Silas getting 1-year extension

[Scottley Crue]

Per our friends at Yahoo, Paul Silas and the Bobcats are closing in on a 1-year extension.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=An5nLSx93_2qGX709jTxk7q8vLYF?slug=aw-silasbobcats021511

Must say I'm quite alright with this.

[murphman]

Great news! He has earned it.

[TheGayKid]

http://www.gifbin.com/bin/112010/1290540018_cats-pupils-go-huge.gif

[ammofan]

Saw this on Twitter a few mins ago! Congrats Paul! So glad we are bringing him back!

[TheBeagle]

Hmmmm. To think if we'd chosen Paul over Ham in '07? No, not going there. Very good news indeed if for nothing else than it assures Oak stays!

[CatNation]

how can you not? great move

[Dcarnys]

awesome!!! Good call on there part.

[Bobcats15]

Would love this to happen!

[davcbow]

I liked Paul Silas when he coached here with the Hornets.. I like Paul Silas here with the Bobcats, I hope they hire him to coach until he retires or his son is ready to take over... 8)

[BRNC]

Well deserved Paul...

Derek Page with a nice write up on Paul...just posted...

Lakers Drubbing Indicative Of Change

At 9-19 and having lost four straight games by an average of over 22 points per contest, the Charlotte Bobcats and then-coach Larry Brown decided it was best to part ways after just over two seasons with the team.

In stepped Paul Silas, who last coached the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2004-2005 season and had some previous experience coaching in Charlotte, leading the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets to four straight playoff appearances from 1999 to 2003. But, after a five-year layoff from coaching and at 28 games into the season, few around the NBA thought the transition into coaching a Bobcats team -- who many thought had maxed out it's potential under Brown -- would go as smoothly as it did.

However, the Bobcats would immediately respond to their new head coach, winning six of the first eight games with Silas at the helm and compiling an 11-6 record through the first 17 games. Lately the Bobcats have stumbled, winning just four-of-10 overall over the last two weeks, but are a total of three games over .500 (15-12) with Silas in charge and are coming off of back-to-back impressive victories. The first came in Atlanta Saturday night on buzzer-beater to take down the Hawks, and last night Charlotte shocked the world with a 109-89 dismantling of the Los Angeles Lakers at Time Warner Arena -- L.A.'s most lopsided loss this season.

"I think the win in Atlanta really helped our focus. Now we know that we can beat good teams," Silas said. "They (the Lakers) played yesterday and might have been a little tired, but they're still a great team so beating that team no matter what is very significant to me."

The Bobcats' confidence seems to be at an all-time high, something Stephen Jackson -- who drained the 20-foot buzzer-beater with two Hawks' defenders in his face to give Charlotte the win Saturday -- credits his new coach for instilling in the team.

"Our confidence is up. Coach [Silas] is giving us the room to go out there and be basketball players, not robots," Jackson said. "I think guys have been able to play more solid and confident that way."

The hiring of Silas has turned a team in the midst of a tailspin into a scrappy squad that continues to battle for that eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. His approach has Charlotte playing a more cohesive, and all around better brand of basketball since taking over the team just before the start of the new year.

"It's obviously been good for our team. Our chemistry is better," Bobcats' forward Gerald Henderson said. "We're playing better on both sides of the ball. Our team responds better to coach Silas' coaching. Nothing to say bad about coach Brown. Obviously it just wasn't working."

Henderson, who spent the most of the first 28 games of the season under Brown locked securely in his dog house, has perhaps benefitted the most from the hiring of Silas. The second-year player scored a total of just 37 points in 175 minutes over the span of nearly two months with Brown coaching, but has taken on a more robust role under Silas; becoming a fourth quarter closer that excels in crunch time for the Bobcats.

Before Silas (28 games), Henderson played more than 20 minutes or scored in double-digits just once each. With Silas (27 games), his play has warranted 15 stints of over 20 minutes (six 30+) and the former 12th overall pick has scored 10 or more points in nine contests

"He gives me a lot of confidence," Henderson said. "Silas coaching style just fits our team, and fits me better."

The Bobcats' head coach has taken control of a team on the verge of combustion by upping the tempo on the court and allowing players to play within themselves, while at the same time demanding accountability without alienating his players.

"We're running more, not setting up as much and I expect guys to play up to their capacity," Silas said. "It's a total change. I just like the energy level that we come with."

One key to the renewed effort and increased chemistry between players on the court is the emphasis Silas puts on communication on the floor, especially on the defensive end. Charlotte has allowed 94 points or fewer in three of the last five contests, and it appears the defense may be rounding into last season's playoff run form.

"I think we're really stressing talking a lot on defense," Silas said. "Which I found they weren't doing as much [under Larry Brown this season]."

Offensively, instead of changing the offense completely and installing an entirely new system over a third of the way into the season, Silas decided to keep Brown's offense. By making very few changes to a system the players already knew, Silas reduced the time it would take for the team to adjust out of the gate and that resulted in a quick start under the Bobcats' coach.
"We've basically kept the same plays that Larry had instituted because it's hard to change on the fly. It takes time for guys to get used to your system," Silas said. "We did change a couple of plays but we basically kept his system so we didn't have to change very much. We have the same calls and everything, and they knew it so all we did was up the tempo of the game. We're running a lot more, rebounding a lot better, defending a lot better, so it's just a total change."

Even with the recent resurgence, the Bobcats currently sit at ninth in the East, one-and-a-half games back of the Indiana Pacers. Each of the three teams that Charlotte is most likely to catch in order to earn a playoff spot (the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Pacers) each hold the tiebreaker should the Bobcats match any of those teams record at the end of the regular season.

Charlotte also faces a rough road over its final 27 games, going on the road to take on the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Spurs, Thunder, Magic (twice). A total of 16 of the final 27 contests are against opponents currently in the playoffs, but this team has shown it has the intestinal fortitude to play hard against quality opponents. It's the cellar dwellers, with Friday's 94-89 loss to the New Jersey Nets as the most recent example, that the Bobcats have had trouble showing up against.

Regardless, with Silas running the show the Bobcats have been much closer to last year's 44-38 playoff team than the 9-19 disaster that showed up for the first part of the season.

Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=18779#ixzz1E5HCsFUV

[teej]

Well earned, and fits in well with the plan. Gives him another year of playoffs before he hands over the reigns to Lil Silas and gives Oak another year of training.

Congrats Paul, this city loves you.

[Absinthe]

This strikes me as completely premature. I mean, what if this team doesn't make the playoffs?

Think about it this way: Larry Brown took the Bobcats to the playoffs for the first time ever and Gerald Wallace was an All Star under him. If this team doesn't make the playoffs this year then extending Silas another year seems silly.

[Dcarnys]

This strikes me as completely premature. I mean, what if this team doesn't make the playoffs?

Think about it this way: Larry Brown took the Bobcats to the playoffs for the first time ever and Gerald Wallace was an All Star under him. If this team doesn't make the playoffs this year then extending Silas another year seems silly.

Even if he doesn't make the playoffs, the turnaround of the team more then warrants the extension.

[Absinthe]

Even if he doesn't make the playoffs, the turnaround of the team more then warrants the extension.

The season is still young. I can see the team finishing with a much, much worse record. The schedule is pretty brutal down the stretch. Three games versus Orlando, for one.

[CatNation]

who cares if we don't make the playoffs, we have a younger team and odds are we're only gonna get younger. Silas is great tohave around the youngins

[Absinthe]

If your team goes from making the playoffs to finishing with a worse record and missing the playoffs that is a step down. There's no way to spin that. The nucleus is pretty much the same as last year.

[teej]

Absinthe: First, because of contracts and trade values, it's nearly impossible to change the team in any major way prior to the end of next season. If you have stability with your coaching staff, it allows you to make certain personnel moves based on the coach rather than based on computers or GM preference. Also, it tells the players that the staff isn't changing, so pay attention and do what you're told. But even if the team doesn't make the playoffs, what Paul has done with DJ, Hendo, Kwame, and Livingston alone is worth an extension. Also, it's good PR for the Charlotte fan base.

And even if we lose every game prior to the end of the season, I highly doubt the buyout figure would be prohibitive enough to keep MJ from firing Paul if he had to. Since he already swallowed a cool $7 million to shitcan Larry.

[Absinthe]

I see your point. I think it's vital for them to bring in a YOUNG coach when the team is being rebuilt, however.

But seriously, this team probably isn't going to make the playoffs. Games against Chicago, LA, Orlando, Oklahoma, Portland, Denver, etc. to close out the season. A good number of those games are on the road too.

[teej]

I see your point. I think it's vital for them to bring in a YOUNG coach when the team is being rebuilt, however.

But seriously, this team probably isn't going to make the playoffs. Games against Chicago, LA, Orlando, Oklahoma, Portland, Denver, etc. to close out the season. A good number of those games are on the road too.

Take a look at that skinny guy that looks like Obama. He's the next head coach, in all likelihood.

We've already proven we play better against LA, Chicago, Denver et al than we do against New Jersey, Milwaukee, etc. This team is 15-13 under Paul. That means they're on pace to go around 39-43. That's around what Philly is. Indy I'm not doing because they're still riding the Vogel hot streak. It's hardly a reach, if they play to the competition level.

EDIT: Just did a thorough look at the sked and I can easily see us getting 17 wins the rest of the way, and I'd be confident in 15. But there are only two games I see as a sure loss, @OKC and @Miami, and then @SAS and @Orlando being extremely difficult but possible. Anything else, I'll be dissapointed if it isn't very close or a win.

And another note, Paul easily has the best record a Bobcat coach has ever had.

[CatNation]

in the big scheme of things, making the 8th seed and getting run out in the playoffs this year is meaningless. what isn't is having guys like DJ, Liv, HENDERSON, Tyrus confident and comfortable.

and LOL at saying finishing with a worse record means Paul Silas did a worse job than LB,that literally makes no sense. And to say the core is the same is just wrong. Last year we had 2 guys that were all star snubs this year, and more vets, healthy Tyrus etc. Not even comparable

[teej]

Last year we had 2 guys that were all star snubs this year

Agreed with the rest of your post, but this makes no sense.

[CatNation]

plenty of people have Tyson and Raymond on their list of all star snubs. even though we know how they played for us, doesn't mean in a better system they couldnt be doing what theyre doing now. LB helped us get to the playoffs, but he crippled the value of almost all our players outside Jack and Crash, which hurt us a lot more than getting swept in the 1st round did. Now Raymond Felton is being viewed as untouchable in a trade for Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups.

[teej]

Now Raymond Felton is being viewed as untouchable in a trade for Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups.

Which makes any of MJ's (alleged) moves seem intelligent by comparison.

[CatNation]

yeah to us bobcats fans its ridiculous, but thats the sentiment of the league overall as well. and thats where LB killed us. for example, thanks to Silas, Henderson looks like a legit young prospect that could be used in a trade for a star, whereas under LB he had almost no value. same as DJ, Liv, even Kwame has some trade value at the moment.

Watching how Henderson is literally improving by the day, doesn't it kind of piss you off that LB kept him chained to the bench and tried to force him to the d league? imagine where he'd be developmentally if we had a guy who knows how to develop young players all along. probably 15/4/4 player by now. LB was like a deal with the devil, we got that nice little playoff beatdown at the expense of 2.5 years of non development in our youth.

[BRNC]

Which makes any of MJ's (alleged) moves seem intelligent by comparison.

...and it is the reason LB is no longer here...you can only pout so long about the players you wanted not being what you want...

I think extending Paul for one year is great...we'll probably (at best) have a shortened season next year...I got the over all feeling Paul was brought here to straighten the ship (and he has) and evaluate the talent...which he is doing...

...and if he does not make the play-offs....that's the hole LB and the players dug themselves into when we had a "soft schedule"...

[Deadshot]

plenty of people have Tyson and Raymond on their list of all star snubs. even though we know how they played for us, doesn't mean in a better system they couldnt be doing what theyre doing now. LB helped us get to the playoffs, but he crippled the value of almost all our players outside Jack and Crash, which hurt us a lot more than getting swept in the 1st round did. Now Raymond Felton is being viewed as untouchable in a trade for Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups.

But wasn't Felton one of the most sought after point guards in the offseason? I know it wasn't the strongest group of point guards in Farmar, Blake, Duhon, etc, but I seem to remember him being near the top of many lists.

[polarcat]

Love the extension! Well earned and love his approach to the team. He adjusts on the fly, his staff is much more active with our team, and he has developed and allowed our young players to improve. Congrats Paul!

[ohara831]

Silas has earned this extension, so I am happy with it. And the commitment is only another year, which appears to be mutually agreeable to both MJ and Silas. That saves us from having to fire him next season sometime if things were not going as well as we hoped for, and also allows us to look for new blood after next season regardless. I like it all the way around.

[TheDorkLord]

Glad to hear this!! Silas has brought some confidence to our younger guys. We now know that Henderson has a chance to make it in the NBA. Kwame seems to be receiving the first positive feedback in a long time and it is showing on the court. Silas earned the extension at a minimum by putting a more watchable product on the floor. How much longer could we have been able to watch where the team was going with Larry Brown? It was painful.

[DY_nasty]

But wasn't Felton one of the most sought after point guards in the offseason? I know it wasn't the strongest group of point guards in Farmar, Blake, Duhon, etc, but I seem to remember him being near the top of many lists.
He was the only capable, proven starter in the bunch.

[TheGayKid]

http://www.gifbin.com/bin/178139105.gif