THE SURVIVORS
With at least two seasons on their jobs, they haven't been fired.
New Orleans Pelicans: Monty Williams has a ton of respect in the coaching and player community. His assignment as a Team USA assistant coach over the summer and the instant connection he made with Durant was the latest evidence of that much.
But when you have the best rising talent in the game (Anthony Davis) and a roster that looks worthy of a playoff berth in the loaded Western Conference, you simply have to match expectations in order to avoid the proverbial seat warming up. That's the case for Williams, who can point to injuries as a major reason for last season's struggles (they were 34-48) but who needs to win if he's going to make it to the end of his current contract (through 2015-16) and perhaps get another.
Indiana Pacers: It was just six months ago that Frank Vogel's future as Pacers coach was reportedly in doubt, but that's certainly not the case now. Vogel, who took over for Jim O' Brien midway through the 2010-11 season and has gone 167-100 since, signed a multiyear extension earlier this month that should bring some much-needed stability to a tough situation.
Paul George is out for the season (broken leg suffered in July at Team USA training camp), and Lance Stephenson now in Charlotte. But Vogel, whose contract was set to expire after this season, has clearly earned the trust of Pacers president Larry Bird, general manager Kevin Pritchard and consultant Donnie Walsh.
USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt break down where some of the biggest teams in the NBA stand as the season begins.
00:04 going to be very good. Kobe Bryant being back on the
00:07 floor is a huge story something we'll watch all season long
00:10 and he looked pretty good. Early on but I think first
00:12 year coach Byron Scott. We'll have a hard time get these
00:15 pieces to fit into a group that can be competitive in
00:18 the west. That might not be — with the NBA as
00:21 a steeper learning curve this season been to New York Knicks
00:25 they have a new first year coaching their fair share. And
00:28 he's trying to implement. Phil Jackson's want to triangle offense and
00:32 make it work with the — Maybe the bigger issue to
00:35 watch this season with the next is how much they progressed
00:38 and the defense this side of the floor. The Washington Wizards
00:42 are expected to be one of the better teams in the
00:44 Eastern Conference this season but — early season prospects took a
00:48 hit. When it was revealed that shooting guard Bradley deal will
00:52 miss at least six to eight weeks with a fractured left
00:54 breast. Feel — turning into one of the premier shooting guards
00:58 in the NBA. He led the wizards in scoring last year
01:02 is fifteen — three point shooter and was key to their
01:05 post season success. And LeBron James — any roster in the
01:10 NBA and he automatically makes that team a contender. Put him
01:14 alongside all star Kylie Irving and Kevin Love. And it's no
01:18 surprise that the cavaliers. Are favorites to win the Eastern Conference
01:22 this season but that doesn't mean it's gonna come easy for
01:25 change from the cavaliers. Don't forget they have a first time
01:29 NBA head coaching David — And Miami he struggled that first
01:34 season with James alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris spot. The San
01:39 Antonio — top power power rankings and no there one point
01:42 lot differently in the pre season opener was that night and
01:44 that this hot spot that work from last season. And certainly
01:47 merits this ranking. Fifth championship since 1999 the same old group
01:52 on the same old thing. Like we just saw with the
01:54 Kevin Durant situation though with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Every team
01:58 in the NBA wants to stay healthy if the spurs can
02:00 stay healthy for beginning and they're going to be right there
02:03 and who knows maybe even — in the sixth title field.
Toronto Raptors: Talk about a turnaround. After going 57-91 in his first two seasons in Toronto, Raptors coach Dwane Casey not only survived the front office change from Bryan Colangelo to Masai Ujiri but earned a three-year extension after the Raptors became one of the Eastern Conference's surprise stories last season (48-34 and a seven-game loss to the Brooklyn Nets in the first round.
Houston Rockets: Kevin McHale is a coach on an expiring contract leading a team that may have unrealistic expectations. Recipe for disaster, right? Not exactly, but his situation is worth watching.
If the James Harden-Dwight Howard Rockets aren't contending for a top spot in the Western Conference and looking like a team that can make some noise in the playoffs, McHale may be the first to raise his hand and say a change should be made. He's in it to win it, as they say, and the fact that he has no new deal beyond this coming season isn't seen as a point of contention. Don't hold your breath on a change coming, though, as the Rockets will be formidable even without Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lin or Omer Asik around anymore.
Washington Wizards: Randy Wittman coached his way into a three-year extension last season, when the Wizards reached the playoffs for the first time in point guard John Wall's four-season career. Not bad for a guy whose job security seemed to be in question in each of the previous two summers.
Wittman will have to help Wall and the Wizards stay afloat early on this season, though, as third-year shooting guard Bradley Beal is out six to eight weeks with a broken left wrist. Wittman has been at the helm since midway through the 2011-12 campaign, when he took over for the fired Flip Saunders.
FOR THE WIN
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Orlando Magic: Two seasons after the Dwight Howard trade to the Los Angeles Lakers put the Magic in rebuilding mode, it's time for progress in Orlando. That's the reality facing third-year coach Jacque Vaughn, whose contract option for the 2015-16 season was picked up by ownership in May.
Center Nikola Vucevic, guard Victor Oladipo, forward Tobias Harris and swingman Maurice Harkless are leading the young core, and veteran Channing Frye was added during the summer by way of a four-year, $32 million deal. But the Magic traded their leading scorer from last season, Arron Afflalo, to the Denver Nuggets in June, and the only player they received in return, 21-year-old guard Evan Fournier, is a far less proven player. They also have let veterans Jameer Nelson and Glen Davis out of contracts.
The good news for Vaughn? It's still hard to imagine it being worst than these last two seasons (a combined record of 43-121).
Portland Trail Blazers: The easiest way to secure a long-term coaching future in Rip City? Get the Blazers back in the postseason like the good, old days. That's what Terry Stotts did last season, ending the two-year-long postseason drought by not only getting Portland (54-28) back in to the playoffs but by doing damage once they were there (a first-round series win over the Rockets). In May, he received a two-year extension that guarantees his deal through the 2015-16 season and has a team option for 2016-17 campaign.
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TAKE TWO
These coaches are entering their second seasons with their teams.
Memphis Grizzlies: It was a bizarre summer for Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger, who was permitted by team owner Robert Pera to speak with the Timberwolves about their coaching vacancy only to return to a bigger and better deal in Memphis. The bottom line for Joerger, whose Grizzlies endured a 23-game stretch without center Marc Gasol (left knee injury) to go 50-32 in the regular season and push the Thunder to seven games in the first round of the playoffs? He's in extremely good standing, as Pera extended his contract through the 2016-17 campaign and added value to the 2017-18 team option that is also part of the deal.
Sacramento Kings: Want to know what keeps NBA head coaches up at night? Quotes like this from their owner: "We put in a system, we put in a strong culture. But this year, let's be clear: it is about wins and losses."
That was the message sent last month by second-year Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, whose coach, Michael Malone, clearly needs to find a way to improve on the 28-win, 2013-14 season that was his first in Sacramento. This is one of the league's most complex situations, as Malone (who has two years left on his deal) was hired by Ranadive last June even before he made Pete D'Alessandro his general manager.
Ranadive, who called Malone "one of the best and most talented coaches in the game" back then, became a fan of Malone's during his time as a minority owner of the Golden State Warriors when Malone was an assistant coach there and hired him not long after buying the team. Offensive improvement is seen by management as a must for this team that was ranked 20th last season (102.9 points per 100 possessions).
Phoenix Suns: Jeff Hornacek's approval ratings are through the US Airways Center roof after he led the Suns to a 23-game turnaround last season (from 25-57 to 48-34). He has two years left on his deal and the right kind of personnel to help him eventually get another deal: point guard Eric Bledsoe is back by way of a five-year, $70 million extension and will again partner with Goran Dragic in the backcourt; the Suns also signed big man brothers Markieff and Marcus Morris to extensions and added Dragic's brother, Zoran.
Los Angeles Clippers: As new Clippers owner Steve Ballmer told USA TODAY Sports recently, "If you have Doc, bet on him."
Did he ever.
After leading the Clippers to a 57-25 record and second-round exit courtesy of the Oklahoma City Thunder in his first season in Los Angeles, Doc Rivers (who also heads the team's front office) was given a five-year extension worth more than $50 million. His value as a leader was on full display during the Donald Sterling saga that led to the sale of the team. Now, Rivers and the rest of the Clippers are ready to put their well-chronicled past behind them and win it all this season.
Philadelphia 76ers: Brett Brown knew what he was getting into when he left the San Antonio Spurs to become head coach of the 76ers in August 2013. That's why, as he explained then, he demanded a four-year, guaranteed deal. Sure enough, the Sixers are taking tanking to a whole new level and hoping that all this losing (19-63 last season with plenty more to come in this campaign) eventually pays off.
Denver Nuggets: Brian Shaw is ready for a re-do after his brutal debut campaign in Denver. After losing small forward Danilo Gallinari for the season (torn ACL), having center JaVale McGee for just six games (fractured left tibia) and seeing point guard Ty Lawson play in just 62 games because of various ailments, Shaw's team went just 36-46 and missed the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. Shaw has two more guaranteed years left on his deal.
Charlotte Hornets: Steve Clifford earned all the rave reviews that came his way last season, when Charlotte not only improved by 22 games (21 wins to 43) but built a defensive foundation that will serve them well going forward (sixth in the league in defensive rating at 101.2 points allowed per game. His partnership with associate head coach and longtime friend Patrick Ewing has worked well, too. Considering all the early success and the fact that Clifford still has two years left on his deal, he isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
Boston Celtics: When the Celtics made the decision to trade Rivers to the Clippers two summers ago, they made it clear that coaching changes weren't going to become the norm by giving Brad Stevens a six-year, $22 million deal that is the longest in the league. Despite Boston's 25-57 record that was mostly a product of their post-Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett rebuilding phase and the Jan. 2013 Rajon Rondo injury (torn ACL) that limited him to 30 games, the former Butler coach is seen as a pivotal piece to their rebuilding program.
Atlanta Hawks: In a vacuum, Mike Budenholzer is in a good position. Atlanta went 38-44 in his first season, and he had the kind of chemistry with general manager/fellow former member of the Spurs' family Danny Ferry that can be so crucial.
But when owner Bruce Levenson self-reported his racially-insensitive e-mail last month and subsequently announced that he would sell his majority stake in the team, that meant all bets were off when it came to their basketball business. Ferry, of course, made racially-insensitive remarks of his own on a conference call with owners and later took an indefinite leave of absence. Budenholzer is not only coaching but has been asked to oversee the basketball operations department in Ferry's absence, but uncertainty awaits when a new owner takes over.
THE ROOKIES
These guys are starting their first seasons with their current teams.
Utah Jazz: Former Atlanta Hawks assistant and Missouri head coach Quin Snyder replaces the fired Tyrone Corbin.
New York Knicks: Fisher, the longtime Los Angeles Lakers point guard, becomes the latest former player (a la Jason Kidd) to transition immediately from his playing career to coaching. He replaces Mike Woodson.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Flip Saunders, who will retain his front-office role (president of basketball operations), tacks on a new role as Rick Adelman retired after last season.
Milwaukee Bucks: Kidd left the Brooklyn Nets after one season, with his failed attempt to have a larger role leading to his Plan B as the Bucks' new leader.
Los Angeles Lakers: Byron Scott returns to the Lakers, for whom he played 11 of his 14 seasons. In 13 seasons as a head coach (New Jersey Nets, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets/Cleveland Cavaliers), Scott 416-521 with four playoff appearances (including back to back Finals with the Nets) and one Coach of the Year award (2007-08 with the Hornets).
Golden State Warriors: Steve Kerr, the former Phoenix Suns executive and TNT analyst who enters to lofty expectations after Mark Jackson's productive tenure (98-66 the last two seasons; two playoff berths) ended so unceremoniously with his firing.
Detroit Pistons: Stan Van Gundy, the former Orlando Magic who returns after a two-year hiatus to take over the front office and coaching duties in Detroit.
Cleveland Cavaliers: David Blatt, the former CSKA Moscow coach, spent 20 years building an impeccable reputation internationally and will now partner with LeBron James.
Brooklyn Nets: Lionel Hollins, the former Memphis Grizzlies coach, will bring a level of credibility and capability that simply wasn't there before.
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רועי ויינברג
18 אוק 2014 16:28:35אף אחד לא הזכיר את לברון, מפתיע. ווסטברוק מועמד לגיטימי, קארי גם מועמד לא רע. לדעתי ג'יימס לוקח גם השנה, שאולי ראסל וגריפין יכולים להפתיע.
snufsan
18 אוק 2014 16:43:04מדברים על Dark horse, קשה לי להאמין שמישהו שם לא חושב שלברון פייבוריט לזכות
רועי ויינברג
18 אוק 2014 21:06:13לא שמתי לב, טעות שלי
מנחם לס
18 אוק 2014 16:42:14המשאל היה על 'סוסים שחורים', מלבד לברון ודוראנט
ערן
18 אוק 2014 17:07:12לא הבנתי, מה כאילו חייבים לבחור שחקן שחור?
מזה הקטע המפגר הזה.
איל
18 אוק 2014 18:55:14חחחחחחח
יוסי
18 אוק 2014 17:16:17אם הניקס מגיעים לפליאוף מלו יכול להיות מועמד לגיטימי , או דוויאט אם יחזור לעצמו ואיך שהוא יסחוב את יוסטון למקום 3 במערב
בכל מקרה הפיבוריט שלי דיוויס שאני מאמין שכן יצליח לסחוב את הפליקנס לפליאוף
נתן גולד
18 אוק 2014 17:23:46אני חושב שהווארד ישחק סוף כל סוף כמו הסנטר הגדול שהוא יכול להיות וייקח את התואר.
אשך טמיר המקורי
18 אוק 2014 18:52:42ישר אחרי שיהיה שלום במזה"ת
אפלטון
18 אוק 2014 21:08:26אמן כן יהי רצון
Emil
18 אוק 2014 21:07:56לפי דעתי דיוויס אם יסחוב אותם לפליאוף ואני מאמין שהוא יצליח גם.
1.קליפרס
2.אוקלוהומה
3.גולדן סטייט
4.דאלאס
5.יוסטון
6.סן אנטוניו
7.פורטלנד
8.ניו אורלינס
איתי עזרא
19 אוק 2014 07:40:34גריפין במידה וימשיך במגמת השיפור.
פול צריך לקלוע קצת יותר וכמובן שהכל תלוי במאזנה של הקליפרס.
הארדן לא צריך לשפר את ההגנה אלא להשתמש בה ואז הוא מועמד רציני. (הכל תלוי במאזן של הרוקטס שאני מאמין שיהיה טוב מאוד).
קארי צריך לשפר את ההגנה וגם כאן הכל תלוי במאזן של ג״ס
ווסטברוק לא יכול להיות ה-MVP כשחברו לקבוצה הוא פייבוריט חזק יותר ממנו. ( שלא כמו הקליפרס גריפין ופול בערך שווים בכוחם ומעמדם.
איתי עזרא
19 אוק 2014 07:42:21נזכרתי בדיוויס לא יכול להיות פייבוריט מכיוון שהפלקינס לא הולכים להשתחל לפלייאוף במערב הצפוף.
איתי עזרא
19 אוק 2014 07:43:00שלא יכול להיות*
חומי
19 אוק 2014 13:48:50דיוויס mvp??? אם יביא את הפליקנס לפלייאוף אולי יקבל, אבל הסיכוי שזה יקרה שואף לסיכוי שמייקל ג'קסון מעולם לא עבר שום מודיפיקציה… מה גם שדיוויס שברירי ולדעתי הקריירה שלו לא תהיה ארוכה בליגה.
מי כן? דוראנט, אם יבריא בזמן. הארדן בוודאות אם ישפר ההגנה. קארי אולי, אם יציג שיפור במספרים. גריפן לא כי הוא מוגבל ובכיין, לה-בורן כי זכה מספיק כבר, ולא תמיד בצדק..
נריה
19 אוק 2014 22:02:28הסוס השחור שלי זה אנטוני דייויס. אני מאמין שהוא יכול לקחת את הפליקנס לפלייאוף אפילו במערב הצפוף. לצערו זה לא הרבה תלוי בו.
לסטף קארי יש סיכוי גדול. עם עוד שיפור בסטטיסטיקה, ועוד קצת שיפור במאזן הקבוצתי שיגיע, יש לו את זה.
ראסל ווסטברוק… לדעתי התאנדר בלי דוראנט תיראה כמו הסגנון משחק של ווסטברוק. לא צפוי, זה יכול להיגמר בנצחונות חד צדדיים או בתבוסות. והסיכוי של דוראנט לזכות יגיע אם הוא יעשה שינוי במאזן הקבוצה.
בקליפרס, אני חושב שכריס פול הולך להיות האיש החזק יותר. הם יחלקו בינהם את הבחירות וזה כנראה יפגע בשניהם.