Before the start of 2011-12 NBA season, there were queries as to how Los Angeles Lakers new coach Mike Brown would be able to take this team forward and gel with the big ego players?
Lakers eccentric forward Meta World Peace, formerly Ron Artest, who is having a poor season so far openly questioned the coaching abilities of Brown, hinting Brown’s ineffective rotations have been the cause of his below par performance. He also put the blame for Lakers loss against the New York Knicks last Friday on Brown.
"Right now, coach is a stats guy," World Peace said. "His background is video coordinator or whatever. So he's all stats. But Ron Artest is all feel."
Brown did not like the comment much and immediately replied.
"If I were him, I'd be frustrated. I talked to him about it," Brown said. "I said, 'Metta, I don't take anything personally. I'm OK with it. Just be careful what you say to the media in that regard. But if I was a stats guy, Metta, you wouldn't be playing at all. Because look at your stats offensively, and then Synergy says you're the 192nd best defensive player in the league.' "
This all episode fuelled a war of words between both.
Brown, who was given the task of coaching Lakers after the heartbreaking resignation of the legendary Phil Jackson, was always expected to struggle because, coaching one of the elite teams in the league can be a pretty tough job.
Brown has a different approach from Phil and he has made few rotations, playing Devin Ebanks and Matt Barnes as the starters in the small forward position in the first few games and then Metta in the next few outings.
Still in his early days, Brown is trying to adjust and trying hard to find a winning combination, so it is rather unfair to question him so early. Lakers might be struggling to repeat their impressive performances of the past but targeting Brown for the team's follies will bear no result. World Peace should instead try to improve on his shooting.
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