It's funny because in the quote you provide above, Montgomery is exactly right IMO. I don't think he's a very good coach but that quote is good. That particular game, the Warriors had 15 assists, 9 from Baron. That means the ball was not moving at all. It was all one-and-done. It was probably all Fisher lol. But at least the quote you provide shows that Montgomery realized the team was not moving tha ball and was not playing as a team. Baron's quote showed that he took accountability and that no one was playing well enough. I don't think Mullin should keep Montgomery. But that doesn't matter. The point is that, whoever the coach is, your lead player absolutely must be on the same page. Otherwise you won't win. Period. Look at Tim Duncan and Greg Popovich. That's is the ideal example. I know Baron must have been frustrated with Monty last year, and Monty must have been frustrated with Baron. But, if you want to create a winning atmosphere, you must create an example of accountability, communication, and unity. Basketball is a team game, and that includes the coach. As far as other leaders, JRich hasn't won a title but this is his franchise and and these younger players know it. They've ridden his clutch performances to many wins. They know how he can take over a game. He's earned it, and I've got to believe -- from the way he's worked hard as hell in the off-seasons -- that he has the respect of his teammates. He's ready to lead, and needs to.
U guys are way to hard on POB. IN high school, he was barely starter worthy, no joke. He turned himself into a lottery pick in 2 years, what do you think he can do in another few years?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheFreshPrince:</div><div class="quote_post">U guys are way to hard on POB. IN high school, he was barely starter worthy, no joke. He turned himself into a lottery pick in 2 years, what do you think he can do in another few years?</div> Become the next KG?
B-Diddy J-Rich Monta Ellis Ike Diogu Troy Murphy Andris Biedrins Mike Dunleavy Jr. Mickale Pietrus Patrick O'bryant Chris Taft Zarko Cabarkapa Devin Brown Keith McLeod Adoanal Foyle Andre Owens
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AlleyOop:</div><div class="quote_post">It's funny because in the quote you provide above, Montgomery is exactly right IMO. I don't think he's a very good coach but that quote is good. That particular game, the Warriors had 15 assists, 9 from Baron. That means the ball was not moving at all. It was all one-and-done. It was probably all Fisher lol. But at least the quote you provide shows that Montgomery realized the team was not moving tha ball and was not playing as a team. Baron's quote showed that he took accountability and that no one was playing well enough. I don't think Mullin should keep Montgomery. But that doesn't matter. The point is that, whoever the coach is, your lead player absolutely must be on the same page. Otherwise you won't win. </div> I am not sure if Montgomery just used the wrong word but how can you want a coach that is saying that the players on the court should be resting on offense? I found this odd, because at this time there was also a lack of energy and a lack of bench players getting some good playing time to rest some of these starters where they are supposed to rest, which is on the bench. Also how can you want your team to rest on offense when there is so much potential to run and get points in the open court? Should the lead player really get on the same page as the head coach and "rest on offense"? Soon the players will be resting on the court at all times, which seemed to be the case at several parts in the season. Yes I am happy that Montgomery can look at a box score or stat-sheet and find certain problems. But isn't there a point in the game where he should be noticing this and making the proper adjustments? Not only could he not make that in-game adjustment, he couldn't even help solve it during the whole season. Also resting on offense, doesn't give you assists either. It takes two people to make an assist. And if the one player on offense with the ball is the only one not resting, then there is no way that there will be many assists. I don't even know what Montgomery is saying at the end of his quote, where he says something about the bench. Obviously you aren't going to get anything from the bench if you only play the bench about 38 minutes in the game, excluding Fisher who was like a starter for Montgomery last season. Andris and Cheaney had 15 minutes, Zarko had 5 minutes, Diogu 2 minutes, Miles had 30 seconds, and Monta Ellis didn't play. http://www.nba.com/games/20051219/GSWBOS/boxscore.html. We can blame Baron for not getting on the same page as Montgomery, though I don't think this is very true, but how many solutions does Montgomery actually bring that Baron should use? Resting on offense, is not one that I would suggest any player take. Not playing the bench very effectively, and then asking for more production from the reserves does not seem very smart nor intelligent. I hate beating a dead horse, well at least an injured horse, which is Montgomery's reputation, but he is not going to win anything as head coach in the NBA, especially with this team.We can call it a players' league and try to save Montgomery from not being very effective. But there are still major problems that will be ignored by doing so, especially with this inexperienced team.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Clif25:</div><div class="quote_post">I am not sure if Montgomery just used the wrong word but how can you want a coach that is saying that the players on the court should be resting on offense?</div> As Rick Barry says: "Defense wins championships." Actually, Monty is making an excellent point here. Here's what he said: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">sometimes the shots that we take on offense lead to having to come back and play defense, we?ll tend to come down one on three and we?re right back on defense again maybe you need to rest on offense, make a few more passes.</div> That game was on the road and was the second of a back-to-back. You keep saying he simply said to "rest on offense," but in the context of this quote does it really sound like he wants his players to just chill out and not try hard on the offensive end? That's not the way it reads to me.To me, it sounds like, due to the circumstances of the game, he wanted his team to try to control the tempo better. To conserve some energy by not hoisting up quick shots or running ill-advised fast breaks. A quick three on one end can lead to a break on the other. Good teams understand 1) how to conserve energy for the fourth quarter 2) how to control the tempo of the game, be it fast or slow. "Making a few more passes" is a good thing. For one, it will allow you to "rest" in the sense that sharing the ball and moving it by passing takes less energy than dribbling non stop. Using 15-20 seconds of the shot clock also allows you to conserve more energy than 10-15 seconds. On the road on a back-to-back conserving energy is a wise thing. And the Warriors need all the energy they can muster to get back and play good defense. If I'm Pietrus and I just spent 25 seconds chasing Andre Igoudala all around the court, working my a$$ offf, getting banged on screen after screen, and then my point guard comes down and jacks up a three pointer in the first 5 seconds of the possession, I'm a little pissed off. It's back to work on defense again. Now, when you have offensive players who don't play any tough defense, then they don't understand the value of giving it your all for an entire possession. I do. That's just the way I play. So when I'm done gassing my a$$ to ensure that my man doesn't score, yeah, I want my PG to be a little more responsible with the ball, be a little more judicious with the ensuing possession, heck maybe even reward me for my good defensive effort by taking some time to try to find me instead of going 1-on-3 like he's Jordan (see Derek Fisher). When you're on the road, on the second night of back to back games, it's a wise thing to conserve energy and dictate the tempo of the game. Sure you want to run the fast break when it's in your favor. But if I'm coach, I want my players being a little more conservative with the ball. Don't shoot quick, ill-advised shots. Let your players get down court and set up. Take your time and move the ball. Bobby Knight has drills where he'll bench a player for even dribbling. Don't dribble. Pass, pass, pass. Make a few more passes. Use your shot clock. Run the play, find the open man. Not only will this "resting" allow you to regain some spent gas for the next bout of defensive intensity, it will also -- if you pass well -- perhaps allow you to get a better look than just trying to force one-on-one. Perhaps it will allow you to get a closer look at the basket, something the Warriors seldom saw last year as they vied for the title of "most three pointers taken" (though not most made). It's no secret that long shots yield long rebounds. Missed threes lead to fast breaks the other way. Fast breaks the other way lead to your big men constantly running up and down the floor, trailing the play and spending gas. Further, missed threes allow little chance for offensive rebounds inside. Closer looks at the basket, on the other hand, allow increased chances for offensive put backs by your big men. The ball doesn't bounce as far. Offensive put backs lead to two good things -- one, a make, and two, your guards have time to get back on defense and prevent a fast break. How do you get closer looks at the basket? Pass more. Be patient with the ball, and keep moving it until something opens up. Don't come down and jack up a deep three with 20 seconds to go on the clock. That's numb-skull basketball. That's the kind of basketball GS often played last year. Now, I'm not saying Monty is a great coach. My above analysis is not in defense of Monty's brilliance as a coach. I have many issues with his candy a$$ and I think Baron Davis is a far superior player than Monty is coach. But I think his comment you quoted does shed some light on a big problem the GS players could not seem to understand how to remedy, and the quote tells me that at least Monty saw it. There are many better coaches, and frankly I hope GS gets one. But as long as Monty is the coach, Baron Davis needs to listen to him and follow instructions. I hope Monty was yelling at Baron and Fisher in the huddle: "STOP TAKING QUICK THREES! LET YOUR TEAM SET UP AND MOVE THE BALL! USE THE SHOT CLOCK! GET THE BALL INSIDE!" These seem to be his sentiments in the quote above. And I hope they were trying, but just not able to execute. If the Warriors want to create a "winning atmosphere," a "playoff atmosphere," there can be no doubt. There can be only one page, and everyone must be on it. I won't mind to see Monty go at all. He had terrible clock management last year, and was completely ineffective at utilizing his bench. But while he's here, the Warriors won't make the playoffs if the players don't believe in him (or at least heed his instructions). And this starts with Baron Davis.
That's the context that I understood as well, oop. I think Montgomery knows that the team Mullin wanted out there just isn't a fastbreak team. Not unless we have a point guard out there that can run it and also the guys we've relied off the bench last year proving they can shoot and not turn the ball over. Mullin's got to make up his mind whether he wants to play Murphy/Fisher ball or Baron ball. Either way, we still lack defense and polished inside presence and a few other things with Dunleavy or Pietrus occupying the wing. Montgomery's biggest blunder was continuing to ride with Fisher but it's not like he's the type of coach to gamble on a high school guard to play point guard. Plus, it's more of Mullin's fault of choosing Fisher in the first place. If Mullin were to coach this team the way he envisioned these guys playing, I think it would still lose. Just like Isiah's Knicks.
