Magic Johnson lashes out at Mike Brown; Endorses Lakers’ decision to fire him – NBA Update
Ever since the Los Angeles Lakers fired their head coach Mike Brown, many voices have been raised about the unfair treatment meted out to the man. The Lakers were just five games into the season, but after a dismal start, their front office deemed Brown unfit for further continuation.
Logically speaking, the decision does seem a bit hasty, but if you are a Laker, it was the only logical thing to do. And if you have any doubts still, Magic Johnson, one of the favourite sons of the celebrated franchise, made it quite clear in an interview with Sam Amick of USA Today.
According to Magic, the Lakers are all about winning championships and Brown just didn’t have that pedigree to do that;
“That’s the reason why Mike is out, because the Lakers are about winning championships,” Johnson said. “They’re not about waiting. Some people have complained, and said different things – no, he didn’t get a fair shake. The Lakers don’t give people fair shakes. It’s not about fair shakes. It’s about whether you can produce or not. Other organizations, they have time and patience because they’re not about winning the championships.”
Magic also questioned Brown’s performance in Cleveland, when he had the best player in the league – LeBron James – at his disposal and still fell short every time in nearly six years.
The comments speak volumes of the sentiments many Lakers faithful held about Brown ever since he was hired on the rumoured insistence of Jim Buss nearly a year back. The Lakers ditched player and fan favourite Brian Shaw during that process and more than that, Brown’s offensive acumen was never fit for a franchise like Lakers.
The Lakers depended heavily on Kobe Bryant to carry their offence last season. Brown tried to introduce the Princeton offense this time around to make some improvements, but it backfired as the franchise, despite having Dwight Howard and Steve Nash in the mix, struggled to win. They lost all the pre-season fixtures and were 1-4 into the season when the axe finally fell on the head coach.
The club is now rooting for Brown’s predecessor Phil Jackson to make a comeback, and bring with him the mentality required to win the championship. They certainly have the roster to do it, and if the Zen Master decides to return, the rest of the title contenders will have a run for their money.
Tags: