Timberwolf
01-12-2006, 05:10 AM
Let me just start off by saying that I am not calling for Dwane Casey to be fired as the Timberwolves head coach and that I think Dwane has done a very good job as head coach. I also want to say that he was a great choice to be our head coach. With that said, Dwane Casey can't get a free ride either. I have been very alarmed at some of Dwane's work
Here are some of my issues with Dwane:
1) He does not utialize Eddie Griffin well
I don't think he has faith in Eddie. He does not play him much. He starts, but he gets limited minutes as much as Mark Madsen does. I don't get it. Look Eddie is awful offensively, but for him to get limited minutes is crazy. Michael Olowkandi gets more playing time than Eddie and Kandi has been struggling lately. I don't get it. Eddie is better off just playing than sitting for an extended period of time.
2) He uses Richie Frahm a lot
What the hell has Frahm done to deserve playing time let alone be on the team? Richie stinks. He is useless. He is as productive as Rashad McCants. He has done absoultely nothing outside of a great shooting night on Opening Night against Portland. Richie gets way too minutes when that could be used for Rashad McCants. The reason why Dwane uses Richie is because of this. Dwane recruited Richie to come to Minnesota since they knew each other in Seattle so he has this blind faith in Richie. He wants to validate his decision to his bosses that Richie is legit. It's a great gesture to support Richie, but you can't just blind faith or love on a certain guy to validate your decision when you are trying to win.
3) His substitution patterns leaves a lot to be desired
Dwane's substitution patterns has really annoyed me lately. He constantly keep certain guys on the bench way too long when a team starts making a run even to lead the game or to come back and tie the game. That's a no-no. Coaching 101 talks about how you put your stars right back when the game is too close as the other team makes a run. For some reason, Casey is trying to be Phil Jackson having his bench players work out of their rut or slump. That doesn't work that way. The Wolves bench players are too bad to even work out of it.
4) He needs to take an active role of a leader
Dwane has a great work ethic and he does a good job preparing his team. That's very important to be a great coach. However, he needs to yell at his players and curse at his team when called upon. He needs to get in the refs face. He needs to work his players. He has to be critical. He needs to be a screamer. He needs to instill confidence. I think he is too nice of a guy. If I was a head coach, you damn right I would get into my players face if I saw them quitting or holding their heads. I am seeing that a lot lately with the Wolves. It seems guys are playing scared to win. It seems lot of guys just don't have that confidence to win out there. A great coach like LB, Phil Jackson, and others get into players face and be demanding. I think Dwane needs to learn to have a little mean streak in him like great leaders. The thing I love about my bosses at work is they get on my face a lot. I need that to perform at work. I think players need to get leadership from the head man. I want Dwane to be more of a yeller and screamer. I think he can be too much of a players best friend.
5) He needs to quit being a micromanager
It seems that he wants to go use set minutes for certain players and go by the book. That is simply stupid. This is how you lose games. You use your players through guts, instincts, what goes on in the game, and etc. If a player is hot, ride the hot hand. That's something Dwane does not do. He gives established playing time for people
6) He needs to trust Rashad McCants and Bracey Wright
There is a reason why the Wolves drafted the two of them. That was because that they could play and score points. For some reason, Dwane Casey does not trust them. He need to know how to trust them. He needs to give them each 12 minutes a night and he needs to use them in clutch situations. Wright and McCants are very good players. They have accomplished a lot. They deserve a lot better than what Casey is giving them.
Overall if I have to give a grade for Timberwolves head coach Dwane Casey, I would give him a B-. He has done great things and he has done the most he could with this horrible roster. However, Casey has lot of flaws as a head coach especially when it comes to leading. Coaching is not just Xs and Os. It's about managing players and their egos. That's where Dwane needs to step up. Dwane has a lot of work to do in terms of growth of a head coach.
Here are some of my issues with Dwane:
1) He does not utialize Eddie Griffin well
I don't think he has faith in Eddie. He does not play him much. He starts, but he gets limited minutes as much as Mark Madsen does. I don't get it. Look Eddie is awful offensively, but for him to get limited minutes is crazy. Michael Olowkandi gets more playing time than Eddie and Kandi has been struggling lately. I don't get it. Eddie is better off just playing than sitting for an extended period of time.
2) He uses Richie Frahm a lot
What the hell has Frahm done to deserve playing time let alone be on the team? Richie stinks. He is useless. He is as productive as Rashad McCants. He has done absoultely nothing outside of a great shooting night on Opening Night against Portland. Richie gets way too minutes when that could be used for Rashad McCants. The reason why Dwane uses Richie is because of this. Dwane recruited Richie to come to Minnesota since they knew each other in Seattle so he has this blind faith in Richie. He wants to validate his decision to his bosses that Richie is legit. It's a great gesture to support Richie, but you can't just blind faith or love on a certain guy to validate your decision when you are trying to win.
3) His substitution patterns leaves a lot to be desired
Dwane's substitution patterns has really annoyed me lately. He constantly keep certain guys on the bench way too long when a team starts making a run even to lead the game or to come back and tie the game. That's a no-no. Coaching 101 talks about how you put your stars right back when the game is too close as the other team makes a run. For some reason, Casey is trying to be Phil Jackson having his bench players work out of their rut or slump. That doesn't work that way. The Wolves bench players are too bad to even work out of it.
4) He needs to take an active role of a leader
Dwane has a great work ethic and he does a good job preparing his team. That's very important to be a great coach. However, he needs to yell at his players and curse at his team when called upon. He needs to get in the refs face. He needs to work his players. He has to be critical. He needs to be a screamer. He needs to instill confidence. I think he is too nice of a guy. If I was a head coach, you damn right I would get into my players face if I saw them quitting or holding their heads. I am seeing that a lot lately with the Wolves. It seems guys are playing scared to win. It seems lot of guys just don't have that confidence to win out there. A great coach like LB, Phil Jackson, and others get into players face and be demanding. I think Dwane needs to learn to have a little mean streak in him like great leaders. The thing I love about my bosses at work is they get on my face a lot. I need that to perform at work. I think players need to get leadership from the head man. I want Dwane to be more of a yeller and screamer. I think he can be too much of a players best friend.
5) He needs to quit being a micromanager
It seems that he wants to go use set minutes for certain players and go by the book. That is simply stupid. This is how you lose games. You use your players through guts, instincts, what goes on in the game, and etc. If a player is hot, ride the hot hand. That's something Dwane does not do. He gives established playing time for people
6) He needs to trust Rashad McCants and Bracey Wright
There is a reason why the Wolves drafted the two of them. That was because that they could play and score points. For some reason, Dwane Casey does not trust them. He need to know how to trust them. He needs to give them each 12 minutes a night and he needs to use them in clutch situations. Wright and McCants are very good players. They have accomplished a lot. They deserve a lot better than what Casey is giving them.
Overall if I have to give a grade for Timberwolves head coach Dwane Casey, I would give him a B-. He has done great things and he has done the most he could with this horrible roster. However, Casey has lot of flaws as a head coach especially when it comes to leading. Coaching is not just Xs and Os. It's about managing players and their egos. That's where Dwane needs to step up. Dwane has a lot of work to do in terms of growth of a head coach.