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NBA: 15 Harshest Coach Firings Of All Time

By Phil Watson

Jan 25, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt (right) reacts beside forward LeBron James (23) against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 108-98. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 25, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt (right) reacts beside forward LeBron James (23) against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 108-98. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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NEW YORK, UNITED STATES: Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Bradley (C) laughs with his wife Ernestine (R) and former New York Knicks basketball teammate Willis Reed (L) during the ‘Back in the Garden’ fundraiser at Madison Square Garden 14 November 1999 in New York. Bradley, a former Knicks player, was joined by dozens of sports stars on the basketball court. (DOUG KANTER/AFP/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES: Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Bradley (C) laughs with his wife Ernestine (R) and former New York Knicks basketball teammate Willis Reed (L) during the ‘Back in the Garden’ fundraiser at Madison Square Garden 14 November 1999 in New York. Bradley, a former Knicks player, was joined by dozens of sports stars on the basketball court. (DOUG KANTER/AFP/Getty Images) /

15. Knicks Fire Willis Reed (Nov. 10, 1978)

The New York Knicks were already in a decline when Red Holzman opted to retire after the 1976-77 season.

The Knicks had won NBA titles—led by Willis Reed—in 1970 and 1973, but when the core group of that club began to age out, the decline was steep. A sub-.500 record and a first-round ouster in 1974-75 was followed by two straight postseason-free campaigns.

Reed was hired without any coaching experience, but led New York to a 43-39 record and a two-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round before the Knicks were steamrolled by the Philadelphia 76ers in a four-game sweep.

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The end for Reed came early in the 1978-79 season. New York’s record fell to 6-8 after a 116-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets to conclude a 2-4 Western swing and Reed was fired the following day.

Reed was undone by statements during his tenure that created a split between him and general manager Eddie Donovan that owner Sonny Werblin felt needed to be fixed. He was replaced by Holzman, who was lured back to the bench.

The Aftermath For Reed: After a couple of years as a volunteer assistant coach at St. John’s, Reed returned officially to coaching when he was hired as head coach at Creighton in 1981. The Bluejays were 52-65 in his four seasons, but resigned after a 20-12 campaign in 1984-85, saying he didn’t think he could be successful within NCAA rules.

He spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks (1985-87) before taking over as coach of the New Jersey Nets in February 1988. He was kicked upstairs after the 1988-89 season and was general manager of the Nets from May 1990 through June 1996.

The Aftermath For The Knicks: Holzman got the Knicks back to the playoffs with a 50-32 campaign in 1980-81, losing in the first round, and retired for good after a 33-win campaign in 1981-82. He was 147-167 in his second stint at the helm and was 0-2 in the postseason, taking a sweep at the hands of the Chicago Bulls in the 1981 playoffs.

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