Cheeks fired by Trail Blazers

[ALinChainz]

By ANNE M. PETERSON, AP Sports Writer

March 2, 2005


PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Portland Trail Blazers fired coach Maurice Cheeks on Wednesday, a team source told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

It was rumored that Cheeks was on the way out for several months, although when he wasn't fired by the All-Star break many thought he would finish the season.

But the team kept sliding, losing seven out of its last nine game. A 103-93 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night proved to be Cheeks' last game.

The Blazers (22-33) are in 12th place in the Western Conference, six games back of the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth and final playoff spot. They went 41-41 last season, missing the playoffs for the first time in 22 years.

Cheeks, who played in the NBA for 15 seasons, was hired by the Blazers in 2001 to replace Mike Dunleavy.

[seenbad]

Just needed a fall guy. Mo's a solid coach. Same thing with Dunleavy and Adleman. Coaches sometimes just catch all the shit.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Shit, Mo is probably having a couple shots of Jose Cuervo tonight celebrating getting out of that situation....

[seenbad]

I'm really not feeling good about this. It fucking sucks. Reef Rahim is the problem. He's a great player. You'd think that'd be a good problem but it wasn't. The GM wanted him in there getting minutes to increase his value. Mo wanted to make a chemistry and build the team. With Reef there, Miles and Patterson have no clue what there role is. It wrecks the whole fucking structure and dynamic of the team.

Nash should have been let go. Not the coach.

[ALinChainz]

Miles is a problem too though isn't he? I don't think he's where he should be in his career either, he keeps getting moved for a reason. And he and Cheeks obviously didn't see things eye to eye.

Wonder if he'll coach pros again or try college.

[seenbad]

He'll coach pro's again. I'd be willing to bet on it.

Miles.....geez.

He's such a natural talent it's sick. He's never been given 40 per night to grow though. It's just part of where we fucked up. We gave him this great contract then told him to split minutes three ways with Patterson and Rahim. I think the rest of this year and next, you will see him start to open up in to the kind of player you would expect him to be at this point in his career. Next year look for Randolph, Miles, Pryzbilla, Telfair and somebody we trade for to start. I'm hoping Mike Redd.

[ALinChainz]

I've been reading that Redd is going to sign with Cleveland even for less money.

Miles needs to get it going, he should be at the same point in his career that Jermaine O'Neal was when he blossomed.

[seenbad]

He's being "developed". Watch him next year when he gets the starting role on the blazers. I watched him do some shit tonight under the hoop that was seriously unreal. Even Kobe's eyes would have popped open at that.

[ALinChainz]

Sure seems like he has all the tools to be a very dangerous player. He has the frame to bulk a little more too looks like if he choose.

Should versitile enough to be that #3 with Zack at 4.

Portland needs to get it together, they were too good for too long to be languishing in this slide. This next coaching hire will be a big one, they all are, but they need to make the right call here.

[seenbad]

The three spot is exactly where he'll start. I'm anxious to see what he'll do.

I think we're going to aim our sights on flip saunders to coach.