Eddie Jordan, goodbye. PJ Carlesimo, we hardly remember you. Sam Mitchell, join the gang.
After a disappointing start to the season, a season preceeded by lofty expectations, the Toronto Raptors sent 2007 NBA Coach of the Year, Sam Mitchell packing.
Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo named longtime assistant coach Jay Triano interim coach and said Triano “in all likelihood” would stay in place for the remainder for the season. His first game will be Friday in Utah against the Jazz.
After strengthening their frontline in the summer with a trade for center Jermaine O’Neal, the Raptors had hoped to challenge the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division. Star forward Chris Bosh has responded with the best season of his career and point guard Jose Calderon is an All-Star candidate, but the Raptors have struggled to an 8-9 record. The team is currently on a three-game trip through the West that began with lopsided losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and Nuggets.
“This team is a lot better than a 8-9 record,” Colangelo said on a conference call early Wednesday evening. “…We feel we were not getting the maximization of this roster we had hoped for.”
Jeff at Pete Marasmitch has a love song for ‘Smitch as he walks out the door…
Which coach will be next? There must be a few nervous being passed across the benches. I wonder how Reggie Theus is feeling lately.
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In other NBA curiosities, here are Today’s Warnings:
- Which super hero is your favourite NBA player?
- Is it time for the Chronicles of Bargnania? He’s my boy…
- Sad news that Cuttino Mobley may have to cut his career short.
- The Ballerblogger Fundamentals are a day old but still a little warm.
- How good are the Blazers? Second in the West, six in a row good. If you’ve been following the box scores the last couple of games, you’d notice that the Spaniard guard coupling is putting up massively positive +/- figures, injecting great fire off the bench. Latest victim: the Wizards.
- Classic video: Barkley and MJ talk about the homeless on Oprah.
- Are the Suns and Rockets dying a slow death?
