2012-13 Around the NBA thread

[itvnetop]

Originally Posted by Kindoy

Oh a defensive assistant like Steve Clifford right? The guy thats already on our staff?

The "no player would have won with that team" point does hold weight - NBA analysts and columnists use it all the time, Stephen A. Smith to name someone. No team wins with Smush Parker, Chucky Atkins, Kwame Brown & Chris Mihm rotating into the starting line up. Because he didn't win a ring without Phil doesn't mean he CAN'T win without Phil. Made it to the second round last year, went 41-25. It isn't championship stuff, but i'd consider that winning, especially in a shortened season learning pieces of a new system all season long.

LeBron James made it to the NBA Finals with the exciting cast of Larry Hughes, Boobie Gibson and Sasha Pavlovic. And friggin' Mike Brown, as their coach... Mike Brown! That run was herculean- and they got past Detroit that year.

OK, nobody's winning with Smush Parker or Kwame Brown, either- but the difference is LeBron makes his teammates better. But if you're going to quote Stephen A. Smith, at least quote him saying yesterday that the D'antoni hiring doesn't fit this Laker personnel. Kobe scores a lot, often inefficiently. Kobe could make his teammates better by passing the ball when defenses start doubling or triple teaming him in the fourth... but he often doesn't. Um, has Steve Clifford made anyone better defensively so far?

Well, if you want Kobe shooting the ball non-stop (with all that talent standing around watching him), you're going to see what happens in the playoffs. Nash will eventually start getting cranky if he brings the ball up court and Kobe shoots it in 7 seconds. And that bench isn't scaring anyone. The Lakers are the least athletic team in the league, but they'll be good for a fun regular season and maybe two playoff rounds. Mike Brown should have allowed for some pick and roll earlier on, obviously. But no (D)'antoni can't just rely on the p'n'r all year... athletic wings are going to close out fairly quickly, especially during the playoffs. And without any type of post up game, Pau and Howard's skills are highly underutilized.