Suns fireplace coach Monty Williams regardless of his sturdy observe report

Kevin Durant might be taking part in for an additional new coach subsequent season.

The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Monty Williams on Saturday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The axing comes two days after the Suns suffered a season-ending 125-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday evening in Sport 6 of their Western Convention semifinal collection.

The Suns had been with out star veteran level guard Chris Paul (groin pressure) for Video games 2-6. Deandre Ayton missed Sport 6 as a result of a rib contusion he suffered and performed via in Sport 5.

Paul and Ayton’s futures with the Suns are also in doubt.

Williams, a two-time NBA Coach of the 12 months, was fired regardless of a profitable four-year tenure with Phoenix, during which he posted a 194-115 report and profitable 63 p.c of his video games.

He has been the NBA’s winningest coach since 2021.

That span was highlighted by a visit to the 2021 NBA Finals, during which the Suns blew a 2-0 lead and misplaced in six video games to the Milwaukee Bucks, who also fired their coach, Mike Budenholzer, this week after they misplaced because the No. 1 seed to the Miami Warmth within the first spherical of the playoffs.

Williams’ axing is a pointy reminder of the excessive expectations the Suns — who at the moment are owned by mortgage billionare Matt Ishbia, who bought the crew from Robert Sarver final 12 months — face to win an NBA title with the core of Durant and Devin Booker.

This was the second season in a row the Suns suffered an unpleasant season-ending loss within the second spherical. — final 12 months to Dallas, this 12 months to Denver.

“Neither day feels good,” Williams mentioned after the loss earlier this week to Denver, when requested to match final season’s debacle to this 12 months’s season-ending loss.

Williams additionally blamed himself for the crew’s poor displaying of their Sport 6 loss to the Nuggets.

“I take that personally, not having our crew able to play within the greatest recreation of the 12 months,” Williams mentioned. “That’s one thing that I pleasure myself on and it simply didn’t occur. … That’s one thing I’ve to take a deep have a look at, all the pieces I’m doing.”

After the Sport 6 loss, Durant mentioned it “sucked” that the Suns’ season was over.

“It was a foul feeling,” Durant instructed reporters at his postgame press convention.“It was embarrassing. They got here out and hit us within the mouth, and we couldn’t recuperate.

Durant additionally credited the Nuggets for being “a disciplined crew,” which can not have helped Williams’ case with possession.

— with AP