P.J. Carlesimo vs. Mike Woodson
WILL RAUSCH
Despite the Hawks’ improving record every year during the six-year coaching stint of Mike Woodson, “The Goatee” was let go from Atlanta in 2010. Brought in as defensive coordinator assistant coach for D’Antoni’s Knicks in 2011, Woodson took over the team on an interim basis when D’Antoni was axed in March of last year.
An 18-6 record in the regular season and the first franchise playoff win in over a decade led to the removal of the interim tag, saving Woodson from a career as a Tone-Loc impersonator. In his first full season as Knicks head man, Woodson has the Knicks at 25-13, good for second in the East. An acolyte of his collegiate coach Bobby Knight, Woodson brings the same no-nonsense attitude, commitment to defense and tightly run practices, only with none of the histrionics. Players like playing for Woodson and have responded to his calls for accountability on both ends of the ball. Even diva Carmelo Anthony and perennial pain in the arse J.R. Smith have fallen in line for career years.
The Knicks are coming off a recent 5-8 run and there are still questions of how A’mare Stoudemire will fit into the mix, but it is hard to classify the Broad Ripple alum’s tenure as anything but successful thus far.
On the other side, NBA coaching journeyman P.J. Carlesimo was once known for his irascible disposition; screaming on sidelines and constant clashes with players (too bad there aren’t any famous incidents of said clashes).
In his expansive 12-game sample size as Nets interim coach, things have been different. Stars like Brook Lopez and Deron Williams have been happy, role players like MarShon Brooks and Mirza Teletovic have been happy, everyone has been happy. A 10-2 record will tend to do that. It’s still too early to tell if the recent uptick in play has been because P.J. is P.J., or because P.J. isn’t Avery Johnson.
Carlesimo’s tenure in Brooklyn has been characterized by two things: an easy schedule and adjustments. P.J. detractors/Phil Jackson fan club members point to the Nets less than formidable opponents, but beating bad teams isn’t a bad thing and the haters fail to include the Thunder, Pacers, and Hawks games in their analysis.
As far as adjustments go, they have come in many forms; in-game approaches such as the switch to drive and kick against the Pacers or the use of a modified up-tempo style to beat the Raptors; half time re-focusing of defense against the Suns (and a general end to the third quarter swoon), or the pick-and-roll game plan run to precision against the Kings. Then there are the personnel tweaks like the freeing of MarShon or the unleashing of Mirza and the less successful #pointmarshon.
This is a push. Woodson has the more impressive resume, but P.J. is hot, hot, hot.
Advantage: Push
Full List:
Deron Williams vs. Jason Kidd
Joe Johnson vs. Iman Shumpert
Gerald Wallace vs. Carmelo Anthony
Reggie Evans vs. Amar’e Stoudemire
Brook Lopez vs. Tyson Chandler
Bench Mob vs. Knicks Bench
P.J. Carlesimo vs. Mike Woodson
