Mike D’Antoni Intends to Bring “Showtime” Back to the Lakers

someone please tell me a team that has won it all with a run and gun offense in the past 22 years? I’ll wait. How many times has a team running the triangle offense won it in the past 22 years?? Oh thats right, 11 times. What was the main reason the Heat won it last year..was it not cause Lebron asserted himself in the post like he has never previously done?! Was Tim Duncan not a phenomenal post prescense who won another 4 rings in the past 22 years? What about Hakeem Olajuwon, his post game wasnt the main factor they won those two rings in the early 90′s, not at all. 19 out of the last 22 championships were won offensively speaking in the post. D’Antoni is trying to rewrite history, and will most likely be a fool for doing so.

yah but D’Antoni is not a defensive minded coach. I know individually the players on the team are defensive minded, but how can it be helfpul to an ‘aging team’ to have to play more defensive possessions per game? These guys are world class athletes, but how can two 7 footers a 34 yr old and a 39 yr old pg be running up and down the court so much and then expect to play hard defense.

you should probably can your belief that the team is going to be playing SSOL, because they won’t. Will they be faster paced? Yes. Will they run to the point that it is detrimental to their team? No. — And contrary to popular belief, D’Antoni doesn’t just disregard defense, his teams have regularly (except those early Knicks teams that featured Amar’e as THE rim protector) been middle of the pack. idk about you, but it is not really bad defense to turn a team that features Amar’e and Nash to an average defense. Now he has Dwight. The defense will be strong. — And it’s not about having more defensive possessions per game, it’s about having more offensive possessions. Even if your defense can’t “stop” everyone, if the offense can outscore (when you think about things “averaging out” you always hear people say “small sample size” — it’s the same concept with basketball, the larger the sample size, the more often the “better” team will succeed) anyone, giving them the most opportunities to do so is always the best option. —– and focusing on how many titles were won with completely unrelated circumstances in the past, are incredibly irrelevant. I mean, we can judge everything in the past if you really want, but if we do that, we can confidently say neither D’Antoni or Jackson would win a title with the Lakers this season.

The NBA changed around the early ’90s. Bob Costas and the league started emphasizing stars and scoring. Guys who were high scorers, yet shot at a 40% clip were being idolized. Defense, rebounding, hustle plays – things that win chips went unnoticed. The Bulls used to press teams. With Scottie and Jordan at the top of the press, opposing guards couldn’t even see down court. And the harder teams tried, the more the Bulls would beat them down. In the final 5 minutes of games, opposing teams’ body language signalled they wanted to be some place else. The Bulls literally broke teams psychologically.

im not saying they are going to play SSOL or not, i just think that with the personnel they have they should slow it down and Dwight Howard should learn how to excel in the post. He has two very formidable post playing teammates in Pau Gasol and Kobe to learn from. Pau mores so since Dwight and him are both bigs. Its already established that the Lakers bench is pretty weak and D’Antoni uses smaller rotations. Why have 30 + year old players run a track meet? If they want to demoralize teams early and often they need to punish smaller teams (which is pretty much every team) offensively and defensively. Offensively by pounding the ball inside and wearing down defenders in the post. A defensively by getting physical which pretty much 4 starters on the team are capable of. side note, Steve Nash is a professional pg a two time MVP, he doesn’t have to be the Nash we all know in order for this team to be successful. And NBK in response to your initial rebuttal, if all of these past championship teams had strong defenses, why did not even one of them (especially lebron james and the heat 2012) have a run n gun offense?

bringing back showtime? come on man just try hard to win

Yeah, it changed around the early 90′s: defenses got tougher, players became bigger and more athletic. Stars and scoring were emphasized from the start. Start a list of some old-school all-offense/no-defense stars: Iceman Gervin, Dominique, David Thompson, Bernard King, not to mention Bird and Magic.

first of all, don’t say, “im not saying they are going to play SSOL or not,” and then in the same comment say “Why have 30 + year old players run a track meet?” – if they aren’t running the SSOL then they OBVIOUSLY won’t be running a track meet. —- STOP thinking every coach is a robot and just runs the same thing no matter who his players are. There is no reason to believe the Lakers won’t have the best offense in the league. Really, there isn’t. — In regards to the rotation, have you even really thought about this? How many bench players on the Lakers would be usable contributers in Phil Jackson’s system? one? Jordan Hill….how does Antawn Jamison become a good player in the triangle with a slow game and him playing PF? — Or are you really going to peddle him out as a SF and watch your big men get in foul trouble at the rim? Or have you thought about the fact that D’Antoni turns Chris F’ng Duhon into a serviceable backup, enables Antawn Jamison to be used as a weapon as much as he is a liability, rather than just a passible substitute who really can’t use any of his strengths on a regular basis. The criticism of Mike D’Antoni’s rotations is totally good and logical, but it isn’t a usable criticism on this team because there is no deep bench to dip into. Phil Jackson would not have benefitted the team by using the bench more than D’Antoni will.
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And why do you think running is more physically damaging to a player than actually playing physically? you are talking them have 30+ year olds, you really want them playing a physical brand of basketball for 82 games and expect them to keep it up through the playoffs? think about it. an open style of basketball is actually conducive to longevity because you are taking the grind of the game out and turning it into an exercise.

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Regarding your last question, i’m not really the one to ask, i don’t coach the team. But, looking at the data, the Heat were undefeated in the playoffs when they scored >100 points……and they have become “run and gun” (which is not what it is, they are just faster paced, it’s not like they are taking stupid shots) since last season….so obviously, Spoelstra did recognize that running is their greatest (offensive) strength.

the heats record indicates that too, how did scoring 100 against the clippers work out? This is the regular season, we all know they are going to switch it up in the playoffs. I promise if they win, its cause Lebron re-asserted himself in the post. Anytime you play run n gun you promote the other team to take quick shots the same way your team takes them, giving an inferior team confidence and ultimately a punchers shot for the W. Your right tho, a run and gun style might be less destructive to ones body in an 82 game season. But, any team with Dwight and great individual scorers who live for ‘pressure’ moments should slow the game down and run half court sets, slowly and methodically rip them a part so even playoff teams going in to face them know they cant win. These guys should be playing chess with their opponents not checkers. Antwan Jamison is a scrub when it comes to playing on good teams, nothing will change that.

I’m not arguing defense doesn’t win chips, or anything, but those Pistons teams were brutal too… They won, but they won ugly, and alot of the time, with dirty plays. I would rather watch MJ and Pippen pressure full court over that rough style. There’s a way to play D too, and I think the Lakers could potentially bring a new style. Kobe’s not what he used to be, but when motivated, he is still a lockdown defender for a few possessions every game. Nash won’t be of course, but he could be used as a bait to lead his man straight into Dwight? And Dwight’s a wall, he’ll have fun picking up after Nash anyway. Pau’s underrated, and Artest might be the only guy able to deal with Lebron physically. I’d say the Lakers don’t really need to be coached into a specific style, at least at first, they could be good defensively simply because of their personel.

The Heat this season have been playing God Awful defense. That’s why they have lost a few games despite high scoring totals. Correct me if i’m wrong, but expecting Spoelstra to figure a defense that features Ray “i can’t stay infront of a fire hydrant” Allen and Rashard Lewis out right away is, uhm, nuts.
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And you want the Lakers to play Chess, with an offense featuring Dwight Howard? You do realize how smart you have to be to play effectively in the triangle? Why do you think that offense, with Dwight can out-think teams and beat them that way? —- and pounding a team inside is a great strategy in theory, but it also means the Lakers will have less offensive possessions, it will strip Steve Nash of pretty much every trait that separates him as a player from anyone else, and forces Dwight to learn THE TRIANGLE ON THE FLY all while he has an expiring contract.
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And if you need proof that a high paced team can find success, just look at the 09 Magic. Who took the Lakers to 6 games in the finals, with Hedo f*cking Turkoglu as it’s best perimeter player…..now, a team built around Dwight has 2 perimeter players who are much better than Turk was offensively, with a secondary post player, who is actually better than Dwight. — the only way to look at this Lakers situation is optimistically imo.

gotta learn to look at every comment as a completely separate entity unto itself. Shock is crazy a lot of the times, but underneath that, he knows basketball, and is pretty well versed in it’s history. His narcissism is the real problem. But when that is removed, he’s an asset as a commenter.

play basket-ball as it’s played in sainte-mère-l’église !

Lol, stupid internet doesn’t show sarcasm. But I was being sarcastic, you’re right that was a nice gem.

Na, don’t worry, wasn’t trying to come off as insulting you for not catching it either cause usually we get at Shock always.

By D’Antoni you mean Dwight right?

Preach.

Just left for my lunch break, I’ll get into this with you in about an hour. Didn’t want to make you wait on a response

I still feel your viewing it relatively. If you score 115 points but give up 110 is that bad defense or good defense? I would call that good defense no matter the context, because your not allowing that team to score more than you.

“The only time Jodie Meeks needs to shoot the ball is when he’s get it.”
-Mike D’Antoni

LMAO, I love it

I made it. I’m the cute blonde leading the leg kick routines.

ok about the Steve Blake thing…..
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Remember how Kobe visited Hakeem so he could have more post success in the triangle?
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Well, now he needs to learn how to master the PnR. So, who would he go to for lessons?
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Steve Nash? — Well good! that’s his teammate……given that this is established, let’s look at the Strengths of Steve Blake
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Shooting.
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Ok that took a while, lol. Let’s look at it like this, Blake will play with Kobe, and be a pseudo 2 guard on offense, letting Kobe handle PnR’s while Blake stretches the floor. So yes, in essence i believe he will still be the first guard off the bench. — But I don’t really consider him “Nash’s” backup, as much as he is Kobe’s while Kobe plays the roll of Nash for short stretches. I do think Duhon will get considerable amount of time, and Jodie Meeks, if he can prove to hit 3′s at a higher than 36% clip, will also see time. But Blake makes the most sense next to Kobe, because he CAN handle PG duties, and he CAN kind of defend PG’s. While Meeks is a SG through and through, and Duhon really isn’t a threat to do anything but distribute. Which isn’t really needed if Kobe’s on the court. (even though he will be used).
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Get where I’m coming from?

your impossible. You already got called out numerous times over and over for calling others ignorant, its clear you can’t keep your composure, i dont care if you behind a computer or not i see right thru u. You act as if there is not a push pull with offense and defense. Watch what happens when the playoffs come around, this 116 ppg or whatever u are saying will go down to 85 and lebron will take his talents to the post. Phil Jackson would have been returning to a team where exactly 3 starters have already ran the triangle for a hefty amount of their bball playing careers. Child Please! Like I said, its not quantum physics, if you are so damn knowledgeable about the triangle then believe me dwight can and will be too. Im not the only one who said championship or bust, ask kobe, dantoni or any laker personnell fan, slam poster anyone what it is.

They also know how to have fun!

just like i told the last person who got all ass-hurt, i am not calling you ignorant, i’m saying the things you are saying are ignorant. because you OBVIOUSLY, don’t know what your talking about, you just think you are making sense.
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“You act as if there is not a push pull with offense and defense. Watch what happens when the playoffs come around, this 116 ppg or whatever u are saying will go down to 85 and lebron will take his talents to the post”

—- Once again, the Heat were 11-0 when scoring over 100 points in the playoffs. 5-7 when scoring less than 100. The team is better the faster they play. To argue otherwise, is IGNORANT. Or stupid. You can pick.

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Why do you keep acting like i said the Lakers aren’t trying to win a championship? Or that not winning one will be a successful season? You are just making more ASSUMPTIONS, and then using them to support some wild argument that only proves you don’t know what your talking about.

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All I said was, D’Antoni has THE SAME chance as Phil Jackson to win a title in the first year. That’s the only thing i’ve said about those two this season. And I listed a whole bunch of completely factual and logical reasons to back it up. You on the other hand, have done the complete opposite.

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And again, you can believe whatever you want about the triangle, but facts are facts, no TEAM has ever picked it up in it’s first try. Even if some of the members of that team have done it before (hello 2009 Lakers.)
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You don’t see through me, you see me. I’m clear about my argument. And honest about what I’m saying. I have already told you I’m not a fan of ignorant arguments. And I have already told you and countless other people on this website that I am not going to hesitate to tell you how I feel. If that hurts your feelings? That’s not really my problem.