Part of me thinks that Nate isn't necessarily KP's guy. Not to say that he has a problem with him, but based on the players he has, KP clearly has a direction he wants to go.
Nate indicated during summer league he could see the league going back to a low post game. While that made many here happy, that made me have an existential crisis.
I get that you want to zig when they zag - but going back to a slow lost post game isn't zigging. That's just running backwards.
That said - on the contrary, I DO believe that the league will emphasis size more in the future, but it will be a different way. While many long for the days of the 90s when the low post ruled, myself included, I didnt like how there were a lot of basketball players in the league who were there simply becuase they were tall. They lacked skill and ability. I love the game is trending towards all skill all the time - Doesn't matter if you're 7 feet. You better know how to play. And it makes sense - I never understood why guards and bigs learned to play diferrently. Guards learned how to rebound, pass, shoot, dribble run the floor.
Bigs learned how to rebound and throw up hook shots. It was bizarre.
I think when it comes to countering the NBA trend, the next trend will be a big team full of gifted bigs that are skilled, as well as a true defensive power house. The league is trending towards offense, the next big thing should be to trend towards defense and how to stop them.
Anywho long story short, based on KP's comments about flexible lineups, and Nate's sometimes seemingly refusal to adjust, I wonder if his stint will be short here.
Tangent 8000: I actually LOVE Nate as a coach and think he's one of Indiana's best ever. He focus' on defense. I love that. He commands respect in the locker room and gets his guys to buy in. He has this calm demeanor that is absolutely contagous. I even would argue he's one of the best in the league.
But - his refusal to get creative on offense, to get more shots for our shooters... When you hear him yelling at Myles Turner to drive, when Myles is wide open. Myles. Shoot when you're open. Don't drive towards collapsing defenders! Whether you like Myles or not, he has tools NOW, and he can't seem to find a way to get him involved. His random benchings during the playoffs (dipo game 7).
He's not creative, and refuses to evolve. It's his only knock. He's basically perfect in every other way. So. Long story short I don't know. It's hard to get a good coach. Mcmillan is definitely in the good coach category. But. He couldn't even figure out he needed to bench Monta.
https://8points9seconds.com/2018/07/...rs-extentsion/
Nate indicated during summer league he could see the league going back to a low post game. While that made many here happy, that made me have an existential crisis.
I get that you want to zig when they zag - but going back to a slow lost post game isn't zigging. That's just running backwards.
That said - on the contrary, I DO believe that the league will emphasis size more in the future, but it will be a different way. While many long for the days of the 90s when the low post ruled, myself included, I didnt like how there were a lot of basketball players in the league who were there simply becuase they were tall. They lacked skill and ability. I love the game is trending towards all skill all the time - Doesn't matter if you're 7 feet. You better know how to play. And it makes sense - I never understood why guards and bigs learned to play diferrently. Guards learned how to rebound, pass, shoot, dribble run the floor.
Bigs learned how to rebound and throw up hook shots. It was bizarre.
I think when it comes to countering the NBA trend, the next trend will be a big team full of gifted bigs that are skilled, as well as a true defensive power house. The league is trending towards offense, the next big thing should be to trend towards defense and how to stop them.
Anywho long story short, based on KP's comments about flexible lineups, and Nate's sometimes seemingly refusal to adjust, I wonder if his stint will be short here.
Tangent 8000: I actually LOVE Nate as a coach and think he's one of Indiana's best ever. He focus' on defense. I love that. He commands respect in the locker room and gets his guys to buy in. He has this calm demeanor that is absolutely contagous. I even would argue he's one of the best in the league.
But - his refusal to get creative on offense, to get more shots for our shooters... When you hear him yelling at Myles Turner to drive, when Myles is wide open. Myles. Shoot when you're open. Don't drive towards collapsing defenders! Whether you like Myles or not, he has tools NOW, and he can't seem to find a way to get him involved. His random benchings during the playoffs (dipo game 7).
He's not creative, and refuses to evolve. It's his only knock. He's basically perfect in every other way. So. Long story short I don't know. It's hard to get a good coach. Mcmillan is definitely in the good coach category. But. He couldn't even figure out he needed to bench Monta.
https://8points9seconds.com/2018/07/...rs-extentsion/
Nate McMillan is in the final year of his contract, but it is likely only a matter of time before the Indiana Pacers offer him an extension.
The Indiana Pacers overachieved last season as Nate McMillan guided them to a 48-34 record in his second season as the head coach. A 7-game series with the Cleveland Cavaliers proved more competitive than most expected as well.
So, is an extension in the works?
The Indianapolis Star’s J. Michael is saying that is likely only a matter of time before that happens now that most of the other offseason business is out of the way.
While it could be awhile before any extension is signed, or even offered, it is all but inevitable that the Pacers will keep him around. McMillan has a 90-74 record as the Pacers coach, part of his 568-526 overall record as an NBA coach.
Despite McMillan getting more than anyone expected out of the Pacers last season, he isn’t beloved by fans or the media. He never got out of the shadow of being an unexciting hire after Frank Vogel was fired, which have led to his muddled approval ratings.
Without that initial bit of good will, McMillan struggled to earn fans love and respect in an up and down and ultimately doomed first season with Indiana, posting a 42-40 record.
A better than expected second season certainly helped convince some nay-sayers, but McMillan’s time in Indiana is in doubt until an extension if offered and he may never convince some that he is the right coach for Indiana.
It’s good to hear that the Pacers are planning to get an extension done because we’ve seen how uncertainty can breed toxicity. Chemistry played a huge role in Indiana’s success last season, and McMillan deserved credit for getting the most out of the players.
No coach is perfect, and some McMillan’s tactics could use altering, but ultimately he got more out of the Pacers than anyone reasonably would have expected before the season. Indiana was projected to win 30-some games, after all.
You can debate how much credit McMillan deserves, but he is part of the Pacers’ winning equation in one way or another.
The Indiana Pacers overachieved last season as Nate McMillan guided them to a 48-34 record in his second season as the head coach. A 7-game series with the Cleveland Cavaliers proved more competitive than most expected as well.
So, is an extension in the works?
The Indianapolis Star’s J. Michael is saying that is likely only a matter of time before that happens now that most of the other offseason business is out of the way.
While it could be awhile before any extension is signed, or even offered, it is all but inevitable that the Pacers will keep him around. McMillan has a 90-74 record as the Pacers coach, part of his 568-526 overall record as an NBA coach.
Despite McMillan getting more than anyone expected out of the Pacers last season, he isn’t beloved by fans or the media. He never got out of the shadow of being an unexciting hire after Frank Vogel was fired, which have led to his muddled approval ratings.
Without that initial bit of good will, McMillan struggled to earn fans love and respect in an up and down and ultimately doomed first season with Indiana, posting a 42-40 record.
A better than expected second season certainly helped convince some nay-sayers, but McMillan’s time in Indiana is in doubt until an extension if offered and he may never convince some that he is the right coach for Indiana.
It’s good to hear that the Pacers are planning to get an extension done because we’ve seen how uncertainty can breed toxicity. Chemistry played a huge role in Indiana’s success last season, and McMillan deserved credit for getting the most out of the players.
No coach is perfect, and some McMillan’s tactics could use altering, but ultimately he got more out of the Pacers than anyone reasonably would have expected before the season. Indiana was projected to win 30-some games, after all.
You can debate how much credit McMillan deserves, but he is part of the Pacers’ winning equation in one way or another.
Comment