Pistons fire Collins after 21-24 start

Yesterday, the Detroit Pistons gave him no argument.

They fired their coach after he failed to get his team above .500 this season and alienated many of his players with his overbearing style.

Collins

He was replaced by assistant Alvin Gentry, whose first game was last night at Washington.

"You're always going to have friction when you have a coach that pushes you to attain that level," Pistons president Tom Wilson said yesterday from the team hotel in Washington. "It worked for a long time, and at some point it becomes more difficult to do, and we felt it was getting to that point."

The Pistons said Collins was informed of his dismissal by team owner William Davidson on Sunday night. Rick Sund will assume Collins' job of director of basketball operations.

Many of the players, including those who liked Collins, greeted the news with relief because it brought an end to the recent rampant speculation.

"They've been hemming and hawing about these things and rumors have been circulating," forward Jerome Williams said. "They've finally done what they have to do and the team has to move on. ... Sometimes personalities collide, and we'll just have to see what happens.

"We don't have any more excuses. They've eliminated a piece of the puzzle where people have pointed the finger for whatever reason. Now it's up to the players. They can't point anymore fingers now. Anything that happens from here on out is on us."

Detroit's 21-24 start can be attributed to a number of factors: New players have been slow to mesh; injuries have weakened the lineup; and Grant Hill has been unable to carry the team down the stretch in tight games.

"This year we've struggled and had some chemistry problems," Wilson said. "We had to decide whether we were going to improve as things go on, or allow them to fester. We felt it was best to do something now and move forward."

But Hill had regrets.

"It's unfortunate he's got to get the brunt of the blame," he said. "We're all to blame. We didn't play well."

The Detroit players also reportedly had tired of Collins and his intense approach. Some said they had begun to tune him out. Collins was aware of the problems, but apparently unable to change.

There had been reports that Collins angered Davidson and Wilson when he renegotiated his contract over the summer. His contract was reduced from three years to one, with Collins getting all the money up front.

Still, Wilson said, it was a "very difficult" call.

"We had great success our first two years and probably overachieved, based on what our goals were," he said.

Wilson said Gentry, a 10-year assistant with the Spurs, Clippers, Heat and Pistons, will remain coach at least through the end of the season.

"It is an opportunity for me," Gentry said. "But one of my very best friends lost his job. There is no joy in that."

02-03-98