Cut Steve Clifford A Little Slack

[chknwing]

The current theme throughout the threads is that Steve Clifford sucks.  Cmon guys, hes still relatively new to this.  There was always going to be some growing pains.  The team over achieved last season, and was riddled with injuries this season forcing Clifford to have to alter his rotation through out the year.  Kemba, Al, MKG all go down.  I dont see how any other coach could possibly expect to win when their 3 star players are injured.  I'm giving him a pass on this season.  He was dealt a bad deck, which leads me to Cho.  Hes not getting a free pass, lance is a bust.  Zeller, as hard a worker that he is, hes a backup and you don't draft backup players at #4.

[cbarrier90]

I will say Cho's seat should be hotter than Clifford's at this point, but I'm not giving Clifford a pass for a season in which three under 500 teams will make the playoffs.

Just like Rivera doesn't all of a sudden become a master technician just because the Panthers make the playoffs in back to back seasons.

Continuing to play combinations and players that don't work. Day in and day out. His only adjustment is to stick MKG onto a player that gets hot. Without MKG the team has no direction offensively or defensively. Cannot use the roster he has been given effectively at all unless it fits his antiquated system of basketball. Etc. Etc.

[Eazy-E]

The guy gives minutes to Maxiell who has no future with this team over Biz and Vonleh. He is horrible at managing the game and is terrible when it comes to in game adjustments. Sorry he just isn't fit to be a head coach.

[Proudiddy]

I don't even care that we're gonna miss the playoffs. This roster isn't that good and it's been shredded by injuries.

But I'm mad as hell watching him waste a year playing old veterans that don't even belong in the NBA over our prized draft picks. That alone should be grounds for getting fired.

This.

The Maxiell signing sounded awesome when it first came to fruition. A vet to sit on the bench and mentor our young players, a calming influence, etc. Then he comes in and is getting heavy minutes... Smh... Clifford is an idiot.

[Omega Atrocity]

Clifford doesn't get a pass. Sure, I doubt another coach could squeeze many more wins out of this team, but that doesn't absolve him from doing poorly.

His offensive "system" is garbage isolation with half hearted pick and roll. Seriously, all we do is clear out at the top for one of our two point guards and the bigs will set a pick with little success which will lead to an off the dribble chuck by Kemba/Mo or a big Al black hole session. And don't even get me started on the 2 inbounds plays that we have.

Beyond that his rotations are trash. If a player gets hot and starts to carry us offensively he is taken out and not put back in until his given time (see Hendo against Miami). He plays Roberts over Daniels (at 2 guard, which is insane) and Maxiell over Vonleh. There's no defending that crap.

There's no way we fire him so soon, but it would be 100% justifiable imo.

[KendrickPanther]

Everything Clifford has done is logical. I don't have a problem with him. Of course I would love to see Vonleh out there but he's 19 years old? The Vonleh argument is "if we are going to lose, lose with the young guys". Clifford isn't trying to lose. 

[pantherfan49]

Charlotte.  The home of mediocre coaches that try hard and fans that defend them.  

[Omega Atrocity]

Everything Clifford has done is logical. I don't have a problem with him. Of course I would love to see Vonleh out there but he's 19 years old? The Vonleh argument is "if we are going to lose, lose with the young guys". Clifford isn't trying to lose.

Please explain how playing Jason Maxiell over the 9th pick is logical, especially now that the season is lost.

[Zaximus]

It really is true, this city and its fans are totally OK with mediocre coaches and will defend them to the grave.

 

Clifford is probably a great coach.... off the court.  He's a terrible on the court coach.   He's Fox/Rivera on the court, not playing the young guys and letting the vets run you into the ground.  Even when the season is over, you still don't let your guys get some minutes.  

 

I for one am tired of seeing the Hornets and the Panthers outcoached night in and night out.  We give up so many leads in the 4th, and it's because we're outcoached a good bit of times.

 

It's time to move on.

[Password is Taco]

clifford stinks

[chknwing]

It really is true, this city and its fans are totally OK with mediocre coaches and will defend them to the grave.

 

Clifford is probably a great coach.... off the court.  He's a terrible on the court coach.   He's Fox/Rivera on the court, not playing the young guys and letting the vets run you into the ground.  Even when the season is over, you still don't let your guys get some minutes.  

 

I for one am tired of seeing the Hornets and the Panthers outcoached night in and night out.  We give up so many leads in the 4th, and it's because we're outcoached a good bit of times.

 

It's time to move on.

 

how can you expect the guy to become an NBA championship coach over night.  he was an assistant his whole career.  its a learning process for him.  He'll get it. Takes time.

[Zaximus]

how can you expect the guy to become an NBA championship coach over night.  he was an assistant his whole career.  its a learning process for him.  He'll get it. Takes time.

 

This is a typical excuse fans of this city's sports make.  It never pans out.   When coaching in game, you either got it, or you don't.  Learning how to build things in practice and off-court things is one thing, but  some coaches are just boneheaded in their approach to keeping young guys on the bench for no reason, he is one.

 

Fox was mediocre and fans made excuses for far too long, now Rivera is the same, and now Clifford.   He's not bad, I'm not saying that, he's just mediocre and if we want to push a team over the edge, this is NOT the coach to do it.    

 

I also seen ZERO improvement with his game-day coaching this year from last.  If anything, we regressed.  Even more terrible rotations and playing times.  Even more 15+ leads lost in the 4th.  He's not getting better, at all.

[TheRed]

Throughout the season fans here have been calling for us to trade pretty much everyone but the damn waterboy.

 

Why should Clifford get a pass?

[KendrickPanther]

Throughout the season fans here have been calling for us to trade pretty much everyone but the damn waterboy.

 

Why should Clifford get a pass?

 

Cliff needs weapons. You can understand that right?