Kerr played in San Antonio under Popovich for a couple years. Do you think his insider's view of their system could help D'Antoni strategize against the Spurs better?
oh, please no "Suns suck Spurs rule blah blah blah" that crap is so boring
2007-09-19 19:00:48 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Basketball
There is a saying that you never kick a sleeping bear. I think part of the reason that Dallas beat the Spurs in the 2006 Western Conference Finals was that Coach Pop had a soft spot in his heart for Dallas' coach Avery Johnson as Avery was the heart and soul of the Spurs for years as their court leader.
During the 2007 Phoenix-Spurs playoffs, Coach Pop slammed the table with his fist fairly hard right in front of Steve Kerr broadcasting the game. So, there is no love lost between Coach Pop and Steve Kerr, and I believe that Coach Pop has lost all respect for Steve Kerr.
And, I must be honest that Steve Kerr's Yahoo! Sports columns were a pretty sorry read. Hopefully, Kerr is a better GM than he was a sports writer.
I think that Steve Kerr's obvious bias for Phoenix in the 2007 Phoenix-Spurs playoff series shows that most likely Kerr had already signed on as the GM of Phoenix prior to that playoff series.
Kerr tried his best to get Duncan, and who was it, Bowen, suspended for one game for allegedly leaving the bench.
I understand that Kerr even supposedly contacted the NBA headquarters on that one trying to get Duncan and Bowen suspended for one playoff game in 2007 during the Phoenix-Spurs playoff series.
Then, Kerr wrote an article on Yahoo! Sports saying that although he had strongly advocated the suspension of Duncan and Bowen for one game, Kerr wrote that Duncan, Bowen, Amare, and Diaw should not be suspended for any games and that Robert Horry should only be suspended for one game.
Kind of like Kerr was really more trying not to get Amare and Diaw suspended after Kerr was the first sports person, and the first person of any kind, to suggest that Duncan and Bowen be suspended for leaving the bench in a different incident.
I think that Tim Duncan will be more than motivated as will Bruce Bowen and their long time teammates Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili will also be motivated to run Phoenix off of the court ever time they play as long as Steve Kerr is the GM of Phoenix.
Certainly Coach Popovich will really want to beat Phoenix now while before Steve Kerr became Phoenix's GM, the Spurs had no reason to be upset with Phoenix, but now particularly Coach Pop, Tim Duncan, and Bruce Bowen have a reason to play hardest against Phoenix.
Phoenix hiring Steve Kerr as a GM was not a very intelligent move as I don't think that Kerr is that basketball management saavy to handle a GM position. Phoenix should have hired Kerr to be their color announcer on their radio broadcasts which Kerr would be good at.
Steve Kerr last played for the Spurs in 2003 when the Spurs had a totally different group of players and a totally different offense. Coach Pop has rebuilt the Spurs several times since 2003 revising their offense and defense, so the only thing that Steve Kerr knows about the Spurs is that he knows his former teammates Duncan, Bowen, Parker, Ginobili, and Brent Barry, and, that is about all that is common with the 2007-2008 Spurs and the 2003 Spurs.
The Spurs are now automatically motivated to play Phoenix as long as Steve Kerr is around as GM and as long as Coach Pop and Tim Duncan are around.
The question should be did Phoenix hiring Steve Kerr as GM hurt their chances of ever beating the Spurs more than in the occasional game as over the last 25 games between the two teams, the Spurs have a 19-6 record against Phoenix and over the last 16 games between the two teams, the Spurs have a 13-3 record.
2007-09-19 23:30:57 · answer #1 · answered by Score 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Suns suck spurs rule!!!
Just kidding.
I dont think Steve Kerrs history with the Spurs is going to have much of an impact. i do however think highly of Kerr. I always appreciated his work for yahoo sports and TNT. It was clear that he knew his stuff and I cant say that about most people. Kerr should have moved Marion by now. With Diaw on that team, they have a playmaker that can fill Marions role. There were rumors out there that the Suns could ahve gotten Rasheed for Marion or Kirelenko. While Sheed has alot of faults, he is definately a player I would bring in for a season to try and win a ring. He has shown that he can at least hold it together that long. The Suns are a team that must win now. As Steve Nash getts older, their windo shrinks. I like Kirelenkos game but of all the players Kerr could get for Marion, a focused Rasheed matches up best against Duncan. Plus Sheed's game is taylor made for Phoenix. Stat might even be able to move back to 4 and Sheed play 5.
2007-09-19 19:18:37 · answer #2 · answered by Tayo 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No, it's not a guarantee. Danny Ferry, Cavaliers' GM has been a long time San Antonion player. Mike Brown learned the game basically from Greg Popovich.
It may help a little but knowing Pop (by watching the Spurs' game) and how good he is tactically, he could revise his plays and think of different ones over night. Believe me that Mike and Danny shared all they knew about the Spurs system but to no avail. Pop is just too tough for them.
It all depends on the Suns themselves and Mike D' Antoni really to solve the San Antonio riddle that has been haunting them since 2005.
Hope this helps.
2007-09-19 21:24:25 · answer #3 · answered by Darth Revan 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think so, Kerr deep knowledge on Popovich's system can help the Suns to make a good strategy against the Spurs... but he should be first concentrate on building a team that can really compete against top NBA teams like San Antonio...
2007-09-19 19:19:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
kerr will not do that because he respects greg popovich and the san antonio spurs and doing that is like betraying them. the suns coaching staff are the ones responsible for scouting or finding ways to dismantle the spurs but pop is a coaching genius being an espionage major he can also reveal secret tactics of his opponents.
2007-09-19 20:15:15 · answer #5 · answered by francismarasigan1645 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Doesn't matter what knowledge that Kerr has he wasn't a superstar he was a bench player who could hit an occasional 3. He may know of the system but Duncan constantly draws double teams and you can't guard him one one on so the Suns don't have any ways of stopping them. They just don't match up well with the Spurs the big guy can dominate if they double he passes it too his athletic guards which Suns can't guard.
2007-09-19 19:24:25 · answer #6 · answered by Steven R 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Maybe if the coach was open to receiving advice on the X's and O's from a GM who has zero coaching experience.
D'Antoni was the Suns head coach and GM (he gave Marcus Banks that contract). The owner, Sarver, took the GM part of D'Antoni's job away and gave it to his business partner Steve Kerr.
I don't see it happening but of course, I'm not "in the know".
2007-09-19 19:17:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ummm I think that the spurs have changed a lot since Kerr played for them, so I really don't think it will have much effect. I still think Phoenix is a better team offensively though.
2007-09-19 19:22:24 · answer #8 · answered by jjudd43 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
NO ! I'am a knicks fan...I give credit where it's due! The Spurs are the team to beat because of #21 & pop...These guys know how to win and they want to...No ego's everyone is grounded...You do not win games by 1 player dunking all nite .(Amare)..The spurs are willing to make the extra pass..They can breAK DOWN ANYONE BECAUSE OF FUNDAMENTALS...They are not flashy either...LONG LIV E THE SPURZ...BEST IN THE WEST........
2007-09-19 20:59:07 · answer #9 · answered by nyc033 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
None obviously
2007-09-19 19:34:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋