You know what kills me? Since the awful no TO ending, I've seen a few really good coaching moves by Vinnie. Still some terrible ones, but I have to say I see some improvement and he deserves as well credit for the fact this team 1. Got it's legs under it in Jan/Early Feb when it looked like it'd collapse earlier. 2. Got its legs under it again in late March and April after incorporating changes from the trade. 3. Has played hard, motivated, and often spectacular playoff basketball against a good veteran team.
I come away thinking that in the end VDN is incomplete just as Skiles was. Perhaps they're perfect bookends of the two extremes. One is a coach who teaches a system and defense, but in the end the players we're too scared to make mistakes to finish in tough spots. The other is a coach who doesn't taught feeding the hot hand and not getting in the way of the players, but in the end the team will never have enough structure to be a contender. We need a coach who can do both. I just Phil Jackson back.
I will admit that I thought it was Rivers who made the biggest blunder in the last game by matching us and going small when Big Baby was hurting us.
I think the players just haven't been that good and the system doesn't really matter. Until Rose gets better, I don't think you have anybody talented enough to make this team a true contender. But yeah, VDN is making better moves, which makes it even more frustrating when the team reverts back to early season form.
