The NBA has had six coaching changes since the start of the season. What gains can a bad team...

The NBA has had six coaching changes since the start of the season. What gains can a bad team expect to make by firing a coach?

Mannix: I asked a few NBA front-office officials this same question and they all had the same answer: You have to look at it in a case-by-case basis. So, let's do that.

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Washington: The Wizards (believe it or not) have yet to abandon their hopes of making the playoffs. Ed Tapscott told me that he and GM Ernie Grunfeld are hoping that by making defense a priority, the Wizards will be able to salvage the season.

SI writer Chris Mannix's response to a roundtable discussion. So would this explain why Tapscott continues to play the veterans over the young players? The team still hasn't faced the reality that this season is lost?

6 months ago cuppettcj Comment 15 comments 0 recs |

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Well, this is what I've been saying all along

At least in trying to explain the reason behind coaching decisions.

I could care less to comment on realistic chances, but 7 games (current) out of a playoff spot is not the worst position in the world.

But in our perspective (at least those at BF), we’re not even close to being able to win a game, much less go on a streak……

Hope is fun, but at what point do we draw the line?

How about 13+ games out at the 41 game halfway point to start?

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by Truth About It on Dec 18, 2008 4:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Ok - 7 games out is not that bad - BUT

Here’s the rest of our December schedule:
Fri 19 vs Philadelphia
Sun 21 vs Dallas
Tue 23 @ Charlotte
Thu 25 @ Cleveland
Sat 27 vs Oklahoma City
Mon 29 @ Houston
Tue 30 @ New Orleans

By the end of December, I expect the Wizards will be 5-25

Which teams do you think the Wizards think they can pass ?!??!!?.. (there are 7 teams ahead of the Wizards for the 8th, and FINAL playoff spot)…

It would be one thing if the Wizards were 7 games out of 8th place, and only had 2 teams ahead of them….. but there are 7 teams ahead of them….

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by Rook6980 on Dec 18, 2008 5:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

is this really a surprise to anyone?

i thought it was obvious this was going on.

by DarrellWalkerFan on Dec 18, 2008 4:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hope

You can’t give up on the playoffs if you are an NBA team. Just as every man walking to the electric chair hopes for a reprive from the Governor, you must continue to have hope until the end. We are human beings. Without hope we are nothing.

Don’t fault them for that.

by MR on Dec 18, 2008 10:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Pretty much

Even if the Wizards were thinking about this as a rebuilding year or whatever, it’s not exactly like the anyone in the Wizards organization would say they were. How would Caron & Antawn react? How would the fans react? We all know what happened when Gilbert said losing might not be the worst thing in the world.

Yeah, saying that the playoffs are still a goal might seem a little foolish, but saying that its out of reach would be far more disastrous at this point.

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by JakeTheSnake on Dec 18, 2008 11:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well then the issue becomes that they're playing guys who make it harder for them to make the playoffs

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Dec 18, 2008 11:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you.

by Romans12 on Dec 19, 2008 1:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wizards can think and believe whatever they want

But giving Stevenson starts and having McGee play less than 25 mins a game equals stupid and losing.

by LoneWiz54 on Dec 19, 2008 4:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Here is Why I Think This Matters

This article was posted on the internet Wednesday, probably before the Detroit game. I have no idea when the actual conversation between Chris Mannix and Ed Tapscott took place. So it is possible that this occurred several games ago when even I still had hope for a big turnaround.

But if this is still the current mentality of both the coach and the GM, then this is bad because it means Ernie doesn’t recognize the inherent problems with this roster, IMO. More focus on defense in practice has not made the Wizards a better defensive team. And no amount of yelling from Caron and Antawn has made the Wizards more able to stay focused and beat the teams we used to think they should be beating. I’m beginning to think that this roster cannot win until Gil gets back, which means they probably won’t even be NBA playoff caliber until Brendan gets back, which means they will never be able to compete for a championship until Ernie does something to nab us another impact player.

This mentality disturbs me, because I want our GM to face reality at some point and do more to improve this team to the point it can win a championship. Or is making the first round and losing every year the ultimate goal?

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by cuppettcj on Dec 19, 2008 8:58 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think Ernie might recognize these problems but

He is stuck in the fantasy that bringing Gilbert back will wash away all our problems.

by hibachi on Dec 19, 2008 1:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Or maybe he's just waiting to find out

What’s the point of throwing in the towel now? If Gil comes back and we still suck then we have our answer. If he doesn’t come back this year and we continue the way we are then we still have plenty of time to give the youngsters playing time.

by MR on Dec 19, 2008 1:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

5-25?

It COULD happen… but I think it will be more like 8-22… Either way, its pretty terrible.

Judging by the PR spin on Wizards.com, I think Mike James is the starting PG until Gil comes back… If AB continues to improve and Tap and Ernie finally decide its time to sit DeShawn (start Nick, move CB to the 2, I really don’t care much which, but DeShawn is not helping anyone including himself out there… which is a shame because I get a kick out of him as a personality) we ought to win tonight and have a shot in Charlotte and OKC (although the Thunder will really be amped when we show up). which is how I see 8-22 as a possibility.

by khrabb on Dec 19, 2008 6:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

"make defense a priority?"

how about signing Patrick Ewing Jr who doesn’t care about anything but blocks, steals, defense and dunks. Outside of McGuire, the Wizards don’t have anyone like that. Other than that, its not going to happen

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by rashad20 on Dec 19, 2008 6:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs