Mavericks’ Rick Carlisle says Nets coach Tony Brown is underrated
Without politicking for the Brooklyn Nets to remove the “interim” tag from Tony Brown’s name and make him their head coach, Rick Carlisle issued his own assessment of Brown.
“Tony’s a guy who is a very underrated basketball man in our league,” Carlisle said Friday. “He’ll do a great job with this group.”
If anyone in the coaching fraternity knows Brown, it’s Carlisle. Brown was an assistant on Carlisle’s Detroit Pistons staff from 2001-03 and an assistant on Carlisle’s Dallas Mavericks staff from 2011-14.
Brown was named the interim coach of the Nets on Jan. 10 after Brooklyn fired Lionel Hollins. In the nine games since, the Nets are 2-7 with wins over the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder — the Thunder’s only loss in their past 11 games.
During his time working for Carlisle, Brown saw how his mentor was able to adapt to the ever-changing NBA game, which is a must for a coach with championship aspirations.
Well, he’s done a great job with the team so far. They’re moving the ball extremely well.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle on Nets coach Tony Brown
“I would say probably more than anything he changed his style,” Brown said of Carlisle. “The times we were in Detroit we were more of a walk- it-up team. We had guys we could throw the ball into that could command a double team.
“It was a fun time helping turn that situation around with Rick, and over the years as the game started to change as you saw him with his Dallas Maverick teams it was much more flow, much more pace, and he’s kind of adapted to the times.”
Brown said he “absolutely” has implemented some of what he learned from Carlisle into his own playbook.
“That’s the way the game is now, position-less basketball, much more in places like Golden State,” Brown said. “But movement, pace, a lot of ball screens, pick-and-roll, that type of thing where people are rolling to the rim.
“You’ve got to respect that, and then off of that you get the ball inside-out to guys for 3-point shots or draw-and-kick situations. Yeah, I think we all try to piece some type of flow and pace in our offense, and he’s a good guy to get things from.”
That quick pace the Nets have employed since Brown assumed the coaching duties has been noticed by Carlisle.
“Well, he’s done a great job with the team so far,” Carlisle said. “They’re moving the ball extremely well.”
McGee plays little
Although the Mavs were without starting center Zaza Pachulia (sore left Achilles) for all three games on their recent road trip, backup center JaVale McGee only played a total of 12 minutes. The Mavs lost at Houston, beat the Lakers and lost at Golden State.
I think it’s hard to ask a guy like McGee, who’s a paint and rim protector, to guard guys like [Houston’s] Josh Smith and [Golden State’s] Draymond Green.
Rick Carlisle on JaVale McGee
Rookie Salah Mejri started all three games and played 56 minutes, and Dwight Powell played 48 minutes.
“Well, Mejri was playing a lot,” Carlisle said. “We came up against a lot of small ball, and in those instances Powell is usually the guy that we go with, but McGee’s ready to play.
“I thought he did some good things in the Golden State game in short minutes, but that was with another big guy in the game for them. I think it’s hard to ask a guy like McGee, who’s a paint and rim protector, to guard guys like [Houston’s] Josh Smith and [Golden State’s] Draymond Green.”
Best in the West
Carlisle said he knows why forward Dirk Nowitzki was left off the Western Conference All-Star team.
“There’s just so much depth, so much star power and depth in the West,” Carlisle said. “While he certainly is deserving based on the year that he’s having, I understand it probably came down to him and some other guy, and I don’t know which other guy that is.
“But there are several guys that would be deserving in any NBA season to be on the All-Star team that just didn’t get there because there’s so many good players in the West.”
Nowitzki has played in 13 All-Star games, including the past two.
Dwain Price: 817-390-7760, @dwainprice
This story was originally published January 29, 2016 at 10:03 PM with the headline "Mavericks’ Rick Carlisle says Nets coach Tony Brown is underrated."