It's Time...

by madglove on Nov 16, 2008 12:52 AM PST

I hate to say this...I really do...but it's time for a new coach.

I hate to say this because I do NOT want to be lumped in with the idiotic Dunleavy haters who have been incessantly complaining about every single one of his moves for the longest time. I know my hoops and I know that a lot of the Dunleavy haters are nothing more than Monday morning QB's who would complain regardless of who was the coach. I on the other hand have been one of Dunleavy's most ardent supporters because I remember the years of Bill Fitch and Alvin Gentry and Dennis Johnson. I remember just how bad things were before Dunleavy got here and somehow convinced Sterling to actually spend money on his basketball team. I honestly think that Dunleavy is the primary reason we even have a brand new practice facility in Playa Vista.

Having said all that, he has no control over this team. He never did, and maybe the injuries prevented him from getting a fair shot, but now it's too late. He'll never get control of them. It's too far gone and the seeds of doubt are too firmly planted due to this horrible start. The only way to salvage the season and the coming seasons is to let Dunleavy go.

I appreciate all that Dun has done for this team, but his time has passed. We need a more modern day type coach who connects with the players and has a more straight forward system. The days of complicated and lengthy playbooks are over. I say bring in Marc Jackson.

What a mess this season has become.

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Yeah I have come to the same decision

for a long time I have resisted the idea of changing coaches. But if the coach can’t win with the players we have maybe it is time to find some. My only problem is who do we get?

by bestclipfan on Nov 16, 2008 9:22 AM PST reply actions

You might think this is crazy, however there is precedent...........

TV analyst Mike Smith.

Over the past 3 years, I have come to know Mike Smith as a basketball analyst for the Los Angeles Clippers and have been amazed at how “right” he is at describing a game and its eventual outcome. For the last 5 months, we have been seated next to one another on all Clipper flights going over film and personnel. I now know that he has one of the game’s brightest minds, and he has a tremendous future in any capacity of the NBA."

Mike Dunleavy
Head Coach
Los Angeles Clippers

by 69knicks on Nov 16, 2008 4:15 PM PST up reply actions

i do think we need a new coach

But I do like the moves he’s made over the offseason. He gave us what should be a competitive team with great flexibility for the future. I think he’s probably a top 5 GM considering what he has to work with. For that reason, MDSr should be a real GM and make a decision to hire a new coach… but he should still be the GM

by cantthinkofagoodname on Nov 16, 2008 11:34 AM PST reply actions

I agree but lets not kick mdsr under the bus

let him get a season under his belt with these new guys first. I understand its frustrating but if you believed this team had any shot this year then you need to put things into perspective. Teams like mavs who have the same players and were a great team need to be blown up cause their is problems their but we have 9 new players and if they can get the sytem down before the all star break that would be great and then we should judge this team and when and if we get a new head choach mdsr should remain the gm and pick the new choach. if ur a clipper fan then ur used to hard times and if u just jumped on the band wagon cause we got some new player its time u learn to suffer with all us long term clipper fans.

by masonjoussa on Nov 16, 2008 2:07 PM PST reply actions

I like how

you manage to insult all the non basketball people who figured out that MDSr was not the answer long before Mr. Basketball did.

What is Dunleavy’s record without Sam Cassel? Just curious.

Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen

by Phil Gurnee on Nov 16, 2008 7:43 PM PST reply actions

With all due respect, Madglove

There are alot of folks such as myself, ToyCannon and others who have thought for a long time that MDSr was a poor choice to coach this team for various reasons. Yes we’ve documented our position. No, I for one have not “complained,” rather just pointed out what I perceive to be his deficiencies.

All you’re doing now is jumping on the bandwagon, after what some of us have known for a long time has become so obvious that there really no other answer. You try to differentiate yourself by saying that the others are “idiots” and that you “know [your] hoops.” If you truly “knew your hoops” as you claim, perhaps you would have seen this coming as others did. And perhaps you would have had the courage to speak up when it wasn’t popular.

by Jax on Nov 16, 2008 8:26 PM PST reply actions

Haha

Don’t get your panties in a knot.

To clarify, I wasn’t saying that EVERY poster who wanted Dunleavy fired was an idiot or didn’t know basketball. But the ones “INCESSANTLY” complaining about every single move Dunleavy made are the ones who are idiots.

So yea, if you know your hoops and you had legit reasons for wanting Dun outta here, more power to you. I’m definitely jumping on that wagon.

But if you guys can’t acknowledge that there were posters pointlessly ranting and raving about Dun all the time, then I don’t know what to tell you. And if you can’t acknowledge that Dun is a pretty good coach, then you don’t know your hoops. He’s nowhere near as bad as this season is making him look.

If you wanted Dun fired because you knew he’d lose this team…then you were right. If you just think he’s a terrible coach period, well then you don’t know your hoops…period.

by madglove on Nov 16, 2008 10:57 PM PST reply actions

I Love Dunleavy's Defense

Whatever he coaches on defense I think was great when the players executed it correctly. I still remember being at that Hornet game where they had block after block, steal after steal, holding them to only 16 points in the ENTIRE second half! That’s what I like about Dunleavy. I agree with his philosophy that defense wins championships. Sure it’d be nice to have a Suns or Warriors type of team as entertainment. But I think I would always know in the back of my mind that you can’t go all the way with that style of play.

The problem I’ve always had is his offense and his constantly shouting out plays everytime down the court. Always calling the number of the guy he thinks can take his defender one on one in the post. Iso after iso. So lame.

But I agree with madglove in that Dunleavy is not as bad as this season is making him look so far. It’s a new team and there’s no knowing if these pieces will ever fit right together to produce the same kind of defense the Clippers used to have.

I was just thinking about how much I used to like Adelman’s “Princeton” offense with Divac, Miller, Webber, Bibby, Hedu, Peja, Jackson. His offense looked really good for so many years, but their defense was never good enough to take them all the way. But man, all those pick and rolls, cutting to the basket, easy layups and alley oops were beautiful.

But now, if he is trying to coach that same offense in Houston, I would say it is not working because of their games that I have personally watched this year, it’s not even close to the old Kings offense.

I guess my point is a good coach can have a great system. If he has the right players (not necessarily the best, but the right ones for his system) he looks good. But when he has the wrong players (no matter how talented they are) he’s going to look bad.

So people may complain – so why did Dunleavy get Baron and Camby if he knew they weren’t the best guys for his system? Simple. He got Baron because Baron was supposed to be icing on the Brand cake. It wouldn’t be such a big gamble if you have 4 starters that already know your system and you try to add one guy. Of course, after Brand left, he still signed him because he already made a commitment AND he had to scramble to get whatever he could to recover. Same with Camby.

So I think Dunleavy should get a little more time to see if this can work. It might come at the cost of this season, but if they are rockin after the All Star break and look set for a good season next year, I’d be disappointed but ok with that.

Getting a new coach and starting over might take just as long or maybe even longer.

by moKi on Nov 17, 2008 12:37 AM PST reply actions

Dunleavy was a good choice for the Brand era but a poor choice now

I do not, however think that we should change coaches. Better still, Dunleavy should be given the green light to trade the starting player he feels is least capable of playing within his system. If that is Kaman so be it. If that is Thornton so be it. He should replace this player with the best rebounding and defending smart player he can find. Personally I am leaning towards trading Thornton for a tough rebounding SF. If we can get value for Kaman we should trade him and get a tough rebounding PF. I like Gerald Wallace and Rasheed Wallace. Shane Battier, Mike Miller or even Mike Dunleavy Jr would also do the job. We have the firepower, we just need to make some stops and get some fast breaks. We need some toughness in this team. If we dominate the boards we will win games.

by citizen bob on Nov 17, 2008 1:48 AM PST reply actions

Here's some ideas, not looking at logistics

Thornton for Marion
Kaman for Marion
Thornton for Millsap
Kaman for Mike Miller

by Newton Pham on Nov 17, 2008 12:02 PM PST reply actions

I wouldn't trade Kaman or Thor for Marion

he hasn’t looked good since he left phionex. And I would definitely never sign onto a Thornton for Millsap trade which would really be under valuing Thor. And I am not that sure about Miller for Kaman but I would live with that one. Overall I agree that maybe we should give Dunleavy the rest of this season to see if he can figure out anything that could work. But if he doesn’t ( which seems likely right now) we should relieve him of coaching duties and find someone else. It just does not seem that he knows how to win w/o Felton. But I would agree to keeping him on as GM.

by bestclipfan on Nov 18, 2008 7:31 PM PST up reply actions

How about going after some junkyard dog?

Energy type guys? I thought the Clips did real well going 4 – 0 with Reuben Patterson last season… Wasn’t a great shooter but man he really gave the Clippers energy and effort.

Is there anyone available like that?

by moKi on Nov 17, 2008 1:43 PM PST reply actions