Friday, May 2, 2008

Wrong Coach?


Larry Brown was hired this week by the Charlotte Bobcats. It will be his 9th NBA coaching job and first since he was fired by the Knicks in 2006. 
I love the thought of Larry Brown coaching the Bobcats. Brown has been around the game for what seems like forever and instantly gives the team credibility. He knows basketball as well as anyone and has ties to the city and state. But there is a chance the Charlotte Bobcats could have gotten the wrong guy. 
The Dallas Mavericks recently fired Avery Johnson after another first round playoff loss. The Suns are also considering firing Mike D'Antoni reports say. Both coaches have had consistent playoff teams in the last half a decade and in my opinion, neither deserve or so far in Johnson's situation deserved to be fired. D'Antoni coached some fantastic players in their prime including Steve Nash and Amare Stoudamire. Johnson had a very respectable 194-70 record with Dallas and was once considered the new young NBA mind. 
When we think back on Larry Brown's last coaching job with the Knicks we do not think highly of the job Brown did finishing 23-59. Brown also struggled when it came to the National team winning only a bronze medal. But he has done a great job resurrecting many other teams including the Clippers, Nuggets, Sixers, and Spurs. He is one of 5 coaches all time to win over 1,000 victories. Many think the reason the Knicks job was not successful for Brown was because of the lack of talent. I believe that the Charlotte Bobcats have a great young core with Wallace, Richardson, Felton, Dudley, etc.
Only time will tell if this ends up being a good hire by Michael Jordan and I am looking forward to this coming season. 

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Larry Brown seems like old news. One would hope that he has the ability to stay current in the same way that Dick Vermeil did in the NFL. Unfortunately, Vermeil is the exception and not the rule. We'll just have to wait and see if the players respond to him. I would have loved to see D'Antoni.....I think he coaches team basketball as well as anyone in the league.