D'Antoni on Rondo : "I'd like to see him play on Minnesota and see how he does."

[dixonsupreme]

I'd like to see him coach the 'Wolves.

The Knicks and the Wolves compiled the same amount of playoff victories this season.

He wouldn't have done worse in Minni then.

[BballTim]

Agreed. Rose lack of decision-making/distribution/creativity skills are the main reason. He create shots for his teammates by attacking from a top pick'n'roll or an iso and forcing the defense to collapse on him. But he's not a floor-general by any means. There's a reason why the Bulls are an ordinary offensive team. Give Deron Williams that supporting cast and the Bulls are a top-5 offense. 

wow, you give Deron that Bulls team and I'm not confident the Celtics can get past them. Deron is huge, D-Rose, not so much.

By the way, I remember watching D'Antoni playing in Milan, and he was a great player, all smarts and guts. I was surprised when I saw his coaching style, but with Steve Nash on board he looked like a great coach.

I can see he's frustrated, but it's not a great thing to say if you are an NBA coach.

I think D'Antoni is a great coach. He's a true believer in his system, so he needs players that fit it.

  Great coaches come up with a system to fit the players they have as opposed to needing players that fit a certain system to coach effectively.

[SHAQATTACK]

Ya know .......D 'A (no masked profanity please)  can kizz Rondo s BIG OL TOE.

Rondo has a RING and sitting pretty with a impressive sweep of that POORLY coached Kicks team.

What has the D ITOLL EEEE Got .....

NOTHING.... but a big mouth and nothing to back it up.

"Azzholee" in D'Antoni thread.

[guava_wrench]

He is saying that Rondo would not play well in a colder state.

[Army_of_One_Nation]

Just wondering how coach would have done without Nash in Phoenix.

[TheGreenThumb]

How about the companion question of "If a point guard plays with 3 potential HOFs or 3 All Stars, is it a guarantee that his assists will increase by a significant number?"

What's Chalmers or Bibby's assist numbers while serving as the point guard of Bosh, LeBron & Wade?

[Kiorrik]

People saying stuff like this don't watch Rondo actually racking them up. His brilliance is not just in his court vision, but also in his speed and the skill-factor involved in his passes. Half of them are downright impossible.

[byennie]

The Celtics were 23rd in the league in scoring this year, and Rondo had a usage rate lower than pretty much every other All-Star guard in the entire league, plus such luminaries as Jameer Nelson and Jrue Holiday.

The Big 3 might help him get to the finals and may have taught him a thing or two along the way, but in terms of individual success, he'd be a threat to average 15 and 15 on about half the teams in the league.

I'd mention defense, but this is a D'Antoni thread.

[Kiorrik]

I'd mention defense, but this is a D'Antoni thread.

TP. That's it, just TP.

[snively]

Obviously if he was on a lesser team, Rondos team wouldn't enjoy as much success, but what D'Antoni is alluding to (and I'm agreeing with), is that Rondos individual production would also fall.  I don't think he'd have better assists, because no other team runs so many sets solely through their PG, AND has as good finishers.  I don't think he'd be as efficient a scorer, because he would actually have to score against pressure defense, since his supporting cast wouldn't be as good (which subsequently creates the spacing he enjoys on his shot and drives).

Basically, it would put Rondo in a situation, where he had to be able to either create his own shot, or drive through traffic, to be effective. If he had the same shooting ability and FT capabilities as the PGs that most people prefer to him, then yes...he'd become almost like them. Unfortunately he doesn't, and that's where I think D'Antonis point lies.

The only aspect of Rondo's performance I'd expect to fall with lesser teammates would be his FG%.  His work in the 2009 playoffs with a mediocre/weak front line and only Ray and Pierce to help was indicative of what he can do with a less than stellar supporting cast.

The guy's the 2nd coming of J-Kidd, only with more speed and less size/brawn and a few more spacing issues.  I just hope we don't trade him for the 2nd coming of Stephon Marbury.

[jaser]

I'd mention defense, but this is a D'Antoni thread.

TP. That's it, just TP.

I can't stop laughing!!! ****!!

[jaser]

 

[makaveli]

In the press conference after game 4, someone asked Pierce to comment on that D'Antoni's quote, and he refused...
True Capitan and he couldn't have backed down Rondo more in any way. Gotta love Paul "The Truth" Pierce

[PosImpos]

How about the companion question of "If a point guard plays with 3 potential HOFs or 3 All Stars, is it a guarantee that his assists will increase by a significant number?"

What's Chalmers or Bibby's assist numbers while serving as the point guard of Bosh, LeBron & Wade?

Both LeBron and Wade are ball-dominant players, so neither Chalmers nor Bibby get the opportunity to run the offense.  Neither Bibby nor Chalmers are particularly great passers, either.  Also, of the Heat's Big 3 only Chris Bosh is an above average jumpshooter for his position.

What makes Boston such a great situation for a passing point guard is that the starting lineup is stocked with three future HoFers who happen to be among the best jumpshooters at their respective positions.  Surrounding a point guard with great shooters is the easiest way to give him a lot of assists other than pairing him with a dominant big man.

Still, it takes a great point guard to take full advantage of ideal circumstances.  The Big 3 depend on Rondo as much as he depends on them.

That doesn't mean I don't think Rondo would be much less formidable on a worse team, though, since he's not great at creating his own shot consistently.

[GreenEnvy]

Agreed. Rose lack of decision-making/distribution/creativity skills are the main reason. He create shots for his teammates by attacking from a top pick'n'roll or an iso and forcing the defense to collapse on him. But he's not a floor-general by any means. There's a reason why the Bulls are an ordinary offensive team. Give Deron Williams that supporting cast and the Bulls are a top-5 offense. 

wow, you give Deron that Bulls team and I'm not confident the Celtics can get past them. Deron is huge, D-Rose, not so much.

By the way, I remember watching D'Antoni playing in Milan, and he was a great player, all smarts and guts. I was surprised when I saw his coaching style, but with Steve Nash on board he looked like a great coach.

I can see he's frustrated, but it's not a great thing to say if you are an NBA coach.

I think D'Antoni is a great coach. He's a true believer in his system, so he needs players that fit it.

  Great coaches come up with a system to fit the players they have as opposed to needing players that fit a certain system to coach effectively.

How many coaches have made drastic changes to their coaching philosophies? AND had success?

I'll count Popovich because he actually did AND had the best record, but nobody will be surprised if they don't make the WCF.

But nobody in my mind has won championships with different styles. Phil has 11 championships running the triangle. Pop won 4 with the same slow, defensive style.




And I think it's safe to say if D'Antoni couldn't win - or even make a Finals - with those Phoenix teams, his style won't work in the playoffs. Nash, Amar'e, Joe Johnson, Marion, QRich, Diaw, Barbosa, Bell, etc.