Game Thread: Knicks at Suns

by Tommy Dee on March 26th, 2010 at 8:42 pm

So we all know about the storyline, or at least I think I do. Something to do with the current Knicks coach used to be out there or something…

Anyway, the Knicks have a chance to build on what were great performances by Danilo Gallinari and Toney Douglas. What was lost in the fold the other night was that Al Harrington was pretty damn solid. I’ve heard clamoring that he’s been playing hurt, which is commendable. but Al, it wouldn’t hurt to move the ball first and finding your shot second like you were doing the other night.

And as far as this Alvin Gentry doing a better job than D’Antoni stuff, I don’t need to hear anyone tell me Gentry is adding this and that to D’Antoni’s business model. If you built if first, anything else is tweaking. Gentry himself is humble when he talks about Mike, so that’s good enough for me. I like Alvin, seems like a nice guy, but the team won’t win 60 games this year. Will they get home court against the Jazz? Will they slip to six and be a first round out? Still to be determined. The key in the West is to get in the top 4, and D’Antoni did that virtually every year.

Terry Porter tried to tear down the model, and it didn’t work out. The fact that Gentry GOT the job gives credence to the fact that the model, however currently constructed works.

  • harris

    But ultimately the “system” did not produce any championships when D’Antoni was there. It sounds like the new excuse these days for D’Antoni’s backers is that the Suns lost out during D’Antoni’s last year only because Tim Donaghy officiated one of the games in their series against San Antonio. In reality the Suns lost out because their defense was terrible.

    Alvin Gentry, on the other hand, seemingly pays some attention to defense. In one of the newspaper blogs online there was a reference to Grant Hill having commented that playing defense for D’Antoni was like being alone on an island-if you got beat, you were receiving absolutely no help–and
    this coming from a guy who supposedly likes D’Antoni.

    It’s certainly fair to say that D’Antoni doesn’t have many good defensive players to work with at present, but it’s also just as fair to point out that he’s seemingly never emphasized any kind of defensive philosophy to begin with. As long as this continues to the case, it is hard to imagine that he will ever become a championship caliber coach-even if given the “right players”.

  • HaS

    The system will die with Nash.

  • HaS

    *stands and applauds*

  • DatNewYorker

    Tommy Dee you say something intelligent in one thread and follow it up with something stupid in the next. You are like Linus of PEANUTS and his stupid great pumpkin. D’Antoni is the great pumpkin that only you and a few others believe in. All the D’Antoni believers bring up the 60 wins over and over again. You can’t compare a young Steve Nash with an older Steve Nash and you can’t compare the competition on west and on the east when they won those 60 games. Memphis isn’t a horrible team anymore and OKC is a team that even the Lakers don’t want to face. The NBA will adjust to the up-tempo 7 second and chuck system. It does not take much coaching skill to play that way. If you don’t believe me go check out a Rucker Park game this summer. So stop it with your fascination of this silly childish style of play because it makes you look like a D’Antoni groupie

  • Mucha

    McGrady and Gallo are playing really well tonight.

    I don’t know what to think of Gallinari guarding Nash and Douglas guarding J-Rich though.

  • KFFL

    I’m not a big D’Antoni fan, but give him next season before you pass the final judgement on him. By all means, in the meantime, get frustrated with some of his decisions, as well all know he has made his fair share mistakes, but let him get “his guys”. Once he under-performs with them, then we can start calling for him to get fired, I’ll be the first one start yelling “fire D’Antoni”, right next to you.

  • x-man

    Dude, What you’re seeing is two teams running on as system created by our dumb-a-s- coach. run, run and no defense.

    However, the TV announcers are correct in that this Lopez looks like he’s on red bull. He’s seems to be quicker than the Nets version or at least less stiff.

    I would have thought TD would go off against Nash! Maybe he’s hestitant to take the ball into the paint against Lopez.

    In any regards the Suns aren’t going anywhere int he playoffs and we aren’t even going to the playoffs. Alvin Gentry is gonna keep the same D’antoni system and get paid big time. PHx doesn’t even expect a ring anymore. They’re just happy to get in the playoffs and see high scores.

  • x-man

    lmao! Trick or Treat!

    Alvin Gentry is getting paid big time just by racking up the wins and no rings too. That black man ain’t no dummy. Give’ em what they want…especially since PHX don’t care for any rings.

    Don Nelson has been trying to win a ring with hat style for decades and he’s much better offensive guru than our dumba-s-s coach!

    I guess some still needs to see this coach for another year here to get it! So sad! Can’t see and tell AND1, they need AND3!

  • x-man

    In all fairness, Gentry doesn’t pay that much attention to defense. Hill and Lopez plays a little defense but that’s about it.

  • Lebris Jamosh aka ridiculous upside

    “Alvin Gentry, on the other hand, seemingly pays some attention to defense.”

    Suns this year, are tied for 24th in defensive efficiciency, coincidentally with the knicks. When Dantoni was there, the Suns were 16-17 in the league.

    The Dantoni bashing has gotten to the point, that facts don’t even seem to matter — just this kind of mindless and tiresome drivel.

  • Lebris Jamosh aka ridiculous upside

    So you’re standing and applauding something that has no factual basis. I suggest sitting back down.

  • x-man

    I agree that Gentry doesn’t pay much attention to defense too. Just watch the games and it’s apparent. lol

  • http://tharealestproductionz.blogspot.com/ DaGawD_KnowLedge

    danni boy can’t even out coach his system he got an assistant beating him at his own game.
    can’t believe people thinks this fool can coach..

  • Lebris Jamosh aka ridiculous upside

    “You can’t compare a young Steve Nash with an older Steve Nash”

    So Nash magically got old last year when Dantoni left. He has the same numbers only the team’s not the same.

    “Memphis isn’t a horrible team anymore and OKC is a team that even the Lakers don’t want to face ”

    Right, and for every bad team that’s gotten better, there are teams that have fallen off — the Spurs, Rockets, Hornets, and Kings are all much worse. The competition excuse is lame. Give the man credit.

    “The NBA will adjust to the up-tempo 7 second and chuck system”

    Lets see Dantoni’s suns averaged 58 wins over 4 years. And the suns are having success with his system again(although not to the same extent). 5 years is enough time to adjust?

  • http://tharealestproductionz.blogspot.com/ DaGawD_KnowLedge

    lopez is going to be a solid nba player
    eva since he started starting for the suns he gave them toughness
    an D

  • ds2488

    By the way, that article is ridiculous. The suns were a better defensive team under Dantoni than they are this year in terms of ranking. Plus, I wasn’t aware that hearsay from a lawyer’s friend is now being regarded as fact. Typical Berman “Reporting”.

  • http://tharealestproductionz.blogspot.com/ DaGawD_KnowLedge

    why the F isn’t DOUG or GALLO playing.

    this coach is sad
    can’t believe he’s going to be here another 2 years

  • ds2488

    This is one of the worst coached and played games I have ever seen. I can’t get over this right now.

    The Gallo freezeout continues!!! Good, he was doing too well lately..Tmac needs to dominate the ball in the post and miss 10 layups. Thats our real offense. Nice to see the best and only player on our team ignored for 2 quarters now. Great.

    Another great decision by Dantoni- The ridiculous matchups that took the Knicks out of the game at the start. Very brilliant.. Create a horrible mismatch that can be exploited by the other team for the whole game when it was completely unnecessary in the first place.

    Al Harrington is still the worst basketball player ever. He literally jogs back on defense.

    David Lee is the worst..Add Robin Lopez to the list of people who dominated him and who I would rather have as my Center.

    Tmac was awful. Bill Walker can’t play defense. And Toney Doug is having one of the worst games I have ever seen. It reminds me of Duhon. My favorite was when he ignored a wide open Gallo so he could force a contested runner in the lane.

    Awesome effort. Dantoni for Coach of the Year!!!

  • Knicks4life

    D’Antoni didn’t coach the Suns last year.

  • Knicks4life

    Lol. Who is freezing Gallo out now.

    Is it any coincidence Gallo is being “frozen out” on the road where he routinely disappears?

  • Lebris Jamosh aka ridiculous upside

    what?

  • Knicks4life

    Yup Knicks do it again.

    Sorry to be the voice of reason but this team is not that good . . .Period.

  • ds2488

    The whole team is freezing him out. He had 2 wide open cuts to the basket, one of them Lee kept and drew a foul on, and the other Bill Walker got a layup on but he was cutting and open on. Its impossible for him to be involved when the offense calls for Tmac to get the ball in the post on 5 straight possessions.

    But anyway, what are you really arguing with here? Would you not say that Gallo was the only guy getting something done on offense tonight? So even if you are right in that he “routinely disappears”, isn’t that you know, the job of the coach to make sure he’s involved? The guy can’t disappear if he has plays being called for him and guys looking for him because that’s the called play. Isn’t that one of the points of having a coach?

  • Lebris Jamosh aka ridiculous upside

    The Great Brandon Jennings and Doug both with disastrous games. Almost the exact statline — both 1-8, BJ with 4 pts, Doug 3 pts so far. This coming after the post here comparing their awesomeness. Right on cue!

  • Mucha

    Really?

  • Mucha

    Haha that’s called perfect timing.

  • Knicks4life

    D’Antoni has done an awful job this year. Part of that awful job has been letting his veterans chuck away (House, Harrington) and not running any effective plays for Gallo (I agree).

    But I think Gallo has the most potential of any Knick still on the team. So I watch his game pretty closely. He is not aggressive enough consistently. It will hold him back from being a very good player. That includes not taking the ball to the rim and settling for his three point shot even when he is covered. That includes not doing a good aggressive job on the offensive and defensive glass. That is not on the coach, that is on him.

    Sorry just calling it like I see it.

  • ds2488

    I was personally expecting the Knicks to win a championship this year, up until this game. I was really blindsided. so K4l was right.

  • Knicks4life

    Hey with all the Knick cheerleading going on the past week they should have won by 30.

  • Mucha

    +1

    I think he WILL be a very good player but he needs to be more aggressive on the road. He’s only 21 though, but you’re right.

  • ds2488

    I agree with everything you just said. You seem to agree with everything I say too. Its just a matter of semantics. When I say Gallo is being frozen out..I mean he isn’t being made the focal point of the offense, as he should have for all this year. He is their best player in my opinion.

    He is not aggressive enough a lot of the time. But thats something that happens with a lot of young guys. Especially on a team full of stat-padding veterans who aren’t being held accountable for anything they do. That has to be on the coach to make sure he is consistently involved. Heck, if the coach doesn’t think he is being aggressive enough than he should call him out for it and then follow up by threatening to bench him or whatever. But he shouldn’t have to be more aggressive on offense..the team should be looking for him from the start and on a lot of plays. Its been an absolute travesty all year..it shows especially when he is their best player on the night and still doesn’t get the ball.

  • http://tharealestproductionz.blogspot.com/ DaGawD_KnowLedge

    got killed by your student

    this guy is sad

  • ds2488

    I don’t understand where this cheerleading is coming from? Is it just DVJ? Everyone’s been saying the Knicks have been playing well lately, that is all. No one is saying they are gonna win the rest of their games or anything like that, are they? DVJ is the only one talking about them winning “30-35″ games. I don’t know anyone else on here doing that.

  • gianthinker

    This was a horrible night…

  • x-man

    LOL You throwing DVJ under the little yellow bus?

  • x-man

    Yep he’s alright but he’ll have 5 fouls before the 1st qtr on the PHX against better teams. All I hear is “YOURS” when an opposing player come in the paint.

  • x-man

    Yeah but those are D’antoni’s players! I don’t know who the players on this team are! lol U can’t blame the coach for this lost! As the coach stated, this lost was all on TD.

  • http://tharealestproductionz.blogspot.com/ DaGawD_KnowLedge

    yea i know players was going to be danni boy’s defense.
    but my point is this guy can’t even think of a defensive strategy to shutout his own system.

    no doubt phoenix got better players but still losing by almost 40 dammnn.

  • prettyToney

    Is anybody else not really impressed with Amare Stoudamire , I mean everyone’s been raving about him lately but it seems to be alot to do with Nash finding him all the time and Amare just stuffing it in the hoop. It doesn’t look like he can really create on his own, and i don’t think he’d be that successful playing with Douglas.

  • dogmanx23

    Mike Dumbfuckintoni… Its bad enough every team has a size advantage on us, but why are you giving them two more??

    Gallo on Nash, Douglas on Richardson. All game has killed us. Nash got by Gallo like nothing all game, Richardson kept attracting double teams leaving guys wide open.

    If D’Antoni seriously thinks this is what defense is.. giving the other team mismatches he needs to GET A FUCKING CLUE!.

    My favorite stat of the night, are you ready HOTK? Al Harrington most minutes and most shots in the game.. Its beautiful ain’t it. FUCK YOU TURTLE FUCK!

    Another brilliant move, Mcgrady played 19 minutes in the 1st half… shocker that his body can’t handle minutes in the 2nd. Does dumbtoni know this guy had major knee surgery?

  • PipeDreamin

    i missed the game tonight. but judging by the box score, its probably a good thing.

    Looks like TD was non-existant tonight. What happened?
    Seems like Gallo still did his thing. I think he is just going up from here. The Carmello game was his coming out party.

    I read everyones posts. Some complained about Gallo on Nash but Nash only had 9 points so idk if thats such a bad thing.

    How the hell did we give 132 pts??? What happened? Someone please fill me in.

  • joetheknick

    Lopsided loss. Looks like 3 of our starters got 5 quick fouls trying to defend a better team. For those who believe D’Antoni’s “no defense system” will not bring a championship, is it a “no defense system” that has not brought a recent championship to Cleveland, Orlando, Utah or Houston or are they just not championship teams??

  • harris

    “The Dantoni bashing has gotten to the point, that facts don’t seem to matter-just this kind of mindless and tiresome drivel”.

    Fair enough on Gentry if you don’t like him-but let’s not avoid the obvious. D’Antoni couldn’t care less about defense, and that will ultimately always be his downfall. That’s simply fact.

  • harris

    Yes-you obviously must have the talent to win, but you still ultimately have to play defense to have a chance. D’Antoni doesn’t care about this facet of the sport-that’s why he’ll never win anything.

    Cleveland and Orlando have at least been to a finals-something that D’Antoni has never done.

  • joetheknick

    I cannot argue with your conclusion that D’Antoni’s lack of caring will not win anything because it is true he has not won a championship. However he did get to the conference finals in 2005 and 2006 and the semi finals in 2007. I guess he cared a little?

  • harris

    Sure-about offense.

  • HaS

    I was applauding Grant Hill’s alleged comment.

    “playing defense for D’Antoni was like being alone on an island-if you got beat, you were receiving absolutely no help–and
    this coming from a guy who supposedly likes D’Antoni.”

    Not exactly coming from a Larry Hughes, Eddy Curry or Stephon Marbury (grounds for dismissal in the eyes of _’antoni’s supporters) , if he truly made that statement. Could that have played a part in him deciding not to reunite with the “player’s coach” in NY?

  • HaS

    Robin is the more athletic Lopez brother, Brook is more fundamentally polished offensively.

  • HaS

    Thanks _’antoni!

    I got to turn off the game early and get some much needed rest (I have to work today).

    I guess no recap is necessary.

  • LBJ2010

    Don’t worry ds, Knicks4Life routinely misrepresents the majority of Knick fans to “prove” his points.

  • x-man

    lol Yep, Danny boy says stopping his own offense is like trying to put the brakes on a Toyota!