.....Because Alvin Gentry has a grand total of 2 wins in 5 chances in his coaching career, while having not coached a playoff game since 1999. Just saying... (I know there's a lot of Nate detractors on the board, but seriously. Do a quick eye test and tell me which coach you'd rather have leading your team in the first round series, Gentry or McMillian?)
Coaching doesn't really matter until the playoffs. Playing the same team 4-7 times in a row is like a game of chess for these guys.
Coaching matters when two teams of near equivelency are in a rumble. This is probably the first real good team he has had in the playoffs. The teams he had before, weren't really that good, so I wouldn't read much into his record.
My only point in saying anything, is that the game does indeed slow down and become more about execution in the playoffs. Here's hoping that Nate can pull the right x's and o's in game #1 while Gentry is trying to get acclimated and the Blazers get out of Phoenix with a split. ...Hence the reason with Dantoni in the past that the Suns never quite advanced as far as they should have. The playoff game is a whole different pace then Nash and the Suns are used to playng at and that will take them out of rythm. Can Gentry manufacture wins down the stretch of close games?
You are correct. One of the thing we have working for us, is that Portland is the #1 executing team out of a timeout. In the playoffs, there are more timeouts, than ever.
that was the case 2 years ago. I don't know that I've seen anything updated (if you have it, I'd love to see it) since then. I do know that we are 1-5 this year in overtime. Quick perusal showed we were 10-9 in games decided by <4 points. That doesn't necessarily show the stats behind Nate being anything more or less than an about-average coach at "execution". Now, if there was an update to that WSJ article saying how it's continued through this year, I'll retract. But it doesn't pass the sniff test or the stats test.
Perhaps this bares repeating.... Long series, but I love the idea that Nate McMillian is in our corner, while Alvin Gentry is in theirs. ...Alvin, gotta figure out how to get Amare in positions he can score!
If there is one guy Nate can outcoach, it's Gentry. hahaha J/k. Nate has been fantastic in the last couple of weeks.
Hearing Gentry scream to his guys about how their defense was "fine" in the first half, and how they needed to pick up their offense instead took the cake. We have two legitimate offensive threats: Dre and LA. And they could hardly contain either of those guys in the first half, and this dude was happy with their effort.
Last night I was thinking, Gentry looks the same as when he was a Clipper coach. He's gone from the bottom to the top. Same coach, same talent. What is Donald Serling thinking as he watches this game, gobbling down a dozen little rectangular cherry pies? He lets good people run through his fingers. You develop that attitude when you run a McDonalds. He should get out of the kitchen.
The playoffs are all about adjustments, substitution patterns, moves and counter moves ... in short, yes coaching matters a ton.
Miller is a way better point than Nate ever was. My guess is he'd be a much better X&O's Coach than McMillan too. Even right now. The Blazers success this season has a lot more to do with Miller than it does Nate. Miller has found a way for the Blazers to win, despite McMillans coaching style. No prizes for guessing who will get the credit though.
Magic Johnson knew Xs and Os really well too. I'm not sure the connection you're trying to make holds up.
Nonsense. Andre is close to as good as Nate was on offense, but not even in the same league defensively. I can't imagine Andre as a coach at all. He doesn't have the personality or desire to be effective as a teacher or leader. He just wants to play ball.
I loved the way Nate used the TO. He was quick to call TO any time he sensed a run and I think it was effective in limiting the run. But as I said before, best thing about Nate is the players respect him and leave it all out on the court for him. You want to know which coach was better, ask which players played harder. I wonder if Camby knows Nate is on a year to year contract and if he would extend if Nate wasn't coming back.
Problem with that theory is the Blazers won 50 the year before without Miller. Nate is the one consistent between the two 50 wins seasons.
Hey Maris- you still believe Rudy is better than Bayless? Or are several wide open shots not Rudy's game?
