Coach Collins questions commitment of some of his players.
Philadelphia 76ers coach Doug Collins gave a frustrated 10-minute post-game press conference on Tuesday night, after seeing his team fall to a 98-84 home loss to the Orlando Magic.
Collins didn’t hold back on his criticism, at times calling out players by name, but generally questioned the commitment, intensity and desire of his team as a whole.
Andrew Bynum, who has yet to play for the 76ers since his arrival in the off-season after sustaining a knee injury, didn’t escape Collins’ wrath either as he expressed his disappointment that the team have had nothing in return for their trade.
This latest defeat was their sixth straight, and what possibly irked Collins the most was that it was against a Magic side who are 3-28 since December 21 and 1-14 on the road in that time.
“I gave my body to this franchise [as a player],” he told the media as reported by NBA.com.
“I was never booed as a player. Never. I ran through my sneakers.
“If everyone looked inside themselves as much as I did, this world would be a CAT scan, OK? There’s nothing wrong with our preparation. I looked out there to start the game, three guys weren’t even sweating when we started the game! You’ve got to get sweaty. You’ve got to be ready to go.”
Philadelphia currently sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference with a 22-23 record, with their next game coming in Chicago against the Bulls on Thursday.
Collins will undoubtedly be hoping for a reaction from his players, but if they fail to oblige then 76ers fans will be facing a desperate wait for the conclusion to the season.
“Nobody takes this harder than I do. Nobody. I’m a guy who, when I have coached, I’ve always been able to find some answers. And I have not been able to find answers. And from my standpoint, that is very disappointing, because I’m paid to do that,” Collins concluded.
After receiving a one-year contract extension which expires at the end of the current season, Collins will likely be questioning his own future in Philadelphia based on his comments.
Were he to extend for another year, it would be the first time he has lasted more than three seasons at a franchise, with previous stops at Chicago, Detroit and Washington.
COMMENTS