Wednesday Bolts – 4.22.15
Berry Tramel says history isn’t on Scott Brooks’ side: “The case for Brooks is stout. His relationship with players. His teams’ playoff performance. Brooks’ record in playoff series is 8-5. That might not sound fantastic, but it mostly is. Doc Rivers, coaching the likes of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen, is 8-6 in the previous six postseasons. Gregg Popovich is 10-5 in playoff series since Brooks became the Thunder coach. Barely better than Brooks’ record. Plus Brooks has had the injury curse that cost the Thunder a possible NBA Finals return in 2013, made the Thunder play the Spurs short-handed for two games in the 2014 West finals and sunk this season. But something equally daunting works against Brooks. History. NBA history. No one ever won his first NBA championship after coaching a franchise as many as eight years. Red Auerbach won the 1957 title to ignite the Celtic dynasty; that was his seventh year coaching Boston. That’s the longest a franchise ever waited on a coach before being rewarded with the championship.”
Kevin Ollie issued a statement saying he’s not leaving UConn: “As I have said many times, I am proud and honored to be the head basketball coach at the University of Connecticut and I have no plans to pursue other opportunities. We are already excited about next season and I am looking forward to preparing our team to be the best we can be on the court, in the classroom, and in our community.”
Enes Kanter had his left knee scoped and will return to basketball activities in four to six weeks.
This interview with Chris Anderson is something else.
From Berry Tramel: “And the story continues. Someone contacted the Thunder about CJ’s basketball devotion. Sam Presti contacted the family. Presti attended CJ’s memorial service at People’s Church. Paul wrote me Tuesday to tell me the Thunder was paying for the funeral. ‘I knew there was a reason we loved that entire organization, from the janitors to the owners,’ Otiento said. ‘They are a good people. Words can’t express how I feel.'”
Trade Kevin Durant for the Knicks pick? Many LOLs.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com on the strange Rondo saga: “We can only assume how Rondo, a proud point guard with one championship ring, two trips to the Finals and 10 career postseason triple-doubles, felt about playing single-digit minutes in a playoff game. Actually, judging by his body language, Rondo looked like a dude just waiting for his inevitable divorce from Dallas to happen. Unless the seventh-seeded Mavs pull off a miracle, Rondo won’t have to wait much longer.”
