Comments on: D’Antoni to be Knicks New Coach

By: Capt. Merlin

Capt. Merlin — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:29:53 +0000

next thursday at 7:15 pm

By: Mike The Knick Fan

Mike The Knick Fan — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:06:23 +0000

CAN SOMEBODY ALSO TELL ME WHEN NATE THE GREAT WILL BEGIN STARTING FOR THE KNICKS?????!!!!!!!!

By: Mike The Knick Fan

Mike The Knick Fan — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:04:35 +0000

I gotta say that bringing Mike D’antoni into the organazation is a terrible idea.
Only 2 or 3 knicks can play D’antoni ball and know we know that we need to draft Derrick Rose because he is the only man in the draft who will be able to play the style of basketball that Mike wants to play.

By: Zach

Zach — Tue, 13 May 2008 23:10:46 +0000

Just wait until D’Antoni is able to work with management to actually help build a team. In Phoenix management constantly traded first round picks for cash and almost never went after free agents. They traded two firsts just to get rid of Tom Gugliata and a first to get rid of Kurt Thomas. They also traded a top 7 pick one year to the Bulls because they didn’t want to pay for the rookie contract. Yet people always blamed D’Antoni’s system for not getting over the hump? I’m not saying the talent he had was bad but why do you think they got so old so fast? Also add in the fact that he had a lot of freak bad luck in the playoffs (Stoudemire suspension last season, Stoudemire’s arthroscopic surgery the year before, and Joe Johnson breaking his face against the Spurs the year before that). In Europe D’Antoni proved his system could win championships. With the right management in the NBA he can win here as well.

By: Ray

Ray — Mon, 12 May 2008 23:33:47 +0000

Jesus would get the Knicks into the playoffs and then take us all to heaven. Nothing will make Q Richs’ game better, hes done. He does try but he just seems so stiff these days. Maybe its his back. Ill take M. Jack as GM and he could learn under Walsh. That wouldnt be a bad move it was something that he actively helped him with. We need some NY spirit back on the team. If Pat Ew was in town then maybe it was for something Knick related. Its time to bring him home.

By: retropkid

retropkid — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:48:32 +0000

Zeke is gone, that alone is reason to rejoice.

D’Antoni doesn’t seem like the perfect fit, but he has won. He also has connections in Europe — to talent. I would argue part of the Knicks performance has been based on staying away from international talent — the influx of which has been the most significant impact in the league….D’Antoni should help.

And — I would suspect LeBron would respect the guy…and if we want LeBron in 2010, you don’t hire a rookie coach like Jackson. You make a statement of bringing in a proven winner.

So I’m sold. Not sure our D will improve much, and that is an issue, but if the team starts running and playing 8,9,10 guys deep (our bench was our strength, get them on the floor) we should win more ball games.

By: Knicks4life

Knicks4life — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:01:29 +0000

Im sure Walsh mentioned a plan to upgrade the roster this yr to D’antoni. We’re gonna have to wait and see what the roster looks like in October. Marbury,Randolph,Curry, possible addition of Rose or Mayo.
Staying under the cap is a priority so im sure the deals will be limited, id rather wait and see who exactly D’antoni is working with. As currently constituted is blurry, but maybe with the right additions/subtractions we might have a chance to atleast show some ability and maybe win some more games.

By: americanbear

americanbear — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:23:47 +0000

Hm, just read the Chris Ford article on espn- if what he says is true, maybe my desire for Thibby is not an option for this mix…

By: americanbear

americanbear — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:19:45 +0000

“People keep talking about D’Antoni like he is only capable of playing one style.” Good point Ben, and Frank way above.

When Pat Riley came back home in 1991, he was known for Showtime. However in NY he adjusted to the personel and while we didn’t win a championship, he did pretty well using a plodding offense and tough, help defense. The great coaches play the cards they are dealt and somehow find success. I’m very willing to give Donnie the benefit of the doubt and see if D’Antoni will become a great coach. Mark Jackson was a favorite son, coming home- the press liked him, band wagon fans liked him and half of the nerdy-knick superfans liked him too, including me. He was the popular choice, but Walsh must see something in D’Antoni.

After review, I like the move. Now let’s throw ridiculous money at Thibodeau to get him as the top assitant. Maybe Ewing too, to slap Curry around in practice.

By: Ben R

Ben R — Mon, 12 May 2008 07:24:07 +0000

People keep talking about D’Antoni like he is only capable of playing one style. He seems able to change as his team changes. Johnson and Richardson get replaced by Diaw and Thomas, Pheonix does great. Amare goes down for a whole season, Pheonix does great. Shaq comes in for Marion and, after a short transition, Pheonix does great again.

Plus his reputation as a bad defensive coach is patently untrue. Pheonix has consistantly been an average defensive team, even with terrible defenders at the one and five. Most people believe that defense at the one and five are the most important positions so considering that he was still able to get Pheonix to play average defense helps his case rather than hurts it.

As for the championships he has gotten pretty close and losing to the Spurs three times and to Dallas once is not indicative of bad coaching but perhaps just not having as good of a team as the other guy.

He also develops young players; hence Amare’s, Barbosa’s, Johnson’s and Diaw’s success under him. Also his short rotations are probably due to his starters being so much better than his bench and Pheonix’s need to win now. PlusI would not mind a short rotation in New York as long as the players playing are the best players.

D’Antoni is a great great signing for us, and much better than an unproven commodity like Mark Jackson who, due to his inexperience, would have a hard time benching a player like Randolph if he is, god forbid, still a Knick next year.

Johnson might have been a slightly better signing, maybe, but who knows if he was even interested.

Today I am a very happy Knick fan. I can’t wait for the off-season.