Maybe, just maybe "everything" is not the coaches fault!(Denton blog)

[ball junkie 277]

quote:

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:59 pm Post subject: YET ANOTHER BAD MAGIC LOSS

 

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Games like Wednesday's in Boston are exactly why this Orlando Magic team will never be anything more than average.

 

The Celtics defeated the Magic 105-96 in double overtime, but really it was the Magic that gave the game away with one careless play after another late in the fourth quarter and in both overtimes.

 

Teams that deserve to make the playoffs close out four-point leads in the final 2 minutes against foes like Boston who are just playing out the streak.

 

Teams that deserve to get into the playoffs can get the ball in bounds with 22 seconds remaining and make a lead stand up.

 

Teams that deserve to make the playoffs get better shots at the end of games than the one-on-one mess that Jameer Nelson fired up at the end of regulation and the first overtime period. Sure, no one was complaining two nights earlier when Nelson beat the Knicks with two 3-pointers in the final minute.

 

But with Nelson the pendullum often swings too wide. He feels the need to try and win games on his own, forgoing plays so that he can have the game on his own shoulders. Brian Hill was not happy with this decision, yelling at Nelson to run the side-pick-and-roll play that was designed.

 

Teams that deserve to be in the playoffs don't melt down offensively in a second OT against a Boston team that could care less. Teams that deserve to get in don't miss 14 free throws, fumble the ball away 22 times and lose these kind of games.

 

Yes, I do still believe the Magic will get in the playoffs. They just don't deserve to be there.

--- John Denton, FLORIDA TODAY

_________________

John Denton is a FLORIDA TODAY sports reporter and the Orlando Magic beat writer

 

 

 

As I have read around the boards this morning on some of the differnt threads I have noticed not every post is blaming everything on the coach like what usually happens around here after a loss. Last night's loss was tough, no doubt. At least some guys are starting to see that there is definitely some flaws with our players also.

 

On the play where Pierce obviously grabbed and fouled Turkoglu I watched the replay this morning. On the play right before that when Hedo was manned up on him(Pierce) defensively Turk played him extremely aggressive even reaching in to knock the ball away. There was contact multiple times in that exchange. A foul could have been called on Turkoglu but it wasn't.

 

The point being that the refs were allowing rough play on both sides. We still couldn't execute a simple inbounds play. Grant said this morning in the Sentinel if he had it to do over he would have called a timeout.

 

On Nelson's shot attempt in the final seconds of the first overtime. Is there any doubt that he didn't follow the coaches directions? Not in my mind. It was plain as day watching it on television. You could see the fustration in Brian Hill's face as the tean walked back to the bench to huddle for the next overtime period. A pick-an-roll play in that situation would have been perfect. Nelson just chose to do it his way disregarding the coach's instructions.

 

How about missing 14 free throws or committing 22 more turnovers which for this team is a pretty regular occurence.

 

Is that all the coaches fault? By the way, I did change the title for my thread but using Denton's blog as the base. I think you figured that one out.(lol)

 

http://forums.floridatoday.com/viewtopic.php?t=24868&si...6abe0266ac7eb4cdab35

[ball junkie 277]

quote:

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:59 pm Post subject: YET ANOTHER BAD MAGIC LOSS

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Games like Wednesday's in Boston are exactly why this Orlando Magic team will never be anything more than average.

 

The Celtics defeated the Magic 105-96 in double overtime, but really it was the Magic that gave the game away with one careless play after another late in the fourth quarter and in both overtimes.

 

Teams that deserve to make the playoffs close out four-point leads in the final 2 minutes against foes like Boston who are just playing out the streak.

 

Teams that deserve to get into the playoffs can get the ball in bounds with 22 seconds remaining and make a lead stand up.

 

Teams that deserve to make the playoffs get better shots at the end of games than the one-on-one mess that Jameer Nelson fired up at the end of regulation and the first overtime period. Sure, no one was complaining two nights earlier when Nelson beat the Knicks with two 3-pointers in the final minute.

 

But with Nelson the pendullum often swings too wide. He feels the need to try and win games on his own, forgoing plays so that he can have the game on his own shoulders. Brian Hill was not happy with this decision, yelling at Nelson to run the side-pick-and-roll play that was designed.

 

Teams that deserve to be in the playoffs don't melt down offensively in a second OT against a Boston team that could care less. Teams that deserve to get in don't miss 14 free throws, fumble the ball away 22 times and lose these kind of games.

 

Yes, I do still believe the Magic will get in the playoffs. They just don't deserve to be there.

--- John Denton, FLORIDA TODAY

_________________

John Denton is a FLORIDA TODAY sports reporter and the Orlando Magic beat writer

 

 

 

As I have read around the boards this morning on some of the differnt threads I have noticed not every post is blaming everything on the coach like what usually happens around here after a loss. Last night's loss was tough, no doubt. At least some guys are starting to see that there is definitely some flaws with our players also.

 

On the play where Pierce obviously grabbed and fouled Turkoglu I watched the replay this morning. On the play right before that when Hedo was manned up on him(Pierce) defensively Turk played him extremely aggressive even reaching in to knock the ball away. There was contact multiple times in that exchange. A foul could have been called on Turkoglu but it wasn't.

 

The point being that the refs were allowing rough play on both sides. We still couldn't execute a simple inbounds play. Grant said this morning in the Sentinel if he had it to do over he would have called a timeout.

 

On Nelson's shot attempt in the final seconds of the first overtime. Is there any doubt that he didn't follow the coaches directions? Not in my mind. It was plain as day watching it on television. You could see the fustration in Brian Hill's face as the tean walked back to the bench to huddle for the next overtime period. A pick-an-roll play in that situation would have been perfect. Nelson just chose to do it his way disregarding the coach's instructions.

 

How about missing 14 free throws or committing 22 more turnovers which for this team is a pretty regular occurence.

 

Is that all the coaches fault? By the way, I did change the title for my thread but using Denton's blog as the base. I think you figured that one out.(lol)

 

http://forums.floridatoday.com/viewtopic.php?t=24868&si...6abe0266ac7eb4cdab35

[Adam_Magic 56]

Im starting to agree with this.

 

The players have been awful all season, ok Hill messes with the rotations but for real, how can our starting PG play 41mins and score 9 with 4 assists.

 

The only problem I have with coach is not playing JJ, he should have been in there for 20+ last night, we couldnt hit a shot to save our lives and he would have been our only threat!

[ball junkie 277]

quote:

Originally posted by Adam_Magic:

Im starting to agree with this.

 

The players have been awful all season, ok Hill messes with the rotations but for real, how can our starting PG play 41mins and score 9 with 4 assists.

 

The only problem I have with coach is not playing JJ, he should have been in there for 20+ last night, we couldnt hit a shot to save our lives and he would have been our only threat!

 

Adam, I'm totally with you on that about Redick.

 

Even Goukas mentioned on the telecast that having Redick in there would help. He cited an example from the Knicks game in crunch time that allowed Nelson to have more freedon to operate cause with Redick standing at the three-point line on the opposite of the ball the Knicks had to respect him and couldn't leave him alone to double down in the post.

 

Otherwise though our players have to be held accountable for the rest.

[Natesroom 197]

JJ had 9 minutes and 3 assists..

 

Jameer 41 minutes and 4 assists

[magicbeliever 0]

It is still the coach who puts those idividuals on the floor. What was that team with Dooling, Ariza, and Arryo in the 4th. Nothing against the players, but where were your scorers? Who was the threat?

[Rafael17222 0]

I totally agree with John Dentons article and saw it myself. Jameer decided on his own to try to put the game on his shoulders showing little disregard to the set play.

 

I can hear it now:

"Of course he did, he can't trust Brian Hills play calling"

 

If there is one thing coach Hill has done well this season (which are very few) is setting up plays with time running out in close games.

 

Good thread Ball Junkie, but all it's going to do is anger all of the "Firebrianhill.org" clan!

[ball junkie 277]

quote:

Originally posted by magicbeliever:

It is still the coach who puts those idividuals on the floor. What was that team with Dooling, Ariza, and Arryo in the 4th. Nothing against the players, but where were your scorers? Who was the threat?

 

We still had a 4-point lead with 2 minutes to go and couldn't close the deal. The Celtics were in a position that they were gonna have to foul. Brian had his best free-throw shooters on the floor and yes Redick was one of them.

 

We couldn't execute a simple in-bounds play.

 

Bottom line.

[magic07 0]

Too many minutes for Grant and Battie. They were walking down the court in overtime. Was Bo dressed? Was JJ hurt? Come on, that is a coaching decision and a very poor one. But I understand, JJ did have two turnovers trying to make something happen. But it is not as if he threw the ball in the opponents hands...he traveled...so bench him. Yes, it is bhills fault for going back to his starters for both OT's at least. He is a insecure coach..

[ball junkie 277]

quote:

Originally posted by magic07:

Too many minutes for Grant and Battie. They were walking down the court in overtime. Was Bo dressed? Was JJ hurt? Come on, that is a coaching decision and a very poor one. But I understand, JJ did have two turnovers trying to make something happen. But it is not as if he threw the ball in the opponents hands...he traveled...so bench him. Yes, it is bhills fault for going back to his starters for both OT's at least. He is a insecure coach..

 

Again, it would have never gone to overtime if we could have simply protected a 4-point lead with two minutes to go or executed an in-bounds play with 23 seconds left.

 

I know Turk got fouled but read my response in the opening post.

[oldmagicfan 0]

Why not use your 90% free throw shooter earlier? Not with 40 seconds to go. The Celtics new what he was in there for and the were all over him. Why didn't they run a better play to free him up? Poorly executed but poorly planned.

[mymaster 0]

good article by jonh denton.sadly that article sumed up the magic.we had some problems last night and foul shots were one of them.i wonder if coach hill will start carlos over nelson. i said it last night,i hate those run the clock down to 2 seconds and fire up a long shot.