Pistons Ready To Fire Collins
Detroit Pistons officials have discussed replacing Doug Collins as coach, and one source said the move could come as early as Tuesday, The Detroit News reported Sunday.
The newspaper reported that a prominent member of the Pistons organization said the firing was “imminent” and could happen as early as Tuesday.
“If not then, then at the All-Star break for sure,” the source told the newspaper.
Assistant coach Alvin Gentry would succeed Collins, the source told the News.
But the newspaper reported that another source in the organization said that while the team had discussed replacing Collins, a decision had not been made.
Messages left Sunday for Pistons officials were not returned.
Collins was named coach in April 1995, after the team went 28-54 under Don Chaney.
Collins led the team to consecutive winning seasons for the first time in five years, but the Pistons were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round each year.
Detroit is 21-24 this season and media reports say the Pistons players have tired of Collins and he is no longer effective.
Sprewell hearing continues
The Latrell Sprewell arbitration case, which resumes today, is turning out to be more deliberate than originally envisioned.
The hearing was expected to conclude in New York with testimony Tuesday and Wednesday. But as testimony dragged along last week in Portland, additional hearing days were added for today and Thursday.
Those expected to take the stand this week include NBA commissioner David Stern, Golden State general manager Garry St. Jean and Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo.
Carlesimo will travel across the country to make it to the hearing Thursday - the last day before the All-Star break.
St. Jean was in Portland for two days expecting to testify, but never got the chance.
Arbitrator John Feerick, dean of the Fordham law school, is to decide whether Sprewell received too severe a punishment for choking and threatening to kill Carlesimo.
On the courts
Larry Johnson scored nine straight points early in the fourth quarter as the New York Knicks stopped a three-game losing streak with an 89-83 win over the visiting Miami Heat.
Glenn Robinson scored 29 points and Terrell Brandon had 22 points and 12 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks erased a 17-point deficit en route to a 118-110 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
At Boston, Antoine Walker posted his first triple-double of the season and Dana Barros scored a season-high 23 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 107-96 victory over the Houston Rockets.