Avery, COY but not last night

[iella]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Thats why Coach Johnson is coach of the year.....and the best coach in basketball as far as I'm concerned. Jerry Stackhouse passes......COTY. I don't hate Greg Buckner as much as I thought.....COTY Harris has progressed slowly but mightily.......COTY Stack plays defense.....COTY Dirk passes better......COTY Gets a Ben Wallace production with the 5 combo......COTY Might win 70....... COTY Breaking every team and some NBA records.......COTY ...... ETC. ETC. ETC.

Here is my case for D'antoni:

Ball always in Nash's hands.....COTY? Making poor after game quotes that coaches shouldn't make......COTY? Team philosophy without defense......COTY? Most painful smile to watch in basketball.....COTY? Uncontrolled offense.....COTY? Running his players to death.....COTY? Chokin after beatin the Mavs and might be leap frogged by the Spurs.....COTY?????!!!!!!!

Sketchy used car salesman mustache... COTY?

[left texas]

Originally Posted by left texas

We've got to be a little careful,'' Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They're fighting for the eighth spot, and we're not. Sure, we're trying to stay ahead of San Antonio, but when they come out like that and have that juice, and the crowd is behind them, it would have been hard for anybody.''

That was D'Antoni's remark after the Suns lost to the Warriors last night. Can you imagine Coach Johnson making excuses like that.

Avery took the heat after we lost to the Suns. Even if we lose to the Suns Sunday, you will hear no excuses from Avery. He is still the COY. If you look at improvement over last year, sure Houston has the biggest improvement (with 34 wins last year), but Dallas has the fourth biggest improvement and that was with 60 wins.

D'Antoni and the Suns don't play defense, make excuses (do you think the crowds are going to be less enthusiastic during the playoffs?) and won't win a championship with D'Antdoni.

I hope it is ok to qoute your own reply, but more on the Suns loss last night to the Warriors. Raja Bell...

"They were playing at a frenzied pace," Suns guard Raja Bell said. "It was tough to keep up with them offensively and defensively. They would've beaten every team in the league tonight. They were that hot."

How do you think Avery would respond if our players responded to a loss like Raja did?

The Suns are 3-4 since beating the Mavs.

[Tokey41]

Originally Posted by left texas

I agree with you on the fact that the COY won't mean anything when the Mavs win the title, but as of March 31, 2006 the Raptors had 26 wins (so this year they are +13). Houston as of March 31, 2006 had 32 wins (so this year they are +12), and the Mavs last year on March 31 had 54 wins (so this year they are +9). I would say that a coach that has risen the bar on wins almost as much as the Raptors and Rockets would deserve the nod. Dallas ia a marked team with everyone trying to beat them, whether to stop a streak, stay close to them for the playoffs, or trying to make the playoffs , or just to make their season saying we beat the Mavs. I can't say enough about Michell, or Van Gundy, but what they have done still does equal what Johnson has done with the Mavericks.

No doubt Dallas is an elite team that has surpassed the hefty expectations already set... for the regular season. But anything short of a title is a disappointment and we simply cannot judge how we will perform yet, it's unfortunate but most of the time COTY is based on "surprise" teams, the ones that have great records that nobody expected and the leader in that category has to be Toronto since Dallas and Housten had major expectations, it's not our fault really it's just usually how it goes with those media types. When your elite like us, the regular season means very little (as all our staff and players have already mentioned) and so do those awards. If we win 68-70 I don't see how they can't give it to Avery though, but I think once we lock up the top seed sooner than expected it probably won't happen.

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Sam Mitchell was about to lose his job though if they didn't make the playoffs....I don't think you can swing it so quickly for COY when we all know he was gonna be canned otherwise. Thats like voting Isaiah COY because the Knicks could make the playoffs, when he was also about to be canned. Most improved coaches, no question. Avery's team went 46-4 during a stretch this season.....still thinkin Mitchell?

I'd wager if Avery didn't lead us into the playoffs he would be in the same boat (thats a huge stretch, but IF it happened he would be on the hot seat by a lot of fans at this point for sure). The difference is Sam had more pressure with a FAR less superior team to make good with the W's, look at the makeup of that Raptors team and you tell me how many new faces he had to create chemistry with over one season? The answer? A lot. Anthony Parker, Josa Garbojosa, Bargnani, T.J Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Kris Humpheries and not to mention I believe Joey Graham and Jose Calderon are in their second year. Thats basically their entire used roster minus Bosh and Morris Peterson.

In summation I think the quick chemistry is definitely an anomally, but a good argument for Mitchell getting COTY. If you have to give credit to someone for bringing the entire team together in one (not even yet) season you should probably give it to the coach. Or better yet... Bryan Colangelo for GM of the year!

[LRB]

Last year Avery won COY when getting 60 wins. This year he has 61 wins with 1 month left in the regular season. Avery coached his team to a record 51 wins out of 56 consecutive games played that has never been equaled in North American Major sports history. Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan couldn't do it. Red Auerbach couldn't do it. No team in Major league baseball could do it. NHL, not even close. NFL, not even in the picture. It would be a crime to award COY to someone other than Avery, especially any coach in the Leastern conference. Hell a team of 80 yearold grandmothers playing in wheel chairs would have a shot at making the playoffs in the east.