Pitinoball

[Josh Ozersky <josh_ozersky@yahoo.com>]

I really don't think what you're seeing right now is Pitinoball.  I
mean, he's been running this system (which, incidentally, is also the
system that won the celtics 13 championships) for twenty five years. 
He was an assistant coach under the ultra-methodical Hubie Brown and
the head coach of the New York Knicks when they were young.  He knows
more about pro basketball than all of us put together.  

 But his system requires lots of practice, so that (among other
things) guys know when to fall back to man to man defense, and also
lot of conditioning, so that guys won't foul out of tiredness (which
is a big part of what is going on).  On offense, there needs to be
lots of ball movement, and movement without the ball, and smart
decisions.  If none of these things happen, you can expect disaster,
but that doesn't mean that when the system is run right it doesn't
work. 

 I am actually pretty alarmed that Rick is saying he won't press with
his starting unit, although of course in The System there really is no
starting unit, and maybe once Train goes out and Battie or whoever
comes in, the press will pick up.  I certainly don't see Pitino going
with a two-shift basketball team, a pressing one and a nonpressing
one.  This year may be a wash, but I don't think you can blame
Pitino's coaching, which is above reproach.  Just when is he supposed
to coach these guys, anyway?  There are 12 practices left in the
season, or something.  You can't play his way out of shape, either.  

And really, can you blame Pitino for Paul Pierce's sudden
transformation into Alan Alda?  I'm serious, I think he needs to be
medicated.  Remember how much better Rick Fox got when he was
diagnosed with attention defecit disorder?





---skmishra  wrote:
>
> Exactly, this is a challenge for Pitino. Now he can't crib about not
having
> somebody in the middle..but where the heck is the middle in Pitino's
> offense? I think the biggest mistake that he made was not hiring
assistants
> who know the NBA game. Last year Pitino's system was a novelty and
teams
> were not prepared, but this year not only the teams have figured it
out,
> they are making the Celtics pay dearly.
> 
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