Are NBA teams that fired their coaches any better off today?

January 13, 7:24 AMSports ExaminerPaula Duffy

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Former 76ers coach, Maurice Cheeks

Six NBA coaches bit the dust by mid-December after less than a quarter of the current NBA season was completed.

• P.J. Carlesimo, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Randy Wittman, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Mo Cheeks, Philadelphia 76ers
• Eddie Jordan, Washington Wizards
• Sam Mitchell, Toronto Raptors
• Reggie Theus, Sacramento Kings

Of those teams, only Philly is consistently better while Minnesota has just peeled off a five-game win streak. You might argue that it is too soon to tell as we approach the middle of January, but I don't think so. I'm left with a question about why the moves were made.

I have not found any information that indicates the clubs aren't paying these men or didn't arrange a buy-out that was beneficial to the terminated coaches.

Philly was a late bloomer last season although they got into the playoffs by the skin of their teeth after losing seven out of their last 10. Their record at that time was two games under .500. They might be that kind of team once again. If so, did firing Mo Cheeks make sense?

Their current record is 17-20, not where the team wanted to be after their sizzling six-game first-round playoff series with Detroit and the big splash signing of Elton Brand in the offseason. But right now they are only a half game out of the eighth seed spot in the Eastern Conference.

Minnesota is an interesting case and perhaps the only team that made a move that you could arguably say had a purpose that might be fulfilled. The replacement coach is their long-time executive, Kevin McHale, whose tenure can be summed up in one word: terrible.

He drafted poorly, traded poorly and ended up giving away his most prized possession, Kevin Garnett, as a gift to the player for his loyalty to the team.

Last season their winning percentage was under .300. That is astounding for an established, non-expansion franchise with a seasoned man at the helm (McHale). Their current record is 11-25 and they are on a five-game winning streak. The team has all the tools to be better, perhaps as successful as Philly, despite the lack of a superstar like Elton Brand.

If Minnesota turns things around to get close to .500 then McHale has locked himself into a coaching job at his age that might not be the life he wants. I love the fact that he was "sentenced" to live with the choices he made as an exec.

Here are the clubs' current records:

• Philadelphia: 17-20 .459  5-5 in last 10 games with four-game win streak
• Toronto: 16-23  .410 4-6 in last 10 games with two-game win streak
• Washington: 7-30 .189 3-7 in last 10 games with a five-game losing streak
• Minnesota: 11-25 .306 7-3 in last 10 games with five-game win streak
• Oklahoma City:  6-33 .154 3-7 in last 10 games with one-game win streak
• Sacramento: 6-29  .237 2-8 in last 10 games with one-game win streak