Suns part ways with coach Alvin Gentry
by USA TODAY Sports, USA TODAY
The Phoenix Suns parted ways with Alvin Gentry Friday, after the team’s 13-28 start, the Suns announced Friday.
No interim coach has been names, but the Suns said in a press release one will be name in the next 24-48 hours. A team press conference is schedule for Friday afternoon.
Suns forward-center Channing Frye addressed the dismissal on Twitter, writing, “I have grown so much under @AlvinGentry. I wish him and his family the best. He’s a great coach and a better man.”
Suns forward Jared Dudley re-tweeted Frye’s message.
The Suns, who are in last place in the Western Conference, are in transition, especially since losing guard Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer. Offseason acquisitions Michael Beasley and Wesley Johnson have not worked out.
The Suns lost at home Thursday night to Milwaukee for the first time in 26 years to equal the franchise’s worst midpoint record since the 1987-88 team went 13-28 coming out of the drug scandal.
Gentry, Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver and President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby had a late-night meeting but Gentry was not let go at that time. A decision was made Friday morning.
The Suns have lost 13 of their past 15 games and 20 of their past 26 games, falling to last in the Western Conference and the fourth-worst record in the NBA. Prior to the season, the Suns management laid out expectations for the Suns to compete for a playoff spot, although the team widely was predicted to miss the playoffs for a third consecutive year.
The Suns struggled all season defensively, ranking second to last in the league for defensive field-goal percentage. The Suns’ offense worsened as the season wore on and the lack of a scorer who can create his own shot or be counted on in crunch time became more apparent. The Suns, ranking fourth worst in 3-point shooting, shot less than 40 percent in four of the past seven games and have not reached 100 points for 10 consecutive games.
Gentry, 58, was in the final contract year of his contract and the Suns will owe him $1.2 … [For more on Phoenix Suns part ways with coach Alvin Gentry, click here.]
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