Written by Neil Greenberg at WashingtonPost.com
The New York Knicks are the latest NBA team making a coaching change, relieving Derek Fisher of his duties and installing Kurt Rambis as interim coach.
Kevin McHale was the first to be fired this season, coaching just 11 games in Houston before his replacement, J.B. Bickerstaff, took over. Lionel Hollins was let go in Brooklyn. David Blatt, who help shepherd the Cleveland Cavaliers to first place in the Eastern Conference, was fired. And last week, Jeff Hornacek was sent packing in Phoenix.
Now, George Karl is reportedly on the hot seat in Sacramento.
Offensively, the Kings are doing okay. Their 103.0 points per 100 possessions rank No. 10 overall and they have an effective field goal percentage of 50.9 percent.
Defensively, they are a disaster. They allow 106.1 points per 100 possessions, sixth most in the NBA, and have trouble defending a number of plays, including spot ups (1.01 points per possession allowed, No. 28 in league) and buckets in transition (1.16 PPP allowed). On the latter, opponents have a 63.2 percent eFG% and score 52.9 percent of the time, per Synergy Sports.
All that adds up to Sacramento currently placed 10th in the West, four wins out of a playoff spot.
Here are three other coaches who should be feeling their seat growing warmer.
Randy Wittman, Washington Wizards
The Wizards were supposed to be an East contender and instead are the No. 10 seed and mostly out of the playoff picture. According to Fivethirtyeight’s projections, the Wizards have a 19 percent chance at making the playoffs.
Injuries have played a role in the underwhelming performance, but outside of transition this squad struggles to create offense. They rank 21st for points per possession in the half court (0.894) and are average at generating points in two of their three most used plays, spot ups (0.944, 21st in NBA) and having the ball handler shoot out of the pick and roll (0.772, 20th).
Defensively, they surrender the 10th most points per 100 possessions (105.1) and have been getting worse as the season wears on.
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