Delonte

[R Howe]

For me this is the best post yet this season. Most all our young players either regress or take a long time to play up to potential under Doc, he is especially poison to any young PG he has been given. True he has not been given a Nash or Kidd (thank God for them) but you would think at least one PG, flaws and all, under his tutelage would develop into a serviceable PG. After-all he was a PG himself right? and that is the problem IMO. 
   
  Time to move the coach.... Please 

Tom Murphy <tfmiii at worldnet.att.net> wrote:
  I agree with the many comments that Rondo looks like the eventual answer at the point some years down the road.

But however the PG spot turns out I don't think that this team is rich enough in talent that we can afford to basically sour on players, destroy their self-confidence and then discard them. Unfortunately, that is what I see happening under Doc. This applies not only to Telfair but to Delonte and every other young player on the team as well (although Delonte has a longer leash than most he was victimized by Doc's "I don't need no stinkin' rotation" earlier in the season). Right now Telfair is playing his worst ball of the year. Does is seem farfetched that the deterioration might have anything to do with the Doc's mixed messages? ("I value D and unselfish ball - but I'll sub you out if you're not scoring enough!")

No matter how 'mentally challenged' the players may be, the game basics are still fairly straightforward. If the coach can't translate those basics to the players in a way they can grasp, then he is committing the same error as Pitino. If you recall, he had a wonderful system, just never the 'right' players to make his theory a reality. Well Doc is facing a similar situation - you've got to play with the players you have rather than lamenting their shortcomings and constantly bemoaning how 'young' they are. 

The least Doc can do is at least build up the value of the players by actually teaching the players and fitting them into a *consistent* team concept rather than seeking to break their spirit through pointless mind games. It doesn't matter if Doc is receiving 'orders' from above - he is still the coach and it is his job to reach these players and motivate them. Doc likes to moan about lack of consistency - a good start might be consistency from the coach.

I think there would be a lot less concern about losses on the list and among fans in general if we could see any progress, but under Doc that does not ever seem to happen unless a player receives 'extra-curricular help' (hello Clifford Ray). Some players look like that they improved in the off season (Al Jeff, Green) and at least Tony Allen seems to have improved (by just getting PT and from what I can tell ignoring everything he's been 'taught' for the past two years) but the TEAM has not noticeably improved one jot. They still look as unprepared and uncertain as they did two months ago. 
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