excerpted from yesterday's ny times:
Jerry West invited scrutiny and offered perspective about general managers' roles in the alarming number of coaches who have been fired this season.
"In this league, what's surprising is that more of us in our positions don't get examined for who we hire and who we bring in," West, general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies, said of team executives. "It's not only the coach but the wrong mix of players, and the right mix makes a big difference. We should take responsibility for that."
Alias in Memphis
Jerry West is the league's most famous anonymous figure. He the everyplayer in the N.B.A. logo, and he says his team mirrors his image. "No one ever talks about us," he said Friday morning. "We're in the league, and I'm not sure the league office knows about us."
Since West hired Mike Fratello to take over for Hubie Brown on Dec. 2, the Grizzlies' record has improved to 31-16 from 6-11. Memphis is seventh in the Western Conference, ahead of Denver in eighth and the slumping Timberwolves and Lakers, who each fell below .500 on Friday night. The Lakers lost their fourth straight, 103-97 to Indiana.
"It's been pretty amazing," West said. "I think all of us are pinching ourselves to see if this is real or not. Some teams seem to be plagued by their share of misery, losing, coaching changes, injury. We've had all of those this year, and yet we seem to persevere and overcome."
Fratello was named coach of the month for January. The team's marquee player, Pau Gasol, has been on the injured list with plantar fasciitis since Jan. 25. The Grizzlies are 7-2 this month despite losing three more starters to injuries. Bonzi Wells, who returned Friday from a herniated disk, and Jason Williams and Stromile Swift have sprained ankles.
Mike Miller and Shane Battier are supporting the team, while Brian Cardinal, a free-agent pickup, has added frontcourt help to the league's worst rebounding team.
"We've started 19 different lineups, and I don't even know who's starting on a given night," West said. "At times we're running on fumes. We've got great camaraderie in our locker room. They understand what we're trying to accomplish."
sales |
