Best Coach In Suns History

[1tinsoldier]

i could see Igor Kokoskov becoming the best assistant coach in Phoenix Suns history,
perhaps in another 13-18 years, the best assistant coach in NBA league history

 

[TRW]

Cotton. DA second ( though I really cannot stand him). McLeod third. Westy was good too.

I will always love McLeod for that epic 1976 run though. The triple OT game is the best bb game I have ever seen. Gar Heard....enough said.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Cotton. DA second ( though I really cannot stand him). McLeod third. Westy was good too.

I will always love McLeod for that epic 1976 run though. The triple OT game is the best bb game I have ever seen. Gar Heard....enough said.

And westy’s incredible intelligence realizing taking a technical foul was a necessity. That part of the story has always stayed with me.

 

[TRW]

And westy’s incredible intelligence realizing taking a technical foul was a necessity. That part of the story has always stayed with me.

Yep. Genius. He was a very good player. I was kind of bummed when they traded Charlie Scott for him “who?” I thought at the time. Turned out to be a great trade. They got us back later though...

 

[Yuma]

Choking in 95’ with a 3-1 lead and losing g7 at home takes the cake over anything that happened from 05-10’ IMO. They also had a 2-0 lead in 94’ and lost in 7. Even though they went to the finals in 93’ they were 0-3 at home in the series... I was too young to feel it but the mid-90’s era would’ve left a more sour taste in my mouth than the mid-00’s.

The teams in the nineties were arguably tougher top to bottom in the league. It was always a war in the playoffs for the Suns. That team would arguably beat Nash and Amare's teams. Would kick ass over the Suns team that made the finals. I don't disagree mayb

I agree with your assessment, particularly about Cotton being #1 (a players' coach) for the reasons you mentioned. Also your comments about both Westy and D'Antoni.

As I previously posted, I didn't like John MacLeod establishing the Suns as a "finesse" team, with his boy at college occupying the Center position as a lightweight,
forcing every Power Forward alongside him to cover. Statistically, Adams best season was his first, when he took the NBA by surprise. He should have been moved
to Forward when the novelty wore off, but he remained the primary Center for most of his career.

The problem was ALL the good centers like Wilt, Kareem, etc. in the league at that time. Center was an elite position then. Even if you found someone better than Adams, which was really hard to do back then, where were you going to find anyone better than the centers currently playing? Losing that coin flip for Kareem really killed us!

 

[Superbone]

A lot of recency bias in this thread. Most here weren't around for the MacLeod days.

 

[Yuma]

A lot of recency bias in this thread. Most here weren't around for the MacLeod days.

I was. I think he gets ignored a lot because he was a consrvative guy on the sidelines. Not a lot of histrioniocs or demonstartions from him. Just solid coaching. Cotton worked his brand more. Cotton was more of an extrovert. DAntoni could work the media, also. They both were more media savy, and I think they were more in the spotlight.

 

[BC867]

I was. I think he gets ignored a lot because he was a consrvative guy on the sidelines. Not a lot of histrioniocs or demonstartions from him. Just solid coaching. Cotton worked his brand more. Cotton was more of an extrovert. DAntoni could work the media, also. They both were more media savy, and I think they were more in the spotlight.

And the rigidity of John MacLeod's substitutions. When your allotted time was up,
you came out, no matter how hot you were.

Laid back and obsessive. And stationing his Center 20+ feet from the basket.

All these decades and we're right back to to the same description, in our 51st season.

 

[Yuma]

And the rigidity of John MacLeod's substitutions. When your allotted time was up,
you came out, no matter how hot you were.

Laid back and obsessive. And stationing his Center 20+ feet from the basket.

All these decades and we're right back to to the same description, in our 51st season.

Arguably, Alvin Adams was a better jump shooter than a low post presence. I think McCleod used Adams strength to try and lure centers away from the basket. He was old school on substitutions. The thinking back then is guys knew when and how they were going to be used in games. At one point, the Suns were the third most winningest franchise in the NBA in all time wins. So there was some success there.

 

[BC867]

Arguably, Alvin Adams was a better jump shooter than a low post presence. I think McCleod used Adams strength to try and lure centers away from the basket. He was old school on substitutions. The thinking back then is guys knew when and how they were going to be used in games. At one point, the Suns were the third most winningest franchise in the NBA in all time wins. So there was some success there.

You're right about Alvan Adams. Unfortunately, the league caught up with it by his second season and defended Adams with Forwards with their Centers staying home.

Adams should have been moved to Forward with true Centers manning the post. As I posted earlier, he never matched his rookie stats during the rest of his career.

And you're right about the Suns regular season record. Until the refs threw away their whistles in the playoffs. It was a surprise approach for an expansion team to
make a name for themselves, but never really become a post-season power.

 

[AZ Native]

MacLeod

 

[Yuma]

You're right about Alvan Adams. Unfortunately, the league caught up with it by his second season and defended Adams with Forwards with their Centers staying home.

Adams should have been moved to Forward with true Centers manning the post. As I posted earlier, he never matched his rookie stats during the rest of his career.

And you're right about the Suns regular season record. Until the refs threw away their whistles in the playoffs. It was a surprise approach for an expansion team to
make a name for themselves, but never really become a post-season power.

I liken it to the Muhammad Ali era. There were LOTS of heavyweights, who in any other era would have been champions. They just happen to be at peak during his era. We just happen to have Lakers and Celtics teams during that span that were impossible to get past.

 

[BC867]

I liken it to the Muhammad Ali era. There were LOTS of heavyweights, who in any other era would have been champions. They just happen to be at peak during his era. We just happen to have Lakers and Celtics teams during that span that were impossible to get past.

But, Yuma, you're talking about winning Championships.

Before we can win them, we have to reach the Championship series.

The Suns have done it only twice in 51 years.

There have been chances to do so more in over a half century, when
the Lakers didn't block the way, but the Suns with rare exceptions
such as the Barkley years have not built teams with killer instincts.

The opponents know it, the refs know it, the Press knows it and
the fans know it. It is just not the Suns DNA.

Case in point. The year that Center Alvan Adams went down
with an injury and John MacLeod's decision was to put backup
Small Forward Joel Kramer in as starting Center.

It was acknowledged that whichever team made it out of the
West would be favored to beat the Bullets. The Sonics did,
we didn't and the Sonics won the title.

A lightweight 6'7" backup Small Forward elevated to starting
Center!!! You get out of it what you put into it.

Small ball mentality does not make you a Finals contender.

 

[Yuma]

But, Yuma, you're talking about winning Championships.

Before we can win them, we have to reach the Championship series.

The Suns have done it only twice in 51 years.

There have been chances to do so more in over a half century, when
the Lakers didn't block the way, but the Suns with rare exceptions
such as the Barkley years have not built teams with killer instincts.

The opponents know it, the refs know it, the Press knows it and
the fans know it. It is just not the Suns DNA.

Case in point. The year that Center Alvan Adams went down
with an injury and John MacLeod's decision was to put backup
Small Forward Joel Kramer in as starting Center.

It was acknowledged that whichever team made it out of the
West would be favored to beat the Bullets. The Sonics did,
we didn't and the Sonics won the title.

A lightweight 6'7" backup Small Forward elevated to starting
Center!!! You get out of it what you put into it.

Small ball mentality does not make you a Finals contender.

In other threads I have noted we are BIG deficient. We need at LEAST two PFs! Then someone like Bender who can play both PF and Center. We need two PGs. Probably one shooting guard, too! I do agree we need more size. I think we are 5 to 6 upgrades away from being a decent team.

 

[Mainstreet]

In other threads I have noted we are BIG deficient. We need at LEAST two PFs! Then someone like Bender who can play both PF and Center. We need two PGs. Probably one shooting guard, too! I do agree we need more size. I think we are 5 to 6 upgrades away from being a decent team.

Tyler Johnson can play both guard positions so I wouldn't mind keeping him. He is solid depth for the point guard position.

One big man that has caught my eye is Thomas Bryant. He is listed as a center but he is a very mobile, strong and athletic big man.

Faried is another big man the Suns could use.

It will likely be easier to add big men than point guards.

 

[Raindog]

Well, at least we know the answer to this thread is definitely NOT Igor Kokoskov.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Well, at least we know the answer to this thread is definitely NOT Igor Kokoskov.

ha! beat me to it.