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jerry25says
There’s a lot of misinformation about PJ Carlesimo.
Not really true that he lost the locker room. He is a player’s coach and isn’t tough on the players. A few lesser players, like MarShon and Teletovic were upset with their lack of playing time. Wallace was upset at the end, with not being used correctly. The rookies, especially Toko Shengelia, had good reason to be upset, with being inactive most of the year, but he didn’t complain.
PJ was let go because he likely received many, many suggestions (warnings) from the front office, which he apparently chose to ignore, despite most fans and superiors in the organization felt were good ideas. He would have been released even if he got past the Bulls, although that made the decision easier.
Nets called more Iso plays under PJ than any coach in the NBA. He had no creativity on offense.
Wallace Regressed since he took over and there was never any strategy in how to use Gerald. Even Avery Johnson realized that Reggie Evans and Wallace shouldn’t be playing at the same time because opponents would clog the middle. It was obvious. Instead he benched Hump and began starting Evans and playing him 35 minutes most nights. He even played Reggie 50 minutes in the OT loss to Bulls in game 4 where Blatche played 1/2 as many minutes.
Blatche gained back some of the weight that was lost while Avery was coach, and PJ didn’t seem to know that Andray used to be a PF. He never for the whole season practiced any plays for Lopez with Blatche. Although time and time again it was proven that Lopez + Blatche was the best line up, it never seemed to sink in. in that dreadful 3OT loss to the Bulls in Game 4, Blatche didn’t play from the beginning of the 4th quarter until the end, when Evans finally fouled out.
Then there was regression by MarShon, Teletovic not being used properly and maybe most of all having 21 year old rookie sensation Toko Shengelia inactive most of the year, despite proving to be a super high energy guy who could score inside, and defend, at the SF position, with that being the weakest position on the team. GM Billy King had to send Toko and Tyshawn Taylor to the D-League multiple times, just to get some game experience. They proved to be 2 of the best players in the D-League, but each time they returned to the team, PJ would continue to have them Inactive.
Toko was Inactive for the entire 7 game playoffs, despite the need as SF, with JJ playing on one leg. Toko was the star of the game in the one chance he had to play more than 3 minutes (next to last game) in the 2nd half the season.
PJ knew that he was going to get fired for not developing the young players.
Hump also regressed under PJ and even Avery Johnson recognized it was better to start Hump than Evans. It wasn’t until the end of the season, that PJ realized that Hump wasn’t that bad.
The Nets front office felt that the team under-achieved with PJ. That is why he was fired.
No, the Nets weren’t going to be able to challenge the Heat, but with one big trade using Hump and other assets they could have moved to elite level and clear 2nd best team in the East. That is what the next coach will be expected to do.
There’s a lot of misinformation about PJ Carlesimo.
Not really true that he lost the locker room. He is a player’s coach and isn’t tough on the players. A few lesser players, like MarShon and Teletovic were upset with their lack of playing time. Wallace was upset at the end, with not being used correctly. The rookies, especially Toko Shengelia, had good reason to be upset, with being inactive most of the year, but he didn’t complain.
PJ was let go because he likely received many, many suggestions (warnings) from the front office, which he apparently chose to ignore, despite most fans and superiors in the organization felt were good ideas. He would have been released even if he got past the Bulls, although that made the decision easier.
Nets called more Iso plays under PJ than any coach in the NBA. He had no creativity on offense.
Wallace Regressed since he took over and there was never any strategy in how to use Gerald. Even Avery Johnson realized that Reggie Evans and Wallace shouldn’t be playing at the same time because opponents would clog the middle. It was obvious. Instead he benched Hump and began starting Evans and playing him 35 minutes most nights. He even played Reggie 50 minutes in the OT loss to Bulls in game 4 where Blatche played 1/2 as many minutes.
Blatche gained back some of the weight that was lost while Avery was coach, and PJ didn’t seem to know that Andray used to be a PF. He never for the whole season practiced any plays for Lopez with Blatche. Although time and time again it was proven that Lopez + Blatche was the best line up, it never seemed to sink in. in that dreadful 3OT loss to the Bulls in Game 4, Blatche didn’t play from the beginning of the 4th quarter until the end, when Evans finally fouled out.
Then there was regression by MarShon, Teletovic not being used properly and maybe most of all having 21 year old rookie sensation Toko Shengelia inactive most of the year, despite proving to be a super high energy guy who could score inside, and defend, at the SF position, with that being the weakest position on the team. GM Billy King had to send Toko and Tyshawn Taylor to the D-League multiple times, just to get some game experience. They proved to be 2 of the best players in the D-League, but each time they returned to the team, PJ would continue to have them Inactive.
Toko was Inactive for the entire 7 game playoffs, despite the need as SF, with JJ playing on one leg. Toko was the star of the game in the one chance he had to play more than 3 minutes (next to last game) in the 2nd half the season.
PJ knew that he was going to get fired for not developing the young players.
Hump also regressed under PJ and even Avery Johnson recognized it was better to start Hump than Evans. It wasn’t until the end of the season, that PJ realized that Hump wasn’t that bad.
The Nets front office felt that the team under-achieved with PJ. That is why he was fired.
No, the Nets weren’t going to be able to challenge the Heat, but with one big trade using Hump and other assets they could have moved to elite level and clear 2nd best team in the East. That is what the next coach will be expected to do.