Boy firing byron scott was a bad idea

[polksalet 6]

Frank off to 6-0 start as Nets coach

 

By TOM CANAVAN, AP Sports Writer

February 7, 2004

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- About 30 minutes after winning his sixth straight game as the New Jersey Nets' new coach, Lawrence Frank walked into the press room to discuss the World War II Battle of Midway.

 

With his suit jacket and tie removed and his white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, Frank sat on a table Friday and went over the significance of the 1942 battle that changed the tide of the war.

 

Frank wasn't giving a history lesson at this impromptu gathering with writers after moving within three wins of the best start for a new coach in NBA history. He was giving insight into why he told his team about the event heading into Friday night's game with the struggling Orlando Magic.

 

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``You put together a string of victories and then, all the sudden because of overconfidence and because they started slipping on the attention to detail, you lose your edge,'' said the 33-year-old who is the youngest coach of a major pro team in North America. ``That's what the Japanese did.''

 

The Nets didn't fall into that trap on Friday against the Magic.

 

If anything has changed since Frank replaced Byron Scott as coach of the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions, it's the time spent on the little things.

 

``Small details, he is really focused on small details,'' veteran guard Lucious Harris said. ``Everyday, no matter how good we play, there is always something we did wrong, and he points it out.''

 

The focus has had dramatic effects. New Jersey has not lost since Frank took over on Jan. 26. The six wins are the fourth best coaching start in league history.

 

Kurt Rambis of the Lakers (1998-99) and Buddy Jeannette of the Baltimore Bullets (1947-48) each won nine straight to share the record.

 

``He is not the one who is going to go out there and shoot it,'' point guard Jason Kidd said of Frank. ``But he is the one to put the guys in position to make the basket.''

 

Scott probably tried to do as much, but the team tuned him out after 3 1/2 seasons in which he became the Nets' all-time winningest coach.

 

``Some nights it was there, some nights it wasn't,'' forward Brian Scalabrine said of the team's intensity under Scott.

 

In making the change, general manager Rod Thorn fired a former starter from the Lakers ``three-peat'' teams and hired a 5-foot-8ish ``Opie'' lookalike who was cut by his high school team. Even Frank's two older brothers wouldn't let him play in pickup games.

 

``He's deceiving,'' Kidd said. ``Everyone looks at him at him as being a short person. As much as he is short, he is tall in stature in his knowledge of his profession and what goes on in the game.''

 

Frank has been quick to call timeouts to change momentum. He has developed his own substitution patterns, with rookie guard Zoran Planinic back in the picture.

 

``I realized at a young age I wasn't very good,'' Frank said. ``I loved to teach and learn, and at a young age I was determined to do (that).''

 

Frank attended Indiana specifically to learn from Bobby Knight, working as a team manager.

 

``He (Knight) just had to foresight to understand that you had to get better every day, but yet he was able to look ahead and paint a big picture,'' Frank said. ``He had a vision. He understood only certain guys, not everyone was for him. So he was very direct and honest. But with his vision, he got guys to understand and carry it out.''

 

Frank's practices have a college flavor, with their constant attention to fundamentals.

 

``I can't be Coach Knight, I'm not Coach Knight,'' Frank said. ``I can't be Byron, I'm not Byron. I can just be Lawrence Frank and just try to give my best effort everyday.''

 

The players appreciate that.

 

``He is always talking, always teaching,'' forward Richard Jefferson said. ``There is not a second out on the floor where he is not trying to teach something. He knows more about the game than I do, and I have been playing my whole life.''

 

The difference is that Frank has been studying the game his whole life, and now he is using that knowledge to get the Nets back on track.

[toofer 0]

Is he too small to throw a chair? Maybe a small stool intead.

[Trojanmojo 317]

Well I'm convinced. Let's put him in the hall of fame now. Byron Scott coached his team to 2 straight NBA finals. You can shill away all you want, but Lawrence has accomplished jack thus far. 6 games doesn't make him Red Auerbach, Mr. Basketball. lol

[polksalet 6]

Trojanmojo:

Well I'm convinced.  Let's put him in the hall of fame now.  Byron Scott coached his team to 2 straight NBA finals.  You can shill away all you want, but Lawrence has accomplished jack thus far.  6 games doesn't make him Red Auerbach, Mr. Basketball.    lol       

9-0 lol

bawling

[Trojanmojo 317]

polksalet:

 

Trojanmojo:

Well I'm convinced.  Let's put him in the hall of fame now.          Byron Scott coached his team to 2 straight NBA finals.  You can shill away all you want, but Lawrence has accomplished jack thus far.  6 games doesn't make him Red Auerbach, Mr. Basketball.  lol       

9-0 lol

bawling

yawn ...talk to me when they win the finals or even make them. Good for him..he's beaten up on a lot of crappy eastern conference teams. Put them in the western confernece and they struggle to make the playoffs. Now, don't you have some lincoln logs to play with?

[polksalet 6]

10-0 best start ever by a new coach big_shoc

[Hugh 0ne 30]

polksalet:

10-0 best start ever by a new coach    big_shoc 

You're like a toothache that won't go away.

[Big John 870]

HUGH ONE.:

 

polksalet:

10-0 best start ever by a new coach  big_shoc

You're like a toothache that won't go away. Or in the case of polk, a pain in the rear end.

[polksalet 6]

Frank improved to 11-0. He set an NBA record for the best start to a coaching career by winning his 10th consecutive game on Wednesday.

 

lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

[polksalet 6]

Jason Kidd contributed 11 points and 15 assists as the New Jersey Nets remained unbeaten under coach Lawrence Frank and extended their team-record winning streak to 12 games with a 91-72 win over undermanned Toronto.

 

big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc

[Hugh 0ne 30]

I'm getting the impression that polksalet is not right very often.

[polksalet 6]

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The New Jersey Nets won their 14th straight game Tuesday night -- the longest streak in the NBA this season -- by holding off the injury-plagued Toronto Raptors 86-74 behind Kenyon Martin's 25 points and 15 rebounds.

 

The victory was the 13th straight for boy-wonder coach Lawrence Frank, and it set up probably his toughest test since replacing Byron Scott as coach of the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions on Jan. 26.

 

big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc big_shoc

[polksalet 6]

Looks like its time to fire Frank!!!

 

Bring on Hubie!!!

[Ursa Majoris 102]

Just to round this off, that 14 game streak contained only 4 games against teams with winning records and a mere one eek! against a Western Conf team. The moment they met a decent team, the mighty Timberwolves, the roof fell in.

[polksalet 6]

Are the nets still in the playoffs? Is it time to fire Frank?

 

shrug shrug

[Trojanmojo 317]

smash Yup...firing Scott and hiring Frank was a stroke of genius. Great coaches are made in the post-season in every sport. Regular season means jack and Frank showed us why. Nice move Jersey. doah lol thumbs_u