http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/120431.html
Ailene Voisin: Musselman needs to loosen up
He needs to loosen up so things don't become more tight
By Ailene Voisin - Bee Sports Columnist
Last Updated 6:17 am PST Thursday, February 8, 2007
Eric Musselman returns tonight for what could prove to be the most revealing few months of his NBA head-coaching career. He comes back to a team that embraces him from a distance, that remains cool to his methods, that heated up noticeably during his two-game suspension.
So what does he do now? Scream louder from the sideline? Call more plays? Placate the veterans at the expense of his younger talent?
No. He loosens up and lightens up. He does everything to avoid messing this up.
Musselman, who has been squeezed under the microscope throughout his initial season in Sacramento, has been given something of a midseason reprieve. This surprising three-game win streak has given Geoff Petrie and the Maloofs pause. The search for clarity regarding coaches, players and the philosophy of the franchise continues into the near future.
In a sense, the Kings are suddenly tossing bricks at their own castle, undermining the very foundation of what mere days ago seemed like the most prudent approach to a full recovery -- calling it a season, shedding the weighty contracts, and beginning the rebuilding by booking the fares to the NBA Lottery.
Mike Bibby, Ron Artest and Brad Miller formed the trio that wouldn't make music together. Kenny Thomas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Corliss Williamson were the undersized power forwards who failed to combine for double-digit rebounding totals. Kevin Martin slipped in and out of dark moods, and almost as mysteriously, in and out of the lineup. The terribly underutilized 'Cisco García and Quincy Douby broke a sweat only during pregame warmups.
With each depressing, dispirited outing, Musselman's allies raced for the Arco exits. And Petrie's recent assessment of his coach's performance could never be misinterpreted for an endorsement. More like a gentle spanking under the threat of even harsher action.
"Whenever you lose, that's going to happen," said the Kings' first-year coach, who returns to the bench tonight after serving a two-game suspension for his driving-under-the-influence incident. "I was reading on the Internet, there were something like 14 coaches' jobs being talked about ... "
All of these are tough jobs, with Musselman in a particularly difficult, undeniably awkward circumstance. Mere months after replacing Rick Adelman, he slides back into a head-coaching seat that was occupied quite comfortably and capably these past few nights by popular assistant Scotty Brooks.
Brooks was a quick hit, no doubt about it. Whether he becomes a successful head coach remains to be seen. Yet excluding the second half of Tuesday's victory, these Kings undeniably played a more inspiring, appealing game, played to their strengths, played faster and harder and looser. "(Brooks) mixed in his own little flavor a few times, and guys responded," Kings center Brad Miller said.
And when was the last sustained glimpse of a semblance of team? Right. The opening weeks of the season.
Yet for reasons that remain perplexing, they subsequently stopped responding and started feuding. They stopped playing with passion or purpose. They complained that their coach micromanaged, called too many plays, was intimidated by the strong-willed veterans. They went about their business separately, resigned to a spring without a postseason. Then they erupted for a victory at Minnesota, came home and won two more for Brooks.
But this is Musselman's team, and the close scrutiny only figures to intensify. These next few weeks will significantly influence Petrie's next major personnel move and solidify or weaken his young coach's job status. Musselman watched the games, heard the comments and read the lavish praise of his stand-in. He undoubtedly twisted and squirmed, cheering for his team while rooting for himself.
"It's not even the All-Star break," Musselman reminded with a wry laugh.
He has time. He has a job and a chance. But he has been advised (think bosses) to uncoil his tight personality, to give his players a breather and his younger players an opportunity. He has to lighten up and loosen up, do everything to avoid messing this up.
About the writer: Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@ sacbee.com.
Ailene Voisin: Musselman needs to loosen up
He needs to loosen up so things don't become more tight
By Ailene Voisin - Bee Sports Columnist
Last Updated 6:17 am PST Thursday, February 8, 2007
Eric Musselman returns tonight for what could prove to be the most revealing few months of his NBA head-coaching career. He comes back to a team that embraces him from a distance, that remains cool to his methods, that heated up noticeably during his two-game suspension.
So what does he do now? Scream louder from the sideline? Call more plays? Placate the veterans at the expense of his younger talent?
No. He loosens up and lightens up. He does everything to avoid messing this up.
Musselman, who has been squeezed under the microscope throughout his initial season in Sacramento, has been given something of a midseason reprieve. This surprising three-game win streak has given Geoff Petrie and the Maloofs pause. The search for clarity regarding coaches, players and the philosophy of the franchise continues into the near future.
In a sense, the Kings are suddenly tossing bricks at their own castle, undermining the very foundation of what mere days ago seemed like the most prudent approach to a full recovery -- calling it a season, shedding the weighty contracts, and beginning the rebuilding by booking the fares to the NBA Lottery.
Mike Bibby, Ron Artest and Brad Miller formed the trio that wouldn't make music together. Kenny Thomas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Corliss Williamson were the undersized power forwards who failed to combine for double-digit rebounding totals. Kevin Martin slipped in and out of dark moods, and almost as mysteriously, in and out of the lineup. The terribly underutilized 'Cisco García and Quincy Douby broke a sweat only during pregame warmups.
With each depressing, dispirited outing, Musselman's allies raced for the Arco exits. And Petrie's recent assessment of his coach's performance could never be misinterpreted for an endorsement. More like a gentle spanking under the threat of even harsher action.
"Whenever you lose, that's going to happen," said the Kings' first-year coach, who returns to the bench tonight after serving a two-game suspension for his driving-under-the-influence incident. "I was reading on the Internet, there were something like 14 coaches' jobs being talked about ... "
All of these are tough jobs, with Musselman in a particularly difficult, undeniably awkward circumstance. Mere months after replacing Rick Adelman, he slides back into a head-coaching seat that was occupied quite comfortably and capably these past few nights by popular assistant Scotty Brooks.
Brooks was a quick hit, no doubt about it. Whether he becomes a successful head coach remains to be seen. Yet excluding the second half of Tuesday's victory, these Kings undeniably played a more inspiring, appealing game, played to their strengths, played faster and harder and looser. "(Brooks) mixed in his own little flavor a few times, and guys responded," Kings center Brad Miller said.
And when was the last sustained glimpse of a semblance of team? Right. The opening weeks of the season.
Yet for reasons that remain perplexing, they subsequently stopped responding and started feuding. They stopped playing with passion or purpose. They complained that their coach micromanaged, called too many plays, was intimidated by the strong-willed veterans. They went about their business separately, resigned to a spring without a postseason. Then they erupted for a victory at Minnesota, came home and won two more for Brooks.
But this is Musselman's team, and the close scrutiny only figures to intensify. These next few weeks will significantly influence Petrie's next major personnel move and solidify or weaken his young coach's job status. Musselman watched the games, heard the comments and read the lavish praise of his stand-in. He undoubtedly twisted and squirmed, cheering for his team while rooting for himself.
"It's not even the All-Star break," Musselman reminded with a wry laugh.
He has time. He has a job and a chance. But he has been advised (think bosses) to uncoil his tight personality, to give his players a breather and his younger players an opportunity. He has to lighten up and loosen up, do everything to avoid messing this up.
About the writer: Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@ sacbee.com.
