I'm not surprised that there are some people thinking that, as there's always people calling for the coaches head, even on good teams. I am surprised at the near unanimous opinion among fans that Westphal is the main problem with the team, though. I just don't see how so many people can believe that a coach can single handedly make an entire roster suck, choke, and underachieve.
Actually mi amigo, a head coach is probably the only one on the team that can do that. He has the ability to make everyone look bad. Just what the hell does everyone think a head coaches job is? There's a reason the good ones get paid a lot of money and the bad ones are eventually coaching highschool.
The main problem with this team, Evans injury aside, is youth and inexperience. You want to find most of the youngest teams in the NBA? Just look at the bottom of the standings. The talent level is what it is, and its the coaches job to make it into something that resembles a team. I have nothing against Westphal personally. I just don't see much change from last year. Yes! We have new players on the team. And yes, the coaching staff has to find a way to put them on the floor in a way that they"re most efficient.
Were I the head coach I would have started where I left off last year. Evans, Beno, Casspi, Thompson, and Greene were all used to playing together. Landry to some extent due to his late arrival. The only missing piece was Hawes. So I would have started Cousins, Thompson, Greene or Casspi, Beno and Evans. I would have done it in training camp and right from the beginning of the season. And I would have taken my lumps with that lineup. Let them build some chemistry. Get used to playing with one another. Are there some holes in that lineup? Sure! Beno probably isn't great starting material. But he's the best we have at the moment. Casspi or Greene? Maybe! Its too early to tell, but the clock is running on Greene. Thompson? I'd say yes, with the right players around him. I doubt he'll ever be much more than the third option, maybe the fourth. But he plays defense and rebounds. Evans and Cousins? Yes!
Would a very good veteran player help. Damm right! Especially one that could hold the other players accountable while on the floor. I'm hopefull that will happen in the offseason. So I agree that there are areas that need upgrading. But we knew that going into the season. The fact that we look bad at times isn't surprising. But how often we look bad is. The fact that this team can stay with a good team for three quarters, and for the most part, outplay the other, more talented team for 70% of the game, shows that we have talent on our team. Very inconsistent talent. Fold under pressure talent. Thats where the inexperience comes in.
Contrary to someones post, I doubt anyone expected Cousins to be instant Shaq. Or Evans jumpshot to be picture perfect. If you did you were living in La La land. But I did expect the team to be improved. Cousins is better than Hawes. I haven't seen any dramatic improvement in Greene, but he's playing no worse than last year. I think Casspi's defense has improved, contrary to what some of you might think. He's also sharing the ball better. Beno is, well, Beno. Fairly consistent, but nothing special in the grand scheme of things.
I think Westphal would be a good coach on an experienced team. He's considered a players coach. What that usually means is that he lets the players play and sort of figure things out for themselves as the game goes on. Adelman was the same type of coach. Adelman didn't like rookie players because you can't let young players figure it out for themselves. So young players didn't fit well into his style of coaching. Young players need more guidance. A stronger hand during the game. And that doesn't mean just bench them when they start playing badly. It means jerk them from the game. Sit them down and explain to them what they're doing wrong. Let them sit for a minute to absorb, and then send them back into the game. And you repeat that process until they elliminate their mistakes.
I suspose you could call it babysitting. And this is the NBA for gods sake, and you shouldn't have to do that. But with young players you do. Cousins is one year removed from highschool. So is Whiteside. Evans is two years removed. These are kids and were expecting them to act like mature adults. Have you ever seen much of anything from Donte Greene that justs screams mature adult? Its not as much about the talent as it is maturity and experience. And leadership!!! That right now has to come from the head coach..
