But Williams would stay for three more seasons.
That was the year right before Paul-the franchise cornerstone-left for the Los Angeles Clippers.Īs expected, the team’s record plummeted after Paul’s departure.
In 2010-11, his rookie season, the (then) Hornets went 46-36 and made the NBA playoffs. His first head coaching stint came in New Orleans. This wasn’t the first time Williams had buoyed a franchise’s fortunes, though. That began the three-year run described in the opening, with Phoenix winning 63% of their games and rising to the NBA Finals. The season after that, Chris Paul joined the franchise. Their winning percentage would have yielded 38 victories in a normal year, double the amount the year before. Side Note: the season was only 73 games long that year.
#MONTY WILLIAMS PLUS#
With a similar lineup, plus Rubio, Phoenix jumped from 19 wins to 34 under Williams. Ricky Rubio was the big get of their summer. At that point, Chris Paul had not arrived yet. Williams took over the season after Kokoskov was fired. Mikal Bridges, Trevor Ariza, and Jamal Crawford were also on that squad. Warren, Kelly Oubre, Jr., and DeAndre Ayton. Kokoskov led his team to just 19 victories in 2018-19, with a top four rotation of Devin Booker, T.J. They dropped to just 23 in 2015-16 and remained in the 20’s through the tenures of Earl Watson and Igor Kokoskov.
Their high point was 48 wins in 2013-14, Jeff Hornacek’s first season as head coach. Prior to his arrival, the Suns had averaged 29 wins over their past six seasons. The first, and most obvious, argument for Williams is Phoenix’s record since he took over. And, as we shall see, he’s a near-perfect fit. This is one of those ultra-rare cases where devaluing the current coach is not a prerequisite to requesting a new one. I simply underline that needing Williams has little or nothing to do with the fitness of Chauncey Billups as head coach. It’d be nicer not to have to deal with it, but I won’t shy away from it either. Opinions may be mixed, but there’s no conclusive evidence calling for his dismissal on his own merits.Įven so, we’re talking about a human being losing their job. Given the circumstances, he’s probably done fine. There’s no reason to blame Coach Billups exclusively, or even primarily, for Portland’s lack of success. No amount of coaching would have transformed 33 wins into a run at the NBA Title this season. Williams himself is Exhibit A.īillups has experienced his fair share as the Blazers have tumbled to consecutive lottery seasons under his watch.
#MONTY WILLIAMS PROFESSIONAL#
It’s also, inevitably, personal.īecause of their visibility, the complexity of their position, and the reluctance of fans to turn against players, head coaches absorb vitriol and calls for their professional heads every time things go sideways.
Not About BillupsĪnyone who’s read at this site for more than a week will understand that blaming coaches is not on the menu here. Too many things recommend him the Blazers’ needs are too great. Though they have current head coach Chauncey Billups under contract for three more years, the Blazers can’t afford to pass up, or pass by, Williams now that he’s come available. Williams’ next job offer should come from the Portland Trail Blazers. With the Suns shining during his tenure, Williams will have no problem finding another head coaching job should he so desire. For Matt Ishbia and his Kevin-Durant-led lineup, it wasn’t just win or go home, it was win or go away. Those successes weren’t enough to stave off a new owner demanding instant success from a roster he overhauled mid-season. He led them to the playoffs the past three seasons, earning a 58.7% winning rate and a trip to the 2021 NBA Finals. Williams held a 194-115 record with the Suns, a 62.8% total winning percentage. While not unique-the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors also parted with high-profile coaches this spring-the news was mildly surprising. The Phoenix Suns fired Head Coach Monty Williams on Saturday, the coda for a season that saw them win 45 games before exiting the second round of the playoffs for the second straight year.
0 kommentar(er)
