Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson was relieved of his coaching duties from the Warriors after bowing out of the first round of the NBA playoffs on Tuesday.
Jackson took over a basket case of a franchise and turned them into a potential powerhouse. Every season his win total improved, eventually stopping at 121-109.
When is your head not on the chopping block?
It’s no secret that Jackson was a big personality, too big for some, but firing him following a 51-win season was unfair.
The mid-season axing of assistant coach Darren Erman for taping intimate conversations was controversial, and he clashed with the Warriors management. But Jackson had the people on his side who were the most important if you want to win titles, the players.
Players played for Jackson. Listen to his timeout huddle with four minutes left in Game 7. He knew his coaching time was up unless they advanced past the second round, giving his players every ounce of belief he had in them.
Jackson was at the mercy of his team’s injuries. His injury-riddled Warriors took a power-packed Clippers line-up to seven games.
Andrew Bogut’s injury hurt the most.
Had the Warriors made the second round of the playoffs, even then it didn’t seem he would be safe. Owner Joe Lacob wants it now, even at the expense of player development.
The wrong choice of words was the most questionable part of the statement. In this, general manager Bob Myers said they, “Simply feel it’s best to move in a different direction”.
If improving isn’t good enough, which direction do you want to go in?
Do you miss being the bottom feeders of the NBA? Then why are you letting only the third coach to win 50 games in your franchise’s history leave?
Every NBA fan had a soft spot for the 2012-13 Warriors. The connection between Jackson and players like the ‘Splash Brothers’ Klay Thompson and three-point assassin Stephen Curry was magical.
David Lee and Australian Andrew Bogut were a force to be reckoned with in the paint and Jackson had a lot more to do with this than we think.
He is owed $2.75 million after the Warriors terminated his contract early, so I guess he’ll live.
But when does leading your franchise to its first back-to-back playoff appearances in over 20 years save your head from the chopping block?
Why do teams like the Warriors stay down the bottom of the food chain? Because they make dumb decisions.
Maybe, I’m wrong. Maybe they’ll bring in a coach who will turn them into a playoff bully for years to come. I just think that with time Jackson could have made the Warriors into a playoff bully, he preached belief.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, there will be another coaching job in the NBA for Jackson, I just liked that magic feeling he gave to the Warriors.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Good point on the politics. My (extended) two cents is here: http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/05/09/mark-jacksons-firing-completely-understandable/
mushi
Guest
There was an interesting article recently (I think it may have been Lowe on Grantland?) saying that we evaluate coaches by play calling when in reality they have a pretty broad gambit of recruitment, motivation, leadership, player development, scheme design and play calling. Each team needs a slightly different mix and focus and if a coach is smart and humble enough he will use assistants as a crutch for the area’s he isn’t good at. I think Jackson is very good at some parts poor at others and, most importantly for his career, naive to think his role as a highly visible employee of a billionaire comes with no internal political requirements.
brad
Guest
Since I like following the Aussies in the NBA I watched quite a few Goldenstate Games but got so frustrated watching Bogut he is one of the better centres in the League but they never gave him the ball he was lucky to have 5 shots a game, if Curry and Thompson had off nights with shooting they always lost
Joe
Guest
I didn't think he was a particularly good coach his arrival in GS coincided with an abundance of talent the franchise hadn't seen in quite awhile so Mark Jackson had plenty to work with Jackson was intent on playing a slow it down halfcourt style game instead of coaching to the teams strength which was more uptempo style of play with players like Curry, Thompson, Lee & Iguodala He wanted to play mid 90's NY Knicks style basketball with players who's skillset fit in more with a Phoenix Suns 2007 style basketball Still no need to feel bad for Jackson or any other of these coaches who get fired they walk away with multi million dollar payouts for doing a lousy job so its not exactly a punishment for him He'll get hired somewhere else by the beginning of next season
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Though coaches should be judged on performance - and the Warriors performed relatively well this season, especially considering Bogut's injury for the playoffs - something has been off at Golden State for awhile, and this decision was rumored weeks ago. Whether it's a personality clash with the owner, or something else behind the scenes going on, all was not well with the Warriors. The decision is therefore a shock, but no real surprise (and I know how stupid and confusing that sounds). From a pure coaching perspective, I think Jackson was overrated, to be honest. He made great time-out speeches, his players loved him, and he brought a long overdue defensive mind-set to the franchise. But his in-game coaching was terrible at times. In game 6 vs the Clippers, Draymond Green received his fifth foul. Jackson immediately replaced him with David Lee - who was also on his 5th foul. The very next possession, Lee fouls Blake Griffin - on a 3 point play no less - and fouls out. That's beyond stupid. With 12 seconds left in game 7, and the Warriors down 4 (maybe 5?), the play out of a time-out is Steph Curry for a runner, for 3. That's the best shot you can get out of a time-out? There's just lots of little things like those examples that suggest Jackson was far from a great coach. Ironically though, I don't think that had anything to go with him getting fired.