NBA Thread

thethe said:
I do not doubt that Gentry is a great offensive basketball guy. But a head coach is much different than an offensive assistant coach. You can't just assume that he is going to do that any better than Donavon. Honestly, mostliy anyone could install a better offensive system than the Thunder have had under Brooks and it still was top 5 consistently. I want a coach that is more willing to play the young guys because even with KD/RW/Ibaka that is going to be essential moving forward.
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You also can't assume someone won't be a good head coach because they have been extremely successful assistant head coaches. Gentry got rave reviews for his work in Phoenix. He was ultimately undone with garbage roster his last year.

The difference between Gentry and Donovan is that we know Gentry runs an excellent modern system. The jury is still out on what system Donovan will bring to OKC. That's the difference. Donovan could end up being a fantastic hire, but it's undoubtedly more risky.
 
thethe said:
Until he wasn't. Its not a knock on someone that they are a better assistance than head coach. It goes the other way. Someone like Jason Kidd could never ben an assistant coach but he is looking like he could have a very good head coaching career.
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They fired him off 1 bad first half......he won 50 games then went 500 in back to back years in the West. Please go look at those teams .....Nash and a bunch of crap.

Then they fired him because they traded Nash in the offseason and had a DLeague team. He got a raw deal
 
thethe said:
I don't believe that KD/RW are going to make the decision to stay in OKC based on if they are friends with the coach. There are way more important factors to consider IMO.
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Yeah, but it certainly helps. But you are right, it's not the most important factor.

Unless The new head coach comes in and they clash. Then it becomes an issue. A very big issue.
 
chop2chip said:
You also can't assume someone won't be a good head coach because they have been extremely successful assistant head coaches. Gentry got rave reviews for his work in Phoenix. He was ultimately undone with garbage roster his last year.

The difference between Gentry and Donovan is that we know Gentry runs an excellent modern system. The jury is still out on what system Donovan will bring to OKC. That's the difference. Donovan could end up being a fantastic hire, but it's undoubtedly more risky.
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But Gentry has had three coaching jobs already. I think the NBA knows exactly whta type of head coach he is at this point in time. But ultimately, an organization like the Thunder (as do so many others) believe in synergy. A whole organization that is on the same page and with Donavon, Presti feels they will have that. Is that the right approach? I could understand both arguments. I still trust in Presti because I have no reason not to at this point. I will wait eagerly for next season and sacrifice some livestock so that hte Thunder finally get a healthy season.
 
BRule said:
They fired him off 1 bad first half......he won 50 games then went 500 in back to back years in the West. Please go look at those teams .....Nash and a bunch of crap.

Then they fired him because they traded Nash in the offseason and had a DLeague team. He got a raw deal
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That wasn't his first coaching job and when you have Nash plus anyone thats a damn good team.
 
thethe said:
That wasn't his first coaching job and when you have Nash plus anyone thats a damn good team.
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He coached the expansion era Heat for 30 games,the post Grant Hill Pistons, the Clippers during the heart of the Donald Sterling era (where he lead them to some of their best teams they had had in 20 years), and then in Phoenix when he had talent he won 54 games.

I don't think his record is anything close to an indictment.
 
BRule said:
You're THE worst. Not even close
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You listed better options than Donovan. Ollie was listed as a better fit. Please stop me if you get lost or can't keep up...

Then you went on to say what area(s) that Donovan wasn't good at or had no experience. One of the points you made was dealing with players with big egos. Common sense says that the group of coaches you mentioned that would be better than Donovan are in turn good at these areas Donovan is lacking in.
 
chop2chip said:
He coached the expansion era Heat for 30 games,the post Grant Hill Pistons, the Clippers during the heart of the Donald Sterling era (where he lead them to some of their best teams they had had in 20 years), and then in Phoenix when he had talent he won 54 games.

I don't think his record is anything close to an indictment.
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There are coaches that lose who are still highly regarded because of how they handled the responsibilities. I don't know what the rap is on Gentry. He may end up getting a job and doing incredible. I'm just saying its not any more of a sure thing than most of the guys being discussed (including Donavon).
 
NinersSBChamps said:
You listed better options than Donovan. Ollie was listed as a better fit. Please stop me if you get lost or can't keep up...

Then you went on to say what area(s) that Donovan wasn't good at or had no experience. One of the points you made was dealing with players with big egos. Common sense says that the group of coaches you mentioned that would be better than Donovan are in turn good at these areas Donovan is lacking in.
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Common sense would dictate that he is likely thinking of another reason. You consistently don't think and just jump to rapid conclusion to rapid conclusion because you are a miserable human being.
 
NinersSBChamps said:
You listed better options than Donovan. Ollie was listed as a better fit. Please stop me if you get lost or can't keep up...

Then you went on to say what area(s) that Donovan wasn't good at or had no experience. One of the points you made was dealing with players with big egos. Common sense says that the group of coaches you mentioned that would be better than Donovan are in turn good at these areas Donovan is lacking in.
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Donovan played 1 year in the NBA.....never coached in the NBA

Ollie played 15 years in the NBA

Also:

NBA player Kevin Durant in an interview with Grantland said that Kevin Ollie (who played for Oklahoma City Thunder in 2009-2010) "taught him the ropes", and "changed the culture of Oklahoma City". He also said, “Kevin Ollie, he was a game changer for us. I think he changed the whole culture in Oklahoma City. Just his mind set, professionalism, every single day. And we all watched that, and we all wanted to be like that. It rubbed off on Russell Westbrook, myself, Jeff Green, James Harden. And then everybody who comes through now, it’s the standard that you’ve got to live up to as a Thunder player. And it all started with Kevin Ollie.”

Billy Donovan is friends with Presti, that's pretty much all he has over Ollie.
 
BRule said:
Donovan played 1 year in the NBA.....never coached in the NBA

Ollie played 15 years in the NBA

Also:

NBA player Kevin Durant in an interview with Grantland said that Kevin Ollie (who played for Oklahoma City Thunder in 2009-2010) "taught him the ropes", and "changed the culture of Oklahoma City". He also said, “Kevin Ollie, he was a game changer for us. I think he changed the whole culture in Oklahoma City. Just his mind set, professionalism, every single day. And we all watched that, and we all wanted to be like that. It rubbed off on Russell Westbrook, myself, Jeff Green, James Harden. And then everybody who comes through now, it’s the standard that you’ve got to live up to as a Thunder player. And it all started with Kevin Ollie.”

Billy Donovan is friends with Presti, that's pretty much all he has over Ollie.
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And a long track record of head coaching at the college level.

I can also give quotes from Noah/Beal saying that Donavon is a slam dunk head coach. Players don't really know how to evaluate that.
 
thethe said:
And a long track record of head coaching at the college level.

I can also give quotes from Noah/Beal saying that Donavon is a slam dunk head coach. Players don't really know how to evaluate that.
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Ollie won a National Title at Connecticut with like the 30th best team in the country. Donovan won with a team full of NBA players, he never won after Noah and those guys left.
 
BRule said:
Ollie won a National Title at Connecticut with like the 30th best team in the country. Donovan won with a team full of NBA players, he never won after Noah and those guys left.
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Ok, but the NCAA tourney is an absolute crapshoot because its a 1 game situation.

I'm just countering your point on how Donavon has nothing on Ollie. Lets be fair here. Donavon has MUCH more coaching experience and has led teams deep into the NCAA tourney before and after NOah/Horford. Ollie clearly wasn't able to replicate what he did with Calhoons players this past year. Lets see if he has any success moving forward.
 
thethe said:
Donavon has MUCH more coaching experience and has led teams deep into the NCAA tourney before and after NOah/Horford. Ollie clearly wasn't able to replicate what he did with Calhoons players this past year. Lets see if he has any success moving forward.
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96 - No tourney
97 - No tourney
98 - No tourney
99 - Lost in Sweet 16 to a 10 Seed - Got there by beating an 11 & 14 seed
00 - Lost in Final 4 ( Mike Miller )
01 - Lost in 2nd round as a 3 seed to an 11
02 - Lost in 1st round to a 12 seed
03 - Lost in 2nd round as a 2 seed to a 7 seed
04 - Lost in 2nd round as a 4 seed
05 - Won Title with Horford / Noah / Brewer
06 - Won Title with Horford / Noah / Brewer / Speights
07 - No tourney
08 - No tourney
09 - Lost in 1st round
10 - Lost in E8 as a 2 seed to Butler
11 - Lost in E8
12 - Lost in E8
13 - Lost in F4 to Ollie!

The point of all this? Donovan usually flames out in the tourney....unless he has a loaded team with Horford / Noah / Speights or the Beal / Young / Boynton / etc teams.

Again.....he might end up being a good coach in the NBA but it's a giant risk and Donovan hasn't done much outside of those 2-3 years
 
That looks like a pretty impressive coaching career to me.

Two final fours and three elite eights isn't doing much? Come on BRule.

I have no clue if Donavon is going to be any good. I just stand by my belief that I think Presti knows what he is doing.
 
thethe said:
That looks like a pretty impressive coaching career to me.

Two final fours and three elite eights isn't doing much? Come on BRule.

I have no clue if Donavon is going to be any good. I just stand by my belief that I think Presti knows what he is doing.
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He was there for 18 years......of course the 2 titles make everything perfect but he needed ELITE NBA players to win....other than that he flames out early every year.
 
chop2chip said:
Do you guys remember when Harden would never win a playoff series because he plays "ISO ball and no defense"?

Heyward, come ye forth.
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Congrats on beating a broken down Mavs team.

If they beat SA, if they can close out LA, i'll give him serious props.

If not, prepare for the slander.
 
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