"I told the coaches to step aside and said, 'Bron, you take over the huddle.'"

[castor777]

I believe LeBron is the captain of this team, no? If that's the case, this is probably a pretty common thing with all teams. I don't even understand why anyone is criticizing this at all.

I'm not a Mike Brown fan, but there's nothing he's at fault for here at all. LeBron was very passionate in the game, he saw that, and he wanted LeBron to speak up.

If Mike Brown tells the team everything they are doing wrong and what they need to improve on, they MIGHT listen and play better. If LeBron tells the team and leads by example, they WILL listen and play better.

I don't want to badmouth anyone that disagrees with me, but being this nit-picky is far above what I'd expect from Real Cavs Fans. Critique all you want, but it's not like LeBron is the only player to ever have a voice during a huddle.

 

[williemayshayes]

You can't use the argument "oh, where would Mike Brown be without LeBron" because as was stated, all head coaches have won with stars.

The team who wins doesn't necessarily have the best player, but has the coach that fits best with their team.

A coach who fits with their stars' personality, who knows how to coach a star, knows how to keep the guys meshing well on the court, and knows how to involve different players into his system both offensively and defensively & have them buy into it.

And don't forget having all the assistant coaches on the same page...considering the makeup of this coaching staff, with MB as the delegator-in-chief (for better or worse), thus leaving the assistants with unusual power, it's JUST as important to have the assistants with the program as it is the players.

 

[hoops23]

You guys have to realize that the NBA is a players league, not a coaches.

You think Doc Rivers is a great coach? No, Boston won in spite of him.

There are only a handful of coaches in the game that have a higher voice than the star player on the team.

Phil Jackson
Jerry Sloan
Pat Riley (when he's on the sideline)

These other teams, the coaches only step in when they really need to. The star player should and will lead his team, that's why he's the f'n franchise player.

 

[Randolphkeys]

the ONLY reason there is any talent in Mormonland is Jerry Sloan. It ain't the lifestyle, it ain't the nightlife, it ain't the bigamy... well, the bigamy doesn't hurt, but everything else about Utah is the anti-NBA.

Without any NBA coach of the year wins in his long career, I'd call him the most underrated coach in the NBA.

 

[KI4MVP]

the ONLY reason there is any talent in Mormonland is Jerry Sloan. It ain't the lifestyle, it ain't the nightlife, it ain't the bigamy... well, the bigamy doesn't hurt, but everything else about Utah is the anti-NBA.

Without any NBA coach of the year wins in his long career, I'd call him the most underrated coach in the NBA.

I think he's one of the most overrated - I posted about it a couple of pages ago

Stockton/Malone would have been great with or without Sloan.

In 87-88, Stockton led the league in assists, was 3rd in steals, was named 2nd team all NBA and was 10th in MVP voting.

The same year Karl Malone was 2nd team all NBA, 2nd team all defense, 8th in MVP voting, and an all star starter over Wothy and Drexler.

With Frank Layden as coach, the Jazz lost in 7 games in round 2 to the eventual world champion lakers that year. They were also the #1 defense in the nba that season under Layden.

Sloan didn't start coaching the Jazz the following season. They were already great when he got there. He came to a team who already had not one, but 2 of the 10 best players in the NBA, he coached them for 15 years, it took him 9 years to get them to the NBA finals, he only did it twice, he lost both times, then couldn't get back there.

They left after the 03 season.

03-04 - 42 wins, missed the playoffs. that team had AK47, Raja Bell, Carlos Arroyo, Ostratag, Harpring, etc.
04-05 - they steal boozer and okur, 26 wins

05-06 - 41 wins, no playoffs
06-07 - 51 wins, WCF, lose to spurs
07-08 - 54 wins, 2nd round exit
08-09 - 48 wins, 1st round exit

Deron WIlliams, Boozer, Okur, AK47, Millsap, Korver, he has talented teams, what has he done Mike Brown hasn't done here?

His best season in 21 years with the Jazz is 64 wins the year he had the league MVP and an all start PG, we won 66 with Mike Brown last year with the MVP and an an all star PG.

Other than longevity, what has Sloan really done that Mike Brown hasn't? The argument for sloan being great is really the same for Reggie Miller. Modest success during long career with one team. Only with Sloan, he coached before he went to utah - 2 1/2 years in Chicago with prime Artist Gilmore before he got fired. His poor job there may be a factor why Gilmore isn't in the hall of fame.

 

[mult336]

I think this is a great blessing too be honest rather than a bad thing. Mike Brown is a hands off kind of guy and really all he wants is good energy on the defense side of the ball at the end of the day. Now, I know i am generalizing with that statement but if he wants too defer too Lebron for a freakin huddle every now and again than whats the big deal? If he wants more energy out of his team why is it not a good idea to have Lebron tell his team to pick up the energy. Bag on Mike Brown's IQ as a offense basketball coach, and maybe even making in game adjustments but this is a complete non issue. Its a head coach not having the me, me, me ego in a game where so many coaches make it about themselves and not what they have in front of them.

 

[Randolphkeys]

I think he's one of the most overrated - I posted about it a couple of pages ago

I don't quite know how to put this without insulting you, but I will try.

Yes... I read it. Afterwards, my opinion, the opinion of most credible journalists, and the opinion of most people associated in the NBA did not change their opinions.

But hey... you just posted that recently... give it time.

 

[Powerslave]

I actually caught a little bit of the audio during the game:

MB: "Bron, you take over the huddle"
- LBJ does his swag talk thang -
MB: "Yeah, I uhh was going to say that and-"
LBJ: "SIT YO ASS DOWN!"

 

[DougHeil]

The high school and college ranks are very different animals than the NBA. Mike Brown would not do well as a college coach. They are hands on with very little coaching being done from the assistants on game day. The head coach in college IS the boss. The players know the coach IS the boss. They play at the privilege of that coach.

In the NBA, the coach is more of a manager. He manages the game and substitutions. He usually defers to his assistants often for both D and for Offense. He has to make sure all personalities somehow get along without disrupting the normal flow of practice and of games. In the end however, the super star of the team IS the head boss. A good head coach knows this and goes with it. Many times you will see a Kobe or a Duncan in the huddle, and you know they are steaming mad. You see them in the faces of their teammates in that huddle, and you are reminded that the NBA is different.

I have NO prob at all with Brown allowing LeBron an equal partnership of sorts as a player coach. I believe that's one of the things that makes Brown a good NBA head coach. He did screw up the Z situation, but I can't think of any other things in the past he screwed up on that scale. As long as a NBA coach has the respect of the players, and that coach can actually manage, .. he can be a good NBA coach. Mike Brown IS a good coach.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

the ONLY reason there is any talent in Mormonland is Jerry Sloan. It ain't the lifestyle, it ain't the nightlife, it ain't the bigamy... well, the bigamy doesn't hurt, but everything else about Utah is the anti-NBA.

Without any NBA coach of the year wins in his long career, I'd call him the most underrated coach in the NBA.

I agree.

The thing about Jerry Sloan, is that no matter how many injuries or how little talent he has, his teams play hard every night and his system gives those less talented or injury laden teams a chance to win every night.

He takes the fundamentals of the game of basketball and makes his players know them and execute them over and over again on the court. That's how he's been successful. He also knows how to develop a PG.

Stockton, Deron Williams...etc..

Don't forget Mo Williams began his career with Jerry Sloan and the Jazz, and we already saw first-hand how well Maynor is progressing under Sloan.

Give Jerry Sloan a skilled PG and a big who can run the pick and roll/pick and pop and he's going to get you 45/50 wins every year no matter the talent around them.

 

[KI4MVP]

I don't quite know how to put this without insulting you, but I will try.

Yes... I read it. Afterwards, my opinion, the opinion of most credible journalists, and the opinion of most people associated in the NBA did not change their opinions.

But hey... you just posted that recently... give it time.

tell me this, what has Jerry Sloan ever accomplished, other than longevity as a coach, that Mike hasn't done? How many times in head to head match ups has Jerry Sloan's team beat Mike Brown's team? I believe Mike Brown has a 7-2 advantage.

Mike Brown gets way over criticized around here. He's made the cavs an elite defensive team. He deserves as much credit for LeBron being an elite defender as Chris Jent gets for LeBron's improved jump shot. Perhaps more, because it's Mike Brown who got LeBron to understand just how important defense is. He didn't talk about the importance of defense in post game interviews, he does now.

And if you pay attention to post game interviews, you'll see just how much influence Mike Brown has had on LeBron. They aren't interviewed at the same time, don't listen to each other's interviews, but most of the time their comments about what happened that night are interchangeable, to the point of highlighting the same stats as keys to winning.

Mike Brown gets criticized for letting his assistant coaches actually coach. Isn't what they are there for? He gets criticized for running his assistant's offense. Isn't that what Phil Jackson has made a career doing. The triangle isn't Phil's offense, it's Tex Winters.

He's now being criticized for letting LeBron lead a huddle. You don't think Red Aurabach ever let Bill Russell do that? He respected Russell's leadership abilities enough to step aside and let Russell be player/coach for his last 3 years in the league.

Many of the same people who complain about Mike Brown will praise Sloan or wish they had Rick Adelman. What has either guy ever done that Mike Brown hasn't done? Adelman is in his 3rd season in houston, he hasn't even gotten them out of the first round. I've seem some wish we'd get Jeff Van Gundy, he couldn't' get houston out of the first round either.

You talk about listening to the opinions of respected people around the league, how about listending to what they say about Mike Brown. The same respected journalists you listen to about Sloan named Mike Brown coach of the year. When you listen to the respected coaches around the league, they talk about how well coached we are.

 

[KI4MVP]

I agree.

The thing about Jerry Sloan, is that no matter how many injuries or how little talent he has, his teams play hard every night and his system gives those less talented or injury laden teams a chance to win every night.

He takes the fundamentals of the game of basketball and makes his players know them and execute them over and over again on the court. That's how he's been successful. He also knows how to develop a PG.

Stockton, Deron Williams...etc..

Don't forget Mo Williams began his career with Jerry Sloan and the Jazz, and we already saw first-hand how well Maynor is progressing under Sloan.

Give Jerry Sloan a skilled PG and a big who can run the pick and roll/pick and pop and he's going to get you 45/50 wins every year no matter the talent around them.

Stockton was an all star, led the league in assists, and was a top 10 MVP candidate before Jerry Sloan.

Mo Williams started with sloan, but became an all star under Mike Brown. Nobody anywhere thought of Mo Williams as all star material before last year.

 

[Randolphkeys]

tell me this, what has Jerry Sloan ever accomplished, other than longevity as a coach, that Mike hasn't done? How many times in head to head match ups has Jerry Sloan's team beat Mike Brown's team? I believe Mike Brown has a 7-2 advantage.

Mike Brown gets way over criticized around here. He's made the cavs an elite defensive team. He deserves as much credit for LeBron being an elite defender as Chris Jent gets for LeBron's improved jump shot. Perhaps more, because it's Mike Brown who got LeBron to understand just how important defense is. He didn't talk about the importance of defense in post game interviews, he does now.

And if you pay attention to post game interviews, you'll see just how much influence Mike Brown has had on LeBron. They aren't interviewed at the same time, don't listen to each other's interviews, but most of the time their comments about what happened that night are interchangeable, to the point of highlighting the same stats as keys to winning.

Mike Brown gets criticized for letting his assistant coaches actually coach. Isn't what they are there for? He gets criticized for running his assistant's offense. Isn't that what Phil Jackson has made a career doing. The triangle isn't Phil's offense, it's Tex Winters.

He's now being criticized for letting LeBron lead a huddle. You don't think Red Aurabach ever let Bill Russell do that? He respected Russell's leadership abilities enough to step aside and let Russell be player/coach for his last 3 years in the league.

Many of the same people who complain about Mike Brown will praise Sloan or wish they had Rick Adelman. What has either guy ever done that Mike Brown hasn't done? Adelman is in his 3rd season in houston, he hasn't even gotten them out of the first round. I've seem some wish we'd get Jeff Van Gundy, he couldn't' get houston out of the first round either.

You talk about listening to the opinions of respected people around the league, how about listending to what they say about Mike Brown. The same respected journalists you listen to about Sloan named Mike Brown coach of the year. When you listen to the respected coaches around the league, they talk about how well coached we are.

Go ahead and search the forum for times I spoke negatively about Mike Brown as a coach, dating back to the first month RCF was created. You will find one: I believe his ego got in the way of Zydrunas's big night, and I said that a win streak will allow the team to move on.

That's pretty much it.

Mike Brown is one of the better coaches in the NBA. He takes veteran players and gets them to buy in to his defensive system. I believe Sloan has proven over time that he is slightly better, only for working with younger players and developing them so well over the years on both sides of the court. In fact, starting JJ Hickson to get him acclimated to the NBA with four other veterans is a page out of the Jerry Sloan book of coaching. See C.J. Miles, Ronny Brewer, and Paul Millsap, who all started at some point or another in the regular season even though they did not get many minutes by the time the game was over.

You have every reason to feel like Mike Brown doesn't get the credit he deserves, but you picked the wrong guy to call out and rave against.

 

[Imadogg]

Adelman is in his 3rd season in houston, he hasn't even gotten them out of the first round.

He did last year.

That is all, continue your discussion

 

[Jon]

See C.J. Miles, Ronny Brewer, and Paul Millsap, who all started at some point or another in the regular season even though they did not get many minutes by the time the game was over.

Millsap had played two full seasons and was nearly 24yrs old before he started game consistently, and that only occurred because of injuries to Boozer. Even though he played arguably better than Boozer as their starting PF, and even with all the garbage coming from Boozer and all the attempts to trade him- Millsap has not started a single game this season.

CJ Miles got starts when he was young due to injuries to AK47 and the lack of a SG, eventually Sloan decided to start two PGs (Fisher + Williams) rather than continue with Miles or Brewer.

Basically, necessity is the mother of playing rookies.

When we had a hole at SG due to Larry Hughes's injuries, Mike Brown tried Shannon Brown, Dan Gibson, and eventually decided to go with a Sloan reject - using Pavs (who was just 22yrs old when Mike Brown was starting him at SG).

There was no necessity to start Hickson. We could have gone with a 3 man big rotation and gone small while continuing to allow him time to acclimate to the league. Ferry made the decision to force feed him in to the starting lineup in spite of the fact that he'd done nothing to deserve the opportunity, and we're fortunate it didn't backfire. We're also very fortunate that JJ has bought in to the garbage-man role and isn't trying to do too much ala Shannon Brown.

Anyway, Sloan is a good coach, but personally I think he's lost touch with his team numerous times and it's basically cost the Jazz entire seasons. Their level of play has been very up and down playing with the top-contenders some weeks, and playing like an 8th seed another.

Kirilenko had people talking about quadruple doubles when he came in to the league, and while Utah decided to pay him like a superstar, he never developed in to one. He had DPOY level talent, but he's more of a defensive specialist. In fact he hasn't seemed the same since the Jazz brought in Boozer. Speaking of Boozer, Avon mentioned that players can just improve defensively over time, but Boozer is proof that is just not the case at all. They need to be pushed to play D and Sloan hasn't been able to get Boozer to step up his D. Mehmet Okur would be more than just a gimmick if he actually played some defense.

Illgauskus on the other hand has become a very solid defender, even with players like Gooden protecting his back rather than a super shotblocker/defender like AK47.

If Sloan was stressing defense like Mike Brown and getting his guys to step up their defense like Mike Brown, then they've had the offensive fire power needed to do some damage, but they didn't so they don't.