Sam Mitchell

On Billy Donovan and Playoff Futility

November 17, 2025 by Harlan Schreiber

After a nice start to the season, the Bulls have regressed back to the .500ish play-in team that they have been basically the entire decade so far. Coach Billy Donovan has overseen this entire run of mediocrity. For the past five years, the Bulls have made a single playoff appearance and won only one playoff game. Donovan is a perfectly fine coach working with a roster designed to be underwhelming. Still, it is wild to think that in this modern NBA, where coaches rarely last two … [Read more...] about On Billy Donovan and Playoff Futility

The COY Curse?

June 17, 2018 by Harlan Schreiber Leave a Comment

In 2013, Nuggets coach George Karl won Coach of the Year and responded as follows: “Coach of the year? I’m not sure I want that legacy. Have you seen what happens to guys who win coach of the year?” Karl was let go by the Nuggets less than a month later. Five years later, Dwayne Casey suffered a similar fate (Denver chose not to give Karl a new contract while Casey was affirmatively fired). Still, management had the same beef, a disappointing postseason. Karl’s observation got me wondering … [Read more...] about The COY Curse?