Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni has won a lot of games over the course of his head coaching career. He owns a lifetime record of 628-499. He has won over 60 games three times. He is considered one of the most innovative offensive minds in basketball.
But he has never made it to an NBA Finals, and he just saw his Rockets eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the playoffs, marking the Rockets’ second second-round exit in the last three years.
While D’Antoni has posted an impressive 55, 65 and 53 wins, respectively, in his three seasons at the helm in Houston, it’s seeming more and more likely his coaching style is not conducive to titles, and FOX Sports analyst and former NBA player Stephen Jackson feels it might be time for the Rockets to move on from D’Antoni:
“D’Antoni is not going to get it done,” Jackson said on Monday’s ‘Undisputed.” “The problem is not offense. You have one of the best scorers in NBA history, Harden’s going to score in any system. … D’Antoni’s not a defensive coach. They might win [a title] with James, but not with D’Antoni at the helm.”
So, basically, the same criticisms that haunted D’Antoni during his tenure with the Phoenix Suns have followed him to Houston, and even though Jackson isn’t saying anything groundbreaking, he makes a good point.
Is it possible to win a title with D’Antoni as your head coach?
Heck, taking it a step further, is it possible to win a title with Daryl Morey as your general manager? Because, clearly, the philosophy of both D’Antoni and Morey is geared toward offense, and it’s questionable as to whether or not the Rockets’ offensive system is even that sound to begin with.
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