Indazone
10-29-2008, 11:17 AM
Coach Goes on Offense to Rebuild the Knicks
By HOWARD BECK (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/howard_beck/index.html?inline=nyt-per)
NYTIMESPublished: October 28, 2008
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Rain mercilessly pounded the pavement, turning potholes into puddles and puddles into small ponds, and making Mike D’Antoni (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/mike_dantoni/index.html?inline=nyt-per)’s commute more precarious than usual. Phoenix was never this wet.
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/10/29/sports/29knicks_190.JPG (http://javascript<b></b>:pop_me_up2('http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/10/29/sports/29knicks_CA0.395-inline.ready.html', '29knicks_CA0_395_inline_ready', 'width=420,height=600,scrollbars=yes,toolbars=no,r esizable=yes'))Barton Silverman/The New York Times
With Mike D’Antoni as their new coach, the Knicks averaged 106.9 points in the preseason. Last season, the Knicks averaged just 96.9 points.
“I don’t even own an umbrella,” D’Antoni acknowledged sheepishly.
Nature, it seems, has a poignant sense of humor. On the eve of D’Antoni’s coaching debut with the Knicks (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/newyorkknicks/index.html?inline=nyt-org), he was forcefully reminded of all that he left behind in the Arizona desert: perpetual blue skies, 90-degree winter days and the promise of basketball deep into spring (to say nothing of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw).
But D’Antoni seemed more anxious than wistful after conducting the Knicks’ final preseason practice Tuesday. Yes, he is a little nervous about Wednesday’s season opener against the visiting Miami Heat (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/miamiheat/index.html?inline=nyt-org). No, he is not sure what to expect from his new team, though the Knicks seemed solid enough in the preseason. But the truth is, D’Antoni has been anxious and unsure before.
“Four years ago,” he said, referring Phoenix’s season opener in 2004.
That was D’Antoni’s first full season as the Suns (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/phoenixsuns/index.html?inline=nyt-org)’ coach, and their first with Nash as the point guard. It is now remembered as the year that the Suns made basketball fun again — fast, furious, high-scoring and improvisational. Phoenix went 31-4 to start the season, surprising everyone, D’Antoni included.
Four years later, D’Antoni is still preaching speed and small lineups and attempting to transform the Knicks into something respectable, or at least entertaining.
“We’ll have some bumps and bruises along the way,” he said. “But I do think that we can be a good team.”
The games will be played faster. The transformation, however, will be slow.
Team officials made only minor changes to the roster over the summer and view this season as a transitional year, until they can make bigger moves and clear salary-cap space for the summer of 2010.
In the meantime, D’Antoni is trying to change a team culture warped by seven straight losing seasons and endless controversy. The Knicks have to be cohesive and competitive before they can be great.
In subtle ways, that process has already begun. The Knicks signed Chris Duhon, a pass-first point guard, to take charge of D’Antoni’s run-and-gun offense. D’Antoni elevated Jared Jeffries, another team-first player, from reserve to starter (until Jeffries was hurt). He also made a starter of David Lee, the fan-pleasing rebounding specialist.
Stephon Marbury (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/stephon_marbury/index.html?inline=nyt-per), a continuous source of locker-room tension, was demoted to the second unit, to minimize his influence. (Marbury continues to brood, and his hold on a rotation spot is tenuous.) Eddy Curry, a former starter who reported to camp out of shape, was also pushed to the side. D’Antoni confirmed Tuesday that Curry would not be in his rotation, leaving Curry to say he was “stunned.”
The demotions are a first step toward rebuilding the Knicks’ image around a core of promising young players, including Lee, Wilson Chandler, Nate Robinson and the rookie Danilo Gallinari. D’Antoni has vowed to develop that group as much as he can this season, while also trying to win games every night — “an internal battle I’ll have all year,” he said.
“The long-term plan is important,” D’Antoni said. “I’m not going to get shortsighted.”
The biggest addition for the coming season is D’Antoni’s playbook. The Knicks are now full-fledged acolytes of the “seven seconds or less” school of basketball. They run at every opportunity. They spread the floor on offense. They shoot in transition and hoist 3-pointers at a dizzying rate. They move the ball until someone has an open shot, preferably in the first seven seconds of the shot clock.
The change was evident in the preseason. The Knicks averaged 106.9 points, second only to Golden State (110.7). They attempted more 3-pointers (28.3 a game) and converted more (10.3) than any other team. Last season, the Knicks averaged just 96.9 points and attempted 17.7 3-pointers a game.
The Knicks also allowed a league-high 106.9 points a game in the preseason. D’Antoni does not scoff at defense — indeed, a running team needs rebounds, steals and deflections to start the fast break — but he does say that a great offense can carry the day.
“Because of this system that we’re going to play, we’re going to be competitive game in and game out,” said Lee, and the Knicks certainly could not say that in the last four years.
As D’Antoni has often said, albeit flippantly, the team that has the most points at the final buzzer played the best defense. The Suns averaged 58 wins over the last four years playing with small lineups and quick shots.
Now, D’Antoni is trying to replicate the results without a single All-Star player and, most significant, without Nash orchestrating the offense.
“I believe in the system,” D’Antoni said. “No matter who you have, it’s going to be successful at a certain level if you can get them to do the right thing. So we’ll do the same with our guys. I think we can be really good at it.”
Opponents say they can see traces of the Suns’ offensive DNA in the Knicks. The most obvious difference is that, lacking an All-Star point guard who can dominate the ball, the Knicks are forced to keep it moving until someone finds an open shot.
Doc Rivers (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/r/doc_rivers/index.html?inline=nyt-per), the Boston Celtics (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/bostonceltics/index.html?inline=nyt-org)’ coach, said the Knicks might even be better suited to run the offense, because they have an abundance of skilled players who can pass and create shots. But the biggest change Rivers noticed during the preseason had nothing to do with tempo or style.
“They were happy,” he said. “It was a happy group. They were playing together. And to me, it makes a big difference.”
A better system and better vibes should make the Knicks more respectable in the short term. True progress will require a high-priced star or two. Until then, D’Antoni will settle for a few bargain overachievers and a $6 umbrella.
By HOWARD BECK (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/howard_beck/index.html?inline=nyt-per)
NYTIMESPublished: October 28, 2008
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Rain mercilessly pounded the pavement, turning potholes into puddles and puddles into small ponds, and making Mike D’Antoni (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/mike_dantoni/index.html?inline=nyt-per)’s commute more precarious than usual. Phoenix was never this wet.
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/10/29/sports/29knicks_190.JPG (http://javascript<b></b>:pop_me_up2('http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/10/29/sports/29knicks_CA0.395-inline.ready.html', '29knicks_CA0_395_inline_ready', 'width=420,height=600,scrollbars=yes,toolbars=no,r esizable=yes'))Barton Silverman/The New York Times
With Mike D’Antoni as their new coach, the Knicks averaged 106.9 points in the preseason. Last season, the Knicks averaged just 96.9 points.
“I don’t even own an umbrella,” D’Antoni acknowledged sheepishly.
Nature, it seems, has a poignant sense of humor. On the eve of D’Antoni’s coaching debut with the Knicks (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/newyorkknicks/index.html?inline=nyt-org), he was forcefully reminded of all that he left behind in the Arizona desert: perpetual blue skies, 90-degree winter days and the promise of basketball deep into spring (to say nothing of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw).
But D’Antoni seemed more anxious than wistful after conducting the Knicks’ final preseason practice Tuesday. Yes, he is a little nervous about Wednesday’s season opener against the visiting Miami Heat (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/miamiheat/index.html?inline=nyt-org). No, he is not sure what to expect from his new team, though the Knicks seemed solid enough in the preseason. But the truth is, D’Antoni has been anxious and unsure before.
“Four years ago,” he said, referring Phoenix’s season opener in 2004.
That was D’Antoni’s first full season as the Suns (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/phoenixsuns/index.html?inline=nyt-org)’ coach, and their first with Nash as the point guard. It is now remembered as the year that the Suns made basketball fun again — fast, furious, high-scoring and improvisational. Phoenix went 31-4 to start the season, surprising everyone, D’Antoni included.
Four years later, D’Antoni is still preaching speed and small lineups and attempting to transform the Knicks into something respectable, or at least entertaining.
“We’ll have some bumps and bruises along the way,” he said. “But I do think that we can be a good team.”
The games will be played faster. The transformation, however, will be slow.
Team officials made only minor changes to the roster over the summer and view this season as a transitional year, until they can make bigger moves and clear salary-cap space for the summer of 2010.
In the meantime, D’Antoni is trying to change a team culture warped by seven straight losing seasons and endless controversy. The Knicks have to be cohesive and competitive before they can be great.
In subtle ways, that process has already begun. The Knicks signed Chris Duhon, a pass-first point guard, to take charge of D’Antoni’s run-and-gun offense. D’Antoni elevated Jared Jeffries, another team-first player, from reserve to starter (until Jeffries was hurt). He also made a starter of David Lee, the fan-pleasing rebounding specialist.
Stephon Marbury (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/stephon_marbury/index.html?inline=nyt-per), a continuous source of locker-room tension, was demoted to the second unit, to minimize his influence. (Marbury continues to brood, and his hold on a rotation spot is tenuous.) Eddy Curry, a former starter who reported to camp out of shape, was also pushed to the side. D’Antoni confirmed Tuesday that Curry would not be in his rotation, leaving Curry to say he was “stunned.”
The demotions are a first step toward rebuilding the Knicks’ image around a core of promising young players, including Lee, Wilson Chandler, Nate Robinson and the rookie Danilo Gallinari. D’Antoni has vowed to develop that group as much as he can this season, while also trying to win games every night — “an internal battle I’ll have all year,” he said.
“The long-term plan is important,” D’Antoni said. “I’m not going to get shortsighted.”
The biggest addition for the coming season is D’Antoni’s playbook. The Knicks are now full-fledged acolytes of the “seven seconds or less” school of basketball. They run at every opportunity. They spread the floor on offense. They shoot in transition and hoist 3-pointers at a dizzying rate. They move the ball until someone has an open shot, preferably in the first seven seconds of the shot clock.
The change was evident in the preseason. The Knicks averaged 106.9 points, second only to Golden State (110.7). They attempted more 3-pointers (28.3 a game) and converted more (10.3) than any other team. Last season, the Knicks averaged just 96.9 points and attempted 17.7 3-pointers a game.
The Knicks also allowed a league-high 106.9 points a game in the preseason. D’Antoni does not scoff at defense — indeed, a running team needs rebounds, steals and deflections to start the fast break — but he does say that a great offense can carry the day.
“Because of this system that we’re going to play, we’re going to be competitive game in and game out,” said Lee, and the Knicks certainly could not say that in the last four years.
As D’Antoni has often said, albeit flippantly, the team that has the most points at the final buzzer played the best defense. The Suns averaged 58 wins over the last four years playing with small lineups and quick shots.
Now, D’Antoni is trying to replicate the results without a single All-Star player and, most significant, without Nash orchestrating the offense.
“I believe in the system,” D’Antoni said. “No matter who you have, it’s going to be successful at a certain level if you can get them to do the right thing. So we’ll do the same with our guys. I think we can be really good at it.”
Opponents say they can see traces of the Suns’ offensive DNA in the Knicks. The most obvious difference is that, lacking an All-Star point guard who can dominate the ball, the Knicks are forced to keep it moving until someone finds an open shot.
Doc Rivers (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/r/doc_rivers/index.html?inline=nyt-per), the Boston Celtics (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/probasketball/nationalbasketballassociation/bostonceltics/index.html?inline=nyt-org)’ coach, said the Knicks might even be better suited to run the offense, because they have an abundance of skilled players who can pass and create shots. But the biggest change Rivers noticed during the preseason had nothing to do with tempo or style.
“They were happy,” he said. “It was a happy group. They were playing together. And to me, it makes a big difference.”
A better system and better vibes should make the Knicks more respectable in the short term. True progress will require a high-priced star or two. Until then, D’Antoni will settle for a few bargain overachievers and a $6 umbrella.