Carlesimo Quiets Rumormongers
Around the NBA
Eleven days ago, Portland Trail Blazers coach P.J. Carlesimo was considered a goner, another one-time successful college coach who couldn’t hack the star-driven NBA.
Today he’s the head coach of one of the hottest teams in the league, a team nobody wants to face in the first round of the playoffs.
The key to Portland’s resurgence was a suddenly hot offense that scored 115, 112, 123 and 121 points in four victories.
“When we play, we’re a very good team,” Carlesimo said after a win over the New Jersey Nets. “I think we’re getting there, but we’re not there yet.”
Carlesimo, however, could still have a short NBA future. Conventional wisdom is that whether or not his job was ever in jeopardy, the team will now hold off on any decision until after the playoffs.
If the team makes a decent showing in the first round against either Seattle, who the Blazers dumped 103-93 on Sunday, Los Angeles, Houston or Utah, Carlesimo stays. If not, he probably goes and could land in one of the dozens of college jobs available.
Lakers coming unglued
Matters haven’t been a whole lot saner in Los Angeles, where the Lakers are 5-7 since losing Shaquille O’Neal to injury.
The losing was expected - some of it, anyway. Unexpected is that the team is apparently coming apart with many of the players unhappy with coach Del Harris.
Guard Nick Van Exel went public with his complaints after he scored only four points - and played only 11 minutes in the second half - in an 86-75 loss at Atlanta last week.
“I’m the quarterback,” Van Exel said. “You’re not supposed to give up on the quarterback.”
After a loss at Indiana, Byron Scott said bench players spent much of the game complaining. “I think any team is going to be discouraged or frustrated at certain things,” Scott said. “This was the first time on the bench where the guys kind of got a little angry at each other.”
When Van Exel scored 37 in a victory at Dallas he pronounced all was well - for the moment.
“This is a difficult time,” Van Exel said. “But we’ve got to stay together. There are times when I’ve argued with a couple of the guys, but that’s part of the game. We love each other. We’re just not getting wins.”
Spurs suspend Maxwell
San Antonio Spurs guard Vernon Maxwell was suspended without pay for one game by the team Monday for an incident during Saturday’s victory over Indiana in Indianapolis.
The Spurs said Maxwell made gestures and body language that were not appropriate. His taunts apparently were aimed at the fans in Market Square Arena.
The NBA fined Milwaukee Bucks forward Armon Gilliam $7,500 for a flagrant foul committed in Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Bob Sura.