Frankly, until we get one more player who has the ability to create his own high quality shot no matter what (Sorry Travis) then it's pretty hard to make the argument that somebody else should have had the ball in their possession in the final two minutes, especially when it has seemed to work so well in the past. The breakdown on our last offensive possession was Travis', he was supposed to cut to the middle giving Roy an outlet and he failed to execute. That's not really a bash on Travis, since SVG switched up his defense which worked doubly well since it confused Travis. Maris this assertion that all losses go on the coach is hilarious, you're so committed to this anti-Nate, Pro-Sergio position that you've carved out for yourself that you're beyond any objectivity.
John Hollinger's analysis of the game and quotes from SVG: The plan was fine. Someone else (Travis in this case - but I thought Rudy chould have helped as well - it was his guy that left him to trap Roy) did not come to help as they should when a team commits multiple defenders to stop Roy.
Roy should do whatever he wants to. 4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points )per 48 minutes) This season: Roy averages 27.8 pts, 50% fg, 9.6 rebounds, 7.8 assists Last season: Roy averaged 31.7 pts, 46.7% fg, 6.5 reb, 6.8 assists So he actually passes more this year than he did last year in 'clutch' situations. http://www.82games.com/0809/CSORT14.HTM
This thread is ridiculous, and this proves it: People are also blathering on about a single Travis play - whatever. I have a feeling that Roy is very, very pissed at himself for missing so many 4th quarter FTs. I know I would be if I were him. It happens. Hopefully, it'll make the team stronger.
Not at all, and I doubt you'll ever find a coach who would agree with you. Games are won by the players and lost by the coach. It's just that simple. I do appreciate Nate's growing competence and seemingly accelerating acceptance of new ideas over the last summer and this season. If he keeps progressing he might be a keeper. Our record, OTOH, is worse than it should be IF we are merely trying to win each game. I doubt that's the plan this year though, and think many moves he has made are simply to see how certain players will respond in certain situations, (they didn't last night) and he's definitely still juggling lineups to see who fits where. I think we are targeting the trade deadline to see where we stand, whether we make a trade and regroup, or get serious about a Title run this year. If we trade, it will set us back another season chemistry-wise, so I don't see it happening unless it's someone KP really covets. Overall, I'm a happy fan right now, but that won't stop me from critiquing game management by the coach, player's acceptance of (or lack of) team concepts, and apparent areas we still need to work on.
My point is whoever has it should be someone who is playing as a teammate and directing the action, not as an individual fame-seeker who refuses to give up the rock when doubled. I am more concerned with the continual practice of abandoning style and speed at the end of every game as if there was a set winning formula that applies universally. Obviously you've never coached, or never known a coach personally. I have (both) and have never met one who would disagree with my view. I am positive Nate would not argue the validity of my statement. Any coach who takes credit for a win is a pompous idiot who will soon be looking for work. Perhaps you don't even have a clue what their job description is, but it includes teaching, developing, and assembling a winning team, getting them to follow your instructions, keeping them motivated... A player has a much simpler job description: Do what the coach tells you.
I can't believe people are complaining about Roy. Seriously? Is 30 points 'too much' for him to score? Do you want him to stay at 16, 4, & 4 forever? Are you honestly lamenting that he's becoming a (in your words) "Jordan-like superstar"? Oh, the horror. I HATE when a guy looks like Jordan! Calm the fuck down. Roy is not the problem. You need to realize in order for us to win in the playoffs, we need to have swag. We need to get angry. Brandon is the leader of our team. If he's out there, hitting bucket after bucket in the 4th quarter, just absolutely feeling it, why tell him stop? Would you rather have had him swing the ball to Travis for a 3 or something? Look, Brandon's a smart player. If he feels he can make it, he'll usually take it. If not, most of the time he passes. Yes, he made a mistake (and a few others in the past couple weeks). But guess what? It's his 3RD YEAR. He's smart enough that he's going to learn from it. You can only be a team player to a certain point. When it comes down to it, when games are on the line, deep in the playoffs, it's the individuals that seal the deal. Jordan. Barkley. Miller. Bryant. The list goes on. Yes, it's a team effort to win, but individuals end up nailing the coffin. There's very few examples of championship teams that didn't have one standout superstar. If we want Roy to eventually get to that level of superstardom, you can't complain about him being "greedy". Let him feel it out. This is new for him. All will come in due time.
As a matter of fact my father coached high school football for number of years, and I ran track, cross-country and wrestled for 10 years. I can guarantee you that regardless of team sport or individual sport there is plenty of blame to go around when you lose and the only time you hear a coach assume all of the blame is in youth sports as a means of shielding the kids. Sure a coach can have his players unprepared, or not do a good enough job teaching or motivating, but it's up to the players/athletes to deliver and execute, this is even more true in professional athletics where athletes are as much responsible for their preparation and execution as the coaching staff ... that's why they get paid the big bucks. If you've never met a coach or person who disagrees with your baseless assertion then I'd suggest you throw your net a little wider. And it's just plain scary that you've coached anything; God have mercy on those kids.
How many players claim personal credit for a victory? None that I can think of. I coach, and I know I've credited my coaching staff for coming up with a game-plan to win. Likewise, I've said that we failed to come up with a game-plan to win. I can't think of a coach I know that thinks he's only to credit when his team loses. It just makes no sense...
You are tiptoe-ing around the perimeter of my point. Have you EVER taken personal credit for a win? Not the same as giving credit to your staff, or players, actually the opposite. Again, I'm guessing no. I have a few times heard players give the coach credit for a win, and deservedly so, but from a coach's perspective credit for the win always goes to the players, or as you point out maybe the staff too.
Yeah you're right I'm sure after every win he said something like "The guys really played well today." and after every loss some variant of "I didn't have them fully prepared today" was uttered. But we're not talking about what a coach or player states publicly; social and cultural mores and prohibitions regarding bragging and self promotion have more to do with what coaches and athletes are supposed to say following a particular outcome than the reality. You know just as well as anybody else that when things go well or badly coaches and players both contribute to the outcome, and that distribution is never 100% on the players in a win and 100% on the coach in a loss (pee-wee football and little league games excluded).
