As I was away when it happened, this post is one more opinion, just later to the party.
D'Antoni deserved to be fired. He is a great offensive coach, but defense is his downfall. Which is why his Suns teams were fun to watch but never really a threat (save for the one year when a little scrum and a couple of suspensions ruined their best shot). Which is not to say all the blame should be laid at his feet. The more I watch them this season (after initially getting blacked-out), it's clear the team is imbalanced and lacks enough guys who make the effort on the defensive end. Basically, when the offense isn't clicking, chances of grinding one out 75-73 are low.
I also think Jeremy Lin is a liability at the point - a turnover waiting to happen. He was fun for awhile, but now he is a marketing ploy more than the player who can run this team. I feel more comfortable with Baron Davis. And to repeat what I wrote some time back, Stoudemire is nothing like the player of last year. Which means his contract could go down as one of the worst in franchise history (Allan Houston's will never be outdone) if he can't turn it around. All of which is why I was willing to trade those two with Tyson Chandler (who I think is simply one of the best signings in recent memory) to get Dwight Howard.
Anyway, they are fighting for the 8th seed and have looked impressive in the last two games. I hope it continues.
