Buss and Kukchap Meets With Dumbtoni Today

[trojanfan12]

It is his fault though.

I like the fact we're giving young guys an opportunity to prove themselves. But if a guy who's played 8 minutes per game for most of his career all of a sudden does 35/40 minutes, don't be surprised if he breaks down after a month.

D'Antoni should have been aware of that. It's the head coach's job after all. He should have done his homework.

Virtually his entire roster is made up of guys who have played 8 minutes per for most of their careers. Where was he supposed to cut their minutes? The main guys that were used to a lot more minutes (Kobe, Pau and Nash) were injured before D'Antoni got here.

Heck, earlier in the season the rotation was something like 10 deep (the good ol' days when the Lakers were 10-9 ). There is only so much that a coach can do to limit minutes.
He's even tried babying them (as far as minutes) when they return from injury and it still hasn't helped. Kobe and Nash were both on limited minutes and still got re-injured. Pau had his minutes limited earlier and it still took him until after the all-star break to get healthy. Farmar went out with an injury, came back with limited minutes and re-injured himself. His minutes have increased gradually since he came back and he still isn't starting.


Not sure what else D'Antoni can do. He's following the advice of the trainers and doctors and guys are still getting hurt.

I just think we need to see this team for what it is and quit blaming D'Antoni for everything from injuries to rush hour traffic.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

[/B]

Letting Rambis coach for 22 games, with that roster, will be enough for the front office to see if he's worthy of keeping long term???? Are you fuckin' serious?

Rambis is known for coaching defense? His 2yrs in Minnesota they finished 29th and 30th in the league in total defense. Not saying that's entirely his fault but still....

I think the needle and the spoon has done some serious damage to your brain over the years

Rambis was set up for failure in Minnesota and never stood a chance - you're an idiot if you don't think Rambis is a good coach and honestly he couldn't do any worse. This season is lost for the Lakers anyway

 

[True Lakers Fan]

It's the way he runs the team that's causing these injuries though. Whether it's at practise or the way he draws up plays - it's clear it's fucking our players up.

Couple of injuries, maybe. But we had young guys like X, Farmar and Young out for weeks. That's not just a fluke any more.

I agree - he set them up to get injured- when you are not conditioned to run like that - bad things are going to happen

 

[trojanfan12]

I agree - he set them up to get injured- when you are not conditioned to run like that - bad things are going to happen

They were conditioned to run like that. What the heck do you think they were doing during the pre-season? That's when you get conditioned to run however you're going to run.

I'm beginning to think that you have never played an organized sport.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

They were conditioned to run like that. What the heck do you think they were doing during the pre-season? That's when you get conditioned to run however you're going to run.

I'm beginning to think that you have never played an organized sport.

Conditioning is not something acheived over-night in preseason. Even though they let up some in the summer and get back in preseason - atleast some of those players like Kobe and Gasol have made their careers in running slower. You can't expect old horses to keep up with young bucks. D'antoni as stupid for even thinking that could happen. The younger guys - I think he could have dialed it back a bit and built them up over a few months in the first portion of the season, but not mixed with older players that are past their prime and Kobe+Gasol = way past that prime. That's like putting new parts on a 22 year old car

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

 

[RobToxin]

 

[trojanfan12]

I know. Gonna try one more time. Cross your fingers that it sinks in for him.

TLF, D'Antoni did slow down his offense for the older guys. His offense is NOT "7 seconds or less", it is move it or shoot it. He ran it as "7 seconds or less" in Phoenix because those were the players he had. Move it or shoot it doesn't mean they have to fly up and down the floor like his Suns teams. It means the ball doesn't get stuck in one players hands. That's why the offense fell apart in NY when 'Melo came back. He wanted his iso's. D'Antoni's offense is based off of one of the most basic principles in basketball: the ball moves faster than the player. So, shoot it or pass it, don't hold it. That's exactly how the Showtime Lakers used to play.

In Los Angeles, he has slowed it down. Even when it's all young guys in there, they don't run it at the pace they ran it in Phoenix.

And of course they don't get conditioned like that over night in the pre-season. That's why the pre-season is a few weeks long.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I know. Gonna try one more time. Cross your fingers that it sinks in for him.

TLF, D'Antoni did slow down his offense for the older guys. His offense is NOT "7 seconds or less", it is move it or shoot it. He ran it as "7 seconds or less" in Phoenix because those were the players he had. Move it or shoot it doesn't mean they have to fly up and down the floor like his Suns teams. It means the ball doesn't get stuck in one players hands. That's why the offense fell apart in NY when 'Melo came back. He wanted his iso's. D'Antoni's offense is based off of one of the most basic principles in basketball: the ball moves faster than the player. So, shoot it or pass it, don't hold it. That's exactly how the Showtime Lakers used to play.

In Los Angeles, he has slowed it down. Even when it's all young guys in there, they don't run it at the pace they ran it in Phoenix.

And of course they don't get conditioned like that over night in the pre-season. That's why the pre-season is a few weeks long.

Not enough - because his system of running with zero defense works only when you have players conditioned to run faster than anyone in the league. The Lakers were never conditioned enough to do that. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS AND DEFENSE WINS GAMES - WHEN YOU CAN'T SHOOT - DEFENSE KEEPS YOU IN THE GAME.

D'ANTONI NEEDS TO GO BYE BYE

 

[trojanfan12]

Not enough - because his system of running with zero defense works only when you have players conditioned to run faster than anyone in the league. The Lakers were never conditioned enough to do that. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS AND DEFENSE WINS GAMES - WHEN YOU CAN'T SHOOT - DEFENSE KEEPS YOU IN THE GAME.

D'ANTONI NEEDS TO GO BYE BYE

Nevermind. It's clearly beyond your grasp.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I just think D'Antoni had enough chances. He inherited a team with two of the best big men in the game with Dwight and Pau, the best SG in the league and (despite his age) a two time MVP PG and still got booted out the playoffs in four games.

Then when he finally got his chance to put a stamp on his team in the off season he fucks that up too. Yes, you can't ignore the unfortunate injuries but something still tells me D'Antoni should have known before the players were signed up.

130 point per night given away is the final straw!

 

[AZ Sun]

Take it from a Suns fan, Antoni is not capable of coaching a team to a championship. His system is good for the regular season and getting you to the playoffs. But the game slows down and you can't run up and down the court in the postseason, you have to play defense and have a good low post offense. Even the Suns team with Shaq couldn't do jack shit. Antoni had a sure fire HOF in Nash and a potential one in Amare along with a great supporting cast but couldn't even win the West. You need a coach that runs a system that best fits your players and even though his system worked well I'm certain that the Suns could have won MULTIPLE rings if they had a better coach who knew a thing or two about defense.

 

[RobToxin]

Phil Jackson returning looks even less likely as I am reading where the Knicks are offering him full control of basketball operations.

 

[wlk3]

Trojans,

All due respect... I was actually one of few who thought Dantoni was the better fit than Phil when the hire was made... He was the first person I thought of when Brwon was fired... I just don't see improvement... Looks like the players aren't responding to him, and I know he has garbage to play with but when he had D12 MWP Pau and Kobe he didn't have the respect (maybe) of the players to get it done... I think he's capable of winning to an extent with his system and players, hell he could win a ring maybe... But if he is the wrong choice, we would have wasted 2 more years, but more importantly we'll have players that any coach worth having won't do well with which may put us back even further... He hasn't shown me enough to take that chance on...

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Nevermind. It's clearly beyond your grasp.

Obviously the Lakers are going to tank it since Kobe has pretty much made it clear he won't be back this season either, but what I am saying is that the D'antoni system does not win championships. It never has and never will. I understand that the D'antoni system was modified - but his system is crap unless his players move with lightening speed. Once he slowed it down to fit the older players - his system which was already garbage, became muddled with mud and sludge. Go back to win the Idiot Suns traded for Shaq - His system fell apart, he quit and went and then failed in New York and his exact words when asked why he failed in New York - "I did not have Steve Nash" - In short D'antoni cannot coach without Nash to make him look smart. The Lakers will never be a good team with this coach on board. NEVER

 

[trojanfan12]

I just think D'Antoni had enough chances. He inherited a team with two of the best big men in the game with Dwight and Pau, the best SG in the league and (despite his age) a two time MVP PG and still got booted out the playoffs in four games.

Then when he finally got his chance to put a stamp on his team in the off season he fucks that up too. Yes, you can't ignore the unfortunate injuries but something still tells me D'Antoni should have known before the players were signed up.

130 point per night given away is the final straw!

Now you're playing a bit of revisionist history. The 2 bigs that he inherited were Dwight who was coming off back surgery and wasn't close to his normal self until well after the All-Star break. Pau was hurt off and on. Nash was lost for pretty much the entire season shortly before or shortly after D'Antoni got there (which was about 10 or so games into the season). Then, when he finally got some semblance of a healthy lineup, the team started playing better and people were saying the Lakers may be one of the more dangerous 7 or 8 seeds ever. Then Kobe blew out his Achille's.

D'Antoni didn't get a chance to put his stamp on this team this year. He has been without Kobe and Nash all season, Pau has been in and out of the lineup all season and that's just the start of their injury issues this year. D'Antoni has had to use something like 30 different lineups in only 63 games. There have been times when they couldn't even scrimmage 5 on 5 because they didn't have enough healthy players.

So when, exactly, were these chances that you say he's had enough of?

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Now you're playing a bit of revisionist history. The 2 bigs that he inherited were Dwight who was coming off back surgery and wasn't close to his normal self until well after the All-Star break. Pau was hurt off and on. Nash was lost for pretty much the entire season shortly before or shortly after D'Antoni got there (which was about 10 or so games into the season). Then, when he finally got some semblance of a healthy lineup, the team started playing better and people were saying the Lakers may be one of the more dangerous 7 or 8 seeds ever. Then Kobe blew out his Achille's.

D'Antoni didn't get a chance to put his stamp on this team this year. He has been without Kobe and Nash all season, Pau has been in and out of the lineup all season and that's just the start of their injury issues this year. D'Antoni has had to use something like 30 different lineups in only 63 games. There have been times when they couldn't even scrimmage 5 on 5 because they didn't have enough healthy players.

So when, exactly, were these chances that you say he's had enough of?

Face it man - D'antoni has never won a championship title or even came close. In virtually every major sports defense is what wins championships and while D'antoni pretends to preach defense - we really know that he doesn't. His system starts out screwed up because he doesn't want his big men in the paint which is where they belong and from there it goes down hill really fast

 

[trojanfan12]

Trojans,

All due respect... I was actually one of few who thought Dantoni was the better fit than Phil when the hire was made... He was the first person I thought of when Brwon was fired... I just don't see improvement... Looks like the players aren't responding to him, and I know he has garbage to play with but when he had D12 MWP Pau and Kobe he didn't have the respect (maybe) of the players to get it done... I think he's capable of winning to an extent with his system and players, hell he could win a ring maybe... But if he is the wrong choice, we would have wasted 2 more years, but more importantly we'll have players that any coach worth having won't do well with which may put us back even further... He hasn't shown me enough to take that chance on...

A couple of points here. The only player that he didn't get the respect of last year was Dwight and that's about Dwight, not D'Antoni. Kobe not only respected D'Antoni, he wanted him here. Pau's issues last year were with struggling playing alongside Dwight because Dwight has to be chained to the post, which forced Pau outside a lot. He and D'Antoni seem to have worked their issues out which, along with getting healthy, has resulted in Pau playing more like the Pau that we're used to. Remember, Pau has never played in a system like D'Antoni's and D'Antoni has never had a big with Pau's skills. Of course it was going to take them some time to figure it out. Especially with Pau's injuries.

Keeping D'Antoni for another season or 2 won't set anything back. The coach is the least of the Lakers problems right now. People want to blame D'Antoni because it's easy and he's not Phil when we thought they were getting Phil. They could have had a coaching staff of Phil, Pop and Pat Riley and they wouldn't be much better than they are right now with all that has happened this season. The Lakers need Kobe back as healthy as they can get him and they need to get some players. Then they can worry about who the coach is.

Also, don't you think every prospective coach out there see's exactly what the Lakers have been going through? If the Lakers were to fire D'Antoni without him being given a fair chance to show what he can do with at least a decent roster of healthy players, how eager do you think they'll be to come coach the team knowing the same thing could happen to them? Using JVG as an example. Why would he want to leave his cushy broadcasting job, knowing that if he doesn't produce immediately regardless of circumstances, he'll be fired?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

We can't use the injury excuse to disguise the fact D'Antoni is a terrible coach for this team. Apart from Kobe, Pau and Nash, every player on this team had a clean bill of health at the start of the season. And one by one each and every player dropped like flies and got injured.

He plays no D, makes guys play in uncomfortable positions and refuses to play good players out of spite (Kaman, Earl Clarke).

There is NO excuse to how bad we're playing. Even the D-Fenders wouldn't have lost to the Clippers by 50 points.

 

[trojanfan12]

Face it man - D'antoni has never won a championship title or even came close. In virtually every major sports defense is what wins championships and while D'antoni pretends to preach defense - we really know that he doesn't. His system starts out screwed up because he doesn't want his big men in the paint which is where they belong and from there it goes down hill really fast

You really need to stop posting. What coaches are available right now who have won championships as head coaches?

Here are the names of some of the leading candidates that some of you have mentioned and the number of championships they have won as head coaches:

Brian Shaw - 0
Byron Scott - 0
Kurt Rambis - 0
James Worthy -0 (and he's never coached)
Jeff Van Gundy - 0
Stan Van Gundy - 0
Lionel Hollins - 0

So where is this multiple title winning coach that's going to swoop in here, wave his magic wand and turn the Lakers into contenders right away?