Paul Silas Silas may deserve more than just one award <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Cavs head coach Paul Silas will be a leading vote-getter for NBA Coach of the Year honors, especially if his young team makes the Eastern Conference playoffs. But many NBA insiders say privately that Silas also deserves some unofficial votes for another league honor this season: General Manager of the Year. Why? When the Cavs were struggling earlier in the season, it was Silas who firmly pushed, prodded and persuaded gun-shy GM Jim Paxson to finally give up on underachievers Ricky Davis and Darius Miles and trade them for solid contributors like Eric Williams, Tony Battie and Jeff McInnis. Why does veteran Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas suddenly block shots this season, after years of hardly touching them? Silas says it's because Ilgauskas is simply trying harder to do so.</div> Full story
Know what, I have not even thought about this, but it does hold some ground. I believe he is a top candidate, what you guys think?
I've been a Silas backer all year. Earlier in the season all of the "negative" critics were ready to axe Silas, because of his lack of basketball IQ(LoL). But it's been good to see the Cavs playing well in the second half.......which has been a constant of all Silas teams. Most of the credit has gone to Lebron, Boozer, and Z...but the main reason for the Cavs success is Paul Silas, IMO.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">I believe he is a top candidate, what you guys think?</div> If Bzdelik from Denver is considered one of the leading candidates for COY than I see no reason Silas shouldn't be either.
Silas does deserve a lot of consideration for the job he has done in Cleveland. But he should also split the recognition with the GM Paxson as well. He has brought a good team into Cleveland with EW, Battie and Mcinnis. These players not only play hard but they are team players as well (with the exception of Mcinnis' comments on guarding Jamal). Paxson has brought a winning team to Cleveland (it might have not been possible without drafting LBJ but thats speculation) and it looks like it could become a gasp.....dynasty? He has the main pieces all in place with LB, Boozer and Z. This team is only going to get better IMO. BAck to the coaching award...should Silas win it? IMO no, he should be considered but in the end Jerry Sloan should win it. Sloan has kept his team in the playoff race with a relatively unknown squad (Kirilenko aside) when people were expecting these guys to finish dead last in the league. Silas should be considered for the job he has done but the success is partly attibuted to the GM as well. Maybe Paxson should be GM of the year? BTW what the article says about Z not blocking shots last year is total BS. I had him on my fantasy team and he was blocking at least 1.5-2 per game for me. He may be blocking more shots this year but to say he wasn't trying last year is BS.
I don't know how you can't consider Stan Van Gundy, Rick Carilie, Paul Silas, and Ricky A in good ol' Sac town, but at the moment I think that Stan Van Gundy has to get it. Following in the footsteps in a HOF coach, and getting his team close to the playoffs, and with hardly anyone on his team.
What are you talking about? No one on his team? What do you call Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, Dwyane Wade, Eddie Jones, Rafar Alston and Udonis Haslem? Thats a good team there, maybe better than their record. SVG coach of the year? Hell no. ---------- - KJ
I'll agree that Sloan is the front runner. The Jazz have been through injuries, trades and such, yet they still keep winning even though their talent level does not stack up to hardly any of their opponents.
Yeah you know the all-star cast that includes Rafer Alston, Udonis Haslem, Brian Grant. You have to be kidding me with those names, all of them are either, halfway decent *Alston and Haslem* or just were never good *Brian Grant* Wade has been hurt, Jones hasn't been playing consistant all year, so Odom has been their only best player the whole year long. Not to metion they started loseing their first like 8 games. I say SVG for a canidate for COY and prolly runner up or winner with Silas in the other spot.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtVision:</div><div class="quote_post"> Paxson has brought a winning team to Cleveland (it might have not been possible without drafting LBJ but thats speculation) and it looks like it could become a gasp.....dynasty? He has the main pieces all in place with LB, Boozer and Z. This team is only going to get better IMO. BAck to the coaching award...should Silas win it? IMO no, he should be considered but in the end Jerry Sloan should win it. Sloan has kept his team in the playoff race with a relatively unknown squad (Kirilenko aside) when people were expecting these guys to finish dead last in the league. Silas should be considered for the job he has done but the success is partly attibuted to the GM as well. </div> Regarding GM of the year, I think it either has to go to (my personal pick) Jerry West, or Isiah Thomas...They've really turned around their franchises in a hurry...I have a feeling the Knicks are better for the short term tho, while West has built a team for long term success...Memphis is going to have their first .500 season ever.... As far as coach of the year, I think Silas deserves consideration but I don't think he should win the award...Over in Milwakee, their team had less expectations, yet a better record than the Cavs...I'm not knocking Silas, but I can't see how they would pick Silas over Porter....The award will go to Porter or Hubie Brown IMO...(maybe Sloan if the Jazz can make the playoffs)...my guess is that it will be Porter....
Brian Grant was never good? Do you watch basketball? Alston is one of the best backup pg's in the league (next to Troy Hudson) and Haslem is a rookie but he is still above average. This is your quote: <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Amherstcavsfan:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't know how you can't consider Stan Van Gundy, Rick Carilie, Paul Silas, and Ricky A in good ol' Sac town, but at the moment I think that Stan Van Gundy has to get it. Following in the footsteps in a HOF coach, and getting his team close to the playoffs, and with hardly anyone on his team.</div> This roster is not "hardly anyone" and you said it your self about how you think SVG should take it, not be considered, but take the COY Its horrible how you can even say that Brian Grant was never good.
I think both of you guys are correct about the Heat. Wade has been injured a lot. Brian Grant has not been Brian Grant since showing up Karl malone on the playoffs, that is what earned him that huge contract, but he has never played the same again, makes him look like a paycheck player. Jones has not been as consistent as he once was. But the team still has talent regardless and fact is there are right where they should be, in the playoffs (they won't slide out) So since they are not really overachieving I can't say that I would give any votes to SVG for coach of the year.
Yeah, Grant was dominant at one point, one of the best rebounders in the league until he got paid. SVG doesn't deserve any votes either. It has to go to Hubie Brown or Silas IMO.
The Coach of the year is a two man race between Hubey Brown in Memphis and Jerry Sloan in Utah. These coaches have both of their teams in the playoff race in the TOUGH western conference with no REAL stars, they just have their teams playing hard and more importantly, playing together. Paul Silas has done a great thing down in Cleveland, however his team is in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference with a losing record. When you look at their roster you could make the arguement that they should have a better record thus far. Carlos Boozer, a top 3 power foward in The East, Big Z another top 3 center in The East, and Rookie of the year Lebron James. I personally believe Cleveland is alot better than what their record shows, they should defintely have some more wins at this point...
It has to be either Hubie Brown or Jerry Sloan. Brown and the Grizz are going to win about twice as many games this year as they won in their previous best season. He has done a great job adapting to all the young talent and differing personalities. I guess you could say he is an old school coach coaching a new school team and he has done a wonderful job. Sloan is just working miracles. The average fan probably couldn't name more than 3 players on the Jazz roster and he has them right on the heels of yet another playoff berth. He's still winning with Harpring out for the year and injuries to other key players. I'd say if they make the playoffs, he's a lock for coach of the year. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Paul Silas has done a great thing down in Cleveland, however his team is in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference with a losing record.</div> The Cavs are in 6th place in a 15 team conference. That is not the bottom half. Silas has done a good job, but he's far from coach of the year in my opinion.
In my opinion Silas has had as much presure to be a good coach for LeBron, and LeBron was under presure to have a great rookie year. Both have accomplished great seasons so far. Silas Turned the team around as a coach and LeBron as a player. I definitly think he should get coach of the year.
I just can't see Silas beating out people like Sloan, Brown, Bzdelik, Poppovich, Adlemen, Carlisle, and Terry Porter. Got give him his dues, though, turn the Cavs from a crappy 6-18 team to 6th in the east.
^I can... but that's just me. Silas has done a great job, I think he will get the coach of the month in March, and can be coach of the year to. Only God knows!
Bzdelik That is just the biased Nuggets fan in you talking. Earlier in the season Jeff had the torch for a little while, but you drop it after you start losing ball games. It's not how you start, but how you finish. If Jeff is in the running for this award and not Silas, something is wrong. Poppovich, Adlemen What have these guys done that they have not done in the past now? They are on teams that are expected to win and they are winning. Nothing special I see here. Porter Once again, it's not how you start, but how you finish, and the Cavs since the McInnis trade have been better than the Bucks. Carlisle/Brown I would not have a problem with these 2 being named because they have made an impact on their teams and made them better since last season, esp Indiana. The Pistons have been hot, but the Cavs have still had a better record since the McInnis deal though, and that says a lot. So again, Silas is a legit candidate without question, if he wins or not, he will get his share of votes.
I think Porter is a real show, even considering his teams slide. Noone expected them to be near the playoffs, let alone playing for home court advantage. Sloan if the Jazz make the playoffs though is a lock. His team sucks, yet they are hanging in there. Silas is a distant 3rd right now with Carlisle.
