The beginning of a Sonics mutiny? Bob Hill may walk plank.

I love a good mutiny. Especially against someone like Bob Hill who thinks so much of himself. Here is one Seattle write up of last nights game. Take note especially of the players comments separating themselves from Hill and Hill's comments separating himself from blame.
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Splintering Sonics fall again

FRANK HUGHES; The News Tribune
Published: November 27th, 2006 01:00 AM

JIM BRYANT/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tim Duncan had 18 points and 16 rebounds in the Spurs’ 98-78 rout of the Sonics on Sunday night.

When the Seattle SuperSonics build up expectations the way they did in training camp, then lose for the fourth time in the five games at home, the latest a 98-78 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night that dropped their record to 6-9, a splintering of factions is inevitable.
That point has arrived for the Sonics, just 15 games into the season.

After the loss, without being prompted by a specific question, Sonics coach Bob Hill placed the blame for the loss on the team’s bench production.

“We are struggling so poorly with our bench scoring,” Hill said. “We go to the bench and the scoring falls off. It is putting more pressure on Ray (Allen) and Rashard (Lewis), and that is a problem. We have to figure out how to get some points. In exhibition season, the bench played great. As the season started, there is no help for the first group. As soon as we go to the bench, it is a struggle to score points. We are going to have to go back to the drawing board and try to help them.”

Hill’s words were somewhat mystifying because the bench actually contributed 25 points, almost one-third of the team’s entire production, compared to 29 points from the bench of San Antonio, which used all 12 players because Spurs coach Gregg Popovich emptied his bench at the end of the blowout.

Not only were they puzzling, but they were offensive to Seattle’s reserves, who clearly have an issue with the way Hill is using them.

“I can’t say I speak for everybody that is coming off the bench when I say this, but I know I speak for a few people when I say this,” said Damien Wilkins, who played 14 minutes and scored six points. “He says the bench is struggling a little bit. I say he needs to develop more trust in us. Seems like his leash is so short with everybody. If he develops a little more trust in us, I think we will be able to play with and develop more confidence. But it seems like we’re all just out there thinking and not really knowing what to do instead of just playing basketball the way we all know how to play it.”

Wilkins was asked where specifically Hill was using a short leash.

“Seems like it is everywhere,” Wilkins said. “Granted, Ray and Rashard have to be out on the floor. Those are the guys we live and die with. They have to be out on the floor, and we all understand that. I think if he wants the bench to help out a little more, he should develop more trust and confidence in us.”

Asked how that would happen, Wilkins said: “I don’t know how that happens. I have never coached basketball before in my life. But you can tell when you are not being trusted, you can tell when a coach doesn’t have confidence in you as a player. I don’t know how he could change it up, but I wish he would.”

Guard Earl Watson, who already has had several run-ins with Hill this season, called into question Hill’s play-calling with the reserves.

“You have to put players in positions to be effective,” Watson said. “I played for a Hall of Fame coach most of my NBA career. Hubie Brown put players in a position for them to be effective. He put certain players in the mid-post, certain players in pick-and-rolls, he put Pau Gasol off the block. The second unit can’t run the same plays as the first unit runs, it is different personnel. We can’t have the same mentality.”

Watson said he thinks the second unit needs to thrive with defense, run in transition, force turnovers and play scrappy basketball instead of the half-court sets that define the offense when Allen and Lewis are in the game.

“It is so vague,” Watson said. “It’s the vaguest thing I have heard in my life. Is it scoring? Is it defense? Is it energy? Is it rebounding? If it is the bench’s fault, then wow.”

Watson then lapsed into a bit of sardonic rhetoric, clearly still unhappy with his limited role as Luke Ridnour’s backup.

“We just have to get consistent minutes,” Watson said. “My role is consistent, 15 to 20 minutes. If we lose in my 15 to 20 minutes, then the coach must think a lot of me. Fifteen or 20 minutes, I can win the game? That is pretty impressive. I’ll take the compliment, though. I am not afraid to fail, so I will take it. I am the reason why we are losing.”

Quotable: “It’s a situation where guys have to get out there and just play basketball. When Damien (Wilkins) gets in the game, when Earl (Watson) gets in the game … don’t worry about Bob’s coaching as much as just going out there and play. We all got to play. Right now we are trying to execute the game plan. But at the same time, don’t be too robotic. Just go play basketball. Put the ball in the hole and stop the other team from putting the ball in the hole. When you do that, you won’t have a problem with the coaching staff or your teammates.” – Ray Allen on the spat between Bob Hill and the team’s bench.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/st ... 8453c.html

Wow that is a bit insane. Lucky for Hill Ray Allen is still backing him up. If that changes he better get his resume in order.

Earl Watson is a tough customer who can play the game. He used to really play Tony well when he was in Memphis.

I like the way he mentions that he has played for HOF coaches for most of his career. Reading between the lines, it didn't take Watson long to figure out that Bob Hill is an empty suit.

It's not really about being hypersensitive but Hill's choice of words are both inappropriate and telling. "We are going to have to go back to the drawing board and try to help them."

Isn't them a part of us? Are we a part of them? Don't they play for us? The Sonics situation is only going to get worse.

After the game last night, I thought I saw Earl Watson go out of his way to shake hands with Pop. I'll bet If the Spurs could trade Beno straight up for Watson they would. Watson is an experienced backup who finished games at Memphis. He may be a little undersized but he knows how to run an offense. He wants out of Seattle bad.

Bad enough if Bob Hill gets fired. Even worse if he gets fired before Isiah Thomas does.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Hill calls out Sonics reserves as offensive struggles continue

By GARY WASHBURN
P-I REPORTER

The Sonics' focus Monday shifted from pointing fingers following a drubbing by the San Antonio Spurs to finding solutions and improving chemistry.

In a sarcastic fashion, Sonics coach Bob Hill took responsibility for the decline of the bench, which he criticized after losing 99-78 to San Antonio on Sunday. Hill expressed concern that with Ray Allen logging heavy minutes and Rashard Lewis starting to draw double teams, the reserves aren't carrying the offensive load.

When Hill refers to the "reserves" he is primarily talking about three players: Nick Collison, Earl Watson and Damien Wilkins, who relieve the starters and are depended on for productive minutes.

Offensively, each has struggled, and Hill said that is affecting his playing rotations and letting opposing teams make runs against the second unit.

Watson said Sunday night the reserves shouldn't run the same plays as the first unit, because the personnel is different, while Wilkins said Hill needs to trust the reserves more.

"When you're going bad, everyone has excuses," Hill said. "The teams that win hold themselves accountable. 'Maybe I can do better.' If they're standing in my shoes and I'm trying to win games and we're missing shots and not defending, I'm not going to leave them in the game. It ain't happening.

"When players say they need more minutes, well you've got to give me good minutes now. The second unit just hasn't played as well."

Numbers prove that each of the three primary reserves is not meeting expectations offensively. Watson is a career 41.4 percent shooter and is at 29.7 after Sunday's 1-for-8 effort. Collison is at 38.8, nearly 13 percentage points below his career average, while Wilkins' 42.5 percent clip is just below his lifetime 43.9 percentage.

"Pros hold themselves accountable, younger players have the tendency to point the fingers," Hill said. " 'Well, if you had been out there two more minutes, we'd be down eight instead of six.' It's their job to hold themselves accountable and play efficiently when they're on the floor."

Hill said he realizes he will take the full responsibility for the team's downfall, but the players will take credit for a potential playoff run. He doesn't agree with that sentiment.

"I understand that," he said. "But it's (expletive). It's (expletive). This is a players' league, and they have to be held accountable for their play. I am not going to leave a guy out there who's struggling, and we're trying to win games, and we're losing just so he can find his shot. This is professional sports, that's his job. Blame it on me, that's fine, I have no trouble with it. I will protect them."

Watson, who has had his share of run-ins with Hill this season, promised to improve his approach.

"My mental has been polluted, and it's been like that for a while, and I don't think it's a secret," he said. "It's affecting the way I play, and I have to get beyond that. He's my coach, I've got to ride with him. If we go down, we go down together. I have his back. If I didn't have his back, I wouldn't have played the way I played finishing the year to make sure he had another contract."

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketbal ... onx28.html

It's not surprising that in just a little less than one full season as head coach, Bob Hill finds himself in an irretrievable situation. More than a few in the Spurs organization reportedly felt the same way about Hill and his coaching skills when he was here.

Once they all stop talking past each other and about each other, the underlying situation remains the same. Those players don't want to play for Hill. They are just running out the clock on playing in Seattle or until a new coach arrives. It may sound unprofessional but team chemistry is a reality of NBA life and the coaching staff is a part of that.

Short of trading multiple players, what can the Sonics GM do? Considering that the Sonics are under new ownership, I would be shocked if the Hill lasts until the end of the season.

Yeah Hill is right up there with Raptors coach Sam Mitchell as coaches who's days are numbered. Isiah should make it through the season.

Feud Between Hill And Reserves Reaching Boiling Point
28th November, 2006 - 10:44 am
Tacoma News Tribune -

When Damien Wilkins finished an interview on Monday, Bob Hill told him, “I will be done in a second. Just go up in my office.”

“See, he is pouting today,” Hill said about Wilkins. “He is pouting. How can he do that? He has a nice life.”

Wilkins and Earl Watson have been vocally and visibly upset with their lack of playing time. Hill said Wilkins will not be dealt, but omitted to say the same thing about Watson.

“When you are going bad, which we are right now, everyone’s got excuses,” Hill said. “I told them the other day, when things are going bad, some people can run to their locker and ... make excuses. The teams that win hold themselves accountable. (Say) ‘Maybe I can do better.’ If they are standing in my shoes and I am trying to win games and they are missing shots or not defending, I am not going to leave them out there. I’m not going to do it. It ain’t happening.”
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http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/ ... ing_point/[/url]

My mental has been polluted - Earl Watson

That is by far my favorite line in this whole drama. I can't wait to lay that on someone during the holiday season.

So you don't like that gift that I bought you? Santa says don't pollute my mental.