If we had a different coach, who would you want?
Quite enlightening discussion going on in the RealGM Blazers forum. Fire Nate! is easily said in an emotional moment, arguing who could be a replacement is more difficult. And can quickly devolve into factions...
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Fire Nate?
Nate is an amazing coach. If we HAD to and only HAD to… i’d choose Phil Jackson or Doc Rivers.
I'd rather have Thibodeau than Rivers
I doubt Nate is going anywhere, he and Brandon are tight.
But there is no salary cap for upgrading the assistant coaches…so add TomT for the defense and some offensive coaching guru and let Nate worry about the media and keeping the players motivated
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Tom Thibodeau
Nate’s solid, but he hasn’t even coached a team to the conference finals. If KP could get Tom today, he should snap him up and fire Nate.
by hugetrailblazerfan on Nov 2, 2009 8:13 PM PST up reply actions
eww doc rivers
i’ll take adelman over doc rivers.
Senior Asian ambassador of Blazers Edge
by Philthyanimal on Nov 2, 2009 4:32 PM PST up reply actions
Phil Jackson
Serious? Are you sure you’re a Blazers fan?
Go Blazers!
by Rip City Mike on Nov 2, 2009 5:18 PM PST up reply actions
I think its pretty obvious that Jackson, Poppovich and Sloan are better coaches than Nate.
I think there are several other coaches better than Nate also, like Adelman and Stan Van Gundy. None of those guys is available now or anytime soon though.
Point taken
But Jackson? From LA? Not in Portland. Bad fit.
Go Blazers!
by Rip City Mike on Nov 2, 2009 9:29 PM PST up reply actions
Has anybody ever watched a JVG team?
Sure he wins, but man are those teams boring to watch.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
KP should coach
"Goals are good. Plans are better." -Ben.
by Sabonis4Ever on Nov 2, 2009 3:38 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
Flag.
Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.
by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Nov 2, 2009 3:39 PM PST up reply actions
Hypothetically
Is everyone available? Ignoring contracts, I’d go with Rudy T over Nate Mac without a doubt. And that has nothing to do with the smackdowns he’s been handing us. He’s just better.
Tomjanovich????
Didn’t you see what happened when he tried to coach the Lakers? It was NOT pretty. Rudy T. owes his entire reputation to the greatest player of his generation – Hakeem Olajuwon.
to be fair
he was battling some kind of illness wasnt he?
Senior Asian ambassador of Blazers Edge
by Philthyanimal on Nov 2, 2009 4:33 PM PST up reply actions
Plus I am sure MJ and Olajuwan overlapped a little
re “the greatest player of his generation”
"And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make." -The Beatles
Good question
Never really though about it before, but after how Nate handled the preseason, and his personnel moves so far in the regular season, I’m starting to question whether Nate is the right guy for this team. If he were to go, I would prefer a proven defense-minded coach…..maybe a Jeff Van Gundy?
Jeff Van Gundy is a Rocket Homer and an Aldridge hater
I watched the National Broadcast instead of the local for the first playoff game thinking they weren’t broadcasting it locally and he blasted us all night long. He’s in love with Scola and needs to go away from Basketball, or at least stay with Houston in some fashion. Im all for local Broadcasters to be hometown homers but National guys should stick to the code. He’s not employed by the Rockets anymore. Barrett and Rice are Blazers.
That guy should never be considered to come to Portland.
Anyone who's a fan of interior play and efficient basketball hates on LaMarcus Aldridge, who's ...
soft play on both sides of the ball makes him no better than a #3 option on a potential title contender.
Jeff Van Gundy, moreover, is a more effective pick-and-roll coach than Nate McMillan — who seems to have a subconscious aversion to pivotmen — as well as somebody who truly coaches up his players to perform effectively on defense in lieu of spouting empty rhetoeric, since “Sarge” is all words and no substance on that end of the court.
Nearly every objective, non-homer fan of basketball — and not specifically the Portland Trail Blazers — understands wholly and completely that Van Gundy is a better and more accomplished coach than McMillan. I’ve dealt with McMillan now both in Seattle and Portland, so I’ve had it up to my neck with his flawed coaching technique.
Yeah, McMillan’s simple-minded offensive scheme is efficient and he’s got the ears of the franchise cornerstone, Brandon Roy, but that doesn’t dismiss his inability to coach defense in the NBA game — which, unlike international competition, relies on heavily stifiling different variations of the pick-and-roll — nor his weakness as a subpar tactician.
All things considered, Jeff Van Gundy > Nate McMillan.
Dear Paul Allen:
Waive Patty Mills & sign Ime Udoka.
Sincerely,
AK1984
Van Gundy has never coached a 54 win team
He also has never developed young talent to do anything. Steve Francis, wow he really made a career for himself. I was too young to know if he was an assistant but didn’t Van Gundy inherit a damn good Knick team? Wasn’t Ewing already one of the top Centers in the league? Wasn’t that team full of Veteran defensive minded guys?
What did his accomplished coaching style do for him in Houston? Two 50+ winning seasons and three first round exits from the playoffs. Do you remember when TMac cried because he couldn’t get out of the first round? McMillan won coach of the year in Seattle, Van Gundy has never one that award. Yes he has more playoff experience but it was all with the Knicks on a team that was used to going to the playoffs.
I think AK is trying to address specific issues???
Not generalities like the ever ambiguous truth values of, "player development and COY." Pick and roll (both offensive and defensive)? Team defensive concepts? Pivot man coaching?
I have often noticed a lack of specific, on court, coaching technique defenses being made by those who back Nate. Like, he is really good a coaching one-on-one??? It is usually more along the lines of, well, "Brandon likes him."
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
Not generalities like the ever ambiguous truth values of, "player development and COY." Pick and roll (both offensive and defensive)? Team defensive concepts? Pivot man coaching?
I have often noticed a lack of specific, on court, coaching technique defenses being made by those who back Nate. Like, he is really good a coaching one-on-one??? It is usually more along the lines of, well, "Brandon likes him."
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
No, well maybe, but I am getting tired of hitting post at this point!
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
It is usually more along the lines of, well, “Brandon likes him.”
And don’t forget, Nate was an assistant coach for team USA!
Some coaches can take young talent to the playoffs. Other coaches (PJack, Pop, Chuck Daly, Pat Riley, etc) are better at taking a team with a superstar and other veteran role players all the way to the finals and winning it.
Nate could become that kind of coach, but the jury is still out on that verdict. I’m not sure about JVG, either.
(BTW, nobody knew if Jack Ramsay would be that kind of coach until 1977, either…or Lenny Wilkens until ’79, etc)
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Jack Ramsay
Now you are talking. That was some of the most beautiful basketball ever played. Anybody got a time machine so we could hire Jack in his prime?
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
the thing about Jack
he was great, there’s no doubt. But he couldn’t win much in the playoffs without a healthy Walton. I can’t even remember Portland making it back to the WCF until Adelman’s team, in ’90
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
One thing we do know about Jack
is that he was not afraid to run the offense through a young center. I used to love all the back door cuts!
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
no doubt
but his teams couldn’t get past the L*kers and Kareem, after ’77
and that eventually led to the decision to draft Bowie, in ’84
Unfortunately for Jack and Blazer fans, Ramsay coached Mychal Thompson for many more years than he coached Bill Walton
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I think AK is trying to address specific issues???
Not generalities like the ever ambiguous truth values of, "player development and COY." Pick and roll (both offensive and defensive)? Team defensive concepts? Pivot man coaching?
I have often noticed a lack of specific, on court, coaching technique defenses being made by those who back Nate. Like, he is really good a coaching one-on-one??? It is usually more along the lines of, well, "Brandon likes him."
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
I think AK is trying to address specific issues???
Not generalities like the ever ambiguous truth values of, "player development and COY." Pick and roll (both offensive and defensive)? Team defensive concepts? Pivot man coaching?
I have often noticed a lack of specific, on court, coaching technique defenses being made by those who back Nate. Like, he is really good a coaching one-on-one??? It is usually more along the lines of, well, "Brandon likes him."
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
Just a hint
If you put a blank line with a period on it between your paragraphs, it will be easier for us to read all four copies of your comment. :)
"Woulda, Coulda, Mighta and Shoulda – the Four Horsemen of the Procrastocalypse" - Red-5
Thanks jscot
I was having problems all the way around. I was clicking post and it would only do the title. Somewhat of a cluster? Now it has filled in. ARG!
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
I think it is cool
It gives all of us a chance to be snarky. Consider it a public service.
"Woulda, Coulda, Mighta and Shoulda – the Four Horsemen of the Procrastocalypse" - Red-5
I am now
curled up in a ball. I believe it is called the, “fetal position.”
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
Did you paste a bulls-eye on your back first?
"Woulda, Coulda, Mighta and Shoulda – the Four Horsemen of the Procrastocalypse" - Red-5
That would just be making it too easy. (: >]
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
Larry Brown
There are only three coaches in the league who are clearly better than Nate: Phil Jackson, Greg Poppovich and Larry Brown. Of those three, only LB would be likely to be available. Plus, LB (or “pounds” as Rasheed calls him, affectionately) pwns PJ.
agreed with snake
I’ll take Sloan or Adelman…I personally don’t like him but you could even say SVG has done more than Nate has. I also don’t want him, but D’antoni is better than Nate as well.
Senior Asian ambassador of Blazers Edge
by Philthyanimal on Nov 2, 2009 4:36 PM PST up reply actions
I don't think Roy fits into D'Antoni's offence
He also didn’t stay to coach a slower bigman in Shaq and Randolph left New York for nothing, (to be expected). Either way it shows he doesn’t favor having a slower paced grinder and low post player. Aldridge might thrive under a system like his.
I like Larry Brown’s defense. He has failed just as many times as he has suceeded, maybe more but he also beat the Laker’s with Phil and Kobe in the finals. Prince was also drafted during his regime. Batum might really thrive under Brown. Wallace just went for 24pts. 20 rebounds.
I personally like Nate. I would have Nate over Rivers any day. Rivers and Ainge were trying to build a team through the Draft and flailing He seems like a better motivator than X and O guy like Nate. Sloan and Phil can stay where they are or retire for all Im concerned. Adelman’s had his day in Portland and now he’s a Rocket, he can’t come back. It would be like Farve going back to the Packers next year. It just can’t happen. We have our young Coach and don’t need to be going back in time. It’s not the same as Gibb’s. He retired from his sport and came back.
I'd take Adelman back no problem
Whole different team now. And its not like he ditched the team. Plus I see him around at the grocery store in the off-season. Thought about asking him how he was going to do it this season without Yao and McGrady but couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Having Phil would be almost like signing Kobe – gut-wrenching. Plus, how long can the guy keep going on his hips, especially in creaky, rainy Portland (no way he would come here).
Pops would be great. Hard to imagine him leaving SA though. Maybe after Duncan is done. Can’t imagine Sloan leaving Utah to come to Portland either after his history there and all the rivalry.
Don’t want Brown or Doc or D-Antoni compared to Nate. Other than Adelman, maybe Thibodeau assuming he knows offense plus all the motivational stuff too. The only other current NBA coach that sounds interesting is Spolestra – will be interesting to see how he does this season. He’s still very unproven though.
Coach K for the win, but he ain’t going nowhere.
put a body on 'em
Can’t imagine Sloan leaving Utah to come to Portland either after his history there
Jerry is tight with the Miller family (Jazz ownership) He’s a lifer in that organization
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I'm not a big fan of Sloan
and his “clutch and hack” defensive philosophy, either. But I have a feeling he’d be beloved if he had been the Blazer’s coach for the past 15+ years…just a hunch
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I'd lean toward highering a defensive minded assistant like Thibodeau
over a guy like Van Gundy, Fratello or Avery Johnson.
Would Nate's ego allow for a hiring of a Thibodeau though?
Somehow I find it hard for Nate to admit he’s not delivering on his defensive “chops.”
likely not
but in this case I meant hiring Thibodeau as head coach if we were to look elsewhere from Nate.
In terms of guys without jobs
probably JVG would be my first choice. He’s been able to build offenses around dominant centers before and clearly has some defensive chops.
I’d probably agree with Thibs (ironically JVG’s long time assistant) for the same defensive reasons if we’re talking about current assistants.
Among current HCs, aside from the obvious (Pop), I’d have to go Adelman or Sloan. Neither of those guys are going anywhere for the foreseeable future, though.
The only guy I’d really despair about hearing us hire, though, would be Avery Johnson. I don’t understand how it’s been glossed over how he completely wasted that Mavs team’s collective prime and Devin Harris’s first 4 years in the league.
Greg Popovich
If Popovich coaches this team we can win 4 titles in a decade. Other than that I like Nate.
I'm calling for 57 wins this season.
by 123_G.O._RipCity on Nov 2, 2009 4:36 PM PST reply actions
Pop. I think he and Sloan are the best coaches of the last 20 years. They maximize their rosters abilities to the max, getting every drop of talent out of them, with a smashmouth style of basketball that gets under teams skin.
I’m just not sure about Phil as an elite coach. 9 of his 10 rings were with unbelievable rosters, with 2 of the top 10 active players in the league at that time ( with Jordan / Pippen, and Kobe / Shaq respectively ), also great owners and GM’s who knew how to put together a championship roster. I think the ring he won this year was by far the most impressive though. I guess he is in there with Sloan and Pop after this years ring. I wouldn’t want Jackson here though. The guy is a turd.
All of the teams that win the title have great rosters.
As a contrast, haven’t there been a lot of teams with great players that did not win, but with the right coaching might have won?
It is hard for me to imagine how anyone could realistically think that Phil is not an elite coach, and obviously superior to Nate. I know we are supposed hate everything to do with the Faders. But homer-ism has its limits, doesn’t it???
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
I said Phil is an elite coach at the end of the post, disagreeing with myself at the beginning.
I just don’t like the argument that he is the greatest coach ever when we have really never seen him coach with a roster that wasn’t stacked. He has inherited amazing rosters.
I just don’t think Phil has ever had a REAL challenge. He always has a brand new Mercedes to take to the street race. I’d like to see him drive a honda and see what he’s really made of.
by dario argento on Nov 2, 2009 11:18 PM PST up reply actions
Phil Jackson's grand success during the mid-'80s in the CBA with the Albany Patroons does ...
give him an edge whenever folks claim that him being a legend is due solely to his players. Plus, Jackson did what a couple of solid coaches (i.e., Doug Collins & Del Harris) couldn’t do by taking star-studded, yet ego-riddled teams to the promise land adds support to defining his greatness.
Regarding the triangle offense, Tex Winter is to thank for having brought that scheme to national attention. Even with that being Winter’s baby, though, Jackson deserves credit for entrusting him and establishing that offensive system as a staple for several ballclubs he led to championship glory.
Dear Paul Allen:
Waive Patty Mills & sign Ime Udoka.
Sincerely,
AK1984
I've still gotta give it to Auerbach
Red did it all. He rebuilt the Celtics from the ground up. Did his own drafting and negotiated the player contracts. He kept all the egos in check and went on that historic run. Sure, there were fewer teams in the league, but travel conditions were much worse, and sometimes the schedule called for road games on 3 consecutive nights, etc. RA was also an innovator, especially in regards to fast break offense. He also drafted the first black player in NBA history
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
hate it when nate takes out players that are hot
gawd it pisses me off!
Trade for Luis Amundson!!Do it KP!!
I wouldn't mind Carlisle, either
in terms of non-obvious names.
Adelman would be fantastic.
Could you imagine … the same coach coming back for another brilliant stretch in a franchise’s history? That would be great. I think his open style of play would be good for our team, too, but I don’t know that our defense would improve any. I think Nate’s a good coach, I just wish he’d let our guys play a little more.
"These are dreams that we have." --Rudolfo Fernandez
Mike Dunleavy
lol
Blazers lost? TIME TO PANIC!!!!!!!!
by In Walks Rudy on Nov 2, 2009 6:54 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Chip Kelly!
The best players only try to, "do it all," themselves when it is a playoff necessity or, on occasion, to put on a show. Other than that, the game is easy for them, and they are just having fun and getting a workout in. There is no need to belabor the point!
by KINGofMACct on Nov 2, 2009 8:11 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
i liked that article by houstons coach
he knew how to play big guys, dealing with yao. nates reference is as a pg and i think that will always be his style. how about barkley.
Barkley has a good handle on what we need to improve . . .
quit being such a jump-shooting team and score inside with our bigs. Only problem is he would probably challenge all the players to a game of beer-bong H-O-R-S-E.
put a body on 'em
Or throw games with his gambling problems....
Love me some Barkley, no thanks as our coach though(not that you were serious)…
Ya
He would be tops on my list as well. Larry Brown would be nice as well. My favorite by far would be stealing Pop from the spurs by convincing him he could pass the arrogant Phil Jackson in titles with our stacked ass roster…
Why would Rick Adelman leave the Houston Rockets?
To me, the most realistic scenario — if Kevin Pritchard is fully in charge — is plucking Mike Budenholzer from the San Antonio Spurs organization. That’d be a Pritchard esque move.
Now, regarding available options, I put my full support behind Jeff Van Gundy, who’s a damn fine coach.
Also, Mike Fratello is unlikely to leave the announcing booth — unless him and Eric Musselman came in tandem, which’d allow the “Czar” to delegate some of his responsibilities — thus, scratch that idea as an unreasonable option.
Dear Paul Allen:
Waive Patty Mills & sign Ime Udoka.
Sincerely,
AK1984
Stick With NATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Dude: Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!
by cavejunctionblazer on Nov 3, 2009 12:26 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Larry Brown easily. I've been saying this since the end of last season. The guy works wonders with
young guys and he would love to coach a team like our with the richest owner. I was kind of bashed when I suggested Nate being replaced if Portland didn’t make it to the WCF’s this year. Now it’s starting to look a little more likely and obvious that it could happen. I think the players have slightly started to tune out because Nate is too overbearing.’
Honestly, isn’t Nate known for his defensive prowess? But do you really see it with the Blazers? I sure don’t. Larry Brown has squeezed a lot of the talent the Bobcats have. I think he can take the Blazers to the next level.
Larry Brown isn't a long-term answer and would always fued with management. With the Charlotte ...
Bobcats, Brown has the luxury of doing his thing with a disinterested moron (i.e., Michael Jordan) and an empty suit (i.e., Rod Higgins) heading the front office. For Brown, that’s almost as luxurious as him being President/Coach with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this decade. Yet, as you saw with the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks, Brown clashed heavily with strong-minded executives. Brown, in essence, is like a drug—so just say no!
Dear Paul Allen:
Waive Patty Mills & sign Ime Udoka.
Sincerely,
AK1984
To correct myself, Larry Brown was the Executive Vice President throughout his tenure with the ...
Philadelphia 76ers. At President, Pat Croce headed the day-to-day operations all throughout the late-‘90s/early-’200s. Brown had help in the basketball operations department, too, as Billy King was the GM during that era, while King also took over at President after Croce left to pursue other endeavors.
Dear Paul Allen:
Waive Patty Mills & sign Ime Udoka.
Sincerely,
AK1984
For the right amount of money
I’d consider the position.
"Woulda, Coulda, Mighta and Shoulda – the Four Horsemen of the Procrastocalypse" - Red-5
What would be your coaching vision for running and defending the pick and roll?
But slowly things happen that they cannot help and the Blazers Fellowship of the Ring begins to break apart
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