HoopsHype.com Rumors

“We didn’t win the battle in the paint,” P.J. Carlesimo said. “That was a big problem. They increased the defensive pressure and we didn’t handle it as well as we should. We've got to exceed their physicality.” New York Daily News

Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, PJ Carlesimo 

Mike Mazzeo: P.J. called Prokhorov comment about needing to add another player "a very astute observation." #Nets Twitter @MazzESPN

Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Mikhail Prokhorov, PJ Carlesimo 

And given all these facts, the fellow who is presently holding the team together as it enters the playoffs — after six years of wandering around Lotteryland — is still auditioning for his job. “Oh, of course it's an audition,” P.J. Carlesimo conceded. “There’s no doubt about it.” And he is okay with this — because he’s P.J. Because he comes from a world where you learn not to have expectations, where you work for men you cannot see, even after saving their business when it was looked close to hopeless only four months ago. Newark Star-Ledger

Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, PJ Carlesimo 

Brooklyn Nets interim coach P.J. Carlesimo said that his playoff rotation “will probably be more nine (guys) than 10.” “We’ll see,” Carlesimo added after Thursday’s practice. Just speculating here, but if Carlesimo does opt to go with a nine-man rotation, it would be the starters (Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Reggie Evans and Brook Lopez) along with Andray Blatche, C.J. Watson, Kris Humphries and one of either Keith Bogans or Jerry Stackhouse. ESPN.com

Brooklyn Nets, PJ Carlesimo 

Other than pulling Wallace in the fourth quarters of close games, Carlesimo has stuck with the 30-year-old through the injuries and mental struggles, and whatever else is responsible for Wallace’s worst season since becoming a starter in 2004. Carlesimo said Monday his faith won’t wane in the playoffs. “I feel he’s going to come out of it,” Carlesimo said. “He’s shot it too well and he’s scored too much throughout his career. He’ll be fine. It’s just the combination of the injury and the way he’s been struggling. But he’s going to play. He’s going to play minutes for sure.” New York Daily News

Brooklyn Nets, Gerald Wallace, PJ Carlesimo 

After couple years of having his fitness criticized while playing with the Wizards – and logging an infamous DNP- Conditioning last season – Andray Blatche was lauded for getting himself into shape during the summer before signing his one-year deal with the Nets. But the backup center was called out Monday by coach PJ Carlesimo for his conditioning, following a game when Blatche played 37 minutes and looked winded. “Dray was the only one I felt bad about (playing a lot of minutes). And frankly, he needs conditioning,” Carlesimo said “So I thought it was okay. He needs some conditioning and he obviously wants to play against (the Wizards) because he played there. … We thought Dray was going good and the conditioning is good for him.” New York Daily News

Brooklyn Nets, Andray Blatche, PJ Carlesimo 

Speaking to the media for the first time since Kobe Bryant tore his left Achilles tendon Friday in Los Angeles, Nets interim coach P.J. Carlesimo came to the defense of Mike D’Antoni Sunday afternoon before the Nets faced the Raptors. “Sure,” Carlesimo said when asked if Bryant’s injury impacted his thought process about playing his stars in the season’s final few games. “But guys get hurt in practice. “It’s an unfortunate thing. I think the bigger thing, the one that really hurts, is late in the game. That’s the one you agonize over. How big a lead is a safe lead, when do you get guys off the floor? … That’s the one you really can’t afford to have people in there when it’s unnecessary. “When you’re playing for a playoff position, and in particular you’re playing a guy that would play 48 minutes if you’d let him, I think there’s been a lot of unfair commentary directed towards Mike. The only way you get Kobe off the floor is if you pull him off the floor.” New York Post

Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Kobe Bryant, Injury, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Injuries, PJ Carlesimo 

Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov still is looking to go for a big name. Who that is beyond Phil Jackson, who isn’t coming to Brooklyn to coach? We have no idea. But Carlesimo’s excellent work as interim coach, with the team clinching at least the No. 4 seed in the East, will not get him the job on a full-time basis, unless he can get his team to the conference finals. New York Daily News

Brooklyn Nets, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mikhail Prokhorov, PJ Carlesimo 

Before Tuesday the Nets had several different potential first-round playoff opponents, but PJ Carlesimo went with the odds and assumed the Bulls. And that match up presents a wild-card as big as any in the NBA: injured Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, who has yet to play this season while rehabbing ACL surgery but won’t rule out a return for the postseason. “Yes, they’re a better team (with Rose),” Carlesimo said. “But you don’t know how he’s going to come back. He could come back and not be anything like Derrick Rose or he can come back and give them an unbelievable lift. That’s just the wild card. We’re not the only ones who don’t know the answer to that. (The Bulls) don’t know the answer to that.” New York Daily News

Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose, PJ Carlesimo 

Lopez has never played in the playoffs, and the Bulls represent one of the biggest and most physical opponents in the NBA. “I think he’ll be fine,” Carlesimo said. “The thing I’m hoping he does more in the playoffs is rebound. The problem with playing with Reggie (Evans) is people get used to boxing out, making sure their guy doesn’t get the rebound because (Evans) is going to go get it. But we all have to compete for every rebound. .... We have to rebound with five guys, especially if the opponent is Chicago. New York Daily News

Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, PJ Carlesimo 

P.J. Carlesimo’s understanding is that his interim status will be re-evaluated after the playoffs, leaving him with a minimum of four weeks to leave a strong impression on Mikhail Prokhorov and his basketball brain trust. “The impression from Day 1 is that when the year is over, we’ll sit down and talk,” Carlesimo told the Daily News. “There was no expectation (for me) given.” New York Daily News

Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Mikhail Prokhorov, PJ Carlesimo 

Jeff Caplan: Carlesimo on Cuban on D-Will: "I’m sure [Williams] understands you’re not going to expect intelligent statements from Mark anyhow.” Twitter @Caplan_NBA

Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, Mark Cuban, PJ Carlesimo 

In an interview on the YES Network, P.J. Carlesimo says the last question Mikhail Prokhorov asks about any player the Nets are considering is this: "Is he gonna be a good piece on us winning a championship?" Everything else, the interim coach says, is secondary, noting that he considers the Nets owner "a perfect NBA owner." He explains that while "every owner in the League says they want to win a championship. But not a lot of them are willing to put the money out there. He’s already shown that he’s willing to do that." He also notes, as he has in the past, that he didn't decide to take the interim job until he cleared it with Avery Johnson. NetsDaily

Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Mikhail Prokhorov, PJ Carlesimo 

Did Carlesimo receive Coach Avery Johnson’s blessing to take over as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets in December 2012? When Billy King (Nets General Manager) called me, he said, "You know, we made a change this morning," which I didn’t even know about at the time. And he said, "We want you to take over the team on an interim basis," and I said, "Bill," I said, "I gotta talk to Avery." I said, "I’ll talk to Avery, and, I’ll get back to you." I went in, and I talked to Avery, and obviously he was still extremely disappointed, if not upset. And he said, "Hey, you know, that’s the way it is in this league. You gotta do what you gotta do." So the decision was really, you know, stay as assistant coach and let somebody else take the job, or try and make the best of the situation. And, (I) decided to go that route (and take the job). But it really, it still doesn’t sit, you know, as nicely as you would like it to be. Because the circumstances were never the way you wanna get a job. NetsDaily

Brooklyn Nets, Avery Johnson, Coaching, Mikhail Prokhorov, Billy King, PJ Carlesimo 

(His first reaction when Sprewell choked him) More surprise, not shock. Again, I mean, there were so many people around. It was, you know, it’s a practice, and things happen at practice, but no, there was nothing that led up to it. So it was more surprise.(On of if he ever felt in danger) No. It wasn’t a situation like that. (Was he surprised that Sprewell returned to practice 20 minutes after the incident) Yes. NetsDaily

Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Latrell Sprewell, PJ Carlesimo 

On what went wrong between him and Sprewell, and if it still bothers him today: No, to this day, I don’t (know what precipitated it), I’m not sure exactly what it was, but…something set him off, and, just, that’s the way he reacted, and the rest is history. I think people who don’t know basketball, that’s the only thing they know. Like if someone says Spre’s name or someone says my name…they say, "Oh, that, those two guys, I know that." From here (New York area), if you say my name, they’ll probably relate it to Seton Hall. If you say it on the West Coast, people relate it to Golden State or to Portland. Did the incident have any racial undertones? No, no, no. People are always gonna, you know, look at it and say, "Well, it’s a black player, it’s a white coach." No. I don’t think so. A lot of the players and coaches in the league (NBA), (who) immediately, you know, stood up and said, "Whoa, wait a minute." Let’s not bring something into this that’s not in it." That never had any legs. NetsDaily

Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Latrell Sprewell, PJ Carlesimo 

Did he and Sprewell patch things up? No, not really. (If they ever spoke about the incident) Not really. You know, "Hello", before a game, after a game, something like that. But first time we were together again was my first game I did for NBC when I was doing broadcasting with another Fordham buddy of your(s), Mike Breen. The first game we did, Christmas Day (2001). It was Madison Square Garden and Spre came over, I think, to do a post-game radio (interview) with Clyde or something like that, but that was the first time we had been face to face since the…since the hearing. Again, it was, you know, hello, somewhat... It was cordial. (If Sprewell ever apologized) Not a problem. No. (Did he expect him to?) No, no. (If Carlesimo wants him to apologize) No. No, not needed. No, it’s over. I mean, it’s over. It was a long time ago, and (you) move on. NetsDaily

Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Latrell Sprewell, PJ Carlesimo 

PJ Carlesimo on coaching the actor Denzel Washington on Fordham’s junior varsity basketball team: (Washington) played at Mount Vernon High School (north of New York City). (He) Came to us as a walk-on, went to the downtown campus, the Lincoln Center campus (Fordham University’s campus in midtown Manhattan), came up and tried out for the team and was a pretty good player. But, this kid…from Mount Vernon stuck it out for two years. (He) didn’t start for us. We were 18-0 the one year. He was already doing productions in New York and at Fordham. On his current relationship with Washington: Oh, he’s great. He’s been unbelievable. He’s been really good to Fordham. We both spend a lot of time with the Boys and Girls Club as one of our charities. When we go to L.A. is usually where I see him, the Laker games, he’s sitting right up front. NetsDaily

Coaching, Denzel Washington, PJ Carlesimo 

Did Carlesimo receive Coach Avery Johnson’s blessing to take over as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets in December 2012? PJ Carlesimo: When Billy King (Nets General Manager) called me, he said, "You know, we made a change this morning," which I didn’t even know about at the time. And he said, "We want you to take over the team on an interim basis," and I said, "Bill," I said, "I gotta talk to Avery." I said, "I’ll talk to Avery, and, I’ll get back to you." I went in, and I talked to Avery, and obviously he was still extremely disappointed, if not upset. And he said, "Hey, you know, that’s the way it is in this league. You gotta do what you gotta do." So the decision was really, you know, stay as assistant coach and let somebody else take the job, or try and make the best of the situation. And, (I) decided to go that route (and take the job). But it really, it still doesn’t sit, you know, as nicely as you would like it to be. Because the circumstances were never the way you wanna get a job. NetsDaily

Brooklyn Nets, Avery Johnson, Coaching, Billy King, PJ Carlesimo 

At least that's how P.J. Carlesimo feels about Mikhail Prokhorov, who's on the hook for a roughly $12.8-million luxury tax bill this season. And the Nets' tax number is expected to jump significantly in 2013-14. "You couldn't overstate it," the Nets' interim coach said Monday. "It's one of the best things an owner can do. "I think giving a coach a long-term contract is more important," he joked, "but other than that . . . I think you've got an owner who's willing to spend money and not pay lip service. All the owners go, 'We want to win a championship.' When you've got somebody that is committed to winning and expends funds to do it, give [GM Billy King and [assistant GM] Bobby Marks and these guys the resources, it's fantastic." Newsday

Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Bobby Marks, Mikhail Prokhorov, Billy King, PJ Carlesimo