Lenny losingest coach ever, to be fired soon

[Admin]

TORONTO (AP) -- Lenny Wilkens set the NBA record for most career coaching losses, dropping his 1,107th game Friday night as Malik Rose scored 23 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the Toronto Raptors 124-98.

Wilkens, already the winningest coach in league history with 1,292 victories, surpassed Bill Fitch's record with one of the Raptors' most lopsided losses of the season.

Wilkens, in his 30th year as an NBA coach, could have just seven games remaining in his Hall of Fame career. The 65-year-old is expected to be fired at the end of the season.

[Diesel]

But over the past 30 years, he's won over 54% of his games.

So, sure he's lost the most, but to say Losingest coach suggests that he has lost more often. That's not the same. In fact, if you allow some of these coaches who are coaching now, to coach as many games as Lenny has, they'd have more losses than he has.

I guess that's one of the bad parts of coaching over 30 years in the NBA.

[Jamil]

That's about what he's averaged. That's a yearly record of 45-37. I'd say that's pretty damned good.

[Diesel]

People talk about the 50 game winners, but only a few coaches excell to be over .500 for their whole career. 45-37 sounds really good right now.

[Traceman]

coach of all time although he certainly didn't have the highest winning percentage or the most championships.

Actually, I don't think he should be remembered as the winningest or losingest coach of all time. He was simply an above average coach who coached for a long time.

At one time, I think Lenny was actually a pretty decent coach but after you coach as long as he did, you are bound to lose some of your fire and I think that is what happened to him. I think his work ethic diminished quite a bit over the years and he really hasn't done a great job as coach since his early years in Atlanta.

I think he needs to go ahead and retire and just go relax. Not many guys will be HOF players and coaches. That is quite an achievment. I was glad to see him leave here but I wish him well in retirement.

[chillzatl]

take a few years off, watch the game from OUTSIDE the game. Give yourself a few years off to see how the game and its players have changed without having to actually deal with the stress and pressure of it. Then come back to a team that needs the structure, knowledge and background you can bring it.

[Diesel]

47-35 per season over the last 30 years.

He has won more games than anyone else. His percentage doesn't rank up there with some of these coaches who coach 4 seasons and that's it.... Or with some of these coaches who have Shaq and Kobe or Jordan and Pippen. However, with his teams, he has had very little in the way of Superstars and he has managed 47-35 over the last 30 years.

Also. That's not only 3 decades of basketball, but that's several different styles of basketball. The game changes with rule changes and yet, he has still averaged 47-35 over 30 seasons.

Winningness or Losingness, he has an impressive mark. When there's no more Shaq/Kobe, let's and it's 15 years later, lets see if Phil continues to coach? And if he does, let's see if the percentage stays high.

[KB21]

He's still got some knowledge he can impart to the game, but he has lost touch of today's players. They don't want to play his slow down, throw the ball into the post every time down the court, style. They don't understand his defense. Today's NBA is getting younger, and these young players need motivation. Motivation is not Lenny's strong suit.

If Lenny could get a veteran team that is self motivated and knows how to play without coaching where he can basically sit back and do nothing, then he might be able to win.

If he went to a team like the Cavaliers, he would not only lose. He would lose royally.

[Traceman]

"If Lenny could get a veteran team that is self motivated and knows how to play without coaching where he can basically sit back and do nothing, then he might be able to win."

[Traceman]

his career. Many thought of Vince Carter as the 2nd coming when he played for Butch Carter. Many considered him to be every bit as good as Kobe and T Mac and BETTER than AI, Pierce, Nowitzki, etc. Then Lenny came along and he is now seen as an underachiever with no heart and a poor work ethic. Coincidence? I think not.

I know Vince has struggled with injuries but not all of his downward spiral is related to his injury problems. I don't think his game improved at all under Lenny. In fact, I think he regressed. He is no longer aggressive and he usually settles for jumpers rather than going strong to the hole. He doesn't defend very well despite being very strong and a great athlete. Lenny didn't demand the work that was necessary for Vince to improve and that is why T Mac and Kobe are great and Vince is just good.

[Diesel]

Many thought that Vince was SOFT under Butch Carter. Remember the Knicks and the Playoffs.

Many felt that he didn't have the heart under Butch Carter. Remember during the Knicks Series in the playoffs he went to graduate instead of preparing for the biggest playoff game of his life.

The only difference between Vince Now and Vince then is JUMPER'S KNEE. That's not Lenny's fault. In fact, Lenny has built a team around Vince that can win with or without him. Remember Last yrs playoff run.

The only problem there has been hurt players and BIg Contracts.

[chillzatl]

He was playing Philly when he went back to NC to graduate, not the knicks.

last years Raptors team was a fluke. Don't hold them up as some example of "what lenny built". That teams success had jack [censored] to do with Lenny. Those players stepped up, period. They did what they had failed to do for an entire season with Vince on the court. When there was no Vince for them to stand around and watch, they finally started playing some real ball. If lenny caused that, why did it talk him 2/3'rds of a season and a wounded superstar to make it happen?

[Diesel]

Chillz...

It's funny to me that you blame the coach when they lose and credit the players only when they win?

Could you be a little more consistent.

I give Lenny his credit. He coached that team into the playoffs last year. It was good coaching and that can't be taking away from him. Much like he coached us to 50 win seasons for most of his career in Atlanta.

As far as team and Injury. The difference in that team is that they lost Childs and Clark. Those were two great loses for that Raptor team. Not to mention that this year they were devastated by injuries.