Phoenix Suns coach Frank Vogel and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd reacted to Tuesday’s firing of Milwaukee Bucks coach Adrian
Griffin, with Vogel saying: “It’s frustrating and disappointing for our profession.”
At the time Griffin was fired, he was in just his first season as an NBA coach and the Bucks were tied for the second-best record in the NBA at 30-13.
“Being a head coach is not easy,” Kidd said. “Someone’s got to fall on the sword, and Adrian Griffin had to do that for whatever reason.
“But when you look at the record, that’s hard in our coaching profession to see a coach that has a record like that that’s being fired, because it just alerts everyone that they’re all capable of being fired if you have the best record or not.”
Vogel can relate. When Kidd was an assistant on Vogel’s staff, the Los Angeles Lakers captured the 2020 NBA championship. Two years later, the Lakers fired Vogel after they missed the playoffs.
Griffin played for the Mavs from 2001-03 and during the 2005-06 season. He also was a player with Boston in 2001 when Vogel was an assistant with the Celtics.
“I know Griff is a really good guy,” Vogel said. “I coached Griff, liked the way he played for the Celtics years ago and he’s become a hell of a coach.
“When you have the second-best record in the league, it’s frustrating for our profession. But you don’t know what’s really going on within each team, so I can’t really comment on that part of it.”
Asked about the pressure for a coach to win in the NBA, Kidd said: “What’s the pressure? It’s like no other. But there’s only 30 coaches.
“Just to understand the pressure that everyone’s under to win is great, and it takes a toll. But there’s also other factors. The relationship with coach and player sometimes overshadows the record.”
LIVELY LOVES TO BE COACHED: One of the things Mavs coach Jason Kidd likes about Dereck Lively II is that the rookie center from Duke doesn’t mind being coached.
“When you talk about a 19-year old, he keeps things simple, he’s coachable, he’s actually funny,” Kidd said. “You love to talk to h
im, you love to be around him. He has this energy about him that he loves to be coached, he wants to be good, he wants to always do the right thing.”
Lively was the 12th overall pick of last summer’s NBA Draft and has become a very key player in the Mavs’ rotation. He is averaging 8.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.
“At the beginning (of the season) a lot of us didn’t know he was capable of all this,” Kidd said. “We miss him when he’s out. He’s been great, but he still has a lot to learn and he’s up for that challenge.
“Life sometimes throws us curve balls that we have to grow up a little bit faster than we want to, and he’s been through that o
ff the court. I haven’t seen a 19-year old moment from him yet. His maturity is way past 19 (years old) on and off the floor.”
BRIEFLY: This is NBA Rivals Week, and the league has pegged the Suns as the Mavs’ rivals – hence Wednesday’s game. When asked about that, Mavs coach Jason Kidd said: “That’s what the NBA said. (The Suns) have stars. We have stars. This is a great game to watch. When you’ve got (Bradley) Beal, (Devin) Booker, (Kevin) Durant, Luka (Doncic) and (Kyrie Irving). When you talk about offense . . . Book scored (52) in New Orleans (last Friday), Durant comes off a 40-piece here. You’ve got guys who can put the ball in the basket, so it puts a lot of pressure on the defense, and we feel the same way. We feel like our offense, our two guys can put a lot of pressure on the defense and it creates a lot of open shots.” Unfortunately for the Mavs, Irving missed Wednesday’s contest with a right thumb sprain, and Dwight Powell also sat out with a left eye corneal abrasion . . . Entering Wednesday’s game, the Mavs haven’t had a fully healthy roster since the second week of the season. Now, as the Mavs slowly get their healthy players back, Kidd said: “The group that has played with guys out has done an incredible job to find a way to win. Rhythm, healthy, chemistry, as you get healthy things start to change, guys minutes change, rotations change. So, you have to adapt to that. That’s something that we’ll go through as we get healthy.” . . . Last Friday was the first time the Mavs had a practice in 28 days. The Suns also have had difficulties finding time to practice. “Just any chance you can blow a whistle and stop and teach and correct, there’s value in that,” Vogel said. “There’s a lot of reasons why defensive numbers are just rising, rising and rising in terms of points allowed. Obviously, the offensive firepower, skill, and creativity in today’s modern NBA has changed things. But teams practice less, and as a result there’s less reps and connectivity. Anytime you can be on the floor to get some of those reps, I think that helps your defense.” . . . With SMU slated to join the Atlantic Coast Conference next season, Jason Kidd was asked if his alma mater – the University of California – could hang with SMU. “I don’t know who’s in the ACC because that changes every other week,” Kidd said. “For Cal to be in the ACC, I think it’s a great thing. Unfortunately, it’s sad to see where the Pac-12 has gone. College sports is changing, the environment is changing, the landscape, I should say, is changing. But I’m happy for Cal. I don’t know if they can hang with SMU. There’s a lot of great teams in the ACC, so I have to learn that landscape. I’m happy for the Bay Area sports to be able to participate in the ACC.” When Kidd played for Cal from 1992-94, Cal was playing in the Pac-10 at the time. Kidd was the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 1993, the Pac-10 Player of the Year in ’94, and the No. 2 overall pick of the NBA Draft by the Mavs in 1994.
X: @DwainPrice
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