Someone please explain to me what the Detroit Pistons are thinking

[Sugar Daddy]

Ok, now I understand that Larry Brown is a great coach and all, but Rick Carlisle led them to two straight division titles and far into the playoffs. I think Carlisle deserves better than this.

[Ajax]

Here's the article:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/1932412

Nowadays its getting harder for coaches to keep there jobs. Its been bad in the NFL now its getting worse in the NBA. Paul Sias, takes a team to the playoff 4 straight times ( and could of done better if his players were healthy) he gets canned. Now Rick Carlisle, a coach who won the coach of the year in his rookie year, took them to the playoffs,led the Pistons to a 50-win season and a spot in the conference finals for the first time since 1991 . And for all that he gets the pink slip because the organization think they can get a better coach in Larry Brown. You can't help but feel bad for Rick, there was nothing else he could of done for that team. Larry Brown is a hall of fame coach he has a lot of success under his belt, thats why any team would kill to have him, so you can't judge the Pistons to harshly.

[czyznyck99]

Sports has always been about the players winning the championships so that more money can be generated and drained from decent people's pockets. Getting to the Conference finals isn't good enough, and getting in the playoffs a lot isn't good enough. Here's what I see, Brown coaching the Pistons, who get Carmelo Anthony in the draft and turn him into Iverson II. It's all about marketing shirts and shoes. Whatever.

Later.

[Good Ol' Batmanuel!]

I just found out this afternoon shortly before I came here. I was shocked! It's sad, really. We've all seen coaches in worse situations than his keep their jobs, too. Maybe frustration just leads to rash decisions sometimes.

Every time something like this happens, I can't help but think of back when the Suns fired Paul Westphal, one of the best coaches they ever had. Of course he wasn't going to win too many games when half of the team was injured, including their top players! :rolleyes:

[Failure]

Great, now Larry Brown's gonna finally win a championship with the team that eliminated my Sixers. Oh the wretched irony.

That said, I'm pretty surprised Detroit fired Carlisle. I'd consider LB the best coach in the NBA, but still... hard to believe.

[HylianFireStorm]

People are too desperate to make that immediate impact. Why can't they just be happy with what they have? I think that Carlisle will go to a losing team and they'll be the deal sooner or later.

Mike

[Mugen]

I hope either Rick Carlisle or Paul Silas coaches the Wizards.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Great, now Larry Brown's gonna finally win a championship with the team that eliminated my Sixers. Oh the wretched irony.

That said, I'm pretty surprised Detroit fired Carlisle. I'd consider LB the best coach in the NBA, but still... hard to believe.

I like Larry Brown and all, but he has not been better than Carlisle these past 2 seasons. The Pistons had a bunch of fairly talented role players that were nonetheless without a true all star player or scorer. And, with smoke and mirrors, Carlisle took them as far as their talent would allow them. Add an All-Star in there and I guarantee you the Pistons would have been in the NBA Finals. They'd definitely have pushed the Nets to at least 6. I'm going to be honest-- I believe the Sixers had more talent this year than the Pistons, and Brown STILL couldn't get them past Detroit. Heck, ORLANDO should have beaten Detroit!

Detroit's a better team than people give them credit for, but they're not THAT talented. Even with Darko, they'd still be several good players away from a championship. As is the rest of the East.

I have to think there's some internal friction or money matters involved here. Maybe Carlisle was fired because of backroom politics. I don't know. It's not the first time in the NBA where a promising coach was fired because he got too big for his britches (See: Butch and my Raps)

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

I just found out this afternoon shortly before I came here. I was shocked! It's sad, really. We've all seen coaches in worse situations than his keep their jobs, too. Maybe frustration just leads to rash decisions sometimes.

Every time something like this happens, I can't help but think of back when the Suns fired Paul Westphal, one of the best coaches they ever had. Of course he wasn't going to win too many games when half of the team was injured, including their top players! :rolleyes:]

Ha! For some reason, I'm reminded of Butch Carter today. Remember Butch, Bats? I actually thought he was the best coach the Raps ever had (yes, better than Lenny "Overrated" Wilkens), but then he went crazy and tried to play backroom politics and take Glen's job. Shame.

You're right, though. The Pistons are still a few years away from championship contention from what I see. They are building a team in a different way--instead of building around a core franchise player, the Pistons are rather building a contending team around a player they don't yet have. Be patient.

I think there's more to this than impatience, though.

[Ajax]

I like Larry Brown and all, but he has not been better than Carlisle these past 2 seasons. The Pistons had a bunch of fairly talented role players that were nonetheless without a true all star player or scorer. And, with smoke and mirrors, Carlisle took them as far as their talent would allow them. Add an All-Star in there and I guarantee you the Pistons would have been in the NBA Finals. They'd definitely have pushed the Nets to at least 6. I'm going to be honest-- I believe the Sixers had more talent this year than the Pistons, and Brown STILL couldn't get them past Detroit. Heck, ORLANDO should have beaten Detroit!
I agree completely. Brown has not done as good as Carlisle. I mean Carlisle took a team who traded there only star player and did better then the year before. They were the best team in the East (yet with the exception of Detorit fans, none of us could of named at least five starters on there roster). I doubt it might of been backroom politics. The reason they fired him was to get Brown. Its more of a slap to the face.
My only concern right now is, how will the Sixers do without Brown. Good luck trying to coach that mess of a team.