http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2056225

 

 

HOENIX -- After unleashing the Phoenix Suns to a frenetic pace and guiding them to a league-best 62 wins, Mike D'Antoni is the NBA's coach of the year, according to several sources.

 

The outcome of the vote has been reported by two Arizona newspapers and The Associated Press.

 

D'Antoni is to be presented with the award at a news conference Tuesday, two days after Suns point guard Steve Nash was named the league's Most Valuable Player.

 

"Mike's been unbelievable this year," Nash said at the morning shootaround before Monday night's Game 1 against Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals. "He's extremely bright and finds a terrific balance that's so important in this league of holding guys accountable and at the same time giving guys the freedom to use their tools to help the team win."

 

D'Antoni spent 20 years in Italy as a star point guard, then a highly successful coach. His first stint as an NBA head coach was with Denver, where he went 14-36 in the lockout-shortened 1999 season.

 

He was fired at the end of the season and general manager Dan Issel named himself coach. D'Antoni was a scout with San Antonio and an assistant to coach Mike Dunleavy in Portland before returning to Italy in 2001.

 

A year later, he was lured back to the NBA to become an assistant to Suns coach Frank Johnson. When Johnson was fired in December 2003, D'Antoni took over.

 

The young team finished 20-41, but the seeds of this year's turnaround were sown when Phoenix traded Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway to the New York Knicks.

 

That cleared salary cap room for the signing of Nash and Quentin Richardson before this season. D'Antoni, who loves a fast-paced game, decided to go with a small, speedy lineup because those were his five best players and they all wanted to start. The result was a 31-4 record out of the gate, and a 33-win turnaround.

 

"It's an honor, no doubt about it," D'Antoni said of the impending award. "I mean, [suns president] Bryan Colangelo had the vision. He's the one who put all the pieces together and held true and got the players on the floor. From there, the players took over and did a heck of a job."

 

"Hopefully, I helped out and tried to get them going in the right direction," D'Antoni said, "tried to put them where they could perform the best. But those are two pretty big pieces that have to be in place before I get any kind of award."

 

Nash said D'Antoni's easygoing style, and lack of ego, meshed perfectly with the team.

 

"That's a huge part of him," Nash said. "He's willing to kind of relinquish the reins sometimes. That's gutsy in this league. He does it for the betterment of our team, but it takes a guy who's not worried about his own ego."

 

Phoenix's 33-win leap from last season is the third best in NBA history. Cotton Fitzsimmons (1989) is the only other Phoenix coach to win the award. Fitzsimmons coached the 1988-89 Suns to a 55-27 record, a 27-game improvement.

Edited May 9, 200520 yr by Purdue129

2003-2004

Bulls = 23-59

Suns = 29-53

 

2004-2005

Bulls = 47-35

Suns = 62-20

 

 

can't say d'antoni didn't deserve it. although good arguement can be made it was more the players than the coach but then someone could make that arguement against skiles too...

2003-2004

Bulls =  23-59

Suns = 29-53

 

2004-2005

Bulls = 47-35

Suns = 62-20

can't say d'antoni didn't deserve it. although good arguement can be made it was more the players than the coach but then someone could make that arguement against skiles too...

Bulls acquired Piatkowski, Harrington, and Reiner. Suns acquired Nash and Richardson......Bulls win with less. Skiles got raped.

Bulls acquired Piatkowski, Harrington, and Reiner.

 

and duhon, gordon, and deng. 3 key pieces to our team this season...

and duhon, gordon, and deng. 3 key pieces to our team this season...

Uuuum, draft is different from FA. They also made the trade for Jimmy Jackson and drafted Leandrinho Barbosa.

And guess who didn't win in the playoffs? This argument is a splitting hairs one.

Uuuum, draft is different from FA. They also made the trade for Jimmy Jackson and drafted Leandrinho Barbosa.

 

so because they were rookies their contributions are less significant?

And guess who didn't win in the playoffs? This argument is a splitting hairs one.

 

agreed.

Leandrinho Barbosa.

Not this year.

 

Also how is the draft different when we are talking about which coach had more to work with?

And guess who didn't win in the playoffs? This argument is a splitting hairs one.

the award has nothing to do with the playoffs, it is judged on the regualr season.

Bulls acquired Piatkowski, Harrington, and Reiner. Suns acquired Nash and Richardson......Bulls win with less. Skiles got raped.

 

They won less with less.

I am aware that it is a regular season award. THat said, if one is going to argue that Skiles was clearly better this year then the playoff results might not weigh into the decision but do in the bigger picture. To beat the SPurs in the West is much more impressive than simply making the playoffs as a mid-talent in a top heavy but weak East. Now don't get me wrong, Skiles did a fantastic job though

He maximized his players and turned outscoring and outrunning into a new form of defense...

 

Skiles could have won it with no complaints from anyone, although the start may have hurt him, but this is a solid choice nonetheless.

 

Anyone outside of these two winning, such as a certain coach getting consideration after coaching for about half a season, and I would have not agreed at all...

 

Saying Skiles got raped is ridiculous...

They won less with less.

I meant....they won more with less talent. Not more as in actual wins but a hypothetical more.

I am aware that it is a regular season award. THat said, if one is going to argue that Skiles was clearly better this year then the playoff results might not weigh into the decision but do in the bigger picture. To beat the SPurs in the West is much more impressive than simply making the playoffs as a mid-talent in a top heavy but weak East. Now don't get me wrong, Skiles did a fantastic job though

they beat a spurs team with out duncan for a long while.

Not sure who you are referring to there sleepy. Was Fratello up there?

Mike D'Antoni = Paul Westpaul IMO skiles will have a longer coaching career than D'Antoni

Not sure who you are referring to there sleepy. Was Fratello up there?

 

My bad. georgie carl was getting consideration for what he's done with the nugs.

 

I would have preferred Skiles, but d'antoni was my 2nd choice.

Yeah, Karl is a great coach but to me he more got out of them what they should have been, not more than they thought they were if that makes sense. I guess Fratello can't get much consideration because it would make no sesne to have the Coach of the Year be from the same team two years in a row.

skiles didnt have the league MVP and like 5 all star type players, including a top five player in the game (Amare)

skiles didnt have the league MVP and like 5 all star type players, including a top five player in the game (Amare)

Exactly.....Nash, Johnson, Richardson, Marion, Stoudemire > Duhon, Hinrich, Deng, Harrington/Davis, Curry

Edited May 10, 200520 yr by SoxFan1

All that is true about the talent level but the Bulls were still a middle of the pack team wheras the Suns took down the mighty Spurs. Also, MIke made a coaching move that many others wouldn't which was breaking convention and playing his 5 best players instead of trying to change his players to fit the normal mode. Petty gutsy

Exactly.....Nash, Johnson, Richardson, Marion, Stoudemire > Duhon, Hinrich, Deng, Harrington/Davis, Curry

 

The Suns record>Bulls record so whats your point. And Amare is not a top 5 player in the league.

And Amare is not a top 5 player in the league.

 

You could actually make a good case for that...

amare couldnt even win the slam dunk contest.. chris andersen is way better.. and cooler...