Mike Woodson Head Coach thread

Wargames

Starter
Well to me it seems the 2 biggest changes he made in game was defense and having the Knicks play more half court basketball.

Accountability too which not for nothing the best coaches do that alongside time management. However I like his qoute about being accountable himself, and probably telling JR to cool it because the Knicks play those guys tomorrow and then letting him hang out on the bench was cool.

Also he has performed a miracle because Amare was playing D and fighting (though no winning) for rebounds whenever he was in. O.O
 

petescud

Starter
I never saw Amar'e so active till tonights game. Did you see the save he made in the 4th qtr. Talk about hustle. Man, if Woody can get these guys to believe in themselves, this team could make some noise if we stay healthy
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Woodson giving 10 players playingtime before halftime in his first two games....
Is enough to explain why he is the better headcoach for the Knicks.
Plus it also demonstrate "Headcoach Mike Woodson First" confidence in 10 of the
players on the roster. A roster that knows their coach have confidence in them is a
happy-roster. And a happy-roster WIN games.
How players perform for Woodson, and how players perform for Dantoni is Dantoni's
personal doing.

The Knicks roster have 8 players that could score 10 points in 20 minutes....
so their was no need to play the star-players 36 to 40 minutes of playintime vs mediocre
teams this season. The top defensive teams in the NBA have a 9+ man rotation....
it takes twice the energy to play defense than it does on offense which should explain Woodson 10+ Man rotation.
 

petescud

Starter
I'm liking what i see so far. Wasn't it great to see the guys in the huddle paying attention and Woodson drawing up a play to run. At least this guy looks like he tries his best. i never felt that with Dantoni. Now the true test for Woodson will be if he makes the necessary adjustments that Dantoni never did
 

JazRedGT

Benchwarmer
We'll see how it goes. It's just kinda hard to lean on your stars when they are sitting down...

He hasnt had to lean on them. They played defense early in the games. Melo and STAT dropped 15 in the 1st half against Portland.

No need to keep playing them after we had a huge lead.

Same defensive intensity in the Pacers game. First qurtr they dominate defensively. Enter Novak blow up the lead. Voila. STAT and Melo can now just chill on the bench and rest those old knees and creaky back.
 

CoolClyde

Moderator
Woodson giving 10 players playingtime before halftime in his first two games....
Is enough to explain why he is the better headcoach for the Knicks.
Plus it also demonstrate "Headcoach Mike Woodson First" confidence in 10 of the
players on the roster. A roster that knows their coach have confidence in them is a
happy-roster. And a happy-roster WIN games.
How players perform for Woodson, and how players perform for Dantoni is Dantoni's
personal doing.

The Knicks roster have 8 players that could score 10 points in 20 minutes....
so their was no need to play the star-players 36 to 40 minutes of playintime vs mediocre
teams this season. The top defensive teams in the NBA have a 9+ man rotation....
it takes twice the energy to play defense than it does on offense which should explain Woodson 10+ Man rotation.
:agreed: good post Kiyamania!
 

skisloper

Starter
I'm liking what i see so far. Wasn't it great to see the guys in the huddle paying attention and Woodson drawing up a play to run. At least this guy looks like he tries his best. i never felt that with Dantoni. Now the true test for Woodson will be if he makes the necessary adjustments that Dantoni never did

Why you did not like Mike Dantonio"s style of calling a time-out and letting the players sit while he held a pow wow with his borther 10 feet away...
 

red32

Benchwarmer
He hasnt had to lean on them. They played defense early in the games. Melo and STAT dropped 15 in the 1st half against Portland.

No need to keep playing them after we had a huge lead.

Same defensive intensity in the Pacers game. First qurtr they dominate defensively. Enter Novak blow up the lead. Voila. STAT and Melo can now just chill on the bench and rest those old knees and creaky back.

I think Woodson is ABLE to take ANYONE out, even in the 4Q because this team is just so deep and the guys in the 2nd unit play just as good, if not better, as the starters. The questions is, if he would ACTUALLY do it in a close game in the 4th, and how would the players react to that.

I guess we'll see.
 

smokes

Huge Member
I'm liking what i see so far. Wasn't it great to see the guys in the huddle paying attention and Woodson drawing up a play to run. At least this guy looks like he tries his best. i never felt that with Dantoni. Now the true test for Woodson will be if he makes the necessary adjustments that Dantoni never did

I'm kinda worried to see reports that JR Smith was not looking attentive or happy during the last part of yesterdays game after he got taken out for his technical foul.

I know a lot of you guys dick on Breen all the time but I think he's right you gotta show some respect for your opponent ESPECIALLY when you play them the very next day and we know the Pacers are not a bad team from their playoff standing.

There's speculation that JR Smith is not happy with his role here which is a shame because having him next season on the 3.5mil player option would be amazing.

Perhaps Woodson's only mistake so far was to not get in his players ears a little when we faced Portland to keep them under control at the end of the 4th. May have backfired by doing it the following night.
 

RunningJumper

Super Moderator
I don't know who said it (Kiyaman?), Woodson played under Red Holzman. I just looked it it up and I didn't know he came back to coach in 1978-1982. Woodson learning basketball under him is a big thing on his resume.
 

clumsy

Rotation player
Seriously...if D'Antoni was coaching lin would play 45 minutes tonight cuz he's the only one that can run his stupid system.

I believe that the Knicks are playing great team defense because the players are all getting adequate rest during the game. Woodson already > D'Antoni.
 

fender0577

Rotation player
I love how woodson, gets on our guys for being lazy sometimes.He keeps there heads in the game, and keeps them playing hard.I love you woody.:peace:
 

skisloper

Starter
Seriously...if D'Antoni was coaching lin would play 45 minutes tonight cuz he's the only one that can run his stupid system.

I believe that the Knicks are playing great team defense because the players are all getting adequate rest during the game. Woodson already > D'Antoni.

Thats BS.,,,,,,,,,They are playing great defense because Woodson has made it clear if you dont your out of the game........Unlike Dantonio who would have a side-bar with his brother
 

CoolClyde

Moderator
Mike Woodson is coaching fundamentally sound ball.

-He's going to our strengths. This builds confidence and consistency because the team builds an identity and has something solid to fall back on during times of duress.

-His substitution patterns are solid, where we can build chemistry with two separate units. This allows us to come at the opposition in waves.

-He preaches accountability. Need I say more?

So far, Woodson is a breath of fresh air. Finally after years I can count on doing things fundamentally sound as to not beat ourselves. It allows for a better product and evaluation as the fluid dynamics are reduced from the past.

Woodson's approach as many can agree to also puts the onus on the Star, High paid players, and not adherence to a system. This exaggerates the intangibles like leadership and sacrifice needed to be the best.

No complaints from me except...

what took so long?

good one Red, or should I call you... Rep. +1
 

Sons of Thunder

Benchwarmer
Why you did not like Mike Dantonio"s style of calling a time-out and letting the players sit while he held a pow wow with his borther 10 feet away...

LOL seriously I thought that was the strangest thing ever.

I think a critical aspect that can't be overlooked is that with Woodson's expanded rotation, players are getting more rest and they're getting it earlier in the game. How many games this season have we started out the first half looking fresh and ready to go, staying neck-and-neck with some of the best teams in the league? But once the third quarter started we would watch the Knicks' lead and our hopes slowly erode and crumble away into nothingness.

Now the starters have the energy to close out games, and even the second unit could theoretically close out most games. I think we're going to see a lot more 20-minute cameo's for Melo, Amare, Lin and Chandler against the lesser opposition we have left on the schedule.
 

iJoe

Rotation player
From Mark Hale;
There have been occasions when the Knicks will be watching film and Mike Woodson will essentially shred Carmelo Anthony non-stop ? a relentless critique of the Knicks star.
?After the film session, he?ll say, ?Did you like that?? ? Anthony said yesterday. ?It goes hand in hand. But I accept that. Being one of the leaders on this team, you?ve got to be able to accept criticism.?
Anthony said he not only has zero issues with being criticized, but he encourages the interim head coach to dish it out. Is this just public lip service, and the private reality is that Anthony gets unhappy with the disparagement? Could be. But he insists he told Woodson he can handle it.
When I?m messing up, he tells me. Even when he got the job, I told him, ?Just hold me accountable,? Anthony said. ?If I?m doing something that he doesn?t like, just tell me.
?Regardless, I don?t have a problem with criticism. If I can do something to help better this team, let me know. And he?s been doing that.?

Hell.... I"m just glad that players are being held accountable. There seem to be two type of coaches. Tough guys who are needed to help underachievers and/or young players with discipline and relaxed coaches with a ton of knowledge who can help veteran teams over the hump into championship contenders. Popovich is probably the one coach that does both.

Unfortunately the Knicks have immature stars and players that need a lot of guidance. Just didn't fit with DAntoni who did the right thing and left with a tiny shred of dignity.
 
From Mark Hale;
There have been occasions when the Knicks will be watching film and Mike Woodson will essentially shred Carmelo Anthony non-stop ? a relentless critique of the Knicks star.
?After the film session, he?ll say, ?Did you like that?? ? Anthony said yesterday. ?It goes hand in hand. But I accept that. Being one of the leaders on this team, you?ve got to be able to accept criticism.?
Anthony said he not only has zero issues with being criticized, but he encourages the interim head coach to dish it out. Is this just public lip service, and the private reality is that Anthony gets unhappy with the disparagement? Could be. But he insists he told Woodson he can handle it.
When I?m messing up, he tells me. Even when he got the job, I told him, ?Just hold me accountable,? Anthony said. ?If I?m doing something that he doesn?t like, just tell me.
?Regardless, I don?t have a problem with criticism. If I can do something to help better this team, let me know. And he?s been doing that.?

Hell.... I"m just glad that players are being held accountable. There seem to be two type of coaches. Tough guys who are needed to help underachievers and/or young players with discipline and relaxed coaches with a ton of knowledge who can help veteran teams over the hump into championship contenders. Popovich is probably the one coach that does both.

Unfortunately the Knicks have immature stars and players that need a lot of guidance. Just didn't fit with DAntoni who did the right thing and left with a tiny shred of dignity.

Well truthfully the article seems to contradict your point that the stars are immature. STAT we know isnt. If Melo is what this article describes I'd guess that he isnt either. Thats immature. All players need to know what a coach expects. Melo has played 3 games under Woody, I think guidance is necessary at this point
 

iJoe

Rotation player

Well truthfully the article seems to contradict your point that the stars are immature. STAT we know isnt. If Melo is what this article describes I'd guess that he isnt either. Thats immature. All players need to know what a coach expects. Melo has played 3 games under Woody, I think guidance is necessary at this point

I equate it with a kid starting to grow up.... especially with all the bad press Melo has. Melo needs a strict parent to help him grow up a little and I'm happy that he wants the guidance.
 

nyk_nyk

All Star
See whilst it was Woodson's defence that made atlanta a well placed team in the East, it was his lack of variety offered on offence that did not allow them to perform in the playoffs. Even the worst defensive teams step it up in the playoffs. This is where a balance is required. Woodson himself stated that the Knicks would keep certain aspects of D'Antoni's offence during his tenure. He's still running the pick n roll and we're still shooting lots of 3's. My interest is whether Woodson is going to progressively change the offensive plan or whether he's trying to add to his tactics.

I think he's taking the little he observed from Antoni on offense and is slowly fusing what he does. I think its having an extremely positive effect and will continue as long as guys continue to execute and get use to what he wants.
 
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