I need to be careful about this. I need to be careful because I'm going to criticize Don Nelson for his coaching during the Warriors/Knicks game, and I wasn't there so what I write may be limited or even wrong. I need to be careful because I've known Nelson forever and admire him, I really do, but I'm still going to criticize him.
I was watching the game with my kid Iggy who flies back to UCLA tomorrow. At the very end we noticed the same thing. There was still time left in the game, say 10 seconds, but Nelson got up from the bench, turned around and walked through the exit into the tunnel away from the court by himself. I could be wrong. Maybe it was someone who looked like Nelson, but I sure thought it was Nelson.
What's the problem with him walking out? The game wasn't over. His players had to stay on the court or on the bench. If they had to face up to the humiliation of a 138-125 loss to the mediocre Knicks, if they had to face up to oh-for-five on their roadtrip, Nelson sure had to face up also. By leaving -- if he left -- he was separating himself from the loss. He was saying, in effect, that the team had let him down and he was disgusted.
This is not how a coach acts, especially a coach who had complicity in all the losses, especially in the Knicks loss. For reasons beyond my comprehension Nelson insisted on playing his "smallball" even when it became obvious his shrimp lineup could not defend the Knicks. A creative coach -- and Nelson is the height of creative -- would have done something to stop the Knicks. I mean the Knicks ran a pick and roll on almost every possession in the second half, but the Warriors did not have enough big guys to defend the rim. This was inexcusable. It was inexcusable that the Warriors did not know how to stop a pick and roll, one of the rudimentary maneuvers in basketball.
The third quarter was telling. The Warriors had trailed by more than 20 points, but they fought their way back with Andris Biedrins at center and Anthony Randolph at power forward -- in other words, with a traditional NBA lineup. When they cut the lead to 10, Nelson removed Randolph for Kelenna Azubuike. Corey Maggette had to move to power forward, a position he can't play, and the lead soared back to 20. Why did Nelson do that? I don't know. Maybe he had a reason but I can't ask because I wasn't in New York.
It seemed weird to me. It also seemed weird when he walked off the court and left his team flat.
i absolutely agree lowell. i have watched this play out for the last few games. his small ball isn't working with this team. he allows the small lineup to get blown out, swamped on the boards, and unable to defend the post, then brings in randolph, wright or some other big combination, they come back, and then he yanks the bigs. tonight against the knicks, you could see the disgust on young anthony randolphs face, after playing quite well, he was yanked, and the lead grew back to twenty. i too admire nellie, but i have seen this ego crap before from him. these young big players need to play. he starts bellinelli, yanks him after two minutes because he missed a defensive assingnment. he did this two years ago with monte, keeping him in his words " on a short leash" as his point guard, and then a year later realized the enormity of monte's talent. this is very sad stuff.
Totally agree-I was NOT happy about Nellys extension-I want a deep run in the playoffs over an entertaining team anyday-he just doesnt get traditional basketball and never will.
A dinosaur from another era, that's what Don "emperor" Nelson is. ANY team looks like playoff material playing against these Warriors, even the 1 and 10 Wizards!!!
His "small ball" is history. It's the NBA equivalent of Al Davis' vertical passing game, history.
Todays big men are faster, smarter, shoot better and have better ball handling skills than their predecessors. Small doesn't cut it anymore.
He's got the players, but just doesn't utilize them to their best of their abilities.
IMHO, as long as he's the coach, the Warriors will never again be a playoff team.
Let's just give him a gold watch, a six pack of suds and fly him off to retirement in Hawaii.
Garrett
Nelson's refusal to give up the smallball game, is just like what the 49ers Singletary had to deal with Jt O'Sullivan/Martz. Game after game of turnovers and interceptions, yet Martz did not want to change qb's until Singletary made the decision to do so. Someone needs to tell Nelson that smallball is JT O'Sullivan, and he needs to be replaced, unfortunately Rowell cannot handle this, he just extended Nellies contract. Maybe we can get Singletary to do it?
Did we ever get an update on what Nelson was doing walking off the court?