Game Report: I have seen the light!

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Andre Miller this year when talking about Zach's struggles at times running point said they were because Zach is a 2. I think Andre Miller knows what a PG looks like at this point in his career. Sam and LST are the only ones left calling him a PG. I'd rather trust the journeyman PG's opinion over the stubborn coach's.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Andre Miller this year when talking about Zach's struggles at times running point said they were because Zach is a 2. I think Andre Miller knows what a PG looks like at this point in his career. Sam and LST are the only ones left calling him a PG. I'd rather trust the journeyman PG's opinion over the stubborn coach's.

Ha, Miller is a cagey vet who loves to ball, and he knows the best way for him to get minutes is if Zach moves to the 2...of course he's saying that Zach is a 2! If you were competing with a guy at work for a promotion, and the boss asked you if your competitor was better at your position or in another role, what would you say? Now if KMart called him a 2, you might be on to something.

And for the record, neither Sam or I are calling Zach a PG...we're both calling him a "guard". Team need should dictate what position he plays.

[60WinTim]

Terry Stots solution is to start both his PGs together, Lillard and McCollum, and subbing such that one of them is always on the floor. Of course, this would create a minutes problem for the other wings...

[60WinTim]

Going back to Sam and his coaching staff. I am sure they are good at certain aspects of coaching and teaching. But they are simply out of their league up at the NBA level. Here is one example that bugged me at the end of the Clipper game. Up by 3, Doc chose to intentionally foul us to prevent a 3-pointer. But we could have turned the tables by having someone foul Deandre Jordan on the rebound attempt of the 2nd free throw (even though we made it). This would have given us the 2 points and put Jordan at the FT line which is way better than fouling whoever received the ball on the inbound attempt.

I think I saw Miami do it early this year, and Doc used it to beat Detroit in OT last week. But this tactic completely escaped Mitchell and his staff. They are out of their league.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Going back to Sam and his coaching staff. I am sure they are good at certain aspects of coaching and teaching. But they are simply out of their league up at the NBA level. Here is one example that bugged me at the end of the Clipper game. Up by 3, Doc chose to intentionally foul us to prevent a 3-pointer. But we could have turned the tables by having someone foul Deandre Jordan on the rebound attempt of the 2nd free throw (even though we made it). This would have given us the 2 points and put Jordan at the FT line which is way better than fouling whoever received the ball on the inbound attempt.

I think I saw Miami do it early this year, and Doc used it to beat Detroit in OT last week. But this tactic completely escaped Mitchell and his staff. They are out of their league.

Yep, and for LST and others who point to him winning coach of the year 10 years ago, so what? I was a lot better at many things 10 years ago too. He's gotta go after this year.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Going back to Sam and his coaching staff. I am sure they are good at certain aspects of coaching and teaching. But they are simply out of their league up at the NBA level. Here is one example that bugged me at the end of the Clipper game. Up by 3, Doc chose to intentionally foul us to prevent a 3-pointer. But we could have turned the tables by having someone foul Deandre Jordan on the rebound attempt of the 2nd free throw (even though we made it). This would have given us the 2 points and put Jordan at the FT line which is way better than fouling whoever received the ball on the inbound attempt.

I think I saw Miami do it early this year, and Doc used it to beat Detroit in OT last week. But this tactic completely escaped Mitchell and his staff. They are out of their league.

Yep, and for LST and others who point to him winning coach of the year 10 years ago, so what? I was a lot better at many things 10 years ago too. He's gotta go after this year.

I would argue that coaching a basketball team is different than sexual performance (that is what you were referring to, right :) )...coaching skills shouldn't fall off a cliff between 42 and 52 like other things might. Sam's style of coaching is all about hard work and defense, and those things are relevant in any era... and he managed to overachieve with a horrible roster in Toronto applying those principles. Unless he has suffered a stroke in the past decade that hasn't been disclosed, he's the same coach at 52 that he was at 42...and that coach was considered the best coach in basketball that year.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Going back to Sam and his coaching staff. I am sure they are good at certain aspects of coaching and teaching. But they are simply out of their league up at the NBA level. Here is one example that bugged me at the end of the Clipper game. Up by 3, Doc chose to intentionally foul us to prevent a 3-pointer. But we could have turned the tables by having someone foul Deandre Jordan on the rebound attempt of the 2nd free throw (even though we made it). This would have given us the 2 points and put Jordan at the FT line which is way better than fouling whoever received the ball on the inbound attempt.

I think I saw Miami do it early this year, and Doc used it to beat Detroit in OT last week. But this tactic completely escaped Mitchell and his staff. They are out of their league.

Yep, and for LST and others who point to him winning coach of the year 10 years ago, so what? I was a lot better at many things 10 years ago too. He's gotta go after this year.

I would argue that coaching a basketball team is different than sexual performance (that is what you were referring to, right :) )...coaching skills shouldn't fall off a cliff between 42 and 52 like other things might. Sam's style of coaching is all about hard work and defense, and those things are relevant in any era... and he managed to overachieve with a horrible roster in Toronto applying those principles. Unless he has suffered a stroke in the past decade that hasn't been disclosed, he's the same coach at 52 that he was at 42...and that coach was considered the best coach in basketball that year.

1. COY is based on many factors. Coaching ability is only one of them. And even that is subjective. Rick Carlisle has only one COY... but I don't consider he and Mitchell equals because of it.

2. It's only been a decade. But the league has changed a lot in that time. Analytics is part of it. Offense and defense are much more complex and nuances are much more intricate now than they were a decade ago when "go play hard" went a lot further.

3. I don't hate Sam Mitchell as a coach. After all, I'm still searching for my soul after the Kurt Rambis era (and to a lesser extent, Randy Wittman era). But I don't think he's one of the better coaches for NBA basketball in 2015.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Going back to Sam and his coaching staff. I am sure they are good at certain aspects of coaching and teaching. But they are simply out of their league up at the NBA level. Here is one example that bugged me at the end of the Clipper game. Up by 3, Doc chose to intentionally foul us to prevent a 3-pointer. But we could have turned the tables by having someone foul Deandre Jordan on the rebound attempt of the 2nd free throw (even though we made it). This would have given us the 2 points and put Jordan at the FT line which is way better than fouling whoever received the ball on the inbound attempt.

I think I saw Miami do it early this year, and Doc used it to beat Detroit in OT last week. But this tactic completely escaped Mitchell and his staff. They are out of their league.

Yep, and for LST and others who point to him winning coach of the year 10 years ago, so what? I was a lot better at many things 10 years ago too. He's gotta go after this year.

I would argue that coaching a basketball team is different than sexual performance (that is what you were referring to, right :) )...coaching skills shouldn't fall off a cliff between 42 and 52 like other things might. Sam's style of coaching is all about hard work and defense, and those things are relevant in any era... and he managed to overachieve with a horrible roster in Toronto applying those principles. Unless he has suffered a stroke in the past decade that hasn't been disclosed, he's the same coach at 52 that he was at 42...and that coach was considered the best coach in basketball that year.

Basketball the sport has significantly changed in 10 years in terms of the nuances that drive success in today's game. If you're coaching the same way you did ten years ago you're in trouble. Saying hard work and defense haven't changed isn't doing justice to what has changed about the league in both of those areas. How players are preparing for seasons is a lot more intense and focused and how defenses are being devised to push play towards help defenders and spaces on the floor is different than it was 10 years ago. The game changes small bits at a time. What you did 10 years ago may not work today. Flip played a zone defense 10 years ago and that would get lit up by today's 3pt shooting teams. If you don't adapt like Popovich and Carlisle you do become out of date.

[Lipoli390]

Andre Miller this year when talking about Zach's struggles at times running point said they were because Zach is a 2. I think Andre Miller knows what a PG looks like at this point in his career. Sam and LST are the only ones left calling him a PG. I'd rather trust the journeyman PG's opinion over the stubborn coach's.

Ha, Miller is a cagey vet who loves to ball, and he knows the best way for him to get minutes is if Zach moves to the 2...of course he's saying that Zach is a 2! If you were competing with a guy at work for a promotion, and the boss asked you if your competitor was better at your position or in another role, what would you say? Now if KMart called him a 2, you might be on to something.

And for the record, neither Sam or I are calling Zach a PG...we're both calling him a "guard". Team need should dictate what position he plays.

LST -

1. Miller is not pushing for more minutes. Flip had to strong-arm him into not retiring and his main sales pitch was mentoring, not playing. Miller told the same season ticket gathering a few weeks ago that he will definitely retire after this season. So Miller's comment was sincere and absolutely correct.

2. Flip said Zach is a guard but also said he's really a 2-guard and that he played him at PG to make him a better SG. In contrast, Sam said Zach has to be a PG if he's going to be great. In other words Sam sees Zach becoming a PG even if he isn't one now. You're cutting Sam way too much slack.

[Lipoli390]

Going back to Sam and his coaching staff. I am sure they are good at certain aspects of coaching and teaching. But they are simply out of their league up at the NBA level. Here is one example that bugged me at the end of the Clipper game. Up by 3, Doc chose to intentionally foul us to prevent a 3-pointer. But we could have turned the tables by having someone foul Deandre Jordan on the rebound attempt of the 2nd free throw (even though we made it). This would have given us the 2 points and put Jordan at the FT line which is way better than fouling whoever received the ball on the inbound attempt.

I think I saw Miami do it early this year, and Doc used it to beat Detroit in OT last week. But this tactic completely escaped Mitchell and his staff. They are out of their league.

Yep, and for LST and others who point to him winning coach of the year 10 years ago, so what? I was a lot better at many things 10 years ago too. He's gotta go after this year.

I would argue that coaching a basketball team is different than sexual performance (that is what you were referring to, right :) )...coaching skills shouldn't fall off a cliff between 42 and 52 like other things might. Sam's style of coaching is all about hard work and defense, and those things are relevant in any era... and he managed to overachieve with a horrible roster in Toronto applying those principles. Unless he has suffered a stroke in the past decade that hasn't been disclosed, he's the same coach at 52 that he was at 42...and that coach was considered the best coach in basketball that year.

Sam was fired the year after winning coach of the year. There are things called flukes. That's how I see his one good season with the Raptors.

Flip had a track record of multiple seasons overachieving and getting plus 50-win seasons, yet last year many questioned his ability to coach in today's NBA. Sam had one 48-win season 20 years ago and was fired the next season. That's a pretty week case for Sam. I think getting canned the season after his good (not great) season is telling.

Sam's so-called strength - defense - doesn't hold up as a credible defense given this team's epically poor defense over the last 2+ weeks.