As if the Nuggets getting unceremoniously swept from the NBA Playoffs by the Lakers this week wasn't depressing enough, salt was poured into the collective wounds of Nuggets fans everywhere when the Charlotte Bobcats hired Larry Brown as their new head coach. You heard it here first: the Bobcats will be in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference next season (of course, I predicted that the Milwaukee Bucks would be the "surprise team in the East" this season, so it shows you what I know).
When the guy who drafted Kwame Brown, traded Rip Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse and hired Leonard Hamilton and Sam Vincent gets a leg up on you (with all due respect to His Airness), you know your franchise is in trouble.
As readers of this blog well know, I've harbored fantasies of bringing Brown back to the Nuggets - the first "NBA team" he ever coached - as head coach for the 2008-09 season. But I never seriously thought he'd come back. Not only is he a good and loyal friend of George Karl's, but it was highly unlikely, if not altogether improbable, that Nuggets owner Stanley Kroenke would invest $4-$5 million a year in Brown while having to pay Karl his $3 million annual salary.
But while Coach Karl talked about the Nuggets winning "a playoff series" as a benchmark of success during his Game 4 postgame press conference (a quote ticket-paying fans should be appalled by), by hiring Brown the Bobcats showed their fans that they're serious about going for more than just a playoff series win.
Jeff Van Gundy, anyone? Anyone?!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Bobcats are serious about winning an NBA Championship...
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10 comments:
nooooooooo, i'm thinking Pat Riley,though he is risky because they had the same team and he couldn't do anything with the Heat early in the season. I'd risk it just because Pat is a turn around guy like larry brown. Know anyone in the nuggets organization to spread the word before he is off the market?
what about avery johnson?
``````````so disappointed``````````
>_<
I think Avery Johnson is not a bad idea(pending what happens to him in Dallas). he has the passion the nuggets need out of a coach.
SI.com reports Mike D'Antoni will not return next year....What about him as the perfect replacement? Lets look at the check list....
1. Running an offensive system - no doubt Steve Nash makes this easy, but it seems the Suns always know where to be, where to pass and when to shoot. Maybe its just Steve Nash, but i have to believe D'Antoni plays a crucial part.
2. Respect from the players - again Nash may be the biggest reason for this, but Stoudemire is not always that easy to coach. Include players such as Bell and O'neal, you got some characters (granted not like the nuggets). Although his NBA career is still missing that finals appearance and ring, he brings as much credibility that we could ask for (now that Larry Brown is gone.
3. Defense - ??? Well yea he doesn't bring that defensive mind set. He did get his players to play D in PHX, somewhat. Maybe all the nuggets need is motivation (see: Carmelo, figure out a way to stay with Radmonovich....it shouldn't be that hard to stay with a guy that cant score when someone is ACTUALLY guarding him.)
4. and the most important of all....A PASSION TO WIN. We all know Mike wants to win bad. He is always standing up (which we never saw out of Karl), he is always defending his players and working the refs, even if it was obvious they were in the wrong (something Karl doesn't even dream of), and will defend his players (will Karl ever do this?).
Is this enough to motivate the players to work harder and play defense? I don't know...but it sure gives us not only a better chance...but also a glimmer of hope.
well, there are a lot of good coaches for the Nuggets.
I think D'Antoni and Johnson would leave their teams.
Do you let me analyze some of them?
In order of priority:
1-Mike D'Antoni: I think his game is very good for us, but he will must learn defense to our players.
2-Avery Johnson: He has the discipline, the proud and the tactics.
3-Jeff Van Gundy: He has the defense...
what do you think about these coaches?? Or do you think that Karl will be our coach next season?
bye.
I like Van Gundy. I think a change of coaching style is always a good thing in the NBA.
Mike Dunleavy Sr, or Rick Carlisle could also be a possibility.
i wouldn't be against getting Dan Issle back for a third go round. The teams he coached had little talent and always over achieved. Pretty much the opposite of what is happening now.
i like d'antoni personally. his mindset on the game to me is pretty good. especially that denver is playing in altitude and already plays his game style (except with zero defense)
it's also interesting and possibly intriguing that d'antoni has coached melo and ai already in all star games and on team usa if i'm not mistaken ? (not too sure about that one but thought i'd chuck it in)
a coach who is "d'antoni + jvg"````
haha ^_^ then add some "Hubie Brown" into this cocktail.
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