If you had Willie Green in your first NBA coach to be fired pool, you win. On Saturday, the Pelicans fired Green after the team lost ten out of their first 12 games, many by lopsided scores. Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars says wins and losses weren’t the main reason why the decision was made to fire Green.
“There was no mandate that you have to win a certain amount of games. There wasn’t even a mandate that you have to make the play-in or the playoffs. It was, we have to establish who we’re going to be here in New Orleans, going forward. And I just did not see that happening,” Dumars explained.
James Borrego was named interim head coach; and in the immediate aftermath of Green’s firing, Borrego said his job was to get the team to play hard, especially since there’s still 69 games to go in the season.
“There’s a lot of basketball. Get their heads up, spirits right, find the confidence, challenge them too, like we own this. We’ve got to be better, all of us, including me,” Borrego said.
But last night, the Pelicans weren’t better. Although they showed fight after falling behind in the first quarter, they couldn’t keep up with the Golden State Warriors, and they lost, 124-106. Before the game, Pelicans fans at the Smoothie King Center gave their thoughts about the coaching change.
“He (Green) actually is a good coach, a good dude. We’re dealing with a lot of injuries, so he didn’t really have a chance to coach the actual real team,” one fan noted.
“The team needed a spark. They just needed to play differently, and he (Green) wasn’t doing it,” another fan said.
It doesn’t get any easier for Borrego and the Pelicans – they host the world champion Oklahoma City Thunder tonight. Tipoff is at seven.
