http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpYTg2ZTBwBF9TAzk1ODYxOTQ4BHNlYwN0bQ--?slug=ap-magic-davisfired&prov=ap&type=lgns


Magic fire coach Johnny Davis

By MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press Writer
March 17, 2005
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Johnny Davis was fired Thursday as coach of the Orlando Magic, who have lost six straight games and are on the verge of falling out of playoff contention. Assistant Chris Jent was named interim coach.

``We work in a bottom-line business,'' general manager John Weisbrod said in a statement. ``It is our responsibility to do everything possible to create the best opportunity for success.''

Davis was dismissed along with assistant coach Ron Ekker hours after Wednesday night's 110-102 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, dropping the Magic to 31-33 and leaving them tied with Philadelphia for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The team, in the middle of a West Coast road swing, plays Friday at Seattle.




Davis told the Orlando Sentinel he was ``surprised and disappointed'' by being fired with just 18 games left in the season and the club still trying to make the playoffs.

``It caught me completely off guard,'' Davis told the newspaper.

Jent, who spent two seasons in the NBA and was a member of the 1994 champion Houston Rockets, became a Magic assistant this season and is a head coach for the first time. He was promoted over assistant Paul Westhead, who coached the Los Angeles Lakers to the 1980 title and later coached the Denver Nuggets.

Davis was hired as coach on Nov. 17, 2003, replacing Doc Rivers when last season's team was 1-10 and on its way to losing 19 straight. Later in the season under Davis, the team lost 13 straight, including an NBA-record seven straight by at least 15 points, and finished 21-61.

In the offseason, the team traded All-Star forward Tracy McGrady to Houston. Orlando showed improvement before its recent slump.

Davis, a low-key coach, seemed to lose control of his players. In Sunday's 98-82 home loss to New Jersey, the Magic received several technical fouls and scuffled with the Nets. Reserve guard DeShawn Stevenson booted the ball into the stands at the buzzer and forward Stacy Augmon squirted lotion on reporters in the locker room.

Davis' overall record with the Magic was 51-84. He also coached Philadelphia in 1996-97, going 22-60 there.

Orlando is the seventh team this season to make a coaching change, following Memphis, New York, Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota and Portland.



Updated on Thursday, Mar 17, 2005 11:28 am

Surprised noone commented on the implications on our possible draft status.April is a tough month for them and they could conceivably move ahead of us in the draft.If I see Orlando get one more number one pick.......

I like Herb,hard not to after all the years he has been with this organization but if we can get someone like Flip Saunders,we cant afford to pass.

We were right to give Cheney a chance(too much of a chance it tuns out) but we cant keep passing up on elite coaches when they become available to give every assistant coach on the bench a chance to run the team.

That might sound callous but this team is 30 plus years from a ring and Im anxious to see the Knicks contend again.

[Edited by - kwazimodal on 03/17/2005 15:08:49]

They should fire the Orlando GM too....I think it's totally messed up that they fire the coach when they basically gave away a scorer like Mobley. What was the point? They can lie and said they wanted to give Nelson a shot if they want to....at first Turk was starting. Davis probably wasn't real strick the way owners like but that GM should be fired too for his stupidity.

The next time Phil Jackson will coach he will be coaching LeBron James. I'll go on record with that. Only way he doesn't is if another phenomenon comes into the league and is the most dominant player in the game. He's never coaching Bibby and guys like that....unless they're playing next to LeBron. In Order for Phil's coaching schemes to work he needs there to be a mismatch night in and night out at his key position (Shaq, Jordan). Once LeBron hits his stride Phil will want that job seeing that coach Silas doesn't take them all the way before that time comes.

Posted by TheloniusMonk:

The next time Phil Jackson will coach he will be coaching LeBron James. I'll go on record with that. Only way he doesn't is if another phenomenon comes into the league and is the most dominant player in the game. He's never coaching Bibby and guys like that....unless they're playing next to LeBron. In Order for Phil's coaching schemes to work he needs there to be a mismatch night in and night out at his key position (Shaq, Jordan). Once LeBron hits his stride Phil will want that job seeing that coach Silas doesn't take them all the way before that time comes.

Very interesting take. SO what about the chances of RIley bringing him in to coach next year if SVG f's up in the playoffs this year? Less of a chance even than of Isiah bringing him in because of professional jealousy? WOuld be an interesting scenario though, wouldn't it?