http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/kelly_dwyer/02/21/worst.awards/1.html
Worst Coaching Performance of the First Half
The logical choice here would be Larry Brown, who has needlessly utilized 30 starting lineups in coaching his Knicks to a 15-37 record, while also submarining both player and front office alike with his post-game observations. And though we expected the Knicks to at least fight for a lower-rung playoff spot, this was only because we expected Brown to force his mismatched team into overachieving.
The Sacramento Kings, however, should be on pace for 45-50 wins just by playing to their talent level. Yet at one point in late January they were 18-26 and stuck at the bottom of a division they once ruled. Rick Adelman was given several disparate new parts to work with before the season, and he has essentially had to face his first season as Kings coach without Chris Webber (in Philly) or Peja Stojakovic (uninterested until he was traded to Indiana), but this doesn't excuse the way he has coached the team.
Though Bonzi Wells was this team's best all-around player in the first few months of the season, starting him alongside the like-minded Shareef Abdur-Rahim didn't make any sense. Wells is a role player, a strong scorer who doesn't need the ball much to efficiently put up points, but his scoring services are best served coming off the pine. On the other hand, the Kings are 11-1 when second-year guard Kevin Martin scores 20 points, yet Adelman waited until a few days before Christmas (and an injury to Wells) before starting him.
Granted, Mike Bibby hasn't helped with his inconsistent effort or his hair-trigger shooting hand. But the Kings have a roster that goes 11-deep, which makes it all the more puzzling that two or three players a night receive DNP-CDs. The Kings are 24-29 now, 6-5 since Ron Artest donned number 93. Still, they're just two and a half games out of the last playoff spot in the West. Not bad, but they shouldn't have started this poorly.
Worst Coaching Performance of the First Half
The logical choice here would be Larry Brown, who has needlessly utilized 30 starting lineups in coaching his Knicks to a 15-37 record, while also submarining both player and front office alike with his post-game observations. And though we expected the Knicks to at least fight for a lower-rung playoff spot, this was only because we expected Brown to force his mismatched team into overachieving.
The Sacramento Kings, however, should be on pace for 45-50 wins just by playing to their talent level. Yet at one point in late January they were 18-26 and stuck at the bottom of a division they once ruled. Rick Adelman was given several disparate new parts to work with before the season, and he has essentially had to face his first season as Kings coach without Chris Webber (in Philly) or Peja Stojakovic (uninterested until he was traded to Indiana), but this doesn't excuse the way he has coached the team.
Though Bonzi Wells was this team's best all-around player in the first few months of the season, starting him alongside the like-minded Shareef Abdur-Rahim didn't make any sense. Wells is a role player, a strong scorer who doesn't need the ball much to efficiently put up points, but his scoring services are best served coming off the pine. On the other hand, the Kings are 11-1 when second-year guard Kevin Martin scores 20 points, yet Adelman waited until a few days before Christmas (and an injury to Wells) before starting him.
Granted, Mike Bibby hasn't helped with his inconsistent effort or his hair-trigger shooting hand. But the Kings have a roster that goes 11-deep, which makes it all the more puzzling that two or three players a night receive DNP-CDs. The Kings are 24-29 now, 6-5 since Ron Artest donned number 93. Still, they're just two and a half games out of the last playoff spot in the West. Not bad, but they shouldn't have started this poorly.
