We're Back - The Drive For 18 Is Alive

[TitleMaster]

Just a minor win folks, Dallas could have lost by 20... Fo' Fo' Fo' is in the works !

[MattG12]

Wondering, if they've turned a corner and are back for sure for a long run, how much credit does Doc get for pulling this team together, keeping minutes down, and getting these guys healthy and into what looks like a solid rotation right now?

I guess the credit should be proportional to the blame for when things weren't going so well.

As for the solidity of the rotation, I'm still not a fan.  The 5 man bench has been getting killed.  Nate's obviously nowhere near comfortable and hasn't been worked in as the featured scorer, they have huge problems feeding the post, and they are a terrible rebounding unit.  We won in spite of that line-up.

I'm hoping that Doc starts to phase out that unit as much as possible going forward.  I understand it must be tough as he's working 2 brand new guys into the system.

Such a realist view. Color me green but when things weren't going well this team was injured and rehabbing and off balance due to changed roles and rolling out Eddie and Bill Walker instead of Nate and Michael Finley.

Doc was sure this team would be better when healthy and playing within their roles. He seems to have been about the only guy who thought that. I give him credit for taking a lot of crap during an adverse season, sticking to his guns and doing it his way. If he wins it all, i think he should get a pass around here for many years to come.

If they win it all, Doc is coach of the year.

I'm pessimistic on the subject but hopefully this team can surprise me.

[nickagneta]

Wondering, if they've turned a corner and are back for sure for a long run, how much credit does Doc get for pulling this team together, keeping minutes down, and getting these guys healthy and into what looks like a solid rotation right now?

I guess the credit should be proportional to the blame for when things weren't going so well.

As for the solidity of the rotation, I'm still not a fan.  The 5 man bench has been getting killed.  Nate's obviously nowhere near comfortable and hasn't been worked in as the featured scorer, they have huge problems feeding the post, and they are a terrible rebounding unit.  We won in spite of that line-up.

I'm hoping that Doc starts to phase out that unit as much as possible going forward.  I understand it must be tough as he's working 2 brand new guys into the system.

Such a realist view. Color me green but when things weren't going well this team was injured and rehabbing and off balance due to changed roles and rolling out Eddie and Bill Walker instead of Nate and Michael Finley.

Doc was sure this team would be better when healthy and playing within their roles. He seems to have been about the only guy who thought that. I give him credit for taking a lot of crap during an adverse season, sticking to his guns and doing it his way. If he wins it all, i think he should get a pass around here for many years to come.

If they win it all, Doc is coach of the year.

I'm pessimistic on the subject but hopefully this team can surprise me.

You know what Matt...you're probably right but unfortunately, like in 2007-08 the vote is taken without the playoffs taken into consideration. I think the vote is taken after the regular season but before the playoffs.

He deserved it that year and if they win it all this year after everything that happened, I think you are right and he'll deserve it again and not get it again.

Of course they could get bounced in 4 straight in the first round and he could get fired too.

This team is that unpredictable.

[Mizzy21390]

Yo with Pierce playing like the Truth, KG on defense, Ray stroking from 3, Rondo thieving and passing the rock, Perk swatting down shots....our bench playing just well enough not to phuck things up......

.....we're golden.

Yea everyone played their role, and I am happy because when that happens, we win games. They didn't look old, and we beat a top team.. we were down and I thought, "Oh no, please no," and then Doc calls timeout, and they get back on the floor, and that 7 point deficit went down to like 1 or 2, and man, PP and that 3... Things just went so right, and im just too happy. I hope this is a "corner turn" that we've been waiting for...

[MattG12]

Wondering, if they've turned a corner and are back for sure for a long run, how much credit does Doc get for pulling this team together, keeping minutes down, and getting these guys healthy and into what looks like a solid rotation right now?

I guess the credit should be proportional to the blame for when things weren't going so well.

As for the solidity of the rotation, I'm still not a fan.  The 5 man bench has been getting killed.  Nate's obviously nowhere near comfortable and hasn't been worked in as the featured scorer, they have huge problems feeding the post, and they are a terrible rebounding unit.  We won in spite of that line-up.

I'm hoping that Doc starts to phase out that unit as much as possible going forward.  I understand it must be tough as he's working 2 brand new guys into the system.

Such a realist view. Color me green but when things weren't going well this team was injured and rehabbing and off balance due to changed roles and rolling out Eddie and Bill Walker instead of Nate and Michael Finley.

Doc was sure this team would be better when healthy and playing within their roles. He seems to have been about the only guy who thought that. I give him credit for taking a lot of crap during an adverse season, sticking to his guns and doing it his way. If he wins it all, i think he should get a pass around here for many years to come.

If they win it all, Doc is coach of the year.

I'm pessimistic on the subject but hopefully this team can surprise me.

You know what Matt...you're probably right but unfortunately, like in 2007-08 the vote is taken without the playoffs taken into consideration. I think the vote is taken after the regular season but before the playoffs.

He deserved it that year and if they win it all this year after everything that happened, I think you are right and he'll deserve it again and not get it again.

Of course they could get bounced in 4 straight in the first round and he could get fired too.

This team is that unpredictable.

Yeah, that's exactly what I meant. He'll deserve it but he won't get it. Doc always had faith in this team and didn't want to see any changes made.

Perhaps it's better for Doc to not win it... last time he won it he was bounced out of Orlando. When he was well deserving of winning it the championship year Byron Scott won it, and now he's been bounced out of New Orleans.

I'll take a championship over a coach of the year, any day of the week.

Please?!

[nickagneta]

Wondering, if they've turned a corner and are back for sure for a long run, how much credit does Doc get for pulling this team together, keeping minutes down, and getting these guys healthy and into what looks like a solid rotation right now?

I guess the credit should be proportional to the blame for when things weren't going so well.

As for the solidity of the rotation, I'm still not a fan.  The 5 man bench has been getting killed.  Nate's obviously nowhere near comfortable and hasn't been worked in as the featured scorer, they have huge problems feeding the post, and they are a terrible rebounding unit.  We won in spite of that line-up.

I'm hoping that Doc starts to phase out that unit as much as possible going forward.  I understand it must be tough as he's working 2 brand new guys into the system.

Such a realist view. Color me green but when things weren't going well this team was injured and rehabbing and off balance due to changed roles and rolling out Eddie and Bill Walker instead of Nate and Michael Finley.

Doc was sure this team would be better when healthy and playing within their roles. He seems to have been about the only guy who thought that. I give him credit for taking a lot of crap during an adverse season, sticking to his guns and doing it his way. If he wins it all, i think he should get a pass around here for many years to come.

If they win it all, Doc is coach of the year.

I'm pessimistic on the subject but hopefully this team can surprise me.

You know what Matt...you're probably right but unfortunately, like in 2007-08 the vote is taken without the playoffs taken into consideration. I think the vote is taken after the regular season but before the playoffs.

He deserved it that year and if they win it all this year after everything that happened, I think you are right and he'll deserve it again and not get it again.

Of course they could get bounced in 4 straight in the first round and he could get fired too.

This team is that unpredictable.

Yeah, that's exactly what I meant. He'll deserve it but he won't get it. Doc always had faith in this team and didn't want to see any changes made.

Perhaps it's better for Doc to not win it... last time he won it he was bounced out of Orlando. When he was well deserving of winning it the championship year Byron Scott won it, and now he's been bounced out of New Orleans.

I'll take a championship over a coach of the year, any day of the week.

Please?!

TP I'm with you there

I get TP happy after big wins

[Q_FBE]

I'm glad that things are going better now. But we need to take this one game at a time and hope for the best.

[JHTruth]

As it has alseason, it depends on PP and KG. We can beat he Magic and Cavs if Pierce can play LeBron even close to even and outplay Vince. KG and Perk need to contain Howard.

But we have just as many horses as anyone in the league. There's no reason to think we can't give his thing a run. It was never about a lack of talent with this team, it was about health and energy..

[Edgar]

As it has alseason, it depends on PP and KG. We can beat he Magic and Cavs if Pierce can play LeBron even close to even and outplay Vince. KG and Perk need to contain Howard.

But we have just as many horses as anyone in the league. There's no reason to think we can't give his thing a run. It was never about a lack of talent with this team, it was about health and energy..

yup
finley, pierce,allen the other allen, daniels, all of them should be capable of stoping one
imho
at least in ecf if that happens
cs have more depth (see dirk tonight)  than anyone
so..
use it
prevail.

[Rondo_is_better]

It was never fully dead.

Lets hope it only gets stronger.

[mgent]

I'd much rather see this thread than the Harsh/Way Premature Assessment of 2009-10: The Window is Closed.

[Bahku]

We never left ... we were just "re-grouping". When we play defense like we did last night, we can beat anyone. (TP for this and any positive thread!)

By the way, you faked me out with that avatar ... I thought for a moment you were MattG12.

[MaineBleedsGreen]

 very good win.
 
a little disappointing to see Dallas take the lead after we led them pretty much the whole game before that, but we played well enough to sustain their counter punch and keep rolling.

Nate still looks way out of his comfort zone on offense. I remember one stretch, 3 shots in about a minute span, and the only one that went in he was called for an offensive foul (it was close, but the call still went against him).

[Greenbean]

I am noticing improved play every game and that's all I am looking for right now. They look like a team who is now hungry to get better and I love it. Im taking it one game at a time and it's been a lot of fun!

In response to Nick's point about Doc, he should get some credit for pulling them back together if they indeed are "back". I have never thought it was Doc's fault anyway but he is great at managing veteran's egos IMO and I think the subtle jabs he has been taking publicly at guys' effort has had a considerable impact on the players' performance.

I just cant stand his hockey shift rotations in the 4th quarter. It almost cost them the game last night. I prefer to get the starters rest in the first half!

Of course I know Doc will shorten the rotation in the playoffs but I want to keep this train moving NOW!

[Bahku]

I am noticing improved play every game and that's all I am looking for right now. They look like a team who is now hungry to get better and I love it. Im taking it one game at a time and it's been a lot of fun!

In response to Nick's point about Doc, he should get some credit for pulling them back together if they indeed are "back". I have never thought it was Doc's fault anyway but he is great at managing veteran's egos IMO and I think the subtle jabs he has been taking publicly at guys' effort has had a considerable impact on the players' performance.

I just cant stand his hockey shift rotations in the 4th quarter. It almost cost them the game last night. I prefer to get the starters rest in the first half!

Of course I know Doc will shorten the rotation in the playoffs but I want to keep this train moving NOW!

Great post, GB ... I agree. (TP)