No team in todays nba has everything. Along with arguably the worst back court we may have the best front court. We are not using our advantage. Instead of waiting for the team to have these perfect components that's needed by MDA, why not adjust? Use optimally what you have. Its done all the time.
Yes but anytime you have a team adjusting in multiple ways you will have ups and downs. Still don't know or want to acknowledge the ways yet, well let me count them, again for the slow kids.
1. Amare adjusting to his new body (added 20lbs of muscles apparently) and playing at his natural position as opposed to playing out of position at center.
2. Having a starting 5 that has played less than 15 games together as a unit.
3. Having said 5 have to develop chemistry while simultaneously learning the nuances of MDA's offense.
4. Having the worst back court in the league for part of this young, shortened season.
5. Having a promising rookie start at point with half (Fields until the Phoenix game where he suddenly awakened) of the worst back court in league.
All of these issues loom large when considering the current performance of the team. Whether you want to believe it or not, THEY'RE MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHETHER THIS COACH PLAYS W AN UNORTHODOX PHILOSOPHY OR NOT. Period. You guys need to wake the F up.
This team is as talented as any in the league, IMHO. When did playing basketball become difficult? Our advantage is our size. We are not exploiting this advantage.
It's difficult when you have all of the issues I've seen in watching the team going on all at once. These things cause problems. It's easy to just blame the coach. But that's not what this is about. It's very simple CATP and you and others fail to see it.
We dont NEED Baron Davis to win with this team. When Davis comes back and we still have the same issues what will you say then? We need Magic? Stockton? Clyde?
You are flat out wrong on this point. We need him more than most people think. If he comes back and plays well it will be a sight to behold. B. Davis can put up BIG numbers in this system.
He can run a pick and roll. He can drive the ball into the teeth of the D and finish or dish. He can make any pass. He's flat out the best point MDA has had since Nash. If healthy he will have a big impact. It might take a number of games, but maybe not as he's had time to take notes from the bench and he's very smart..
When Davis comes back we'll still be hoisting up 3's and long jumpers, not playing in the box. These are issues that can be corrected without BD.
The team is complete. Trust me on that...
NO WE AREN'T. Open you're eyes and see above.
I respect most of your positions on the subject but here is where I have to disagree with you.
Back in the Harrington and Duhon days, the offense was high powered and the team could score 100+ every game. It didn't take time for any of those guys to learn the "system".
This brings me to the next thing... what is it that's really hard to learn about this "system"?. I believe its the simplicity of it that some players like the most in fact. Why?, because it resembles playgound ball. Antoni's "system" can be effective if you have a good to great 3pt percentage for most of the season and throughout the playoffs. While this is not impossible, it is somewhat unrealistic considering there is soooo much more to scoring than just spotting up for long range shots. Listen, I get what he wants to do. I just don't think its all that effective in the long run. Antoni's logic has always been that his teams may not be able to lock down on defense but the goal is to run and try to outscore the opponent at a high rate. Once again, fun but not FUNdamentally sound in the long run.
The "system" is exciting basketball and that's about it. Not winning basketball. The current problems exist because we no longer have a team designed to play his "system" yet there has been very little adjustment. Antoni has tried to force things by turning Jorts into a shooter. While he appears to be a reliable long range shooter, you can see what's going on here. Jorts offense is 3pt FIRST and low post SECOND. This is Antoni forcing his "system" on a bunch of players that don't fit it instead of coaching based on personnel.
Antoni himself said he probably has the best frontcourt in the NBA, yet he plays outside in. Huh??? So before you talk about syncronicity, just ask yourself if this collection of players even fit the "system".
Duhon could run this offense. TD can't, obviously and Shumpert is learning it. Plus he's a rookie and thus given to all sorts of idiotic TO's and other mental mistakes.
Listen people, MDA's style offensively is not going to change. Get over it. I seriously wish people would just come on the forum, say you hate his style of play and keep it movin. Fact is though just because you hate it, doesn't mean it's not effective. That's like saying there should be no Japanese chef's just because you don't like ramen noodle soup and sushi. Ramen noodle soup done well can be down right awesome. MDA's O run correctly can be devastating to teams, but it's not burger n fries people. And when players are learning on the job it can look awful.
Last night I saw signs that the players were really trying to maintain the spacing this O requires. Even Melo was making the effort to maintain the discipline needed, although it seemed to pain him and ultimately lead to his having a horrible shooting night as he tried to adjust. If you noticed there were very few isos for him last night, which is good. Melo will have to buy in.
It's not a so much a question of him being able to adjust as it is him wanting/committing to making the adjustment. He will have to:
1. Not dribble so much
2. Move the ball consistently, which you started to see him doing in the Phoenix game
3. Learn to make a quick decision on the catch based on what the other teams D is presenting
4. Learn to make a quick decision on the catch based on what his defender is doing (ie playing off him or closing out quickly)
5. maintain the proper spacing
6. give up getting the ball in his sweet spots whenever he wants
Fields did all of the above well in the game against Phoenix. He is the A student of MDA's offensive class and he can thrive when this team maintains the spacing and commits to playing the coach's way. NYK NYK you're right in saying the O is simple. Getting players to trust it, trust each other and move the ball isn't. This comes with buy in, players getting to know each other on the court and proper execution, all of which takes time.
Time = T - hings I M - ust E - arn
Our guys will have to earn their mastery of this offense thru doing the above.
Melo and Shumpert will probably have the biggest adjustment to make respectively.
I think Chandler already understands his role in MDA's O frankly. His basketball IQ is extremely high and he can run a pick and roll.
Melo's IQ is as well but he has to want to make the adjustment. I think we have the right cast of personalities on this team to get him to buy in, in Chandler and Amare as well as MDA, despite what people may think.
So everyone's learning various things to different degrees on the job here. Just try to chill out and enjoy the process.
.. and most of all try to commit to identifying whats happening on the court with our players PLEASE. Cause these things are really what's affecting our team.
Go Knicks! :gony: