One day after calling his team’s effort embarrassing and promising to change the starting lineup, Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy was still not in a mood to mince words.
Asked if he was worried about the team’s psyche after recent struggles, a players’ only meeting, and a 113-82 shellacking at the hands of the Chicago Bulls, Van Gundy remained the illest.
“I told them today and made it pretty clear that I don’t really care,” he said, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Ellis said Van Gundy went on to say that he would care if the team was playing hard.
“Until then, the team is getting the hand,” Ellis wrote.
Rod Beard of the Detroit News reports Van Gundy followed up that blunt assessment by saying, “My basic message today was ‘Do your job.’ ”
The comments come less than 24 hours after a classic Van Gundy post-game ass-chewing of his laconic players, who have reportedly been griping about touches.
"It was a disgusting performance, by all of us," Van Gundy said. "Me included. It was unprofessional. Embarrassing. Humiliating. Whatever you want to say, it was terrible."
Van Gundy guaranteed a new starting five last night, and after practice he said he knows what the new starting five will be, but he’s not talking about it until after the game.
It wasn’t all bad news from Van Gundy, however. According to Jake Chapman of 105.1 The Bounce, the Pistons official radio affiliate, Van Gundy complimented the team’s effort in practice.
“SVG says he told a few guys at practice today that that was the hardest they’ve played all season,” Chapman wrote.
So ...... things are looking up?