Mike Brown: Lockout increases the challenges for new coaches – NBA Special report
Mike Brown, Los Angeles Lakers
After the retirement of the Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson last season, the Los Angeles Lakers left no stone unturned in search of new head coach. Eventually, the Lakers were able to land Cleveland Cavaliers’ most prized coach Mike Brown.
Brown has no shortage of experience when it comes to coaching. He remained an assistant coach for almost eight years and then got the breakthrough in 2005 when Cleveland hired him as their head coach.
Brown guided the Cavs to the NBA Finals in 2007 and was named as the Coach of the Year when he led the Cavs to the most wins 66 during the 2009 season. With LeBron James ion his arsenal, he led Cleveland to 61 wins again in 2010.
Mike was famous for his defensive strategies that converted the Cavs into the best defensive squad of the league.
LeBron James, who had played under Brown when he was in Cleveland, once said, "Mike Brown is a great coach, he brought us success. He brought in a defensive mindset that we didn't have. Fifty-plus wins, he was coach of the year, he got us to the (NBA) Finals, won us the Eastern Conference finals ... because of him and his coaching staff. I respect him. He definitely helped me become who I am today."
The Lakers must be expecting the same, but they do need some talented players in their backcourt in order to lift their offense and provide support to Kobe.
The NBA lockout has wasted a key time for Brown. Given the fact, that most of the Lakers, including Kobe Bryant, publically rooted for Phil Jackson’s assistant Brian Shaw, during the hiring process, Brown was looking to develop a healthy relation with the team members by utilizing the off season time.
The lockout has snatched that opportunity from him. It is true that the Lakers of a great winning legacy, especially in the last decade, it is not a hidden fact that the ego of their players is as big as their achievements. Brown might have a very hard time monitoring the star studded side, who despite all their talent and momentum failed to play up to their potential in the Western Conference Semifinals against the eventual champions Dallas Mavericks.
Secondly, the veteran coach has announced that he would not continue on with Jackson’s famed triangle offense strategy. Phil used that strategy even before he joined the Lakers and it worked well not just for the purple and gold, but also for great Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls back in 1990. This strategy enabled the Lakers to lift five titles during Jackson’s tenure.
This will no doubt create some problems for a side that has grown up with this system offense. Kobe Bryant, who has been the centre of Lakers offense for the last decade, will especially have to adjust to a new role. Then there is a problem of finding a new option a t point guard. Derek Fisher showed signs of struggle last season. Even the fact that the triangle offense didn’t put much emphasis on the point guard couldn’t save him from being mauled against the Mavs and there are many voices emerging from the Lakers camp to end his role in the team.
The Lakers have brought in two new point guards in this year’s draft, but to acclimatize them with the new team, Brown needed time.
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