Coaches are supposed to work to make the game easier for their players, by helping with skill development, physical conditioning and mental readiness. Making the game more difficult for your team is the opposite of what a coach ought to do, which explains a lot about the Minnesota Timberwolves' crummy record.
Lakers Coach Taunts DeMarcus Cousins, Owes Andrew Bynum Dinner
L.A. Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw -- Phil Jackson's likely replacement, by the way -- perhaps doesn't understand that it's a bad idea to motivate opponents to play extra hard against your team. That's exactly what Shaw did last Friday before the Sacramento Kings played the champs, according to Nate Rose of Kings.com.
"I kind of got mad before the Lakers game," [Cousins] said. "I was just warming up and Brian Shaw came up to me and said, ‘I know who Andrew Bynum is going to eat for dinner tonight.' It inspired me, and it has carried over."
I hope Shaw was talking about a cornish hen or something, because Bynum decidedly did not eat up Cousins. The rook had 27 points and 10 rebounds. Bynum struggled with 12 points and four rebounds.
Of course, perhaps Shaw was trying to gin up some motivation from Cousins on purpose; the knock on DMC is that he's emotional, prone to trying to do too much with the ball and gets easily aggravated. In actuality, Cousins -- despite some goofy long jumpers -- played a measured, almost militaristic game. He just bludgeoned Bynum and Pau Gasol with strong moves and smart plays.
He repeated it the next night against Emeka Okafor and the New Orleans Hornets, and Kings fans (myself included) pray he can do the same on Tuesday against the Boston Celtics. Wouldn't that be something, if the Lakers inspired Cousins to be all he can be with a simple little taunt?
Well, at least Shaw’s helping someone become a better player.
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