Coaching!

[Buzzard]

8 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

I think you are being way to generous here.  I think the term to use should be under-thinking because he could not foresee the events unfolding past that offensive set like Capela setting an adequate screen to free someone up for a lay up or easy shot or Trae getting fouled using that screen or the potential for a lob dunk or the potential for an offensive rebound of a missed shot or a defensive stop on the other end etc.

I honestly think he sees his small ball lineups as hampton five like. Smaller equals quicker in his mind. It drives me nuts but I think of him as a mad scientist with this shit.

Instead of going with the best five, the tried and true, he tries this crazy shit to get a edge that just does not exist.

Edited February 24, 2021 by Buzzard

[Peoriabird]

16 minutes ago, Buzzard said:

I honestly think he sees his small ball lineups as hampton five like. Smaller equals quicker in his mind. It drives me nuts but I think of him as a mad scientist with this shit.

Instead of going with the best five, the tried and true, he tries this crazy shit to get a edge that just does not exist.

For no reason most of the time.  Nate even used Bruno in his 3 game coaching stint just to maintain rotational balance but not this guy and people still love and defend this character.  Sorta like the Trump phenomenon where the guy is obviously a lunatic and unfit for office but people still support him

[Buzzard]

8 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

For no reason most of the time.  Nate even used Bruno in his 3 game coaching stent just to maintain rotational balance but not this guy and people still love and defend this character.  Sorta like the Trump phenomenon where the guy is obviously a lunatic and unfit for office but people still support him

Nate knows what to do with bigs and rotations. I hoped Pierce did to coming from Philly with Embiid. But it looks to me like he is in over his head. I like Pierce as a person. It would be great if Schlenk and Ressler could use him in the front office. But its painfully obvious Nate is the best coach for this team.

This is not a hot take on my part. Its not just because of a three game sample size. Nate has the resume to back up my take as well.

Edited February 24, 2021 by Buzzard

[txsting]

Pierce needs to go.  It's pretty clear that we should move Nate into the head coaching role.  I'm not going to say a lot of words on it.  That's it.

[macdaddy]

22 hours ago, macdaddy said:

Gallo will revert to being the player he always has been.   He's being asked to do too much right now.

Man who said this yesterday....

[JayBirdHawk]

4 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Man who said this yesterday....

come get your trophy

[TheNorthCydeRises]

22 hours ago, Hawkmoor said:

Pierce has been coaching to appease the front office:

1. Not challenging Young to be a point guard FIRST, then incorporating his scoring ability second.

2. Questionable rotations. He feels obligated to play the free agents who were signed.

3. The above leads to poor defense and disarrayed offensive possessions.

Nate coaches TO WIN.

1. He has the cache to reel Young in and Young knows it.

2. His rotations fit what is happening on the floor.

3. This leads to better defense and cohesive offense.

 

LP

(1) The Hawks are now 9 - 0 when Trae scores 33 points or more.   This team has no proven at all that they can win if Trae is playing like a true PG, instead of a high scoring PG that also is a facilitator.

Even last night, it was Trae Young's explosion of offense that got things rolling first, with Gallinari following his lead and really having a breakout game.

The Hawks need an aggressive Trae Young to win games.  He can't play like Chris Paul. He has to play like Allen Iverson.  And until this team proves otherwise, that's the winning formula for the Hawks.

 

(2) This is true.  I think he's trying to force feed his new additions into the rotation and get them adequate minutes.   He's also trying to appease his young players that have been with us since Day 1.  What we need LP to do, is to play the guys who are making a difference in that particular game.  Don't stick with Gallo if he's 1 - 6 FG, and the team is struggling while he's in the game.  Don't stick with Cam if he playing horrible offensively and not making a defensive impact.  

 

(3) Agreed.  The other thing that leads to poor defense, are the small lineups.  This team does not consistently shoot well enough to play small.  Offensive rebounding IS part of our offense, whether he believes so or not.  When the shooters are building apartment buildings at the rim, Capela and Collins have to gobble them up.  Even the reserve bigs may have to play before more talented wings, to keep the team balanced from a size standpoint.

 

Nate

(1) In the 2 games Nate won, Trae Young scored 40 points ( Boston ) and 35 points ( Denver ) respectively.  So was it Nate?  Or was it the brilliance of Trae, that won those games?  Sometimes, the perception of what is going on, isn't reality.  Nate said after the Boston win that LP called him at halftime to discuss the game and adjustments.  Now we don't know if that's true or not, but if it is, what does that say about Nate?

(2) You can make the argument that Nate stuck with Gallo way too long in the 2nd game vs Boston, which was a killer in that game.  he shot only 2 - 14 FG and was a complete liability on defense.  So from a rotation standpoint, was his rotations really better?  If so, we wouldn't have been down by 25+ in a game in which Cam, Gallo, Huerter, and Collins couldn't buy a shot, while Trae and Capela were playing well.  If those guys were playing that bad, Nate probably should've given a kid like Knight a chance to provide a little offense.

(3) Trae Young playing well leads to cohesive offense, because the teams must adjust to stop him.

 

[Gray Mule]

Let's blame Lloyd Pierce for everything.  Last night's results was all his fault !!

[HawkItus]

So does LP get extra credit for the win last night?  He really coached up DG and Trae lol

[Spud2nique]

I’m not giving Lloyd any credit because we should be above .500 right now. One win isn’t going to change my outlook on him, he’s still a below avg coach by a long shot.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

Quote

I was going to ask you if the pressure is different as a coach than as an assistant or player?

What’s different is, I ran the defense in Philly. It’s another thing to have to manage everything. What shirts are we wearing? Equipment guys are asking me, “What quarter-zips are we wearing tonight?” It’s a small thing, but you’re literally thinking of everything all the time. I’m thinking of coaches when they have issues at home or when guys, “Coach, I have to get out of here early today,” and we’re trying to put a game plan together but real life calls. You’re managing everything. Players have stuff at home going home. Just in the last year, Brandon Goodwin, John Collins and Gallo (Danilo Gallinari) — all three of those guys have had babies, in addition to our strength coach and myself.

 

Quote

Do young players have a difficult time taking direction? Along those lines, how would you characterize your relationship with those on your team?

Yes, yes and yes. The same thing for old guys who sometimes have a hard time. In general, the challenge of the job is how do guys receive the information and how do they execute the information. It’s a challenge you have on every team because there’s always new players. Guys are accustomed to certain things, and you have to change the habit. You have to instruct, teach and drill, and it takes time. It’s always a challenge. You take Big O (Onyeka Okongwu), for example, we’re on the fly. There was no training camp, no summer camp and we’re throwing stuff at him. The speed of the game is a challenge in itself. He’s asking himself, “Do I contest the jump shot or worry about the roller?” He may know it but that doesn’t mean he’s executing it, so you have to work on it. 

When players like John Collins and Trae Young, who achieved at a high level before the NBA, are now told to do certain things, do you find yourself clashing with them?

It’s never a clash. It’s more of an education. You kind of assume they just don’t know. The hardest challenge with young guys is when you are talented and skilled and gifted, you’re used to, “I can just get it done. I can score. I can rebound.” But now you have to rebound against an elite rebounder so how do you keep him from rebounding? He’s elite. You go against Steven Adams and you’re John Collins, and all of a sudden it’s, “Well, my athleticism isn’t all that great because he’s pretty damn strong and big.” So you have to use some technique so he doesn’t get inside position. Trae offensively has to know, “You stay out of that area because this is where they’ll trap you or blitz you.” Trae probably beat blitzes and triple teams in high school, but now he’s got quicker, faster, stronger and pretty good defenders on him. And even if beats them, he may run into a 7-foot Rudy Gobert down the floor. So you have to buy into it. You have to get over the bravado.

 

Quote

What can you say about the perception that the team has underachieved?

You underachieve in the games you think you should have and could have won. I don’t think you look at games ahead of time and say...............After the fact it’s easy to say, “You should’ve beaten Cleveland. You should’ve beaten New York.” ................We underachieved.” The league is tough for a reason. We play Oklahoma City, and they just beat San Antonio......We had early-game blues in my first two years. Down big in the first quarter and playing from behind. We’re not dealing with that now. We’re dealing with this fourth-quarter execution, and how do you manage that. This is new territory.

The things that have gone wrong, is it the result of player mistakes or missing players. And how much of it falls on the head coach?

It’s always going to fall on me. That’s part of sport. I’m glad it falls on me because it won’t shake me one bit. The biggest thing for the players is, they’re going to get better. If you miss a game-winning shot, you’re going to be in the gym the next day and position your mind and body for what you will do next time. ...

 

Quote

For what it’s worth, I’m not insulted, and if I want to know whether the loss was on you, I’ll ask you.

It’s always on me. I was hired May 11, 2018. That was the first day I was on the hot seat.

Self-awareness.

It’s the truth. Travis is going to fire me one day. And do you know what I’m going to say? The guy gave me a great opportunity in life. Do you think I’m going to be pissed? He’s damn near my best friend. I’m eternally thankful for his belief in me, and ultimately the decisions he has to make are always going to be about the organization, but I’m eternally grateful for the belief and the confidence that he has had in me. That’s the beauty of this. That’s why there’s no pressure or stress. I have a job to fulfill. I have to hold all the responsibilities and standards towards me, and I understand that. That’s the job.

You just said “Travis is going to fire me” like it’s nothing.

Look, I’d love to be the next Pop (Gregg Popovich). We all would. The reality is it’s very rare. You take these opportunities because they’re limited, and you take the pressure that comes with these opportunities. You’re a competitor, and you’ll be pissed. But I don’t worry about it, and I don’t hide from it because it’s the reality. Travis is my guy. I’m eternally grateful for that.

Did somebody give you that advice or perspective?

No, that’s just who I am. This is the job. If you knew me before I was a head coach, I was the same person, and you would get the same response. I’ve turned down assistant coaching jobs because I didn’t feel the situation was right. I’m not a guy who’s ever worried about money or things. I have to be happy. I’m confident who I am, and I know I’ll always have a job. The only thing I spend money on are Jordans. I feel grateful to be able to buy Jordans. They’re my guilty pleasure.

Interesting!

[macdaddy]

That's all good stuff from LP.   Honestly my biggest issue with him is the feeling that he's not backing up the players enough publicly.   I know he's backing them up personally but that's two different things.     I don't want to see Trae or John hit in the face again without outrage from the bench and hey maybe a challenge.   I don't want challenges on stupid plays i want challenges that protect our guys.  I want to hear outrage that your 30/10 PG didn't make the all star game.   

[JayBirdHawk]

2 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

That's all good stuff from LP.   Honestly my biggest issue with him is the feeling that he's not backing up the players enough publicly.   I know he's backing them up personally but that's two different things.     I don't want to see Trae or John hit in the face again without outrage from the bench and hey maybe a challenge.   I don't want challenges on stupid plays i want challenges that protect our guys.  I want to hear outrage that your 30/10 PG didn't make the all star game.   

 

 

[Spud2nique]

1 minute ago, macdaddy said:

I want to hear outrage that your 30/10 PG didn't make the all star game.

Yes sir! Thinking the same specially after hearing Doc lobbying for Ben Simmons all around the league at halftime of last night’s TNT game. 
 

My main issue is game plan, in game adjustments, late game situations... and not playing guys. 
 

Cool guy tho.

 

 

[macdaddy]

Just now, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

18 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

 I don't want to see Trae or John hit in the face again without outrage from the bench and hey maybe a challenge.   I don't want challenges on stupid plays i want challenges that protect our guys. 

So not LOLomon, lol

[REHawksFan]

I've said it before and this Q/A illustrates why, but I really like LP and his openness.  I just wish he didn't continually make the same decisions in game that don't work.  Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is maddening and, I think, the definition of insanity. 

So as @Spud2nique said (damn it's been a long time since I've said that), LP's a cool dude.  Just wish he was a better coach.  

Edited February 26, 2021 by REHawksFan

[marco102]

2 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

Yes sir! Thinking the same specially after hearing Doc lobbying for Ben Simmons all around the league at halftime of last night’s TNT game. 
 

My main issue is game plan, in game adjustments, late game situations... and not playing guys. 
 

Cool guy tho.

 

 

Only problem with this is the NBA don't put enough Hawks games on National TV.  So I guess Lloyd should have gave Trae the All-Star nod during the Dallas game.

[bleachkit]

On 2/25/2021 at 10:00 AM, TheNorthCydeRises said:

 

LP

(1) The Hawks are now 9 - 0 when Trae scores 33 points or more.   This team has no proven at all that they can win if Trae is playing like a true PG, instead of a high scoring PG that also is a facilitator.

Even last night, it was Trae Young's explosion of offense that got things rolling first, with Gallinari following his lead and really having a breakout game.

The Hawks need an aggressive Trae Young to win games.  He can't play like Chris Paul. He has to play like Allen Iverson.  And until this team proves otherwise, that's the winning formula for the Hawks.

 

(2) This is true.  I think he's trying to force feed his new additions into the rotation and get them adequate minutes.   He's also trying to appease his young players that have been with us since Day 1.  What we need LP to do, is to play the guys who are making a difference in that particular game.  Don't stick with Gallo if he's 1 - 6 FG, and the team is struggling while he's in the game.  Don't stick with Cam if he playing horrible offensively and not making a defensive impact.  

 

(3) Agreed.  The other thing that leads to poor defense, are the small lineups.  This team does not consistently shoot well enough to play small.  Offensive rebounding IS part of our offense, whether he believes so or not.  When the shooters are building apartment buildings at the rim, Capela and Collins have to gobble them up.  Even the reserve bigs may have to play before more talented wings, to keep the team balanced from a size standpoint.

 

Nate

(1) In the 2 games Nate won, Trae Young scored 40 points ( Boston ) and 35 points ( Denver ) respectively.  So was it Nate?  Or was it the brilliance of Trae, that won those games?  Sometimes, the perception of what is going on, isn't reality.  Nate said after the Boston win that LP called him at halftime to discuss the game and adjustments.  Now we don't know if that's true or not, but if it is, what does that say about Nate?

(2) You can make the argument that Nate stuck with Gallo way too long in the 2nd game vs Boston, which was a killer in that game.  he shot only 2 - 14 FG and was a complete liability on defense.  So from a rotation standpoint, was his rotations really better?  If so, we wouldn't have been down by 25+ in a game in which Cam, Gallo, Huerter, and Collins couldn't buy a shot, while Trae and Capela were playing well.  If those guys were playing that bad, Nate probably should've given a kid like Knight a chance to provide a little offense.

(3) Trae Young playing well leads to cohesive offense, because the teams must adjust to stop him.

 

Obviously right now we need Trae to score, and if he has a bad night we probably lose. But I don't agree with your hypothesis that we lose because Trae was "trying to play the right way" as you term it. 

[Dynamo]

LP is talking a lot. I’d like to see action.I agree that he doesn’t stand up for his players and he seems to have serious issues with Trae.He’s unable to hide it any longer.Ressler and Schlenk are allowing this situation to take place.