Sam Mitchell Fired

[RipCity32]

TORONTO (AP) -- The Toronto Raptors have fired coach Sam Mitchell one day after the team absorbed an embarrassing loss at Denver.

Toronto Raptors President and GM Bryan Colangelo announced Wednesday that Sam Mitchell has been relieved of his duties as the team's head coach. Read Full Article

Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo says assistant Jay Triano has been promoted to interim coach. Triano's first game as coach is Friday night at Utah.

Colangelo calls Wednesday's move a difficult but necessary step.

Toronto is 8-9 after it lost 132-93 at Denver on Tuesday night -- the fifth-worst defeat in franchise history.

Mitchell was 156-189 in four-plus seasons as Raptors coach. He was honored as the NBA's coach of the year for the 2006-07 season.

Triano is in his seventh season on the Raptors' coaching staff. He becomes the seventh coach in franchise history.

I'm sure Toronto will be happy with this.

 

[DC4]

The Toronto Raptors have fired coach Sam Mitchell after Wednesday's 39-point loss in Denver.

"This is a difficult but necessary step the franchise must take," Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo. "We appreciate all that Sam has done for the organization, applaud him for his successes and wish him nothing but the best with his future in basketball."

Mitchell will be replaced by Raptors assistant coach Jay Triano on an interim basis. He is in his seventh season as a Raptors assistant. A native of Niagara Falls, Triano coached the Canadian men's national team from 1998-2004, posting a 52-42 record.

Triano's first game as head coach will come Friday when the Raptors visit Utah to play the Jazz.

Expected to challenge the Celtics in the Atlantic Division this season, Toronto is 8-9 and already eight games behind Boston.

Mitchell is in his fifth season with the Raptors, posting a 156-189 record. He was named the coach of the year in 2006-07 after guiding Toronto to a 47-35 record and a playoff berth. The Raptors regressed to 41-41 last season but still made the playoffs, losing in the first round.

 

[DC4]

Another coach fired....

 

[DC4]

Dam rip beat me to it..lol

 

[FLIP!]

it's the players that suck

 

[.loggie]

i always loved smitch, he never stops yelling at his players. we shouldnt be having this much trouble but were not clicking together like we did before.

 

[.snowy]

it's the players that suck

Pretty much. I hate how much blame, and conversley how much praise coaches get. Like seriously, Doc Rivers didn't have to do very much last year, he had three all stars to carry him.

 

[Rios15]

We need a good SG, like Vince Carter, Anthony Parker can't be a starter.

 

[.snowy]

We need a good SG, like Vince Carter, Anthony Parker can't be a starter.

No, you don't want Vince Carter. You want someone who is not a ball hog, and won't steal shots from team mates. They would be better off with a Joe Johnson or a lockdown defender like Raja Bell.

 

[MapleLeaf]

3 years ago Avery Johnson won coach of the year, 2 years later he is working for ESPN.
2 years ago Sam Mitchell won coach of the year, now he's fired.
Watch out Byron Scott

 

[RipCity32]

Pretty much. I hate how much blame, and conversley how much praise coaches get. Like seriously, Doc Rivers didn't have to do very much last year, he had three all stars to carry him.

+1

 

[Mexi]

3 years ago Avery Johnson won coach of the year, 2 years later he is working for ESPN.
2 years ago Sam Mitchell won coach of the year, now he's fired.
Watch out Byron Scott

Byron will be coaching the Lakers in a few years when Phil retires.
If not him then B-Shaw