The Only Question Was When
The way the 76ers were going, it was only a matter of time before they changed coaches.
The Only Question Was When
The clues were all there. For as much time as I spend around the 76ers, I knew those clues rapidly accumulating. Not just the losses, although losing 8 of 10 games, including 5 straight at home, just added to the morass.
It had reached a point where it wasn't a question of whether Maurice Cheeks would be fired as the coach, it was simply a matter of when. There had been speculation in another publication--not one that regularly covers the team--that Cheeks was losing the locker-room. I hadn't seen that.
Before Friday night's game in Cleveland, I asked president/general manager Ed Stefanski whether he could share what he was thinking. He gave no indication that a change was imminent. He was sitting with senior VP/assistant GM Tony DiLeo at the time, and I suggested that DiLeo was Stefanski's Joe Biden, just a heartbeat away.
As it turned out, though, DiLeo was really a heartbeat away from becoming the Sixers coach for the remainder of the season. His tenure began tonight against the Washington Wizards. The timing was perfect for him, because it was a game the Sixers should win. And with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Wizards again as the following two opponents, the opportunity is there for DiLeo to get off to a strong start.
But, as I said, the clues kept piling up. As I was leaving the locker room after Friday night's post-game session with the players, assistant coach Jeff Ruland was coming back in. He looked as if his dog had just died, or as if somebody had just robbed his house. In truth, he didn't know Stefanski would be meeting with Cheeks this morning at Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine, or that Stefanski would be pulling the trigger. But, in retrospect, he had the same feeling I did.
It's so easy to say that this was all Cheeks' fault, but that's not the case. Stefanski is the one who invested $160 million in elton Brand and andre Iguodala, and another $25 million in Lou Williams. Stefanski is the one who revamped the bench, drafting Marreese Speights and signing Kareem Rush, Royal Ivey, Theo Ratliff and Donyell Marshall. Somehow, with all those moves, the Sixers somehow moved away from last season's singular strength, their ability to run, to create havoc at both ends in the open court.
I really believe Cheeks tried everything he knew to try. And to his credit, he never changed. He was as calm, as accessible, as cooperative after losses as he was after victories. I was a minute or so late for his pregame meeting with reporters in Cleveland. He laughed and told me I was late, but that he knew I had probably been talking to LeBron James. I hadn't been, but it was a great opening.
"LeBron said to say hi,'' I shot back.
We all laughed. Cheeks always found a way to laugh, to ease a difficult moment.
The trouble was, the moments were becoming more and more difficult, more and more frequent. Somewhere in there, the Sixers didn't address their inability to be effective in halfcourt sets. They added Rush and Marshall as guys who could make perimeter shots, then barely used them. They placed Brand in the post and viewed it as a strength, but didn't give him the spot-up snipers he needed to be able to thwart double-teams. The scrambling defense that was often underscored by Reggie Evans' passionate, animated pressing disappeared. Opponents could spread the floor and shoot threes all night, knowing the Sixers' defense was likely to be late.
''We have different faces, and we're all trying to adjust,'' Evans said. ''A lot of stuff changed. Hopefully, this (move) will get us back to the way we were. Tony sounds like we're going back to the way we played last year. I think that would be healthy for us.''
It's also too easy to lay a major chunk of blame at the feet of Samuel Dalembert, although that seems to be a popular approach. Dalembert has struggled mightily, particularly coming off a strong season. He has been as guilty as anyone in being indecisive and unsure. He's not afraid to say so, either.
"We have to look in the mirror and say 'This is what we want to do,''' Dalembert said. ''We all haven't been playing the way we're capable. I want to run. I'm more comfortable when we run. That opens things up for Elton. We have to take responsibility (for being able to play together).''
Andre Miller, who hasn't been close to the point guard he was last season, said DiLeo indicated they would be ''paying more attention to detail, kind of like a training camp, a lot of teaching . . . Everybody is impatient. I want to win. Whatever changes management makes, the players have to deal with it. We've got players who want to compete right away.''
DiLeo has had a major influence in scouting, draft ing and developing several of the players on the roster. He was a strong voice in the acquisition of several of them, either via trades or free agency. He knows more about them that possibly anyone else in the organization. He played fast-break basketball for Paul Westhead at La Salle University. He won championships and coaching awards in Germany.
He saw the same clues I saw, that you saw, that we all saw. And he probably saw even more of them. DiLeo and Stefanski have a vision of how they want the Sixers to play. They hadn't been seeing it. It is now DiLeo's opportunity--his turn--to see whether they can do it.
The fact that Samuel Dalembert and Willie Green are still on this team and Mo Cheeks isn't is quite upsetting. Mo didn't give Iguodala massive contract which forced Mo to play him out of position in order to keep Thad on the court. Mo can't help that Williams was in a shooting funk and Iguodala wasn't producing. But, it's easier to fire the coach than to retool the roster, I guess.— psv
Great quote by Dalembert...it is everybody's job to take reponsibility when the team plays poorly, from 12th guy to GM. The coach takes the hit but sometimes that is the best way to change the atmosphere and the "voice" that the players hear to get things happening on the court. So far, I like what Tony is saying, that Elton is the perfect trailer guy for an up-tempo defensive mminded team. Let's hope it works, if it doesn't, Sammy's quote still applies.— srvdove- Very good column. I remember Mo back in his playing days. We all agree he is a wonderful man. But, look at his coaching record. Look at his record before Ed came. Look at tonite. You will say, it was Washington, correct. The same team this past week that beat Detroit, lost their last 6 games by less than 7 pts, 2 under LA (Bryant). Let's be grateful that we now have a GM that wants to win and will do what it takes to win. He will make mistakes BUT we will win! Go Sixers!— dharner
Comment removed.- Of course the playes want to "run...get up and down, etc.) It's the easiest way to play bball. But when they say 'playoffs' that's just what you're forced to do and that takes patience and a sense of the intracies and willingness to exploit (i.e., passing, positioning, shot selection, etc.) This entire farce is most about players unwillingness to learn more half court game. This group can be slowed very easily by the better teams and then they're right back where they started. It is imperative to learn more than one style if ya want to be playoff.championship level. These guys are unwilling or don't have a clue. Money makes players inflexible and lazy ( slow to 'help' and work on defense)...and it's always the system' to blame.— stoneman
- While I was disappointed with the record. I'm not sure what changing the coach accomplishes. Is DiLeo going to shoot the ball for the team. The outside shooting has been poor almost every night. W've seen only flashes of decent shooting in one game, then horrible the next.— Duracorr
- Stoneman raised some good points. But, I have to disagree with him on a couple of things. It's a lot easier to learn when your winning. Before we start talking playoffs, we have to win REGULAR SEASON games first. And winning solves a lot of problems: 1. The players now love to learn cause they see the success on the court. 2. The young players gain confidence. 3. They improve their playoff seeding and have a better chance in the playoffs against a lesser opponent. ALL of these things can only be accomplished if they start running again. Al Davis was right (before he became senile) - "JUST WIN, BABY!"...The need to RUN in order to do that.— 21stCentury
- I like Mo, and I think he got a raw deal in this situation. Quite frankly, I don't really understand how you give a head coach TWO contract extensions in 6 months and then fire him 3 months later unless he does something egregious. Did Mo all of a sudden become a terrible coach - no. Let's be honest...the real blame here lies with Ed Stefanski. He made the right move in getting Elton Brand, but he went about it completely in the wrong way. Instead of trading Andre Miller at the trade deadline last year for a young PG that could have been developed AND freed up the cap space for Brand, he traded Korver, our most dependable outside shooter, and Carney, a great shooting and defensive presence off the bench in the 2nd half of last year. And now? The Sixers are locked into cap space hell with no outside shooting, a horrendous defensive PG, and no semblance of a bench. Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach, or Pat Riley couldn't win with this team, through no fault of Mo Cheeks, Andre Iguodala, or Elton Brand. Bottom line, no role players and no bench = no consistent winning. Thanks Ed - you're a stiff, pal.— Dean1
- No one does a better job of making sense of a situation than Phil Jasner. Well done, Phil. I'm a lot clearer on the state of affairs after reading this.— Scorekeeper
- Bye Mo...I hope you do not stick in the organization. NO MO MO...FINALLY!!!!!— NoMoMo
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- I worry whether the Sixers can ever be a championship-caliber team with Iggy as the high-priced star. It's hard to think he deserved that big contract after watching him against the Pistons in the playoffs last year. He thinks he's Kobe Bryant and wants the last shot every quarter but he flat out cannot shoot.— Vituperator
- Good comments, hard to disagree with any of them at this point. It occured to me that the coach's job is to lead the team in the direction and style they are to play, motivate them etc. Maybe one of the things that this team is lacking is a leader on the floor/locker room...a guy who can speak to the players when they are not at the level they should be..like KG in Boston seems to be? Just a thought, but who would be that player on the Sixers right now?— srvdove
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Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.
