Quin Snyder is about as far down the basketball rabbit hole as it goes. In just a few hours at 8:30 p.m. ET, he'll be coaching the Austin Toros against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the D-League playoffs. A win means the Toros' second Finals appearance in three years. A loss and it's back to the drawing board in an elimination Game 3 for both clubs. Good thing he's only got to get past the conference's best team that featured a record number of call-ups, three of which have returned -- including the D-League MVP -- and is coached by the D-League Coach of the Year. No biggie.
So when I called to check in with Snyder before Monday's Game 2, he let me know that he's got "too many notecards" in front of him -- every detail about the matchups he can find. For his part, Snyder sounds weary of the task ahead of him, but excited to do what he's best at: Coach up young players.
When I ask Sndyer about Mike Harris, the All-D-League MVP who was called up by the Wizards, then the Rockets, and then re-assigned to Rio Grande Valley just in time for the Toros to run smack back into him, Snyder readily admits that the success the Toros had in Game 1 was mostly predicated upon Harris not playing much. And Snyder's quick to point out that when called upon, Harris delivered, nailing a tough turnaround J to tie the game late before the Toros went on to win the game on Curtis Jerrell's free throws Saturday.
But what's interesting is that Sndyer says the biggest thing about Harris isn't necessarily his points, rebounds, assists, or playmaking ability, but the fact that he obviously likes his teammates.
"That's sometimes the most important thing, and much more difficult than the points and scoring," Snyder says. "He's a guy who knows he doesn't need to get 40 if he's setting up his teammates."
Snyder credits not only Harris for his performance this season, averaging 27 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals, but the work of the Coach of the Year, Chris Finch.
"Chris has done an unbelievable job, taking Mike, who's already as good as he is, and integrating him and then re-integrating him," Snyder said.
The Toros have their own set of stars in Marcus Williams, Alonzo Gee and Curtis Jerrells (Gee and Jerrells on assignment from the Spurs), but still face a tough matchup because of their lack of a big man with Dwayne Jones on assignment with Phoenix. Snyder says he plans on a tough fight on the boards, and having to rely on his backcourt to even the fight.
"We're going to have to get guard rebounds. And not just the ones down low," he said. "The problem is if you give up those guard rebounds on offense, it starts the break. We've got to get a hand on the ball to tap it away. The biggest thing is we've got to be relentless, and not get discouraged if that doesn't go our way."
Sndyer is one win away from the Finals, with a largely different set of guys than he's had over the previous two years, facing a talented behemoth at home, in front of arguably the best home crowd in the NBA D-League.
Sndyer, as always, is just excited for the opportunity.
Toros-Vipers tips at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBA D-League Futurecast.
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