Interview with Donnie Walsh

[Lurker]

Some interesting tidbits....(bolded items are my highlights)

• On the trade with Golden State:

"I was getting an inkling that we weren't getting better. I knew I had to move (Jackson), that it would be good for him and for us. Then I looked at Al and Jermaine: We were playing Al at small forward and it felt like Al had to play at power forward, but when we put Jermaine at center we weren't big enough.

"Then when I saw what I could get from (Warriors GM Chris Mullin), I felt that Murphy would be a better fit at power forward than Al.''

• On changing the personality of his team:

"When players don't fit together, it's going to affect the attitude. If guys are trying to do the same things, that's not going to work. Al wants to shoot the ball and he wants to post up, and that's OK. But we've got Jermaine who we're going to post up. In the long run didn't think they were going to fit together.

"They were friends, very close friends, so I think they didn't want to acknowledge it. But it was always going to be there, the feeling that one is holding the other back.''

• On keeping trades secret:

"Everybody who does a trade doesn't want it out ahead of time, but that can really impact the trade. Agents get involved because they don't want their players to go away, that type of thing. And the players themselves, you don't know how they're going to react to it.

"Not that I'm ultra-secret, but at least in this trade the reason it was kept that quiet is pretty simple. I was dealing with Chris Mullin, he was dealing with me and Larry Bird was the only other person on the planet who knew about it. And those are the most closemouthed people you'll find on this planet.''

• On the numerous roster changes of the last two years:

"It was forced upon us because of the Detroit fight. That started the ball rolling in a certain direction, that we were just forced to make changes.''

• On the changing pace of the NBA:

"I do think the league is more uptempo. But when people say uptempo they're immediately thinking of Phoenix, and there aren't a lot of teams that are playing like Phoenix.

"I'm glad we're away from just walking the ball down, throw it in the post, everybody tries to wait until somebody double-teams and then throw the ball out.

"You can play zone now, and coaches have had enough time to figure out how to use zone principles within man-to-man defense. Because of that, it always helps you to get down quickly, because then you've got everybody on their heels. So there's no reason not to get the ball down fast, even if you're not trying to get a layup. Just get it down there because it causes the defense problems -- it's hard to pressure you if you're getting it down that quickly, you can get into your offense if you're getting into it right away because you can get (defensive) people on their heels, and usually there are mismatches because people are picking up the first guy they see.''

• On the next stage of offense to come:

"Because they're zoning up and moving to the ball, you really must move the ball from one side to the other. The only thing I don't see -- and I think it will get better because it takes coaches time -- is now if you have a post-up player, you throw the ball in, you wait for the double team, and you spot your people up along the three-point line. I think as we go on, people will be moving within that. They may end up at the three-point line, but they're also going to look for layups, for cuts and things like that. I see more teams doing that now.''

• On why the NBA should avoid further rule changes:

"We've done a lot of changing, and I'd like to see us just let the game go for awhile. Because I see now that down in the post you can beat people up relative to what you can do out on the perimeter. And I see more than it used to be, at least, that you see fouls called on the perimeter for handchecking, which is what they say they're going to do, but then when you get to the goal the referees are more apt not to call a foul if you get hit -- you've really got to hit hard to get a foul now. And I've seen them, more than they used to, wait to see if the ball goes in, even if you get hit.

"Instead of changing the rules again, I'd like to give the referees a chance to evaluate this stuff. Is this good for the game that we're calling it tight out here but not so tight in there? I'd like to give it all a chance to settle down and work itself out.''

• On NBA referees:

"I'm mad at them like everybody else after games, but I think the NBA referees are so far above everybody else. And you don't know it until you go to college games, or until I see European games, and then I realize. When I see a play that I think they blew, the next day when I watch it on a replay I'm usually saying, you know, I can see where he called that. Nine out of 10 times I do that.
"I think they're really good. I wouldn't want to see them make any more decisions than they're making now. They're as good as you're going to get.''

• On how zone defense has created better offense:

"Where I see teams going more offensive is in the makeup of their teams. They have more offensive players on the floor, they have smaller people at the power forward and the small forward positions. If you're playing zone defense, it allows players that couldn't match up before to now play in the game.

"One time we were in the playoffs when Brevin Knight was a rookie (for the Cavaliers in 1997-98). He'd had a great year, but Mark Jackson took him in the post and that ended the playoff series. Because they tried to double-team Mark, Mark ended up passing it to everybody and we ended up winning. I don't think that would be as effective today because of the changes in the rules.''

[Reality]

"I was getting an inkling that we weren't getting better. I knew I had to move (Jackson), that it would be good for him and for us. Then I looked at Al and Jermaine: We were playing Al at small forward and it felt like Al had to play at power forward, but when we put Jermaine at center we weren't big enough.

"Then when I saw what I could get from (Warriors GM Chris Mullin), I felt that Murphy would be a better fit at power forward than Al.''

• On changing the personality of his team:

"When players don't fit together, it's going to affect the attitude. If guys are trying to do the same things, that's not going to work. Al wants to shoot the ball and he wants to post up, and that's OK. But we've got Jermaine who we're going to post up. In the long run didn't think they were going to fit together. 

Walsh and Bird didn't think of this before they reacquired Harrington?

• On NBA referees:

"I'm mad at them like everybody else after games, but I think the NBA referees are so far above everybody else. And you don't know it until you go to college games, or until I see European games, and then I realize. When I see a play that I think they blew, the next day when I watch it on a replay I'm usually saying, you know, I can see where he called that. Nine out of 10 times I do that.
"I think they're really good. I wouldn't want to see them make any more decisions than they're making now. They're as good as you're going to get.''

  Wow, do not agree with that.  However they are massively overburdened.

  "I think they're really good. I wouldn't want to see them make any more decisions than they're making now. They're as good as you're going to get.''

  Concur about the no more decisions.  Way overburdened for three people to call all the stuff in an NBA game.

[westkoast]

"I was getting an inkling that we weren't getting better. I knew I had to move (Jackson), that it would be good for him and for us. Then I looked at Al and Jermaine: We were playing Al at small forward and it felt like Al had to play at power forward, but when we put Jermaine at center we weren't big enough.

"Then when I saw what I could get from (Warriors GM Chris Mullin), I felt that Murphy would be a better fit at power forward than Al.''

• On changing the personality of his team:

"When players don't fit together, it's going to affect the attitude. If guys are trying to do the same things, that's not going to work. Al wants to shoot the ball and he wants to post up, and that's OK. But we've got Jermaine who we're going to post up. In the long run didn't think they were going to fit together. 

Walsh and Bird didn't think of this before they reacquired Harrington?

• On NBA referees:

"I'm mad at them like everybody else after games, but I think the NBA referees are so far above everybody else. And you don't know it until you go to college games, or until I see European games, and then I realize. When I see a play that I think they blew, the next day when I watch it on a replay I'm usually saying, you know, I can see where he called that. Nine out of 10 times I do that.
"I think they're really good. I wouldn't want to see them make any more decisions than they're making now. They're as good as you're going to get.''

  Wow, do not agree with that.  However they are massively overburdened.

  "I think they're really good. I wouldn't want to see them make any more decisions than they're making now. They're as good as you're going to get.''

  Concur about the no more decisions.  Way overburdened for three people to call all the stuff in an NBA game.

I agree on all 3 takes Reality.

How long did it take them to figure that out about Al Harrington?  They acquired him two seperate times. 

Also, the refs are over burdened.  They need help.  Plus, the simple fact you have 900 year old Dick Bevetta trying to run up and down the court with 20 year olds is automatically going to put the reffing crew at a disadvantage.

[Lurker]

He doesn't say he agrees with the calls after watching them later...he said he can see why they made the call.  That is a very subtle but important difference.  Especially considering that the calls are made in real time without the benefit of replays from different angles.

Also he says that compared with the other refs (college, Euro) the NBA refs are superior.  So, in essence, who would you replace the current refs with?

[WayOutWest]

He doesn't say he agrees with the calls after watching them later...he said he can see why they made the call.  That is a very subtle but important difference.  Especially considering that the calls are made in real time without the benefit of replays from different angles.

Also he says that compared with the other refs (college, Euro) the NBA refs are superior.  So, in essence, who would you replace the current refs with?

Exactly Lurker, I noticed that too.  Errr....I mean...you're an idiot and the Spurs suck!

Basically you can't do any better.  I've reffed and few games in my day and it's TOTALLY different.  When you're on the sidelines it seems like you can see every play and get it right, but when you're tasked with being a ref it seems like everything gets sped up 10X.

[westkoast]

He doesn't say he agrees with the calls after watching them later...he said he can see why they made the call.  That is a very subtle but important difference.  Especially considering that the calls are made in real time without the benefit of replays from different angles.

Also he says that compared with the other refs (college, Euro) the NBA refs are superior.  So, in essence, who would you replace the current refs with?

Don't most objective (or try to be objective) fans do the same thing in regard to not agreeing with a call but can see why they made it?  I know that happens often for myself when I see charges/blocks.

I wouldn't replace the refs with anyone or refs from another sport.  Calling basketball is probably the hardest ref job in all of sports.  What I would do is try to give them help by putting stationary refs near each rim.

Yes in real time it is very hard to make certain calls.  However, they still miss 'gimmie' calls.  If I can make 3 second and traveling calls from the nose bleeds at Staples Center it is not much to ask Steve Javie to do the same from 15 feet away.

[Lurker]

Yes in real time it is very hard to make certain calls.  However, they still miss 'gimmie' calls.  If I can make 3 second and traveling calls from the nose bleeds at Staples Center it is not much to ask Steve Javie to do the same from 15 feet away.

It is like those HDTV commercials where everyone viewing can see the golf ball in the rough.  But the players/caddies can't see it as they walk all around it.  Reminds of most fans reaction to refs...."He hacked his arm!  How could you miss it!"

[westkoast]

Yes in real time it is very hard to make certain calls.  However, they still miss 'gimmie' calls.  If I can make 3 second and traveling calls from the nose bleeds at Staples Center it is not much to ask Steve Javie to do the same from 15 feet away.

It is like those HDTV commercials where everyone viewing can see the golf ball in the rough.  But the players/caddies can't see it as they walk all around it.  Reminds of most fans reaction to refs...."He hacked his arm!  How could you miss it!"

3 seconds is 3 seconds though, I guess they have alot else to worry about.

But...traveling calls mid court or palming calls isolated on the wing....no real excuse for those.