Best Seat in the House

Spike Lee’s “basketball memoir”, Best Seat in the House, provides a unique perspective on the sport and frank commentary. Despite his film background, Lee is tremendously knowledgeable about basketball and how it is intertwined with New York City’s culture.

He has attended hundreds of games, from Game 7 of the 1970 Finals when Willis Reed emerged from the locker room to deflate and defeat the Lakers to Game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Finals when the Knicks returned to the Finals for the first time in twenty years, and he describes the city’s euphoric reaction to these moments. Thousands of citizens, young and old, play ball - few succeeded in the Association while most few short - and they (wrongly) indentify themselves with the sport.

Lee comments on the role that psychology played in Michael Jordan’s career. Jordan always had an edge over his opponents, gained by repeatedly owning them on the court while befriending them off of it, and he would not hesitate to take advantage. To him, winning was paramount. Jeff Van Gundy called Jordan a “con-man” (and the Knicks were subsequently lit up [repeatedly]) but Lee admired this tactic, despite what Chicago did to the Knicks over the years.

Lee also discusses how General Managers do not pay enough attention to a free agent’s environment while tripping over each other in order to sign the latest superstar. Salaries are spiralling out of control but nobody asks “why is that guy so good?” or “who made that team so great?” in enough detail. Consequently, players like Larry Brown (1996 Dallas Cowboys) and Troy Glaus (2002 Anaheim Angels) sign huge deals and never duplicate their performance because the players who protected them are no longer around.

Legends were interviewed and said that modern players possess a sense of entitlement. George Gervin claimed that they wouldn’t take anyone’s advice, from college and professional coaches to former players, and few reached their potential. Others, like Bill Bradley, commented that overall skill and team play have disappeared as players become more one-dimensional. Michael Jordan never stopped listening to Dean Smith and Phil Jackson and continued to improve. The Association may have become bigger and better over the past twenty years but the level of play has not followed suit.

Perspective

Pressure basketball has succeeded at almost every level (we all remember Rick Pitino’s failed transition to the Association in 1997) for a number of good reasons. Dialing up the intensity increases the sport’s difficulty and certain teams play much better at faster tempos, for starters.

Naturally, teams troubled by pressure can always practice. Talent is the single biggest factor for winning games (the reason Pitino’s Celtics floundered was because they did not win the 1997 lotttery) and passing, dribbling, cutting, and other skills can always be improved. Scoring also reverses the pressure by curtailing the opponent’s fast break; scoring is highly dependant on talent and mental training.

But the biggest improvements must concern mental training. First of all, teams must possess the capabilities to “slow it down”: see openings before they occur, understand what is happening, deconstruct the play into a collection of manageable actions, and take initiative to attack the opponent rather than watching the full-court pressure from afar. Intelligence is the great equalizer in all fields.

Fear of failure raises individual tension levels. The worst outcome from a single bad pass is a turnover and two (rarely three in transition) points. The worst outcome from a single loss is disappointment until the next opportunity to prove yourself. Basketball is not the be all and end but merely the beginning of it all.

People still take the sport too seriously. I actually agree with Bobby Petrino’s decision. His position with the Atlanta Falcons was horrible: the team’s best player was jailed for two years, players would argue with him on the sidelines, and the other thing worse than their current season was what the future held. For his own sake and making the most of himself, he made the right choice to move to Arkansas. Certainly, loyalty and commitment were compromised but nobody should put excessive stress on themselves until they become Randy Walker or Skip Prosser. Perhaps I am wearing rose-tinted glasses.

If a team plays for self-actualization, the final score is irrelevant. Players can still set new personal bests despite losing -- although this becomes frustrating if repeated over time. A basketball game is just two hours in length; control what you can and execute as well as possible. Players are in total control of their own excellence. The past is the past; don’t let mistakes compound into disaster.

Players’ health is also paramount, whether on the Association hardwood or the world’s pick-up courts, and it is never justified to give anyone the Mardy Collins at any level. Coaches are under excessive pressure and this adversely affects players, from seizing up at critical situation or creating a situation where flagrant fouls (among other inappropriate actions) are acceptable.

As Tim Duncan said about Isiah Thomas:

“It’s a bad situation when a coach puts himself in that position and goes after a player. It’s very uncalled for. I don’t know what his intentions were with that and we have bigger plans than trying to hurt somebody. I would hope that people would understand and respect that and obviously they don't.”
- Tim Duncan

The San Antonio Spurs play at a different level than the New York Knicks. The goal is to get to that level. As Irv Blitzer taught the world in Cool Runnings: “A gold medal is a wonderful thing. But if you’re not enough without one, you’ll never be enough with one.”

So relax, keep it real, and handle all basketball situations with peace of minds that comes from the self-satisfaction of knowing you did your best to be the best you are capable of becoming. Personal and team success comprise the big picture.

Three Lessons from Red Holzman

Red Holzman coached the New York Knicks during the 1970s, an era when the team won two Association titles. Knicks players included Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley, Willis Reed, and Earl Monroe - among others - and they were one of the first squads to utilize pressure defence throughout the entire game. The team is also fascinating because a number of very intelligent players executed a motion offence selflessly and because of Willis Reed’s comeback in Game 7 of the 1970 Finals. It seems like everyone on the team wrote books so naturally the coach has written four, of which I read two: Defense! Defense! and Red on Red.

One of the books’ most attractive traits is Holzman’s frank commentary, using real players and teams to describe real systems and situations. The realism enhances the books, which contain many intriguing coaching ideas, such as:

Using Film to Study the Opponents: Holzman was one of the first coaches to review tapes when scouting. Knicks coaches held private film study sessions with individual players and optional team sessions before games, often screening game tape in the locker room as players dressed. This proved to be very influential, as the role of technology in sports has increased exponentially since.

Holzman also made use of a scouting network, similar to what Red Auerbach did with the Celtics, to evaluate players. At the time, many coaches did not devote much time to scouting, a field that has become an entire industry today.

Handling Pressure: Holzman adopted a casual attitude when dealing with officials, the media, and other influences in the Association. “Final is final,” he would say when he explained how he would deal with a tough loss or a bad call. It’s not that he abandoned his team on the court or didn’t reflect upon games afterwards but he had played enough basketball over the years to know not to dwell on one particular moment.

Teaching Players to Think: The Knicks were fortunate to have many smart players, like Bradley, Reed, Jerry Lucas, and Dave DeBusschere who put a great deal of thought into their games. The coaches encouraged this by allowing players to make suggestions that were honestly considered. For example, after Willis Reed suffered a hip injury in Game 5 of the 1970 Finals, Bill Bradley proposed that New York use a 1-3-1 set with him in the pivot (perhaps inspired by Princeton) to draw Wilt Chamberlain away from the basket. The Knicks came back to win that game and the series.

The Knicks also structured their offence to allow for opportunities to read and so that players could use their mental skills in two-man and three-man situations. As a result of the unique collection of basketball I.Q., the seven players from the rotation and the coach of the 1972-73 Association champions have been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Three Lessons from Joe Lapchick

Lapchick chronicles the life of Hall of Famer Joe Lapchick, who links the barnstorming Original Celtics to the explosion of college basketball in New York City and Madison Square Garden to the New York Knicks and the origins of the Association to the introduction of television to the sport. Despite the fact that Lapchick last coached St. John’s when the teams were known as the Redmen - as opposed to the Red Storm - the book remains relevant to today’s player and coach.

Placing Value in People: Many commented that Joe Lapchick was not the most technically astute coach but coaches such as Bob Knight applauded his skill in handling people and situations. Former players still remember how Lapchick demonstrated confidence in their abilities. His gestures may have been small but the thoughtfulness behind them was encouraging and memorable.

Lapchick was also one of the first coaches to delegate significant duties to the assistant coaches, a strategy now employed throughout college basketball. Assistant coach Lou Carnesecca was allocated responsibilities concerning defence and scouting; later he succeeded Lapchick as Head Coach at St. John’s and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Character: Lapchick maintained his sense of fairness irrespective of the circumstances. Once, during the infancy of the Association, after home-town officials missed an obvious goaltending violation by the Knicks, he stopped the game and told the scorer to add two points to the opponents’ tally.

He was also a key part of the integration of basketball, likely due to the respect engendered by the rivalry between the Original Celtics and the New York Rens. Lapchick and Ned Irish signed Sweetwater Clifton from the Harlem Globetrotters and persuaded other teams to do likewise.

Development of the Game: Joe Lapchick, Nat Holman, and the rest of the Celtics were integral to the development of the game. As players, they pioneered expert dribbling and quick ball movement. Afterwards, many became coaches and shared their skills and knowledge with others. Lapchick won four National Invitational Tournaments and Holman claimed both the N.I.T. and N.C.A.A. Tournament in the same season at C.C.N.Y..

It’s appropriate that Lapchick rests next to five Bobby Knight volumes on my bookcase. Knight was one of many younger coaches and players Lapchick helped and the Texas Tech coach still refers to his mentor as “Mr. Lapchick” to this date. Lapchick would counsel others even if it was against his best interests if his advice would help the person or the game of basketball.

Matt Bonner and Isiah Thomas

Matt Bonner is not especially outstanding but he can shoot the three and defend inside, two commodities that are scarce in the Association. Will he play much for San Antonio? If Bonner’s shooting well, he’s another target for Tim Duncan to pass to out of the double team. I think he’s too limited offensively (off the bounce) and defensively (against quicker 4s) compared to the current Spurs line-up. If it’s true that Gregg Popovich wants to play a smaller line-up, this trade is an excellent start; Big Shot Rob can’t last forever.

Isiah Thomas got his wish and Larry Brown was fired. Essentially, like Miami, the Knicks are a collection of highly paid pieces that don’t quite fit together. Unlike Miami, the Knicks have many pieces that don’t complement each other since they were assembled with no particular plan in mind. Miami’s veterans put their egos aside and listened to Pat Riley in order to win. New York’s veterans … well it’s something new every day.

Eric Williams was never going to see the court in Toronto. He won’t see the court in San Antonio given their depth at the wing positions.

Is Pat Riley a better coach than Larry Brown? Perhaps -- but the key lesson to be learned from this series is that Riley won because he was willing to compromise and adapt his methods to the players and situation in Miami. Brown stuck to his guns, was hospitalized during the season, and later fired.

Teams have been waiting for Rasho Nesterovic to reach his potential for years and he has a large contract based on that potential. If he plays to that potential, this is a steal for the Raptors. However, he couldn’t play to that potential with Tim Duncan in the post, Manu Ginobli and Michael Finley spacing the floor, and Tony Parker penetrating.

Obviously, Isiah Thomas better win. But New York is not a team that can simply regroup at Red Lobster and win fifty games next year. In The Winner Within, Pat Riley speaks of teams coming together as a family and completing a "Mission". Miami just finished a mission that began when Charlotte upset the Heat in the 2001 Playoffs. Even if the Knicks like Isiah Thomas more than Larry Brown, they still can’t be described as a close team and if they don’t accept that they are merely embarking upon a multi-year mission, 06-07 will be just as frustrating as 05-06.

It’s hard to judge this trade without knowing what identity the Raptors wish to adopt. I hope they decide to run more. If Nesterovic screens and rolls and crashes the boards, he could put up 12 and 8. If not, he will warm Rafael Araujo’s spot on the bench at twice the price. I’m hesitant because I think there are better posts on the market who might have been a better fit. Like the first overall pick, Nesterovic’s development depends on the teachers that the Raptors are willing to add to their coaching staff.

Larry Brown’s large contract and New York City’s media spotlight obfuscate a key issue: the Knicks placed too much value on the coach. Players win games, not the coach. As John Wooden often said, his job was largely done when the game began. Pat Riley’s adjustments were better than Avery Johnson’s decisions but Miami won because the Heat performed when it mattered most while the Mavericks froze and ultimately choked.

This is a great deal for the Spurs, who get more cap flexibility to retain their supporting cast or add a veteran player or two. Matt Bonner can provide some quality minutes at a much better value than Rasho Nesterovic. If they re-sign Nasr Mohammed, San Antonio’s rotation is Duncan, Ginobli, Parker, Finley, Horry, Van Exel (or a free agent replacement), Barry, Bowen, Mohammed, Oberto/Bonner, which is good enough to compete with Dallas, Detroit, Miami, and Phoenix.

Willy Wonka and the Association

The Suns took the Lakers apart in Game 7 of the first round series. PHX is a shallow team but make us of about seven contributors. Los Angeles is a one player team. Bill Simmons wrote that all Kobe-Jordan comparisons should cease if Kobe didn’t destroy Raja Bell in the deciding game. Simmons is right: MJ would have dropped forty-eight points after the game 5 clothesline and post game comments. Michael Jordan always came through when the season was on the line

As for the rest of the Lakers, some played as if they were not aware of 2002-03’s rule change to extend first round series to seven games. Others simply played as if they were not very good. Luke Walton, Kwame Brown, Smush Parker, and Sasha Vujacic all received Golden Tickets when they signed their Laker deals. Los Angeles played well for a few games but in the end their mediocrity shone through. Walton fell into a chocolate lake, Brown swelled up like a giant blueberry, Parker fell in the garbage shut, and Kobe got shrunk to the height of about six inches tall. Or at least it seemed like he did when he was held to three shots in the second half of Game 7. But at least they all got to be Laker fan Terrell Owen’s friends during the season, something Donavan McNab never got to do.

Steve Nash’s ability to make his teammates better is over-rated. Granted, he accentuates their strengths by forcing the defence to help, distributing the ball, and controlling the tempo. Certainly, the rest of the team wouldn’t perform as consistently with another guard. Raja Bell made his name in Game 1 of the 2001 N.B.A. Finals when he shut down Kobe Bryant. Only Steve Nash helped him do it all (well, most of the) series in 2006.

More importantly, Mike D’Antoni and Jerry Colangelo have assembled the right personnel for the team they want to have. They out-scouted everyone regarding Diaw and Barbosa and although it was thought that they overpaid Nash at the time, they definitely got their money’s worth.

Isiah Thomas signed Tim Thomas to an eight figure contract then traded him to Chicago, who wanted to unload Eddy Curry because they were worried he’d die of a heart condition. The Bulls suspended him for most of the year for being a jerk then released him. Phoenix signed Thomas to play the 3 spot in the Steve Nash miracle offence, where he rejuvenated his career and saved the Suns’ season by making a game-tying three-pointed shot at the end of regulation in Game 6.

The Knicks missed the playoffs again and the Bulls lost a tough series to Miami. PHX is still playing because they used independent thinking to solve their problems (open perimeter spots and interior injuries). Denver fired Mike D’Antoni after a fifty game season (the players were awful and necessitated a G.M. change shortly afterward). Phoenix gave him a chance, acquired players that fit his system, and filled the holes with creativity and pluck.

The New York Knicks Are Bad

Recently, the New York Knicks acquired Steve Francis from the Orlando Magic for Anfernee Hardaway and Trevor Ariza. On the surface, it seems like Orlando got a great deal. Digging deeper - and watching the performance of the Knicks - it seems like Orlando got a great deal. I'm under no illusions that the Ariza-Milicic front line will win any titles but they aren't in salary cap hell for years to come.


If I were playing Risk with Isiah Thomas, I'd ask him to trade me Ukraine, which is strong (unlike New York's D), for Madagascar.

Steve Francis can theoretically ball but doesn't play well with others, two attributes which he shares with the rest of New York's roster. I'm glad he's fond the strength to carry on after Cuttino Mobley was traded to Sacramento, when he commented that "[Mobley] not being here is going to be tough for me. I don't know what I'm going to wake up for."


The Knicks have the most expensive starting backcourt in history (number of playoff series wins by Francis and Stephon Marbury: 0). Things have fallen a long way since the 1970s when Clyde and Earl the Pearl were winning Association titles. Back then, Larry Brown was beginning his coaching career with the Carolina Cougars, who have a higher liklehood of winning the N.B.A. title than the Knicks.


Along with Jalen Rose, New York starts three max contracts next to each other. Does any other team do this? Is anyone else this bad?


This off-season, Orlando can use their cap room to sign a second-tier scorer and a shooter who will fill the Triangle will Dwight Howard. They'll compete for spots 5-8 in the 06-07 season, when Larry Brown will be wishing he was still coaching Kansas ("Stephon, have you considered transferring?).


Talent and chemistry are critical elements of winning. Isiah Thomas can evaluate talent. He drafts well. He cannot evaluate chemistry. How are the Knicks supposed to function? What about Q-Richardson, last summer's acquisition? Why would anyone agree to a sign-and-trade with the Knicks knowing they might be overlooked so hastily? Jamal Crawford?


Playing four-out around David Lee and running all game would be an effective strategy with a pass first guard like Jason Kidd or Steve Nash. If only Larry Brown cannot push a magical button that will turn Stephon Marbury into Chauncey Billups or Steve Francis into Rip Hamilton. If ifs and buts were candy and nuts…

A Bad Trade for Both Teams

The Raptors traded Jalen Rose, a first round pick, and cash to the Knicks for Antonio Davis. Wayne Embry commented that it’s helpful to have cash room when rebuilding. Not to disparage Embry, but that’s in a situation when players want to play for your team. If players don’t like playing in Toronto, the Raptors need talent to rebuild. I would be surprised if there is a large free agent signing this summer and it may have been a better idea to wait and trade Rose for younger players next year.

Larry Brown said that the Knicks needed a veteran guard who could score. They shouldn’t -- what about Stephon Marbury and the fourth and fifth year guards on the team? Given that everyone drops a hundred points on them, they need a lockdown wing defender. Jalen Rose dislikes stopping people as much as the rest of the Knicks roster. New York’s management is incompetent, I suspect the coaching is poisonous, and the players are terrible yet somehow they are horrendously over the salary cap and according to Bill Simmons have screwed up their lottery picks for the next five years.

Davis won’t really help the Raptors. Bosh doesn’t need him. Davis is an upgrade over Pape Sow and Rafael Araujo but he’s still not a true centre. The benefit of the expiring contract is that there is plenty of cap room to resign Chris Bosh and Mike James. It’s relevant to note that Mike James is not a second option and the team should not be constructed under that premise. The Raptors still require a wing who can ball and some role players who can defend. According to the Spurs’ model, they have Duncan and Parker but they still need Ginobli, shooters, and defenders.

In summary, the trade is largely a wash and helps neither team. The Raptors’ future will be determined over the summer. The Knicks are in rough shape no matter what. Some of their younger players play hard and have talent, but the roster must be cleaned up before they go anywhere.