Bill Simmons:
There are two types of coaches …
1. A coach who looks at his players and says, "How can I put these guys in the best position for them to succeed?"
2. A coach who looks at his players and says, "How can I use these guys to make my system succeed?"
Now, think about the mind-set driving Coach No. 2: He's basically saying, I'm here only because of my system. I can't actually coach. If you give me the wrong players for my system, it doesn't matter — I will keep using the system anyway, because Plan B would be coming up with a more inventive way to coach these guys. And I can't do that. I'm not good enough. So if it's OK with you, I'd like to go down in flames with my system.
Like many Celtics fans, Bill Simmons is disgusted with this Celtics team, and he isn't one to spare Doc the blame either.
Oh wait.
He was talking about Mike D'Antoni.Seems to fit pretty well, though, if you ask me.
OK, maybe it would be a bit too harsh if directed at Doc. He isn't nearly as one-dimensional as Mike D. But I think the basic criticism can be leveled at Doc, too. He isn't good at adapting his own system and coaching style to a substantially different roster.
The Celtics are still using the same system on offense and defense this season as they did in 2008, but they don't have the same elite talent at the top of the roster, and the supporting cast is very different, too. I look at the way a team like the Spurs have reinvented themselves over the past few years to adjust to the changing roster and the age of their veterans and I wish the Celtics could have transitioned that way, too.
I think Danny Ainge tried his best to build the roster different this year with an emphasis on depth and athleticism compared to previous seasons, but it hasn't really come to bear in the way the team plays in actual games.