McDonald: An old friend at shootaround

[Spurs Brazil]

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/2009/04/an-old-friend-a.html

The last time P.J. Carlesimo was on the Spurs' bench, they were polishing off a four-game sweep of Cleveland in the 2007 NBA Finals. Down 3-1 in their first-round series against the Mavericks, the Spurs can only hope Carlesimo brings the same luck with him this time around.

Carlesimo, the former Spurs assistant, has been working as an analyst for TNT's NBA coverage since being fired as Oklahoma City's head coach earlier this season. That was the hat he was wearing when he showed up at the Spurs practice facility for this morning's shootaround.

The Spurs greeted Carlesimo with hugs and handshakes all around. Befitting Carlesimo's at times R-rated persona, at least one Spurs player greeted him with an expletive. Too bad the Spurs weren't the road team -- Carlesimo might have shouted his trademark "First bus!" for old time's sake.

Bruce Bowen pressed pause on free throw practice to come say hello to Carlesimo. He declined to reveal the details of their exchange.

"I can't share the things he said, because some of it would be bleeped out," Bowen said. "I think the majority of it would."

In the interest of equal time, Carlesimo later made an appearance at the Mavericks shootaround at the AT&T Center.

[timvp]

Sweet. PJ talked to the team. They'll win by 50 now!!!!!!


/typicalspursfaninlovewithpjforunknownreasons

[Oh, Gee!!]

In the interest of equal time, Carlesimo later made an appearance at the Mavericks shootaround at the AT&T Center.

traitor!!!!

[Borosai]

Championship!

[SenorSpur]

Maybe that's what some of these guys need - a good ol' PJ-style dog cussin'.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

Sweet. PJ talked to the team. They'll win by 50 now!!!!!!


/typicalspursfaninlovewithpjforunknownreasons

You're right, PJ really didn't bring much to the Spurs. He doesn't deserve any credit or praise.

[Summers]

They'll probably get 5 technical fouls tonight.

[Dingle Barry]

Sweet. PJ talked to the team. They'll win by 50 now!!!!!!


/typicalspursfaninlovewithpjforunknownreasons
I really don't know why you're being so thick about this.

[crc21209]

Hell yeah PJ! Maybe he pep-talked the guys up a bit! :tu

[timvp]

You're right, PJ really didn't bring much to the Spurs. He doesn't deserve any credit or praise.


I really don't know why you're being so thick about this.

PJ deserves credit. However, what exactly did he do that has made Spurs fans fall in love with him? Seriously, I haven't seen anyone point out specifics that PJ did as an assistant coach that makes so many Spurs fans want him back so fervently.

There's an argument to be made but I'd like a PJ fan to spell it out.

[Dunc n Dave]

PJ deserves credit. However, what exactly did he do that has made Spurs fans fall in love with him? Seriously, I haven't seen anyone point out specifics that PJ did as an assistant coach that makes so many Spurs fans want him back so fervently.

There's an argument to be made but I'd like a PJ fan to spell it out.

He helped install the motion offense. The 5 minute scoring droughts (remember when Porter, Daniels, & Co threw up bricks vs the Lakers) disappeared for the most part once he came to the bench.

Since he's been gone, they seem to have returned...

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

PJ deserves credit. However, what exactly did he do that has made Spurs fans fall in love with him? Seriously, I haven't seen anyone point out specifics that PJ did as an assistant coach that makes so many Spurs fans want him back so fervently.

There's an argument to be made but I'd like a PJ fan to spell it out.

Well I guess the completely obvious point would be that he always asked PJ what he thought first in those coaching huddles that took place the first half of every full timeout :lol

[ducks]

pj kepted manu healthy
enough said

[timvp]

He helped install the motion offense. The 5 minute scoring droughts (remember when Porter, Daniels, & Co threw up bricks vs the Lakers) disappeared for the most part once he came to the bench.

Since he's been gone, they seem to have returned...The motion offense is the one Pop took from Larry Brown who took it from Dean Smith. It was adding Parker and Ginobili to the mix that cured the offensive woes, not PJ. Besides, PJ's focus with the team was mostly on the defensive end.

PJ might get hired if Bud gets a head coaching job, but probably not. Newman is next in line to get the lead assistant spot. It'd probably take Bud and Newman getting hired for PJ to return.

PJ is a good assistant but he's been totally overrated by Spurs fans. When he was hired, he was the fourth or fifth option the Spurs went to after striking out on Tim Floyd, Chris Mullin, Alvin Gentry and a few others (IIRC, Cowens).

[Thomas82]

Sweet. PJ talked to the team. They'll win by 50 now!!!!!!


/typicalspursfaninlovewithpjforunknownreasons


We need him back on the coaching staff.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

He helped install the motion offense. The 5 minute scoring droughts (remember when Porter, Daniels, & Co threw up bricks vs the Lakers) disappeared for the most part once he came to the bench.

Since he's been gone, they seem to have returned...

I do remember in 2007 when we started rolling teams around March and had large margins of victories which that one stat whore Hollinger claimed we win the championship because of our leads. :lol

I don't know if PJ being there correlates with us being able to win decisively or if it was because we were healthy, and just young enough.

[Russ]

Question to Karnac:


Hedo Turkoglu, Dirk Nowitzki and P.J. Carlesimo.

Answer:


Name a Turk, a Dirk and a jerk.

:lol:lol:lol

For this reason alone I say bring him back. Plus there's the "proof's in the pudding" Chauncy Billups effect. When PJ left, the team seemed to falter. What harm to bring him back? Plus, he came to the Spurs with a better coaching pedigree than anyone else on the Spurs' staff (including Pop). He knows the game.

[HarlemHeat37]

PJ has been the best announcer in the playoffs so far IMO..

[mrcoon29]

PJ's focus with the team was mostly on the defensive end.

'nuf said..that's definitely what the Spurs have been lacking this year along with focus when they have a friggen lead.

[timvp]

I do remember in 2007 when we started rolling teams around March and had large margins of victories which that one stat whore Hollinger claimed we win the championship because of our leads. :lol

I don't know if PJ being there correlates with us being able to win decisively or if it was because we were healthy, and just young enough.

The thing I liked best about P.J. is he kept track of +/- stats during games and used that information. That may have helped keep Finley off the court in some situations, but probably not.

[ploto]

Was it not PJ who finally convinced Pop it was OK to play zone defense sometimes?