Tag: Chicago

Don Newman interviews with Phoenix about vacant assistant job

Spurs assistant coach Don Newman has interviewed with the Phoenix Suns about an added assistant coaching position on Coach Alvin Gentry’s staff.

The Arizona Republic reported that Newman talked with Gentry in a job that the Phoenix coach hopes will improve his team’s leaky defense.

Gentry also has talked with former Chicago assistant and current scout Pete Myers and Houston assistant Elston Turner, who was a finalist for the Suns’ head-coaching job in 2008. The Republic also said that Gentry may meet with Lakers assistant Jim Cleamons and other coaches who have been involved in the conference finals, such as Dallas’ Dwane Casey, Oklahoma City’s Maurice Cheeks and Miami’s Bob McAdoo.

The Suns are hoping to boost their defense after allowing the NBA’s fifth-worst defensive percentage (47.2) in 2010-11. Phoenix general manager Lon Babby has approved allowing Gentry to hire a veteran coach without losing any of his four current assistant coaches.

“I’m going to run it like a football team, and he’ll be a defensive coordinator,” Gentry told the Republic. ”We’ll spend a ton of time meeting the next two to three months to see how we can put changes to be better.

“What I decided was we just needed someone from the outside with a new voice and outlook. It’s not anything against who we have. Dan Majerle played for Pat Riley and was all-defensive, and I do have confidence in Bill Cartwright and the other guys, but we need a new approach because if we’re ever going to be good, we need a whole new voice to be consistent.”

Newman was hired by the Spurs before the start of the 2004-05 season and has worked seven seasons with the franchise.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if he left for what appears to be a better job on the surface than what Newman has with the Spurs. But there appears to be stiff competition for the position among several top assistants from around the league.

Rose’s big night pushes Bulls within one game of Eastern Finals

Derrick Rose is so close to the NBA Eastern Finals he can almost taste it.

The NBA’s MVP erupted for 33 points and nine assists Tuesday to lead the Bulls to a 95-83 Game 5 victory over Atlanta, pushing them within one game of their first trip to the conference finals since 1998.

The Bulls, who hold a 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven series, can advance by beating the Hawks Thursday night in Atlanta.

“We can’t get tired or bored,” Rose told reporters after the game. “We know that going down there, they’re going to give us their all. I think we have to come out and play our way — defense first and make things tough on them. We’re a good team when we have pace to us.”

And they are an especially good team when the NBA’s MVP plays like he did Tuesday night.

STUDS

Chicago G Derrick Rose: Blistered Atlanta for 33 points, nine assists and a team-best plus-17 in the Bulls’ 95-83 Game 5 triumph over Atlanta.

Chicago F Luol Deng: Went for 23 points, four rebounds, three assists and was plus-15 in the Bulls’ triumph over the Hawks.

Chicago F Carlos Boozer: Notched 11 points and 12 rebounds in the Bulls’ triumph over the Hawks.

Chicago F Taj Gibson: Came off the bench to score all 11 points in the fourth quarter on a 5-for-5 shooting spree in the Bulls’ triumph over Atlanta.

Atlanta G Jeff Teague: Had another strong game with 21 points, seven assists and four rebounds in the Hawks’ loss to Chicago.

Atlanta F Josh Smith: Went for 16 points and seven rebounds in the Hawks’ loss to the Bulls.

DUDS

Atlanta G Jamal Crawford: Clanked through a 1-for-9 shooting night with two turnovers and was minus-11 in a two-point effort in the Hawks’ loss to Chicago.

Atlanta F Al Horford: Produced 12 points and 10 rebounds, but had four turnovers and was a team-worst minus-13 in the Hawks’ loss to the Bulls.

Does this really feel like the conference finals to Spurs Nation?

The Eastern Conference Finals started Sunday night with Miami and Chicago battling in a tightly contested defensive battle.

Dallas and Oklahoma City will kick off their Western Conference finals Tuesday night.

And for whatever reason, something seems to be missing.

Maybe it’s merely a changing of the guard.

But for only the second time since 1999, the conference finals won’t be including either the Spurs, the Los Angeles Lakers or the Boston Celtics.

We’re being treated to new teams and new stars. Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant obviously are two of the most important pieces in the future of the NBA. “The Heatles” command attention after their celebrated grouping over the season.

But without Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and their iconic teams these playoff series appear to be a little stale from those in the past.

It will be interesting to watch how the television ratings play out for the remaining games.

Is Spurs Nation making these upcoming games appointment television over the next several weeks?

Or is it reacting with a collective yawn without their favorite heroes and villains playing in the upcoming games that will culminate the NBA season?