D'antoni takes Credit for Suns sweep

[The Regime]

Mike D'Antoni watched Sunday with a smile as the Suns, as he put it, "slayed an old nemesis" by sweeping the Spurs in a Western Conference semifinal. He appreciated what it meant for his former allies Steve Nash, Amar'e Stoudemire and coach Alvin Gentry, but D'Antoni also took from the Suns' success a measure of personal vindication.

 

That's his system the Suns are playing. And they're back in the conference finals for the third time in six years.

 

"What I'm really happy about is you see the way Orlando and Phoenix play, they're arguably two of the best teams, and that's how we need to play,'' the Knicks' coach said. The Magic also uses a spread offense featuring the pick and roll and three-point shooting. "They're reaffirming the blueprint that'll get us to a championship. And that's what we've got to do in New York."

 

D'Antoni said he thinks the Suns "have a legitimate shot at beating the Lakers'' in the Western Conference finals. He would love to see the Suns play the Magic in the NBA Finals, for two obvious reasons:

 

(1) The offensive style he believes in would be guaranteed to win a championship, which many detractors say it can't do.

 

(2) It would mean LeBron James' Cavaliers didn't reach the Finals for the third consecutive year. That might motivate him to consider joining the Knicks as a free agent this summer.

 

Finally overcoming the Spurs was something to savor because of the bitter history, but there is some reality to consider. Despite upsetting the second-seeded Mavericks in the first round, the Spurs hardly are a championship contender anymore. "The Spurs aren't half the team they were," D'Antoni said. "Tim Duncan isn't the problem he used to be."

 

But the Suns are exactly what they were under D'Antoni. Gentry is credited for re-establishing D'Antoni's offense while also emphasizing defense after D'Antoni's replacement, Terry Porter, was fired last season.

 

Stoudemire routinely points out that Gentry talks more about defense than D'Antoni ever did. Statistically, however, the Suns aren't more efficient than they were under D'Antoni.

 

According to HoopData.com, Gentry's Suns ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency (110.2) compared with D'Antoni's teams, which for his four seasons were 16th (106.8) on average.

 

"They're playing better defense, and you've got to give Alvin credit for that," D'Antoni said. "Amar'e can say what he wants, but we talked every day to him about defense. I mean, we're not stupid. We emphasized and tried, but he wasn't ready to buy into it totally.

 

"And Alvin got him to buy in, and I think that's Alvin's strength. He got a bond with Amar'e that I probably couldn't reach, and it's worked."

 

http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/d-antoni-sees-suns-sweep-of-spurs-as-vindication-1.1905012

 

LMAO

[Check my Stats]

This dude needs to shut his mouth, [expletive] I hate this guy.

[Poe]

Did either of you actually read the article? I don't see where he's trying to take credit. He's just saying that he created a successful formula, which he has, and that once his team in NY buys into it, they should become successful as well.

 

And if you continue to read, he is also giving credit to Gentry for getting his players to play defense, something he admits he failed to do.

[andreusito]

There's nothing in this article that isn't true. As Poe says, he's not taking credit, and even if, it's true that it's working.

[Check my Stats]

Lol he is saying they are using his blueprint for their success which is not true.

 

"They're reaffirming the blueprint that'll get us to a championship. And that's what we've got to do in New York."

 

Maybe it is just me, but it seems like he is implying that his blueprint includes defense which in Phoenix it never did. I don't care what their defensive efficiency was, this Suns team doesn't trade possessions with opponents like the old Suns teams did.

 

"The Spurs aren't half the team they were," D'Antoni said. "Tim Duncan isn't the problem he used to be."

 

Again, maybe it is just me, but he is sort of discrediting what the Suns did this year. The Spurs are half the team they used to be? Don't really see it but okay D'Antoni, whatever you say.

 

"And Alvin got him to buy in, and I think that's Alvin's strength. He got a bond with Amar'e that I probably couldn't reach, and it's worked."

 

Nice to see he has some humility.

 

Combine this with the players he has already run out of New York for no reason, rather than solve the issues with them, I just have no respect for this guy.

[Check my Stats]

"Amar'e can say what he wants, but we talked every day to him about defense. I mean, we're not stupid. We emphasized and tried, but he wasn't ready to buy into it totally.

 

Wasn't there an article on RealGM that said the Knicks players laughed when asked by the media if they preached or even practiced defense?

[Poe]

They ARE using his blueprint, lol. And whether D'Antoni's blueprint includes defense, we don't know, but don't put words in his mouth saying that he said it did. Gentry took the team right where D'Antoni left off. Perhaps he perfected the system, but the system would have never been there if it weren't for D'Antoni.

[Check my Stats]

The Magic are a top 5 defensive team, statistically speaking they were probably the best team on both ends of the ball this year, hardly 'D'Antoni basketball'. All they do is spread the floor around the most dominatnt big in the NBA, I don't see how he is honestly even comparing his style to the Magic, just because they take 3's? Lol.

 

I guess I could see the argument for the Suns, but the Magic? Not even close. This 'system' won't be successful, the Magic will probably make the finals, the Suns will lose to the Lakers in 5 games. I can't see this system being successful without a PG comparable to Nash.

[Poe]

...and I don't see how the Magic would be this successful without a C comparable to Howard.