We may never know what went on behind the scenes that led to Mike D’Antoni stepping down as Lakers’ head coach on Wednesday night. Was it really about the team standing firm on not picking up his 4th year team option? Was the team going to let him go and rather than suffer the indignity […]
Mike D'Antoni
Are the Lakers Really Bringing Back Mike D’Antoni?
I wouldn’t blame you if you missed the news or, if you did hear it, were immediately distracted by the news the Clippers’ owner had allegedly made another string of racially and ethnically insensitive statements that could land him in some trouble. I won’t rehash, or get into, those comments in this space. If you’re […]
Coaches on the Move, What Will Become of Mike D’Antoni
The playoffs are underway and that means it is a great time to be a basketball fan. No, our Lakers aren’t in the second season but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy good basketball being played. I tried to catch as much hoops as I could over the weekend and I was pretty impressed with […]
A Key Question for Next Season
With only 15 games left in this forgettable campaign — or maybe it is a memorable one for all the wrong reasons — the shift in focus from this season to next is basically complete. Wins and losses this year matter more from the perspective of how they impact lottery odds and draft position than […]
The Curious Case of Mike D’Antoni
Note: This piece was written before Saturday night’s game against the Warriors. I’ve chosen to erase the game from memory, as you can’t really tell anything about a team playing without its three point guards and two best players on the second night of a back-to back. I suggest you do the same. I’ve come […]
Mike D’Antoni Talks Last Year’s Struggles, Next Year’s Expecations
http://youtu.be/UwWxBDmaeRg Mike D’Antoni doesn’t have the best reputation amongst a large legion of Lakers’ fans. He’s the guy who captained last season’s championship caliber roster into the ground; the guy who took Phil Jackson’s rightful place on the sidelines. There’s shades of truth in those beliefs, though they’re also both woefully short of fully describing […]
The 11th Man
Mike D’Antoni went on the airwaves earlier this summer, theorizing about an 11-man Lakers rotation. On the one hand D’Antoni is as adverse to extended lineups as he is half-court basketball. Further, trying to speculate on what that rotation might look like, weeks before training camp even begins, is a sublimely ridiculous thing to do. […]
For Dwight and D’Antoni, Simpler is Better
Based off the evidence accumulated over the course of their careers, I have full confidence in making two pretty declarative statements: 1. Mike D’Antoni would prefer to run an offense featuring a spread pick and roll attack that generates easy shots at the rim and open three pointers around the arc. 2. Dwight Howard excels […]
After The Gold Rush
There’s an oft-used saying, ‘it’s a tough act to follow.’ You don’t want to be the band that takes the stage after the last band just totally shredded. Or the comedian that follows the guy who had them rolling in the aisles. Phil Jackson was a tough act to follow. Just ask Rudy T, ask […]
Lakers’ Crunch Time Usage Rates Tell a Story That Needs Revising
I’ve long struggled with the idea of “crunch time”. At times I’ve felt the definition used to describe this part of the game — the last 5 minutes of a game with a margin of 5 points or fewer — is a bit arbitrary. This feeling is compounded by the fact that I’m a firm […]