Friday, March 23rd, 2012 at 9:00 am  |  64 responses

Clippers Players Say They’re ‘Still Behind’ Coach Vinny Del Negro


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

Things have gone from bad to worse in Clipper-Land of late, with the team having lost 12 of their last 19 (including an ugly 6-10 mark since the All-Star break), and now there’s growing chatter that head coach Vinny Del Negro’s job is in trouble.

This is what happens in the NBA whenever a team starts to lose in discouraging fashion — especially a high-profile one. Just ask Mike D’Antoni.

For what it’s worth, some of Del Negro’s players came to his defense last night, following a terrible loss to the New Orleans Hornets.

From the LA Times:

On the night the locals came to show respect for what Chris Paul has done for the Hornets and the city of New Orleans, the Clippers spent much of their energy trying to dispel rumors that there is tension inside the locker room because Coach Vinny Del Negro has lost the team. After a humiliating 97-90 loss to the Hornets on Thursday night, the players all claimed they supported Del Negro despite the team’s losing all three games on this back-to-back-to-back trip that has produced more questions than answers. “We’re still behind him,” Blake Griffin said.

“Coaches come and go in this league,” Kenyon Martin said. “We all know players make this league. But until we go out and play, we can’t always point the finger at the coach. That ain’t always the issue.” Del Negro acknowledged that he’s as frustrated as the players. He said he’s not putting “credence” into “sources” who have his job on the line or say the players aren’t following him anymore.

In addition to the perceived locker room issues, Vinny Del Negro’s play-calling, game management and the use of the considerable talent on his roster are coming under increased scrutiny.

The LA Clippers have slid into the sixth seed in the Western Conference, and whether or not they make the Playoffs is up in the air at the moment.

Until they find a way to turn this thing around, and soon, Vinny Del Negro’s seat will only get hotter.

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  • Justin G.

    Yes you can see talent but talent doesn’t necessarily come together in a cohesive unit in less than a year, much less even a couple years, especially if you don’t have a coach like Doc Rivers, Popovich, Sloan, Jackson, etc. Yes, I know the Celtics did but those were all veteran guys more than willing to put their stats to the side for the good of the team. The Clippers are a young team looking for theirs with a substandard coach. Personally I would love to see what a Nate McMillan could do although this team with D’Antoni at the helm could be fun to watch offensively. Unfortunately, the’d still be defensively challenged

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    Who cares, this team is going nowhere, when your power forward, has no post game and cannot not shoot. CP3 like I have said plenty of times, will end up wasting his prime years in Clip land. CP3 messed up thinking, just because a guy can dunk, he can play basketball. Clips just suck and thats it. Overrated, all you guys who jumped on the bandwagon, off it now. BOOK IT!!

  • Far

    Every article I read here, NBK leaves the best comments.

    Who’s your team man?

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    I don’t really have a team I’m from Phoenix though so if I absolutely had to claim someone I would just say the Suns. But I would honestly just rather watch the best teams play and not care who wins

  • http://WWW.BENNY.COM BIG MONEY

    PHIL JACKSON

  • Golakeshow

    A clipper town! Give me a break!

  • http://www.google.com/news BETCATS

    The Clippers might have the most talented roster in the NBA. It is clearly the coaching.

  • Justin G.

    If they had the most talented roster in the NBA they’d be winning more. Last year so many people were saying how Spoelstra was such a bad coach yet they made the Finals. Again, I’m not saying VDN is a good coach or anything like that but it’s the players also. At the moment their weaknesses are being exposed and it’s showing how overrated they are. Like I’ve said before, teams very rarely gel right away in the first year or even two. Give it another year of maturation as players and when they do get their new coach

  • DS44

    No one said “Clippers Curse”

  • Bt

    ^^^ most talented roster??? Your kidding. Aside from cp3 their roster is pretty average. Blake can only dunk and has no interest in playing any kind of D, caron butler is aging quicker than expected, mo Williams is another poor defender who’s offense is inconsistent (and he’s only gonna be wrose in the playoffs as he usually chokes come stiff time), deandre is still a work in progress while the bench isn’t exactly deep or consistent. Billups was their second best player (yes better than Blake) and a lot more Important than people realized. Blake doesn’t make his teammates better at all and can’t carry a team anywhere close to the playoffs (they were 32-50 last year).

  • ab40

    they should get behind a shooting machine and work on their jump shot. These guys suck at shooting and it’s sad.

  • http://www.newyorkshockexchange.com Shock Exchange

    Yeah, when you stab someone it’s best to do it from behind.

  • http://www.tradecheapjerseys.com/ Dallas Prevost

    Sometimes I just don’t understand how some coaches get jobs over and over again in the league?

    You would think someone in the front offices would realize that they’ve been terrible before and will continue that way.

    D’Antoni is an offensive guy but will never win a championship.
    Del Negro flat out sucks.
    Flip Saunders
    Randy Wittman

    Isn’t the goal to win a championship? Why not go after guys that either have before, or unproven guys with something new to offer, rather than guys who have been there done that.

  • mugiwara

    why does griffin no longer shoot the bank shot?!?

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