BringHoopinHome2010
Benchwarmer
I generally support the theory that defense and rebounding win championships, that being said, one would presume I would hate D'antoni. However, in basketball your head coach does not always have to be the one to emphasize defense in order for you to be successful, as has been the case with the Spurs and Popovich's success recently. For example, you could take the coach with the most championships ever, Phil Jackson, who is known as an offensive genius and the father of the triangle offense. The Kobe/MJ comparisons still go on, and rightfully so, just look at the championship, statistics and accolades. What sets these two players apart from their competition, other than their ability to score the ball with ease and in a variety of ways on the offensive end and their unwillingness to accept defeat, is their dedication to greatness on the defensive end on the floor. Both were/have been selected to the all nba defensive first team 9 times while averaging more than 1.5 steals/game and 5 boards/game.
The point is that despite Phil Jackson dedicating himself to offense, his teams were still able to win championships, at times doing so in a dominant fashion, because his star players played on both ends of the floor. Players of that caliber demand more out of their teammates and push them to be better.
In Phoenix Mike D had an MVP point guard, a beast of a pf and an athletic freak in marion, but he was the only one out of the three who could play a lick of defense and was the least talented of the group.
All of that being said, this summer the knicks have the opportunity to start over with a fresh core. If the players they chose to make up that core are committed to playing defense I do not see any reason why the knicks cannot be a championship caliber team by the 2011 season at the latest. There is an opportunity to erase almost everything and start new this summer so until Mike D gets some talent to work with I think we should just give him a pass and wait to see what he does starting next season.
The point is that despite Phil Jackson dedicating himself to offense, his teams were still able to win championships, at times doing so in a dominant fashion, because his star players played on both ends of the floor. Players of that caliber demand more out of their teammates and push them to be better.
In Phoenix Mike D had an MVP point guard, a beast of a pf and an athletic freak in marion, but he was the only one out of the three who could play a lick of defense and was the least talented of the group.
All of that being said, this summer the knicks have the opportunity to start over with a fresh core. If the players they chose to make up that core are committed to playing defense I do not see any reason why the knicks cannot be a championship caliber team by the 2011 season at the latest. There is an opportunity to erase almost everything and start new this summer so until Mike D gets some talent to work with I think we should just give him a pass and wait to see what he does starting next season.