It is time for a Colangelo/D'Antoni Reunion in Toronto

[mcHAPPY]

I agree with you, I would LIKE to see D'Antoni here, don't get me wrong. He might not appeal to those ppl who are screaming all D, all the time.

Those who scream all D, all the time will find themselves in the same position as Don Nelson. You need balance.

There is a big difference between Nellie ball and D'Antoni ball. D'Antoni's teams have been average in the defensive rating. Nellie's teams have been below average to, more frequently, the worst - in addition to the worst PPG allowed.

[mcHAPPY]

The more I think about this, the more I think if BC is not re-upped here, he goes to NYK with D'Antoni and Walsh gets turfed. There is a D'Antoni and Colangelo reunion happening somewhere!

[Multipaul]

Those who scream all D, all the time will find themselves in the same position as Don Nelson. You need balance.

There is a big difference between Nellie ball and D'Antoni ball. D'Antoni's teams have been average in the defensive rating. Nellie's teams have been below average to, more frequently, the worst - in addition to the worst PPG allowed.

Ohhh gooodd...what if we got Nellie here...PLEASE NO!!!!!! or Larry B..NOOOOO!!!!

[Bendit]

In my view the Knicks traded most of the players who are key to the DAntoni system. He NEEDS mobile 3 pt. shooters to complement good PnR point guard and big man. He had all of this with Fenton/Amare (who were starting to duplicate Nash/Amare) and Gallinari, Chandler and Landry. When these guys were on they would smoke the opposition and were just getting started...and then poof in comes Melo who is really not very much in shape (check how much he sucks air after a few up & down court runs). Both he and Amare are not 3 pt shooters and Melo demands the ball so much it has thrown Landry Field's game off. And Billups is not the player he was anymore and he was always better in the half court than transition ball. No wonder DAntoni is pissed. Karl couldnt control Melo and D has no chance now with the current circumstances.

My choice however is no to DAntoni as coach here. Apart from not having the horses for his system, I have always been old school about defense winning games not only during the season but more so in the playoffs....when teams clamp down and half court sets dominate and too much running is defensed unless you have an exceptional team. This is not to say that DAntoni does not understand this but it is simply not his priority. My own theory is that the players who play his game on offense are in fact offensive players rather than allround/well balanced players and by the end of the game if it's on the line they are mostly gassed to comeup with the crucial stops nevermind that it isnt easy to turn it on/off on defense. There is one caveat to all this presumption...he hasnt had the players. The Knicks were one good centre away from being a seriously good team and now they have to wait awhile to rebuild their supporting cast and bench.

If there a single negative about BC's tenure here for myself...it has been his neglect in the early years to push that "Phoenix north" crap attitude and get shooter types rather than defensive ones. Putting the two of them together again will set the team back.

[Employee]

Raps would also need at least a couple legit three point shooters too.

[slaw]

Raps would also need at least a couple legit three point shooters too.

I find it funny that the one thing, in recent memory, the Raps could always count on (3pt shooting) is now gone. Lol, this team has absolutely no identity. None. I can't name one thing this team does well on either end of the floor.

And you and Bendit are right, the Raps don't have the horses for D'Antoni's system. The roster would need another overhaul back to what it looked like in 2006-07, with better players.

[Employee]

I find it funny that the one thing, in recent memory, the Raps could always count on (3pt shooting) is now gone. Lol, this team has absolutely no identity. None. I can't name one thing this team does well on either end of the floor.

And you and Bendit are right, the Raps don't have the horses for D'Antoni's system. The roster would need another overhaul back to what it looked like in 2006-07, with better players.

I don't think it would need an overhaul, but a couple more pieces. Raps are pretty good on the break and have some players that would be really nice in a D'Antoni system. Calderon would be nice and Barbosa already knows it.

Not that it's a great comparison but I think this Raps team would be in way better shape than the Knicks teams of the last two years.

And while a lot of the bigs in the Suns years have a lot more versatility, think of all the offensive rebounds that Reggie, Ed, and Amir would be scooping.

I'm gonna stop, I'm getting excited for something that isn't even happening.

[Balls of Steel]

I thought that this was a thread where BC and MD reunites... in New York. As for D'Antoni being hard on Bargs? No way. MD was hard on Randolph and Harrington. With Bargs? BC's all-time centerpiece? No way, that is if he values his friendship with his boss. Thank god, this is mere fodder. The idea that BC stays here and gets to import more of his friends is something this franchise doesn't need.

[Apollo]

What makes you so sure Colangelo is pleased with Bargnani's progress? Nobody else seems impressed. He must hear some of that. He watches every game. He must be able to see it.

[JoePanini]

I wouldn't mind this actually, even if you say he's an offensive minded coach (which he is), he probably can coach on D better than Triano. And he knows how to run a team, not like Triano who seems to never know who to put on when and what to do in a late game situation.

Matt, is this actually possible? He is still a really good coach, led Phoenix to many winning seasons with 'offense only'.

[webcrawler89]

Agreed that we have no good shooters on this team, which is important to the D'Antoni system. Otherwise, it would work.

[Balls of Steel]

What makes you so sure Colangelo is pleased with Bargnani's progress? Nobody else seems impressed. He must hear some of that. He watches every game. He must be able to see it.

There's plenty of evidence to suggest that he's content with Andrea's game. He didn't draft him with defense in mind. He drafted him because of his gawdy offensive skills as a 7-foot scoring demon. Andrea's game is where it should be right now according to BC, his scouts and some fans of this team. I'm sure BC reads it, watches video, but in the end, it's simply a matter of critics not really knowing much about Andrea and his vision of building around his "true centerpiece".

[Madman]

oh god no

[malefax]

There's plenty of evidence to suggest that he's content with Andrea's game. He didn't draft him with defense in mind. He drafted him because of his gawdy offensive skills as a 7-foot scoring demon. Andrea's game is where it should be right now according to BC, his scouts and some fans of this team. I'm sure BC reads it, watches video, but in the end, it's simply a matter of critics not really knowing much about Andrea and his vision of building around his "true centerpiece".

The best evidence of what BC thinks of Andrea's game is the contract BC gave Andrea. It pays him 10 million a year. For a seven foot guy, that says 'starter' not 'all-star'. It certainly doesn't say 'centrepiece'. You don't pay your centrepiece big man 10 million a year.

[LBF]

i'd be down but i'd want triano to remain as an assistant coach, i think he's prolly one of the best assistant coaches out there and still has the potential to be a top head coach. but, he's starting to run out of time.

i miss triano's days of clipboard snapping.