D'Antoni tells all about his departure from Phoenix

[Amuseddaysleeper]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12122008...79.htm?&page=0


KNICKS COACH RIPS OLD PHOENIX BOSSES


D'AN SHAME: Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni tells Post columnist Peter Vecsey his relationship with the Suns began to unravel after an opening-round loss to the Spurs.

By PETER VECSEY



In no time flat after Suns owner Robert Sarver excused Mike D'Antoni from the final two years of his contract to sign with the Knicks New York Knicks , he sold his Scottsdale home and all its contents for a princely profit to the second prospective buyer (rolling in cash) who walked through the door. He couldn't wait to skate.

"Break-ups are hard to handle," the Knicks coach said earlier this week, releasing a sad groan.

I wouldn't know, I replied, facetiousness he failed to follow.

"You need to get out of your house more often," he jabbed.



Without any prompting D'Antoni has agreed to discuss what went wrong at the end of his almost unflawed six-year relationship with the Suns, as well as his frame of mind regarding Monday night's return to a hot spot where he enjoyed so much success, everything but win a le.

"It really burned that we had four straight years of competing at the highest level, yet, in the end, (management's) at ude was like we didn't win a championship so we didn't do nothing," declared D'Antoni, whose teams during that stretch averaged 58 victories. "That really burned me more than anything!"



When did you know you weren't being fully appreciated by ownership or GM Steve Kerr or the fans, I wondered? Was there a certain instance that you recognized it was time to get out of Dodge?

"Things began to unravel toward the completion of the opening round against the Spurs," D'Antoni said, still grieving the Game 1 loss. "Had we won, it would've changed the complexion of the series. But five or six minutes to go they hit a killer 3 when someone didn't switch out and then [Tim] Duncan hit that unbelievable three, his first of the season, I believe, to put it into overtime Then we get crushed in [the] second game."

Next thing you know, D'Antoni was being criticized from within for the first time and he admittedly was feeling the pressure.

"At that point it kinda got out in the papers that an internal difference of opinion and philosophies existed concerning defense and discipline. Between Games 3 and 4 I started to think seriously it was over. I was not definitive about leaving. But after we got knocked out I reassessed everything and felt it would be fair to no one to try to put it back together again."

Particularly because there was at least one major condition attached to remaining "in charge." Though it's true Sarver gave D'Antoni the option to stay (after giving him permission to interview for the Bulls and Knicks) it was clear management wanted more of a commitment defensively should he continue. That almost surely would have meant having to add a defensive coach to his staff.

Head coaches, especially one who recorded 232 triumphs in four seasons and another 26 in the playoffs, take solemn exception to being told anything, much less how to run their fiefdom. D'Antoni felt he sufficiently focused on defense. He preached, practiced and presented concepts on film to his middle-of-the-pack team and tried to conserve players' energy for crunch time when stops counted most.

"I'm a head coach," D'Antoni said defiantly. "I'm neither an offensive nor a defensive coach. I'm a basketball coach. Maybe I should go to a seminar. But I think I know how to guard a guy. How do I get a player to guard a guy? Well, that's harder to do."

Sarver and Kerr also thought D'Antoni was too lenient. They wanted him to crack down on players for breaking rules. "I told them we're too far along, we're not going to change their personalities. As long as they apologized I treated them like men." he said.

"Guys would occasionally be late for something, or they'd get upset about whatever, but it never became a big problem. Then, it comes out I didn't punish a player for doing something in 2005, or I didn't fine a guy for doing something in 2006. Come on, that's weak. That stuff was thrown out there simply to try to justify their position.

"I've been on teams with a problem. The Suns were never a problem," D'Antoni said with emphasis. "There were nuisances. Players had quirks. Some guys might not have liked their role, might not have liked playing second fiddle, might not have been happy campers all the time. But, you know what, you win and it all goes away.

"Management had a different philosophy. I wanted to tweak things. If you're going to make me change this and change that the players would've caught on and said, 'Who's in charge? Who's really coaching the team?' At that point, the determining factor was, am I in position to do a good job? I was too close to the players to go into something that didn't work. I definitively didn't want to put anybody in that position."

In closing, D'Antoni defends the Feb. 28 decision to trade Shawn Marion for Shaquille O'Neal.

"We had gotten stale the way we were. I felt the best way to win a le was to do what we did. And I'd do it again," he said.

"I know Shaq's presence changed our style. But we needed a defensive presence to match up with Duncan, and we needed more second chances. Shaq provides both elements. I wouldn't have done it if Steve (Nash) wasn't on board. Who knows, maybe I convinced him. Maybe he convinced me. I thought about it a week and said, 'Yeah, let's do it.' Shaq gave us the best chance to win. I still believe it and I still believe we did everything possible to make it work."

Then again, after repeatedly sticking to that story throughout most of two interviews, D'Antoni abruptly went the other way on me.

"Had Shawn's contract not become an issue, I would not have done it. You cannot tell a player he's not as good as he thinks he is (Kerr's message the first time the new and naive GM met Shawn to negotiate an extension) and expect no carryover of negative feelings. We needed Shawn 110 percent. That's where the unhappiness started.

"Shawn deserves blame, too. He was in a great situation and earning a great salary. At some point you've to understand what a great life you have. On the other hand, you've got to make him feel important. That's when we got stale. If he were happy, we wouldn't have gotten Shaq. We had a great style and players who were perfectly compatible with it."

[JMarkJohns]

I don't think D'Antoni wennt a different way regarding the Shaq trade. Yeah, he speaks highly of Marion... yeah he says had Marion not been a problem theyd both likely still be there... but here's the thing. Marion and his contract situation being a problem was a large reason why things got stale in the first place, why bad blood started to surface and affect play on the court, which is why a move HAD to be done.

I don't think the Shaq trade was the answer. I absolutely despise Robert Sarver for taking on Shaq's monstrous contract but didn't want to take on the contracts of Marcus Camby and Mike Miller in the proposed three-team trade that would have strengthened Phoenix's defense by having a great shotblocker to alter drives in the lane.

They make that trade, still draft and sign whome they did this offseason, and make the trade Richardson deal, then...

Starters: Nash, Richardson, Barnes, Amare, Camby
Bench: Dragic, Barbosa, Hill, Miller, Dudley, Lopez

That's a damn good squad with no skillset that steps on the toes of the other skillset. Everybody can run, and spread the floor.

Oh well...

I don't miss D'Antoni. Not one bit. Had he stayed, he'd have as many issues as Porter. While Porter hasn't been great, and the juries still out on whether he'll make the right rotational decisions with Richardson, I don't think any coach would have won with the team Phoenix had pre-trade. There wasn't enough capable defenders. There wasn't enough offensive fluidity.

[ClingingMars]

"It really burned that we had four straight years of competing at the highest level, yet, in the end, (management's) at ude was like we didn't win a championship so we didn't do nothing," declared D'Antoni, whose teams during that stretch averaged 58 victories. "That really burned me more than anything!"

-Mars

[Juanobili]

lol Duncan's three really was a gunshot to the head of the Suns

[JMarkJohns]

lol Duncan's three really was a gunshot to the head of the Suns

If only... More like the saw to the broken leg that still allowed the team to hobble on for another several months - maybe years.

[balli]

If only... More like the saw to the broken leg that still allowed the team to hobble on for another several months - maybe years.

Bah. I think Phoenix wins that series if Duncan misses that shot. They were just as good as SA that year.

[JMarkJohns]

Sure. I think so to. I think they win that previous series had the Suns assistant coaches done their job and made sure no Suns player left the immediate area of the bench. They were just as good as San Antonio that year as well.

But that Duncan shot didn't kill the Suns. It cut their legs out from under them. Had it killed them, then the Suns wouldn't be clining to hop and making trades to get better right now. They'd be looking to the future.

So, in effect, it wasn't the bullet to the head, it was the saw to the leg... A part of me wishes the Suns would have packed up shop and traded anyone of worth for draft picks and CAP space in 2010/2011 this past summer. Instead, they battle on... limping the entire way because they can't play enough defense and their best players no longer mesh skillswise to maximize their offensive potential enough to offset their lack of defense on a nightly basis.

Just good enough to compete, but not contend. It's called the middle... funny thing is, the middle has a way of keeping teams in its grasp for longer than the bottom does.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I think the Suns of 2007 >>> Suns of 2008

I don't doubt the Duncan shot crushed the Suns, but the Spurs came back from double digit deficits in almost every game that 2008 series aside from game 3 which was a blowout in the Spurs favor, and game 4, which the Suns won.

The Suns were just not very good at defending in pressure situations this past playoffs. Shaq was always in foul trouble as was Amare, and Gino and TP were having a field day.

The 2007 series was much much closer, and had it not been for the suspensions, who knows?

Despite what Spurs fans think, trying to win a game 7 in Phoenix would've been very difficult.

I think the 2008 Suns were arguably the weakest of the Nash era (2006 team was weak, but that due to Amare's injury). The team was just pick and rolled to death and no adjustments were made.

The 2005 team may not have had much of a bench, but I thought come playoff time this year, that 2008 Suns team just couldn't close out games to save their lives.

[Anti.Hero]

Whatever happened to the days of getting paid, keeping your mouth shut, and moving on.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Whatever happened to the days of getting paid, keeping your mouth shut, and moving on.

For some reason that made me think of the movie Goodfellas

[Biernutz]

Did you read this story? PETER VECSEY is asshole but this time he captured the true NBA coach named Mike D'Antoni. Mike says he has coached wining teams for the the last 3 years and he fine with the way the Suns were and the way it was going. Then he says the team forced things on him that he knew was wrong. Then----

"Then In closing, D'Antoni defends the Feb. 28 decision to trade Shawn Marion for Shaquille O'Neal. We had gotten stale the way we were. I felt the best way to win a le was to do what we did. And I'd do it again, he said."

EXCUSE ME---- Mike, did you know how much trading Marion for Shaq would change the Suns forever. You didn't object to this trade? Is there anyone in the universe who thought that Shaq is good for a running team?

D'Antoni is ASSHAT who points fingers in every direction than at himself. He is in the best location he could ever get in. The New York media will turn on him and cut him up into little bits. He is a self centered jerk who is where he needs to be. Good luck you asshoe!

[Ronaldo McDonald]

Antoni is a damn good coach. You can't blame him for what happened in 2007, and you can't blame him for Nash's defensive ineptness.

[vicphoenix13]

Antoni is a damn good coach. You can't blame him for what happened in 2007, and you can't blame him for Nash's defensive ineptness.

Nash's defensive ineptness? Considering the Suns give up more points per game when Nash is injured, I think your off the mark with that accusation. D'Antoni could never get the Suns to play good team defense. He often ran 45 minute practices where all the team did was scrimmage. Another big mistake D'Antoni made was hiring his brother rather than Boston defensive guru Tom Thibodeau. I am sorry, but D'Antoni is an average NBA coach. He is stubborn and failed to hire the right people to cover for his coaching deficiencies.

[JMarkJohns]

Antoni is a damn good coach. You can't blame him for what happened in 2007, and you can't blame him for Nash's defensive ineptness.

No. He's a damn good offensive coordinator. Coaches make adjustments. Coaches develop talent. Coaches develop rotations and don't run players into the ground for regular season success at the expense of the postseason.

D'Antoni is a genius at putting players in situations where they can shine offensively. He's incapable of taking these teams as far as it takes to win. He is unwilling to admit his system can't, even though it's proven, and would rather lose his way than win another way.

He doesn't stress rebounding. He places players in defensive matchups where they are bound to fail. His teams are mediocre at best rebounders. His teams lack structure and the discipline necessary to stay level-headed in stressful situations. His offense is opportunistic, not fundamental, which is why a good team can stifle it.

He's got everything it takes to be a damn good coach, unfortunately he's too stubborn for his own good and incapable and unwilling to change from what he is now to what he needs to become to acheive such status.

[Biernutz]

No. He's a damn good offensive coordinator. Coaches make adjustments. Coaches develop talent. Coaches develop rotations and don't run players into the ground for regular season success at the expense of the postseason.

D'Antoni is a genius at putting players in situations where they can shine offensively. He's incapable of taking these teams as far as it takes to win. He is unwilling to admit his system can't, even though it's proven, and would rather lose his way than win another way.

He doesn't stress rebounding. He places players in defensive matchups where they are bound to fail. His teams are mediocre at best rebounders. His teams lack structure and the discipline necessary to stay level-headed in stressful situations. His offense is opportunistic, not fundamental, which is why a good team can stifle it.

He's got everything it takes to be a damn good coach, unfortunately he's too stubborn for his own good and incapable and unwilling to change from what he is now to what he needs to become to acheive such status.

[Armando]

This guy! Who is this guy? His mother must have not hugged him enough as a child.

[JMarkJohns]

Funny. Care to prove such?

[mojorizen7]

I love to hate Mike D'Antoni.
Arrogant,stubborn jackass who's gimmicky offense was figured out & stymied every time his PHX SUNS took the court in the playoffs.
In many ways i have the S.A. SPURS to thank for D'Umbtoni's 1 year overdue departure.

[Ronaldo McDonald]

No. He's a damn good offensive coordinator. Coaches make adjustments. Coaches develop talent. Coaches develop rotations and don't run players into the ground for regular season success at the expense of the postseason.

D'Antoni is a genius at putting players in situations where they can shine offensively. He's incapable of taking these teams as far as it takes to win. He is unwilling to admit his system can't, even though it's proven, and would rather lose his way than win another way.

He doesn't stress rebounding. He places players in defensive matchups where they are bound to fail. His teams are mediocre at best rebounders. His teams lack structure and the discipline necessary to stay level-headed in stressful situations. His offense is opportunistic, not fundamental, which is why a good team can stifle it.

He's got everything it takes to be a damn good coach, unfortunately he's too stubborn for his own good and incapable and unwilling to change from what he is now to what he needs to become to acheive such status.

um, his team, I believe (as a spurs fan), in 2007 was going to beat he spurs. you can't blame the suspensions on him, just the stupidity of his players. and you also can't blame the team for getting rid of Kurt Thomas, a more than capable defender against duncan, for reasons (I think?) having to do with money.

His sytem could've beat the spurs, yet his players were really, really stupid for doing what they did in game 5.

[Armando]

um, his team, I believe (as a spurs fan), in 2007 was going to beat he spurs. you can't blame the suspensions on him, just the stupidity of his players. and you also can't blame the team for getting rid of Kurt Thomas, a more than capable defender against duncan, for reasons (I think?) having to do with money.

His sytem could've beat the spurs, yet his players were really, really stupid for doing what they did in game 5.

To be fair to Mike yes he was stubborn to a fault and yes he was not receptive to Kerr's suggestion but I still feel the 2005 and 2007 Suns were good enough to beat the Spurs and in 2007 good enough to win it all. They just had some real bad luck. In 2005 it was JJ being injured in the Dallas series and he was out to I believe the last game of the WCF. In 2007 Horry's infamous hipcheck which got Diaw and Amare from up the bench. The Suns never recovered from that. But that being said in 2007's Game 5 the Suns were up 8 with a minute to go and could not hold on. The 3 pointer by Bowen was a killer.

[phyzik]

Sorry, after being ousted, what, 4 times by Duncan and the Spurs? The Spurs are definately the smoking gun that killed that team. 2007 was the saw to the leg, 2008 was the gun to the head to put them out of misery. Suns fans just hate the Spurs too much to admit it.

[phyzik]

The best part is, after YEARS of Spurs fans on this board battling with Suns trolls (you know if you are or not, I shouldnt have to point out names), telling them D'Antoni had a gimmick offense and them defending the style of play..... Often times saying they would rather have that style than be boring like the Spurs.... The Suns are now trying to play "boring" defense and all the fans are throwing their former hero under the bus.

[Jeremy]

I don't know if the Suns would have won the series or championship if there were no suspensions, but I do think they would have won it all if they had won Game 5 DESPITE the suspensions. And they almost did...but couldn't quite pull it out.

[mojorizen7]

Antoni is a damn good regular season coach. You can't blame him for what happened in 2007, and you can't blame him for Nash's defensive ineptness.

FTFY
Regular season record: 278 wins -184 losses

Playoff record: 17 wins - 19 losses*

*but you've got to watch "how" he lost many of those playoff games....by being a stubborn fool.

[Bob Lanier]

The best part is, after YEARS of Spurs fans on this board battling with Suns trolls (you know if you are or not, I shouldnt have to point out names), telling them D'Antoni had a gimmick offense and them defending the style of play..... Often times saying they would rather have that style than be boring like the Spurs.... The Suns are now trying to play "boring" defense and all the fans are throwing their former hero under the bus.

But, to be fair, the Spurs fans like Biernutz now siding with D'Antoni just to spite the Phoenix Suns organization are just as funny.