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The Rock wrote:DarthRekal wrote:we need that article about sloan coming here in here
this one?
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http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-pm-mike-b ... -hot-seat/[/url]The 2012-13 season is only one week old, but Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike Brown is already on the hot seat. Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash are four of the best players in the NBA, future Hall-of-Famers who complement each other well. This star-studded group shouldn’t lose to depleted Dallas Mavericks or rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers. Wins aren’t celebrated, they’re expected. That’s the downside of coaching a juggernaut, just ask Erik Spoelstra.
When the Lakers lose, the finger of blame will be pointed at Brown. The Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons on Sunday for their first win of the season, snapping a three-game losing streak and ending a five-and-a-half month drought. While the timely win kept Brown from losing his job, it doesn’t change the fact that his days in Los Angeles could be numbered. After the win, the always-blunt Bryant said that the players “were good,” but acknowledged that Brown really needed the win.
“I think it’s more of a relief for Mike than it is for anybody else,” Bryant said.
Fans have already started calling for Brown’s job and many of his players have started wondering if he’s the right person to lead the team. Behind closed doors, they’ve questioned Brown’s rotation and how players have been utilized through four games.
While the three-game losing streak increased the amount of frustration in the locker room, it first surfaced several months ago. After the Lakers acquired Howard and Nash, several veteran free agents wanted to sign for the minimum so that they could compete for a championship in Los Angeles. However, Brown made it clear that he wasn’t going to expand his rotation regardless of who signed. This scared away the free agents and kept the Lakers from further bolstering their roster, which frustrated many players.
Many within NBA circles believe it’s only a matter of time before Brown is fired. Jerry Sloan and Mike D’Antoni are two names that have surfaced as possible replacements for Brown.
“Jerry Sloan to L.A. by December 1,” one league source predicted. “Nash and Howard are the new Stockton and Malone. He wants a ring, not to mention the money. He didn’t seriously consider Orlando, Charlotte or Portland [openings] over the summer because he knew Los Angeles would open up.”
Brown has one of the toughest jobs in basketball. He’ll be blamed when the Lakers lose. His decisions will be second-guessed and he’ll have to answer question after question: Why is Bryant playing so many minutes? Why isn’t Howard getting more touches? Why isn’t Nash handling the ball more? Why did Jodie Meeks fall out of the rotation? Why is this team running the Princeton offense?
Having four future Hall of Famers in your rotation is every head coach’s dream, but only when things are going well. If the team struggles, as the Lakers have through four games, it can be nightmare. Fair or not, Brown will be on the hot seat and under the microscope all season long.
