Monty Williams Fired (Hired by Detroit)

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Since this is off-topic, I will answer and move on. Someday we will have to discuss it further in the right forum.

If Christians are only hanging out with Christians, they must have missed the part about Jesus hanging out with outcasts.

"It isn't a shot at Christians or religious people in general nor was I implying that all Christians are this way"

Seems he isn't suggesting that either.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

100%. At a prior employer a hiring partner decided to hire a summer associate who was Mormon (so was the hiring partner) despite every single associate that had run, or been invoked in, the summer program speaking out against him being hired, vehemently. We were completely slack jawed when we found out. Several individuals quit running/participating in the summer program and it was the first nudge for me toward my exit.

Religion is probably the most common similarity to elicit this type of behavior because of how important religion is to people, but another example that I have seen plenty of is favoring the guys that you go golfing with outside of work or something along those lines. I have even seen favoritism for people that they discuss hobbies with. Some people are just much worse at separating that stuff than others. Maybe Monty is one of those people, who knows?

 

[RON_IN_OC]

I believe in The Separation Of Church and Basketball.

 

[Finito]

Bomani talked about Monty today and pretty much he’s heard what every is saying here. Monty lost and divided the locker room

 

[nashman]

How is their no who do we want as a coach thread?

 

[Yuma]

How is their no who do we want as a coach thread?

we get who we get. LOL!

 

[RON_IN_OC]

we get who we get. LOL!

...and we don't throw a fit.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

How is their no who do we want as a coach thread?

We’ve pretty much settled on lue or nurse or bust.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Throw the house at Bob Meyers and whatever shot he calls, I’m good with:

NBA rumors: Bob Myers, Warriors 'bracing' to part as contract talks stall

Bob Myers and the Warriors reportedly are not close in contract extension talks. Myers' deal expires June 30.

www.yahoo.com

 

[AzStevenCal]

We’ve pretty much settled on lue or nurse or bust.

Coach Bust, has a nice ring. I suspect it will be Kevin Young.

 

[Fumats20]

Gambo confirmed that the entire Jae Crowder incident was a Monty creation. He said Monty played favorites on the team (we all know....see rotations that didn't make sense...force feeding guys not playing well while others sat on the bench). The team was fully aware that Monty treated certain guys different. Sounds like things were not as harmonious with the players and Monty as publicly perceived. IMO, his firing is making more sense. This wasn't just about collapses the past 3 seasons in the playoffs.

I said last season that total collapse was done on purpose by the players. No way a team that good collapse like that.

But I often wondered why the stars didn't say anything to Monty but it was said star players don't not play. I believe the players did, just like the front office, just like the assistant coaches...and he just like the owner said play or lose the asset I sign the pay checks for.

 

[Covert Rain]

I said last season that total collapse was done on purpose by the players. No way a team that good collapse like that.

But I often wondered why the stars didn't say anything to Monty but it was said star players don't not play. I believe the players did, just like the front office, just like the assistant coaches...and he just like the owner said play or lose the asset I sign the pay checks for.

I don't buy this for a microsecond.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't buy this for a microsecond.

Nor do I. Could there be one player that would tank as described? I guess it's possible. But even then it's a longshot. I can't see their pride, their ego or their self-respect let them do this not to mention risking their future earnings.

 

[Yuma]

Not that I buy into tanking, but for three seasons now, it seems odd we beat the teams we get eliminated by in the playoffs and have dominant games against them. Then when we lose to those teams, we just totally collapse. Coaching? Players? Both? It's a bad sign for the culture we supposedly built.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Nor do I. Could there be one player that would tank as described? I guess it's possible. But even then it's a longshot. I can't see their pride, their ego or their self-respect let them do this not to mention risking their future earnings.

Not to mention they won 64 games and were considered favorites for the title. No one purposefully throws away their best chance at a ring and immortality.

 

[Yuma]

Not to mention they won 64 games and were considered favorites for the title. No one purposefully throws away their best chance at a ring and immortality.

I agree. I think you try and win DESPITE your coaches if need be. There's plenty of NBA lore where guys say they got on the court and ran things different than what the coaches wanted and won games. You telling me CP3 wouldn't change out plays if he thought Monty was wrong? Dbook, too? I know KD would change **** up if he had to.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Not that I buy into tanking, but for three seasons now, it seems odd we beat the teams we get eliminated by in the playoffs and have dominant games against them. Then when we lose to those teams, we just totally collapse. Coaching? Players? Both? It's a bad sign for the culture we supposedly built.

The primary difference between beating a team in the regular season and beating them in a playoff series is repetition. During the regular season you e scouted, but only have a day or two prep. In a series you’ve got a week or more to learn and adapt. Players already have familiarity with one and others games having played each other for years. So it comes down to . . . coaching, strategy and adjustments.

Though players have good games and bad, and some fold, on average they typically don’t get better or worse during a series. But good coaches learn their opponent’s tells and idiosyncracies and figure out ways to attack and defend them and make adjustments. Worse coaches (and mind I’m saying “worse” not bad, it’s comparative) fail to make adjustments and it’s why you see those teams tend to struggle the further into a series it gets unless their players rise above the coaching and carry their coaches.

Very simply, monty never gave us an advantage at the coaching level in playoff series.

 

[Yuma]

The primary difference between beating a team in the regular season and beating them in a playoff series is repetition. During the regular season you e scouted, but only have a day or two prep. In a series you’ve got a week or more to learn and adapt. Players already have familiarity with one and others games having played each other for years. So it comes down to . . . coaching, strategy and adjustments.

Though players have good games and bad, and some fold, on average they typically don’t get better or worse during a series. But good coaches learn their opponent’s tells and idiosyncracies and figure out ways to attack and defend them and make adjustments. Worse coaches (and mind I’m saying “worse” not bad, it’s comparative) fail to make adjustments and it’s why you see those teams tend to struggle the further into a series it gets unless their players rise above the coaching and carry their coaches.

Very simply, monty never gave us an advantage at the coaching level in playoff series.

I agree 100%. It's still upsetting to totally collapse and trail games by 30-40 points. Sure some of those games in moo up time the scores were tightened up a bit by the bench squad. That's like the coaches going for ice cream and telling their grade school kids, "Hey, you run some plays." It seems like they aren't even trying!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I agree 100%. It's still upsetting to totally collapse and trail games by 30-40 points. Sure some of those games in moo up time the scores were tightened up a bit by the bench squad. That's like the coaches going for ice cream and telling their grade school kids, "Hey, you run some plays." It seems like they aren't even trying!

I think those occur when the players have just lost all confidence in their coach at that point. They are trying but they press outside of whatever system the coach has constructed that’s very obviously failing them. It becomes a snowball effect.

 

[Yuma]

IF constructed right with players, AND IF we bring in the right coaches, I still think I take my chances building around Durant and Booker as my two top players. I know some here are way more skeptical of KD than me. Especially after his playoff and end of season performance. Just look at his numbers pre injury in Brooklyn this season, and that's more of what we can expect from KD. KD was putting up historic numbers in Brooklyn before he went down. KD and CP3 need to really hit the weights, or whatever, this off season to prep for this next season. I am also good with load managing those two for the playoffs. As we found out, it's the guys 4-10 that will probably make all the difference on this team in the playoffs. We need some upgrading there for sure!

 

[AzStevenCal]

IF constructed right with players, AND IF we bring in the right coaches, I still think I take my chances building around Durant and Booker as my two top players. I know some here are way more skeptical of KD than me. Especially after his playoff and end of season performance. Just look at his numbers pre injury in Brooklyn this season, and that's more of what we can expect from KD. KD was putting up historic numbers in Brooklyn before he went down. KD and CP3 need to really hit the weights, or whatever, this off season to prep for this next season. I am also good with load managing those two for the playoffs. As we found out, it's the guys 4-10 that will probably make all the difference on this team in the playoffs. We need some upgrading there for sure!

In what way were they historic? They were very good, consistent with some of KD's better seasons but I don't see anything that leaps out at me and they really don't appear to be much different than in his short time here. And even if they've been down a little here, his value when he plays doesn't just show up in his numbers, you can see it in Devin's numbers too.

But regardless, for most of us, it's never been about KD's performance when he plays. It's if he plays that matters. It's not an exaggeration to say that for many years now KD has missed more games than Anthony Davis. And the "if he plays" problem becomes even more of an issue when you consider that many of us feel we gave up full superstar value to get a player that hasn't delivered that kind of value in several years and likely won't for us either.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

IF constructed right with players, AND IF we bring in the right coaches, I still think I take my chances building around Durant and Booker as my two top players. I know some here are way more skeptical of KD than me. Especially after his playoff and end of season performance. Just look at his numbers pre injury in Brooklyn this season, and that's more of what we can expect from KD. KD was putting up historic numbers in Brooklyn before he went down. KD and CP3 need to really hit the weights, or whatever, this off season to prep for this next season. I am also good with load managing those two for the playoffs. As we found out, it's the guys 4-10 that will probably make all the difference on this team in the playoffs. We need some upgrading there for sure!

Paul looked pudgy to me all season. If that came back in sick shape I’d still be skeptical about relying on him given his age (he’s old!) but I think it would make a huge difference for what could be an X factor.

 

[Yuma]

Paul looked pudgy to me all season. If that came back in sick shape I’d still be skeptical about relying on him given his age (he’s old!) but I think it would make a huge difference for what could be an X factor.

I pointed that out in preseason. One podcast I watched said he takes a Loy of time off in the off season to rest and of course he has kids at home. He has a lot of family obligations.

 

[Mainstreet]

IF constructed right with players, AND IF we bring in the right coaches, I still think I take my chances building around Durant and Booker as my two top players. I know some here are way more skeptical of KD than me. Especially after his playoff and end of season performance. Just look at his numbers pre injury in Brooklyn this season, and that's more of what we can expect from KD. KD was putting up historic numbers in Brooklyn before he went down. KD and CP3 need to really hit the weights, or whatever, this off season to prep for this next season. I am also good with load managing those two for the playoffs. As we found out, it's the guys 4-10 that will probably make all the difference on this team in the playoffs. We need some upgrading there for sure!

I don't think the Suns have an alternative but to build around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant unless they are miraculously able to trade Deandre Ayton for a third piece or a couple of really good players.

The Suns still need a PGOTF and a rotation power forward that can play forward/center. They also need better depth.

IMO, the most important piece for the Suns to add is a point guard capable of starting.

 

[Yuma]

I don't think the Suns have an alternative but to build around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant unless they are miraculously able to trade Deandre Ayton for a third piece or a couple of really good players.

The Suns still need a PGOTF and a rotation power forward that can play forward/center. They also need better depth.

IMO, the most important piece for the Suns to add is a point guard capable of starting.

I agree! It doesn't have to be a HOF PG either. Just and NBA capable guy to run the offense and knock down open shots. I would prefer a bigger guard able of switching on defense as a plus.