Skip to main content

Ainge can turn his team around mid-season. He did it with the Suns.

Image
By

The Phoenix Suns started the 1996-97 season losing their first eight games. Charles Barkley had been traded prior to the season, and with the poor start, Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons was sent packing in favor of former Suns guard, Danny Ainge. Phoenix went 40-34 the rest of the way, making the playoffs.

The Suns were 17-31 before the All-Star Break and 23-11 thereafter. Aside from the coaching change, one key in the surge was the addition of future star, Jason Kidd during the season. As an aside, the team also had a young Steve Nash, in addition to veteran Kevin Johnson.

The Suns surge was rated as one of the most-dramatic second-half turnarounds in NBA history.  

5. 1996-1997 Phoenix Suns

    Before the Break: 17-31 (35.42 Percent)

    After the Break: 23-11 (67.65 Percent)

    Turnaround: 32.23 Percent

    Getting rid of Charles Barkley hurts, especially when you trade him for Mark Bryant, Chucky Brown and Robert Horry. 

    The 1996-1997 Phoenix Suns started the first season without Chuck by losing eight games in a row and watching as head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons stepped aside and was replaced by Danny Ainge. To make things right, the team traded for Jason Kidd, but he was immediately sidelined for six weeks after breaking his collarbone in his first game. 

    When Kidd returned, the team was sitting well short of the playoffs at 19-32. Then, they caught fire after one more disappointing 2-4 stretch.

    March came and went as the Suns won 12 games while losing just three and then went 7-3 in April to somehow post a 40-42 record and sneak into the playoffs.

    The Seattle SuperSonics knocked them out in five games, but hey, at least they got to make the exhilarating run to the postseason.  

    Can Danny Ainge accomplish this kind of mid-season turnaround as GM of the Boston Celtics? Boston lost Gordon Hayward in the off-season, much as the Suns lost Sir Charles prior to the turnaround . Will there be a coaching change similar to what Phoenix did? The Suns picked up Kidd, and that had a positive impact. Can Ainge find the right guy? Stay tuned.



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Elm Street Nightmare

By
 A true-and-suspenseful horror tale of haunting, homicides and the hunt for triple-murderer, Daniel Laplante - as told by the cops that were there By Lt. Thomas Lane (Ret.)  Daniel Laplante - cold, calm, clever, calculating- Photo: YouTube   Elm Street  surfaces on six (6) occasions in the Laplante saga: 1.) He  resided on Elm Street  in Townsend, Massachusetts  2.) He  kidnapped a woman  at gunpoint on  Elm Street, Pepperell , Massachusetts 3.) That kidnapped woman fled to the Gillogly residence on Elm Street after escaping from the armed fugitive, Laplante. 4.) He was arrested and transported to Massachusetts State Police Barracks on Elm Street in Concord . 5.) He was  tried, convicted   and sentenced for the murders at  Superior Court , corner of  Elm Stree t and Gorham Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. 6.) The author, Thomas Lane, lived on Elm Steet, Pepperell, Massachusetts while a police Sgt./Lt. for the t...
23 comments
Read more

A sorrowful farewell to Kitty's Restaurant (North Reading, MA) as a family tradition

By
  Time to say "Goodbye" to Kitty's Restaurant - my   family's destination and tradition for six generations and more than 80 years. My memories of Kitty's go back to the early-1950's . I would accompany my dad and grandfather on fishing trips to the Ipswich River in North Reading, Massachusetts - followed by a visit to the restaurant on Main Street. In later years, my wife, Linda, and I would eat there with our two kids, Marc and Lisa - and years later - with our two grand daughters - and still later - with our great grandson, Carson. Author and family at Kitty's approx. 10 years ago Kitty's never disappointed. The drinks were big and well-made . The food was terrific - as were the portions. The service was exceptional and we became well-acquainted with the waiters and waitresses. It all worked so very well for many decades. My grand daughter, Courtney , was particularly fond of the restaurant. She was born with cystic fibrosis , and during her fr...
10 comments
Read more

Did the Celtics Kevin McHale really have a wingspan of 8-feet?

By
According to many sources, the Celtics Kevin McHale did indeed have an estimated wingspan of 8-feet. One of those sources is Wikipedia, as seen below: Kevin McHale American basketball player DescriptionKevin Edward McHale is an American retired basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Boston Celtics. He is a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and is regarded as one of the best power forwards of all time. He was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. Wikipedia Born: December 19, 1957 (age 61 years), Hibbing, MN Wingspan: 8′ 0″ Height: 6′ 10″ Spouse: Lynn McHale (m. 1982) NBA draft: 1980, Boston Celtics (Round: 1 / Pick: 3) Hall of fame induction: 1999 Number: 32 (Boston Celtics / Power forward, Center) Kevin was listed at 6'10" tall when he was drafted with the 3rd pick in the 1980 draft. Red Auerbach, in yet another heist, brought in both McHale and center Robert Parish (via trade) prior to the Celtics' 1980-81 Champion...
2 comments
Read more