Report: Some Blazers players want Nate McMillan fired
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| Time could be running out for McMillan in Portland. (Getty Images) |
Yeah, not so much anymore.
After getting completely blasted in Boston Friday, not only are the Blazers now firmly in the lottery, but there's word that Nate McMillan might be losing control. Via HoopsWorld:
Sources close to the situation believe that McMillan has lost the locker room. According to one source, there's a growing number of players who would like to see McMillan fired, with assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff taking over as interim head coach. Bickerstaff has coached the Seattle SuperSonics, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Bobcats, accumulating 414 wins throughout his career.The players aren't the only ones who are questioning McMillan. Sources within the organization have criticized the coach's rotations and in-game adjustments.
When a team tanks as hard as the Blazers did Friday, someone has to have blood on their hands. And more often than not it's going to be the head coach. That kind of performance was probably a long-time coming for the Blazers and them mailing it in could've been the team putting a noose around the neck of their coach.
The phrase "lost the locker room" is essentially a death sentence for a coach, especially when his owner is the notoriously fickle Paul Allen, who never has had an issue canning anyone. I mean, they've operated this entire season without a true general manager. And if McMillan were fired, that would mean they would be without a an actual coach too. Kind of fitting, now that I think about it.
