Have teams that fired their head coach less than a quarter through the season ever been successful?

We've discussed this already, only exception would be 2006 Miami Heat when they fired Van Gundy and Pat Riley took over. The dark cloud in that series would be the officiating though but Miami still won it.

 

The question shines some light on what actually happened in this meltdown....and for that reason, its a good question.

DM the GM knows full well that the odds of a team being successful after firing a head coach early in the season are infinitely small. Replacing that same head coach with a completely inexperienced rookie head coach, who was part of the problems that lead to the early season struggles, even further decreases the odds of being successful...where success is defined as going farther than the previous season.

An NBA finals appearance just isn't going to happen with such a sudden unplanned firing. You might beat a Philly team that can not beat anyone else in the NBA, but that is NOT DM's measure of success.

The facts point to a meltdown by Les, a knee jerk reaction based on emotion and not solid rationale...much like the typical "fans" on this forum....many of whom were calling for the firing during the stretch run last year to the WCF.

I expected more from Les, based on his history as owner and as a savvy investor. Timing is everything in investments....and the NBA. In this instance, the timing was woefully inept.

 

GS has destiny written all over them if that helps fans feel any better.

What must weigh heavily on both Morey and Alexander is the difficulty they will having luring star free agents if they go from the WCF to the lottery. That's a mark that would take years to fade. Also, fair trades become more difficult. Players regress. It's ugly.

 

This is what I was thinking. The same way he forced Morey to get Lin when Morey didn't want to. This has to be the same thing, Morey had to be forced to fire Mchale.

 

Only when Pat Riley took over. Twice!

You forgot Westhead getting fired and Riley taking over the Lakers in '81-82

 

The most well known example would be the 82 Lakers firing Paul Westhead after 11 games and tben going on to win the title under Pat Riley.

 

Uh guys, let's take a look at the 2012/13 Lakers!!! D'Antoni came in and the Lakers won the championship just like the Rockets usually do (first round exit)!

I've never heard of this Pat Riley guy that you speak of, is he available to coach??

 

Spoiler

1992-93 San Antonio Spurs
Fired Jerry Tarkanian after 9-11 start
They finished 49-33; lost in Semifinals(2-4)

1977-78 Philadelphia 76ers
Fired Gene Shue after 2-4 start
They finished 55-27; lost Eastern Conference Finals(2-4)

2000-01 Seattle SuperSonics
Fired Paul Westphal after 6-9 start
They finished 44-38

1990-91 New York Knicks
Fired Stu Jackson after 7-8 start
They finished 39-43; lost in first round(0-3)

2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers
Fired Mike Brown after 1-4 start
They finished 45-37; lost in first round(0-4)

1981-82 Los Angeles Lakers
Fired Paul Westhead after 7-4 start
They finished 57-25; won NBA Finals

1989-90 Dallas Mavericks
Fired John MacLeod after 5-6 start
They finished 45-37; lost in first round(0-3)

Resignations
1988-89 Utah Jazz
Frank Layden resigned after 11-6 start
They finished 51-31; lost in the first round(0-3)

1996-97 Phoenix Suns
Cotton Fitzsimmons resigned after 0-8 start
They finished 40-42; lost first round(2-3)

1999-00 Phoenix Suns
Danny Ainge resigned after 13-7 start
They finished 53-29; lost in Semifinals(1-4)

2004-05 Memphis Grizzlies
Hubie Brown resigned after 5-7 start
They finished 45-37; lost in first round(0-4)

1979-80 Los Angeles Lakers
Jack McKinney resigned after 10-4 start
They finished 60-22; won NBA Finals

Pretty ugly and lots of losing records otherwise.

 

If you fire, you'll lose the juju

 

I'm telling y'all, there is no case study like this one to go off of. Never seen a good team collapse like this for such a long period of time. The closest example is when the Monstars stole everyone's abilities in Space Jam.

 

Even if you don't buy the board insider(s): Even before the actual firing, cyberx called it that Les was gonna pull the trigger that weekend. It was later added that Morey got a short reprieve for a game or two, but Les had enough and dropped the axe.

And in "real" media: Also, Morey talks about Mr. Alexander's expectations in the press conference after the firing. He let it me know the boss wanted change.

As has been pointed out, Morey knows the numbers. He wouldn't pull this move without Pat Riley in the wings.

This is Les folks. It is his team to do with as he wants.

 

History has no relevance in this. None whatsoever.

 

Nothing is getting accomplished this year our offseason HOPEFULLY will be getting a new coach with a better system in a place like the Warriors

 

Firing McHale is clearly Les Alexander's knee jerk idea, not Morey's cold calculating act. The more interesting question is whether it was Les's or Morey's idea to extend McHale last Christmas. It didn't look like a Morey move either.

 

Considering that a number of records has already been broken, we are making history and in new territory.

 

So what you're saying is... there's a chance?