingly.

Why thats so hard to understand is beyond me.

[SSj4Wingzero]

Defense wins championships not because there's only one important aspect of basketball but because playing good perimeter defense and not letting the opposition drive forces the opposition to take bad shots which lead to easy rebounds for us, fewer second chance points for the opposition, and WINNING. What has this team gotten burned on the past season? Oh wait, REBOUNDS and SECOND CHANCE POINTS.

Yeah.

[AmareForPresident]

I wouldn't mind Lawrence Frank at all.

[Crazy⑧s]

We ran a high double screen ala Dirk Nowitzki for Amare in the LOSS to the Celtics during the regular season, when Stat hit the three after the buzzer.

How's that?

Yeah, with 0.4 seconds left coming out to the perimeter.

That wasn't even a good play for Dirk, let alone for Amar'e. He's hardly a quick release perimeter shooter, or player for that matter. Pretty sure that's not something that needs to be pointed out.

That was Gallo's shot.