D’Antoni last coached for the New York Knicks in the 2011-12 season; he spent four seasons in the Big Apple. However, D’Antoni had the most success as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns, where he arguably coached one of the best teams in the NBA back then.
However, with the Lakers D’Antoni will experience a great deal of pressure. There is nothing like coaching the Lakers; the franchise is one that demands championships every year. Still, D’Antoni will be a nice fit for this team as he has proven that he can lead a team to an elite level of success.
D’Antoni has managed some impressive teams; here are the five best teams he has coached.
5. 2010-11 New York Knicks, 42-40
In February of 2011, the New York Knicks pulled a blockbuster trade that landed them their much needed superstar, Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks gave up many talented players for Anthony, but at the end of the day, New York finally got a much needed leader. D’Antoni had not brought the Knicks to the postseason yet in his career, but the addition of Anthony almost assured an appearance.
Still, even with Anthony in the lineup, it took some time for all the Knicks players to get adjusted. Anthony and Stoudemire had trouble working together and there was some friction between Melo and D’Antoni. However, the Knicks pulled it together and landed in the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference.
New York faced off against the Boston Celtics in the opening round, but ended up getting swept out of the postseason. D’Antoni did not win a playoff game with the Knicks, but 2010-11 was arguably his most successful roster.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD_HTlgj81w
Next Page: Number Four
4. 2007-08 Phoenix Suns, 55-27
This roster was the last great Suns team under Mike D’Antoni, as next year this Suns team went a mediocre 32-50. This was the last legitimate title chance Nash and D’Antoni had together, but sadly their season ended in the first round. The Los Angeles Lakers acquired Pau Gasol during this season, meaning the Suns were no longer the best team in the Pacific Division.
The Lakers claimed the top spot in the division, while the Suns were at second place and finished with the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Despite the impressive .671 winning percentage, the Suns could not get out of the first round. Phoenix faced the San Antonio Spurs and got beaten easily in five games.
After the loss, the Suns were never the same, and the run-and-gun era was essentially over.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIU1kGuRKEo
Next Page: Number Three
3. 2006-07 Phoenix Suns, 61-21
In the 2006-07 season, the Suns went an incredible 61-21 with a winning percentage of .744. Steve Nash was in the prime of his career and even though he did not win the MVP, he led the league in assists with 11.6 dishes a game.
The Suns were clicking on all cylinders at this point of D’Antoni’s career; they were one of the most feared teams in the league. The Suns scored with ease and there was no stopping the tandem of Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire. Phoenix averaged 110.2 points per game that season, which was the best mark in the league.
In the postseason, the Suns were the second seed in the Western Conference, behind the 67-15 Dallas Mavericks. In the first round, the Suns faced the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers and beat them in just five games. The Lakers were in no shape to challenge the mighty Suns.
However, despite all the hype surrounding the Suns and their incredible regular season, the team’s road ended in the second round. Phoenix matched up with the San Antonio Spurs in the semi-finals and they fell to them in six games. Once again, the Suns performed exceptionally well in the regular season, but they could not do the same in the postseason.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC5E957J2Mg
Next Page: Number Two
2. 2005-06 Phoenix Suns, 54-28
As stated earlier, Mike D’Antoni made himself a household name during his stint with the Phoenix Suns. His offensive schemes fit perfectly with the Suns roster and they were arguably the most fun team to watch in the league. With Steve Nash running the point, there was no stopping the Suns.
In the 2005-06 season, the Suns finished first in the Pacific Division, claiming the second seed in the Western Conference. The Suns played the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round, which turned out to be a much tougher series than they expected. The Lakers ended up leading the series three games to one, but the Suns rallied back strong and won the series in seven games.
In the next round, the Suns faced the other team in Los Angeles, the Clippers; that series also went to seven games. However, thanks to the efforts of league MVP Steve Nash, the Suns once again edged out their opponent.
In the Western Conference Finals, Nash and the Suns faced off with a familiar opponent, the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs were the fourth seed in the conference, but the Mavs ended up beating the odds and reaching the NBA Finals. The Mavericks beat the Suns in six games and prevented D’Antoni from reaching the NBA Finals.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0xabxBCOE8
Next Page: Number One
1. 2004-05 Phoenix Suns, 62-20
Statistically speaking, the 2004-05 Phoenix Suns were the greatest team Mike D’Antoni ever coached. The squad finished the season at 62-20 with a .756 winning percentage. In that season, Steve Nash won the NBA’s MVP award and led the league in assists with 11.5 a game.
There was no stopping this Suns team on the open floor. Nash worked the offense almost perfectly. The pick-and-roll ran impeccably. Teams had trouble containing the point guard. The Suns finished the season as the best team in the Pacific Division and averaged 110.4 points per game, which was the best in the league.
The Suns were also the best team in the Western Conference–they swept their opening round opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies. In the second round, the Suns faced off with rivals Dallas Mavericks and beat them in six games. It was a hard fought battle, but D’Antoni and Nash pulled away from their foes.
However, all the euphoria came crashing down in the next round when the Suns met the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs were poised to reach the NBA Finals. The Tim Duncan-led Spurs beat the Suns in five games. Even though Phoenix played amazingly in the regular season and the first two rounds of the postseason, the Suns fell to the eventual NBA champions in the Western Conference Finals.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXNgO0bBcSs