Let’s set the record straight: Mike D’Antoni and his offense is not a system. It’s a gimmick. How many championships has D’Antoni won with this gimmick? Zero. This gimmick offense is not suitable for the current Los Angeles Lakers roster.
The Lakers are the second-oldest team in the NBA and have legitimate size on their team. The strengths of the current Lakers team lie in the paint, not the perimeter.
The Lakers have of the best passing big men today's game in Pau Gasol. They also have the most athletic center in the league with Dwight Howard. Teams who are undersized and have three-point shooters could possibly benefit from this type of offense. Unfortunately, this team can't.
The primary advantage of the Lakers is their size. The offensive sets should run through Howard and Gasol, as it is the perfect complimentary part in the key. It’s a really simple concept: get the ball down low to the big men. If the game is close, Kobe Bryant still has enough left in the tank to take over games as needed.
The Lakers are currently out of the playoff-picture and have only missed the post-season twice in 37 years. Steve Nash is also showing his age as well. He will be turning 39-years-old before the All-Star Break. The former two-time MVP also seems to be a shell of himself, as he does not have the speed, quickness and endurance to run this gimmick like he did for the Phoenix Suns.
D’Antoni is not the innovator of this run-and-gun gimmick offense. It's simply a secondhand imitation to Paul Westhead’s offense, which debuted in the 80’s. Paul Westhead, the centerpiece figure of the ESPN's 30-for-30 documentary The Guru of Go, engineered a high-octane offense which led national powerhouse Loyal Marymount to two NCAA tournament berths.
Westhead is the only coach to have won NBA and WNBA championship. However, Westhead had minimal success in the NBA. Following his championship with the Lakers, Westhead went on to having three losing seasons with the Bulls and Nuggets respectively.
Mike D’Antoni is a very stubborn individual, and if he does not adapt, the Lakers will miss the playoffs. Great coaches have the ability to adapt their coaching-styles to the current players on their roster.
He will not win an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers unless he adapts to a more conventional offense.
If they do in fact miss the playoffs, D’Antoni’s “run” will likely be over.
