D'Antoni, Suns might part ways after first-round loss

[bigblueinsanity]

Despite averaging 58 regular-season wins in the last four seasons, Mike D'Antoni might be out as Phoenix Suns coach.

 

An SI.com report on Tuesday night said that the coach will not return after his team was eliminated 4-1 by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.

 

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3374706

 

 

Are the Sun's Crazy this guys is a great coach. New York will be trying hard to get this guy!

[HOMELESS CAMEL]

Not so much the coach as it is the players, they need to just wipe the slate clean and start over. BUT since they can't do that, getting rid of the coach is the next best thing. Maybe a new coach can change the philosophy around there, I doubt it, but you never know.

[sweet16]

Changing your style after the mid-way point is hard for a coach. Bringing Shaq in and sending Marion out took a while to adjust. He should not be fired and given a whole season with Shaq.

[bigblueinsanity]

^

 

I agree.

[spe690]

Changing your style after the mid-way point is hard for a coach. Bringing Shaq in and sending Marion out took a while to adjust. He should not be fired and given a whole season with Shaq.

 

Exactly. They need a full season from start to finish with Shaq.

[halfback20]

Changing your style after the mid-way point is hard for a coach. Bringing Shaq in and sending Marion out took a while to adjust. He should not be fired and given a whole season with Shaq.

 

They wouldn't have beaten San Antonio with Marion either though...

[5wide]

It's hard to win when you are overmatched at the point guard position...two series that stand out, IMO...Phoenix vs. San Antonio and Dallas vs. New Orleans...Tony Parker abused Steve Nash and Chris Paul did the same to Jason Kidd...that was the difference in both series. It's hard to overcome when your point guard is a liability on the defensive end and your defense is getting broke down at will.

 

I thought Dallas made a mistake by trading Harris for Kidd for this very reason...come playoff time, Devin Harris would have matched up much better defensively with the great point guards in the Western Conference. Kidd is a great player, but he just can't hang with those guys any more.

 

I liked the trade for Shaq. I didn't like the trade for Kidd. I still feel that way...

[spe690]

They wouldn't have beaten San Antonio with Marion either though...

 

They could have very well been swept with Marion. The Suns are a Tim Duncan 3 away from winning game 1, and 3 fourth quarter TO's away from winning game 5.

[halfback20]

They could have very well been swept with Marion. The Suns are a Tim Duncan 3 away from winning game 1, and 3 fourth quarter TO's away from winning game 5.

 

Woulda shoulda coulda, they got beat 4-1. Duncan hit the three, and the TO's happened.

 

BTW,

 

Suns GM refutes report D'Antoni won't be back

[bugatti]

The Shaq trade went down to counteract Duncan. It is debateable if that worked or not. However, Shawn Marion (previously the Suns best defender) would have been on Parker, which would have given them more trouble. But, it did not happen. The Spurs are my favorite team so the trade worked out perfectly for me

[halfback20]

The Shaq trade went down to counteract Duncan. It is debateable if that worked or not. However, Shawn Marion (previously the Suns best defender) would have been on Parker, which would have given them more trouble. But, it did not happen. The Spurs are my favorite team so the trade worked out perfectly for me

 

Same here. Go Spurs!!:ylsuper:

[Original Rookie]

Did you watch the game HB? The Suns were hosed.

[5wide]

The Shaq trade went down to counteract Duncan. It is debateable if that worked or not. However, Shawn Marion (previously the Suns best defender) would have been on Parker, which would have given them more trouble. But, it did not happen. The Spurs are my favorite team so the trade worked out perfectly for me

 

I still think it was a good move for Phoenix to take a chance. It hadn't worked the other way...the problem, IMO, is that they couldn't fully adjust and find their new identity with Shaq in the short time they had him. Also, Shaq isn't the player he used to be, so the hack-a-shaq defense becomes even more of a liability because Shaq can't offset it as much with his dominance. Ultimately though, I still think Nash's defense is a huge problem when they face a point guard like Parker. It breaks everything down for Phoenix in the half court.

 

I think the Suns should keep D'Antoni and see what they can do with Shaq for a full season. Give them a chance to play a whole season together and develop some chemistry...

[NEXT]

I'm not one to bash a coach and I don't feel like I am here.

 

D'Antoni is part of the problem, you cannot play 7 guys over the course of an 82 game season and expect to be somewhat fresh come playoff time -

 

Gordan Giricek, D.J. Strawberry, and Alando Tucker can all play but he did not develop them.

[halfback20]

Did you watch the game HB? The Suns were hosed.

 

Actually, I got confused and thought the game was tonight. End of the semester is really getting to me.