With the Lakers in the midst of one of their worst years in history, head coach Mike D’Antoni has come under fire for the poor performances. Kobe Bryant recently went on The Dan Patrick Show to voice his opinion on D’Antoni.
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Kobe is unsure if D’Antoni has earned another year coaching the purple and gold via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
This morning Kobe Bryant said "I don't know" when asked by @dpshow if he's earned another year to coach the Lakers.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 19, 2014
With the Lakers eliminated from the playoffs, it is easy to see why Kobe is unsure of D’Antoni’s future in Los Angeles. The beginning of the season looked bright for D’Antoni as the team was exceeding expectations early on, going 13-13 in the first month and a half.
However, just like last season, the injury bug took a toll on the Lakers roster. Kobe Bryant was lost for the year after a knee injury in early December, and at one point, the Lakers only had five healthy bodies in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Kobe took this factor into consideration when talking about D’Antoni’s future:
Bryant also referenced the injuries with his answer & said that he didn't know that Mike D'Antoni had been given a "fair shake."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 19, 2014
While injuries have taken a huge toll on the Lakers roster, fans are most upset with D’Antoni because the players seem to have given up on him. Even Pau Gasol has called out the coach and voiced his frustration with D’Antoni’s lineups and strategy.
Another aspect that has fans calling for D’Antoni to be fired is the fact that Dwight Howard left the Lakers for Houston after one season. It was no secret that Dwight and D’Antoni did not get along and many blame his up-tempo offense for the reason Dwight left for greener pastures. Only time will tell if D’Antoni will be back, but with a total makeover of the roster expected to take place this offseason, the Lakers may consider another coach.
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