Don Nelson's coaching abilities

"Don't Taze Me, Bro!" <No2Exists1.RemoveThis@Earth71.net> wrote in message
news:FA9Pj.1844$nb4.1808@trnddc08...
> It appears that everywhere the man goes, he suddenly turns the team
> around, and then they either get to their peak in the playoffs and never
> to the main event, they stay the same, or they falter. Maybe the guy is
> just really gifted at pulling talent together, but does not know how to
> coach it to the bloody end? Maybe he knows basketball, but cannot direct
> it from the bench (i.e. his invention of the point forward)?
>
> If you look at his history... he did a lot of interesting things. I mean,
> he tried to bring O'neal to NY in a trade that would involve Ewing and so
> forth. There is no doubt that the guy knows talent.
>
> I know his coaching record suggests he is a great coach, but that is a lot
> of wins, not to have a championship to show for it (outside of his playing
> career).
>
> Out of the top 3 winningest coaches... I would take Pat...
>
> Any thoughts?

I think you're on target. Nelson is good at taking over a bad team and
getting them to a moderate level of success (making the playoffs, winning a
playoff series or two), but not at lifting a team to a championship-caliber
level.
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

"Don't Taze Me, Bro!" <No2Exists1.TakeThisOut@Earth71.net> wrote in message
news:FA9Pj.1844$nb4.1808@trnddc08...
> It appears that everywhere the man goes, he suddenly turns the team
> around, and then they either get to their peak in the playoffs and never
> to the main event, they stay the same, or they falter. Maybe the guy is
> just really gifted at pulling talent together, but does not know how to
> coach it to the bloody end? Maybe he knows basketball, but cannot direct
> it from the bench (i.e. his invention of the point forward)?
>
> If you look at his history... he did a lot of interesting things. I mean,
> he tried to bring O'neal to NY in a trade that would involve Ewing and so
> forth. There is no doubt that the guy knows talent.
>
> I know his coaching record suggests he is a great coach, but that is a lot
> of wins, not to have a championship to show for it (outside of his playing
> career).
>
> Out of the top 3 winningest coaches... I would take Pat...
>
> Any thoughts?

I think you're on target. Nelson is good at taking over a bad team and
getting them to a moderate level of success (making the playoffs, winning a
playoff series or two), but not at lifting a team to a championship-caliber
level.
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

"Don't Taze Me, Bro!" <No2Exists1.RemoveThis@Earth71.net> wrote in message
news:FA9Pj.1844$nb4.1808@trnddc08...
> It appears that everywhere the man goes, he suddenly turns the team
> around, and then they either get to their peak in the playoffs and never
> to the main event, they stay the same, or they falter. Maybe the guy is
> just really gifted at pulling talent together, but does not know how to
> coach it to the bloody end? Maybe he knows basketball, but cannot direct
> it from the bench (i.e. his invention of the point forward)?
>

I think Don has simply figured out that if you put a fun exciting team on
the floor, one which wins a decent number of regular season games while
pulling off the occasional showy upset, which is always ultimately
meaningless, NBA "pundits" will declare him to be this great coach who gets
so much out his players. Nevermind that his teams are undisciplined, play no
defense, and their vaunted offfense usually goes into the tank if defensive
pressure is applied. But Nelson, it seems, always gets a pass. Afterall, who
could expect Nelson's teams to actually compete on the level of the Lakers,
Spurs, Jazz?

>
> I know his coaching record suggests he is a great coach, but that is a lot
> of wins, not to have a championship to show for it (outside of his playing
> career).
>

His coaching record suggests he is "great" regular season coach, but not
someone you'd count on to take a team to the Finals. Look at his Mavs team.
The year after he leaves, Avery Johnson, a rookie head coach, takes them to
the Finals for the first time in franchise history. Nelson's one of the
biggest frauds roaming the sidelines in the NBA.

> Out of the top 3 winningest coaches... I would take Pat...
>
> Any thoughts?
>

I'll take Phil. Pats a little on the frenetic and emotional side. That wears
thin with the players sooner than later.

Greg
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

On Apr 21, 6:39 pm, "Don't Taze Me, Bro!" <No2Exis....TakeThisOut@Earth71.net>
wrote:
> It appears that everywhere the man goes, he suddenly turns the team around,
> and then they either get to their peak in the playoffs and never to the main
> event, they stay the same, or they falter. Maybe the guy is just really
> gifted at pulling talent together, but does not know how to coach it to the
> bloody end? Maybe he knows basketball, but cannot direct it from the bench
> (i.e. his invention of the point forward)?
>
> If you look at his history... he did a lot of interesting things. I mean, he
> tried to bring O'neal to NY in a trade that would involve Ewing and so
> forth. There is no doubt that the guy knows talent.
>
> I know his coaching record suggests he is a great coach, but that is a lot
> of wins, not to have a championship to show for it (outside of his playing
> career).
>
> Out of the top 3 winningest coaches... I would take Pat...
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> ____
>
> --Boycotting the 2008 China Olympic Games--

He does the best he can with his teams. He pretty much is consistent
with what he does. No unpredictability, unlike George Karl. How can
you change your philosophy. He goes from being one of the best
defensive minded coaches to one that doesn't even think defense.
Pretty strange to me.
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

On Apr 21, 4:39 pm, "Don't Taze Me, Bro!" <No2Exis....TakeThisOut@Earth71.net>
wrote:
> It appears that everywhere the man goes, he suddenly turns the team around,
> and then they either get to their peak in the playoffs and never to the main
> event, they stay the same, or they falter. Maybe the guy is just really
> gifted at pulling talent together, but does not know how to coach it to the
> bloody end? Maybe he knows basketball, but cannot direct it from the bench
> (i.e. his invention of the point forward)?
>
> If you look at his history... he did a lot of interesting things. I mean, he
> tried to bring O'neal to NY in a trade that would involve Ewing and so
> forth. There is no doubt that the guy knows talent.
>
> I know his coaching record suggests he is a great coach, but that is a lot
> of wins, not to have a championship to show for it (outside of his playing
> career).
>
> Out of the top 3 winningest coaches... I would take Pat...
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> ____
>
> --Boycotting the 2008 China Olympic Games--

Pat was the benefit of Magic and Kareem in LA, Ewing in NY, and Shaq
and Wade in Miami, so don't anoint him yet. Nellie is the best at
turning a losing team into a 50 win team and upsetting a team in the
first round. Pat is the best at taking that team to the title, but he
doesn't do anything with inferior talent the way Nellie does.
Different coaches are good at different things.

Can you say Larry Brown went from being the best coach (as he was
pronounced by many in Det) to the worst in two years?

Rizzo
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

On Apr 21, 8:02 pm, "Alson Wong" <ra... DeleteThis @yahoo.com._b_l_o_c_k_> wrote:
> "Don't Taze Me, Bro!" <No2Exis... DeleteThis @Earth71.net> wrote in messagenews:FA9Pj.1844$nb4.1808@trnddc08...
>
>
>
> > It appears that everywhere the man goes, he suddenly turns the team
> > around, and then they either get to their peak in the playoffs and never
> > to the main event, they stay the same, or they falter. Maybe the guy is
> > just really gifted at pulling talent together, but does not know how to
> > coach it to the bloody end? Maybe he knows basketball, but cannot direct
> > it from the bench (i.e. his invention of the point forward)?
>
> > If you look at his history... he did a lot of interesting things. I mean,
> > he tried to bring O'neal to NY in a trade that would involve Ewing and so
> > forth. There is no doubt that the guy knows talent.
>
> > I know his coaching record suggests he is a great coach, but that is a lot
> > of wins, not to have a championship to show for it (outside of his playing
> > career).
>
> > Out of the top 3 winningest coaches... I would take Pat...
>
> > Any thoughts?
>
> I think you're on target. Nelson is good at taking over a bad team and
> getting them to a moderate level of success (making the playoffs, winning a
> playoff series or two), but not at lifting a team to a championship-caliber
> level.

BINGO, though he has never had that kind of roster either (some due to
his doing, some not)...
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

On Apr 21, 8:11 pm, "greg brown" <no....DeleteThis@way.com> wrote:
> "Don't Taze Me, Bro!" <No2Exis....DeleteThis@Earth71.net> wrote in messagenews:FA9Pj.1844$nb4.1808@trnddc08...
>
> > It appears that everywhere the man goes, he suddenly turns the team
> > around, and then they either get to their peak in the playoffs and never
> > to the main event, they stay the same, or they falter. Maybe the guy is
> > just really gifted at pulling talent together, but does not know how to
> > coach it to the bloody end? Maybe he knows basketball, but cannot direct
> > it from the bench (i.e. his invention of the point forward)?
>
> I think Don has simply figured out that if you put a fun exciting team on
> the floor, one which wins a decent number of regular season games while
> pulling off the occasional showy upset, which is always ultimately
> meaningless, NBA "pundits" will declare him to be this great coach who gets
> so much out his players. Nevermind that his teams are undisciplined, play no
> defense, and their vaunted offfense usually goes into the tank if defensive
> pressure is applied. But Nelson, it seems, always gets a pass. Afterall, who
> could expect Nelson's teams to actually compete on the level of the Lakers,
> Spurs, Jazz?
>
>
>
> > I know his coaching record suggests he is a great coach, but that is a lot
> > of wins, not to have a championship to show for it (outside of his playing
> > career).
>
> His coaching record suggests he is "great" regular season coach, but not
> someone you'd count on to take a team to the Finals. Look at his Mavs team.
> The year after he leaves, Avery Johnson, a rookie head coach, takes them to
> the Finals for the first time in franchise history. Nelson's one of the
> biggest frauds roaming the sidelines in the NBA.
>
> > Out of the top 3 winningest coaches... I would take Pat...
>
> > Any thoughts?
>
> I'll take Phil. Pats a little on the frenetic and emotional side. That wears
> thin with the players sooner than later.
>
> Greg

Greg, Phil isn't among the top three. Lenny, Nellie, Pat are the
choices for that question.
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

On Apr 21, 8:40 pm, Avant Grape <avantnograpec....RemoveThis@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:
> Alson Wong wrote:
> > "Don't Taze Me, Bro!" <No2Exis....RemoveThis@Earth71.net> wrote in message
> >news:FA9Pj.1844$nb4.1808@trnddc08...
> >> It appears that everywhere the man goes, he suddenly turns the team
> >> around, and then they either get to their peak in the playoffs and never
> >> to the main event, they stay the same, or they falter. Maybe the guy is
> >> just really gifted at pulling talent together, but does not know how to
> >> coach it to the bloody end? Maybe he knows basketball, but cannot direct
> >> it from the bench (i.e. his invention of the point forward)?
>
> >> If you look at his history... he did a lot of interesting things. I mean,
> >> he tried to bring O'neal to NY in a trade that would involve Ewing and so
> >> forth. There is no doubt that the guy knows talent.
>
> >> I know his coaching record suggests he is a great coach, but that is a
> >> lot
> >> of wins, not to have a championship to show for it (outside of his
> >> playing
> >> career).
>
> >> Out of the top 3 winningest coaches... I would take Pat...
>
> >> Any thoughts?
>
> > I think you're on target. Nelson is good at taking over a bad team and
> > getting them to a moderate level of success (making the playoffs, winning a
> > playoff series or two), but not at lifting a team to a championship-caliber
> > level.
>
> I think Nelson is a great coach, but for whatever reason, he's been on a
> life-long quest to prove he can win big without a post-up guy. So far,
> it hasn't seemed to work out for him. But it can be fun watching him
> try. He's one of the great 'characters' of the NBA, that's for sure.
> I'd drink a scotch with him.
>
> -JC

Nellie is a great coach as you say. Not the best, but great.
Probably this year above all others, I'd go with Phil for the best
ever. As for the top three, I'd go with lenny Wilkins.

Rizzo
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

Alson Wong wrote:
> "Don't Taze Me, Bro!" <No2Exists1 DeleteThis @Earth71.net> wrote in message
> news:FA9Pj.1844$nb4.1808@trnddc08...
>> It appears that everywhere the man goes, he suddenly turns the team
>> around, and then they either get to their peak in the playoffs and
>> never to the main event, they stay the same, or they falter. Maybe
>> the guy is just really gifted at pulling talent together, but does
>> not know how to coach it to the bloody end? Maybe he knows
>> basketball, but cannot direct it from the bench (i.e. his invention
>> of the point forward)? If you look at his history... he did a lot of
>> interesting things. I
>> mean, he tried to bring O'neal to NY in a trade that would involve
>> Ewing and so forth. There is no doubt that the guy knows talent.
>>
>> I know his coaching record suggests he is a great coach, but that is
>> a lot of wins, not to have a championship to show for it (outside of
>> his playing career).
>>
>> Out of the top 3 winningest coaches... I would take Pat...
>>
>> Any thoughts?
>
> I think you're on target. Nelson is good at taking over a bad team and
> getting them to a moderate level of success (making the playoffs,
> winning a playoff series or two), but not at lifting a team to a
> championship-caliber level.

Ok, OK!

Geeze. We got it the first time. ;-)
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

Avery....
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

Alson Wong wrote:
> "Don't Taze Me, Bro!" <No2Exists1.DeleteThis@Earth71.net> wrote in message
> news:FA9Pj.1844$nb4.1808@trnddc08...
>> It appears that everywhere the man goes, he suddenly turns the team
>> around, and then they either get to their peak in the playoffs and never
>> to the main event, they stay the same, or they falter. Maybe the guy is
>> just really gifted at pulling talent together, but does not know how to
>> coach it to the bloody end? Maybe he knows basketball, but cannot direct
>> it from the bench (i.e. his invention of the point forward)?
>>
>> If you look at his history... he did a lot of interesting things. I mean,
>> he tried to bring O'neal to NY in a trade that would involve Ewing and so
>> forth. There is no doubt that the guy knows talent.
>>
>> I know his coaching record suggests he is a great coach, but that is a
>> lot
>> of wins, not to have a championship to show for it (outside of his
>> playing
>> career).
>>
>> Out of the top 3 winningest coaches... I would take Pat...
>>
>> Any thoughts?
>
> I think you're on target. Nelson is good at taking over a bad team and
> getting them to a moderate level of success (making the playoffs, winning a
> playoff series or two), but not at lifting a team to a championship-caliber
> level.
>



I think Nelson is a great coach, but for whatever reason, he's been on a
life-long quest to prove he can win big without a post-up guy. So far,
it hasn't seemed to work out for him. But it can be fun watching him
try. He's one of the great 'characters' of the NBA, that's for sure.
I'd drink a scotch with him.

-JC
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

"Avant Grape" <avantnograpecrap.RemoveThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:_6dPj.2316$pS4.586@newssvr13.news.prodigy.net...
> I'd drink a scotch with him.
>
> -JC

You would drink a case of scotch with him. The guy can hold his alcohol. Saw
him do it when he was here in Dallas.
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities 

"greg brown" <noway RemoveThis @way.com> wrote in message
news:usednfmYWfxAy5DVnZ2dnUVZ_o3inZ2d@earthlink.com...
> I'll take Phil. Pats a little on the frenetic and emotional side. That
> wears thin with the players sooner than later.
>
> Greg

Not to open this can of worms... but Phil sure did have some great tallent
at the perfect times... perhaps something that the three winningest coaches
did not have.
 >> Stay informed about: Don Nelson's coaching abilities