Quote: (03-12-2013 05:06 PM)Timoteo Wrote:
Quote: (03-12-2013 04:34 PM)TheSlayer Wrote:
Quote: (03-12-2013 03:44 PM)Timoteo Wrote:
Spo started as a video coordinator and worked his way up. I have MAD respect for what he's done. I know everyone points to the talent and says "anyone should be able to win" with it. Throughout the history of the league, there have been teams loaded with talent that didn't get it done, so coaching in the NBA matters. Also, the Heat had 3 great starters in that first year together, but little else. It's almost impossible to win without some depth and solid complementary players. Spo did a solid job in getting them to the Finals in 2011, but lost to a more complete team.
Agree with you on the part that what he did from a video coordinator to head coach is pretty remarkable. Obviously, the guy isn't a moron.
Disagree on the point that he did a solid job in getting them to the finals in 2011. They got to the finals relying on the individual brilliance of LBJ and DWade. Both of them took apart Boston and Chicago one-on-one. Then he ran into Carlisle and his zone. Miami obviously did not have zone busters at the time but Spo had no gameplan either to bust the zone. After LBJ started disappearing in the finals, Miami's game plan was to have Wade go 1-on-1 or 1-on-2 in the last 3 games (after Dallas literally started leaving LBJ open).
Even last year he got outcoached by Doc Rivers in the conference finals until LeBron had a fuck you game 6. The first time he outcoached the opposing team's coach was in the finals when he made Miami play "small". After Bosh came back he started Battier at the 4 and Bosh at the 5 full-time.
He's getting better and he does deserve props for managing the egos for the big 3 but I don't think he had much to do with them getting to the finals in 2011.
Remember that Dallas team lost to an 8 seed (Golden State) in the first round of the playoffs, after losing to the Heat in the Finals in '06. Because they couldn't defend. Carlisle was smart enough to realize that they couldn't defend in man-to-man, and was one of the first coaches to commit to playing primarily zone (they actually played ONLY zone in some preseason games to get his team accustomed to playing it). Most teams don't face zone in the NBA - at least not a complete one. Some teams play it situationally, or a hybrid of some sort, but still don't play it that much. Western conference foes that face them more than once and see it more can come up with something, but I can't say that Spo was deficient as a coach because his team, that only faced them twice before, and didn't have the personnel to beat the zone, lost to the Mavs. Most "experts" didn't really expect the Heat to make the finals, and they did struggle in spurts during that first season together. I've never been a big believer in the premise that just a couple of talented players can beat a more cohesive team. Great talent helps tremendously, but people are too quick minimize coaching of talented players. They had tons of growing pains that year, with almost EVERYONE saying that Spo couldn't handle talent, yet they got to the finals. Then with even greater pressure and expectations, he got it done the following year. He, and the team, have grown together.
Anyone who understands basketball will agree with everything you said. Miami in 2011 and 2012 and this year are two different teams. They actually have a bench now, got a good supporting cast, LeBron has elevated his game, and the coaching is much better (they have a system and an identity).
Only thing is Spo was kind of like Scott Brooks is now in those finals. In the finals, the reason that I Spo deserves some blame is that after it was clear that Dallas was gonna play the zone unrelentingly, Miami did not have the 3 point shooting it has today, and LBJ was having a mental breakdown, he persisted with DWade and LBJ isos. There is no shame in being outcoached by Carlisle who has made deep playoff runs before.
My only disagreement with you is that Miami got to the finals with Spo's help. They only got to the finals in 2011 because of the brilliance of the big 3. They had no "system", no method to their madness, and no clear pecking order. When Miami actually needed coaching in the finals, Spo was nowhere to be found. At least now, Miami has a system, an identity, and Spo is doing well this year (not disputing the fact that he has become a better coach). I actually said that in my first post in this thread.If you remember those playoffs against Boston and Chicago, LeBron and Wade made a ton of difficult shots late in the game which deserted them in the finals when the zone threw them off.
Either way, I think they are gonna repeat this year (I hope they beat the Spurs this year).