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Coaching a system, or coaching players? Dwane Casey’s ongoing battle

By Brian Boake

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Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey came to the attention of the NBA’s general managers (for the second time – he was fired too quickly in Minnesota, and need to regroup) as a result of his success in Dallas. Specifically, he was the assistant there who was credited with designing the schemes which the Mavericks implemented to win a wholly unexpected championship in 2010-2011. The Mavs’ head coach, Rick Carlisle, went to bat for Casey with Bryan Colangelo, the Raps’ GM at the time, who was looking to replace Jay Triano.

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Dwane got the Raptors’ gig, and has pushed defense ever since. One has to wonder if he hasn’t overplayed his hand.

“I managed good but boy did they play bad” – attributed to Rocky Bridges, baseball manager

Casey’s near-obsession with D-fence! D-fence! does the Raps no favours on the other side of the ball. Toronto’s offense so often looks stilted and out of ideas. DeMar DeRozan eats up half the 24-second clock with aimless dribbling, then hoists up a long-2 with a hand in his face…Lou Williams bangs another 3-ball off the back iron as time expires…Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas are afterthoughts.

Since I’ve already brought up baseball, let’s have a quick glance at the Air Canada Centre’s other tenant, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs tossed their coach overboard in January, and promoted Peter Horachek, another “defence-first” advocate. Since then, the hockey team has been unspeakably bad.

Both Horachek and Casey have fallen into the same intellectual trap, which is to believe that players can adjust to whatever system their coach is pushing. Sorry, guys, it can’t be done. The great coaches look at their talent objectively, then decide which system fits their personnel. Both the Leafs and Raptors have strong offensive capability, but neither team’s roster is filled with great defenders. Instead of accepting that state of affairs, our city’s head coaches have continued to push their defensive zealotry, to their teams’ detriment. Is winning a basketball game 115-110 (or a hockey game 6-5) a sign of defective manhood? Does your team fail to get full credit in the standings?

The New York Knicks have been a massive disappointment, but GM Phil Jackson and coach Derek Fisher continue to push the triangle offense, despite a 14-69 record, and leading only the punchless 76ers in scoring per game. I’m skeptical the Knicks as presently constituted could win using any system, but it’s more than obvious they don’t suit the alleged benefits of the triangle.

The only team which forces players into a pre-determined system is the San Antonio Spurs. However, Spurs coach Greg Popovich won’t have players on his team who aren’t predisposed to playing offense the way he wants it done (ball movement, open 3-point shooting). Certainly they must defend at a high level as well, but everyone on the Spurs has a green light to take open shots.

On December 28, the Raps defeated Denver to reach 24-7. Since that happy night, they are 19-23. Coach Casey, isn’t it well past time to stop fighting city hall, and accept your team as it is? Find some offensive schemes to maximize our team’s balanced scoring capability, and let’s have some fun. Trying to squeeze this group of players into the Procrustean bed of a defense-first mindset will only end in tears.

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