Chris McCosky
The Detroit News
Category: Pistons
Posted by Chris McCosky (The Detroit News) on Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 2:21 PMCurry overcoaching?
OK, because so many of you asked, I am going to give you my two-cents worth on coach Michael Curry. No, forget that. I am going to give you a whole nickle's worth - you are welcome.
Essentially, it comes down to this: He's making the classic rookie mistake. He's doing what every great coach from John Wooden to Red Auerbach forever warned young coaches against - overcoaching. He's micromanaging just about every offensive and defensive possession, the effect of which is to paralyze his ballclub.
Take the loss to the Rockets on Sunday as an example. From what I could gather, he was trying to have his team guard pick-and-rolls one way on the strong side of the floor and a different way on the weak side. No wonder the players looked dazed and confused out there. I mean, when you can make intelligent, high basketball-IQ players like Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace look like they don't know where they're supposed to be on the court, you are doing something wrong.
These Pistons, especially the veteran players, work best with simple directives. This is how we are going to guard pick-and-roll. This is what we are going to do on our secondary fastbreaks, and then these are the sets we are going to fall back on in the half-court. Set it out plain and simple and let them execute. These guys are smart enough to make the little necessary adjustments within the game on their own. Unless you are talking about defending a unique talent like Kobe or LeBron, there doesn't need to be two different coverages on every defensive possession.
Earlier this season, soon after Allen Iverson was acquired, Curry scaled back and simplified things. That led to the seven-game win streak. He needs to do that again.
I've seen seven coaches come and go here in my 14-plus seasons covering this team. The ones who succeeded, even if for a short time, were the ones who kept it simple. Players don't want 45-minute lectures. Veteran players don't need 45-minute lectures. The more a coach talks, the less players hear. I don't want to say that NBA players have attention deficit disorder, but it seems like it at times. Trust me, the less you talk, the more you communicate. Too many words just muddle the message. Just like too many strategies often foil the plan.
That said, don't quit on Mike Curry. I truly believe he's going to figure it out. He's coaching like he played - aggressively, almost manically, trying to give every ounce of himself on every play. It allowed him to carve out a 12-year playing career, but it will kill him as a coach. And I think he knows it. Over time, he will calm himself and learn to let his players breathe. He will learn to do what Rudy Tomjanovich always preached - implement your basic system of offense and defense, identify three or four core beliefs or philosphies, things that you will unwaveringly demand of your players and turn the players loose. What's the old addage: Players win games in the NBA. The best coaches know when and how to stay out of the way.
Comments
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Hell, I Said That Months Ago
Anytime you play 10 guys a game, that's what it seems like. Anytime you keep switching lineups, that's what it seems like.
The thing I noticed about Curry is he doesn't have the toughness to make a decision and stand by it. As a coach, manager, supervisor, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A FIRM DECISION and stand by it, even if you're right or wrong.
If he had sat down, thought out the long term goal, he could have made a decision and if folks were pissed, they were pissed. But he seems to let players dictate what should be wrong and that's not the answer.
As a coach, he should DEMAND that Rasheed stays inside become the team's lowpost presence, not the three point shooter. That's called doing what's best for the team. We heard all this BS about players not talking back to refs and his defensive points system and guess what, Rasheed is still a hothead and all the points are low because the team doesn't defend.
If Curry had guts, he would have sat Prince and started Herrman as the small forward. Herrmann is a better shooter and he attacks the rim, something Prince lacks. You do what's best for the team.
Wasn't it Dumars who said last year that NOBODY's job is safe? I know Joe may have plans but Joe had plans for Darko and Larry Brown didn't give a flip about Darko, he wanted to win and he did!
I said all along, hiring Curry, resigning Rasheed and keeping Prince would be three moves that would hurt Detroit.
Today, every bad coach outcoaches Curry. Today, Rasheed is a great player one game and the next we wonder if John Salley jumped into his body.
Today, we're still waiting for Prince to be that all star while all stars continue to outplay him.
So yes Chris, Curry overcoaches with no plan for winning. I don't care about him being the president of the union and his work ethic, Isiah had a better resume and where did it get him?
over coaching
your correct on the over coaching, it is turning the players off! Micheal curry is not a GOOD coash. he is setting the team up for faliure. this team has no muscle what so ever on the front line. and the muscle he do have i.e
affalo
brown
bynum
he is not using i look for the piston to barely make the playoffs and loose in the first round!
Curry overcoaching?
amir gives this starting unit exactly what it needs shot-blocker, active rebounder, shot-contesting, deflections, athletic big.
thats exactly what it needs against faster paced offenses that swing the ball a lot side to side, he can cover alot of ground on break downs.
however, in the playoffs when the game slows down and he has to guard a strong big in the post, i fear he may never be strong enough, and thats all that really matters - the big teams deep in the playoffs that you have to get through to the title.
while Dice doesn't have that ability amir has, Dices ability to defend the post is why we have a chance at beating the elite teams in the playoffs.
but thats what made ben so invaluable, he was able to do both.
Curry overcoaching?
This is precisely why hiring a rookie coach for a veteran team was a big mistake.
Now, maybe this will pay off in the long run. Maybe Joe D. will dump Sheed and A.I. and get Chris Bosh or some young star. Maybe a younger starting lineup of Bosh, Amir, and Stuckey with the veteran presence of Tay and Rip will be better suited to Curry's coaching style. Maybe this year will just end up being a transition year.
Maybe....
Curry overcoaching?
Thanks for the link, Rhett .. great article ... I hope McCloskey is right about Curry eventually righting himself ...
Curry overcoaching?
McCoskey brings up some excellent points here.....
makes sense.
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