Despite posting the team’s first 50-win season in 20 years and taking the Los Angeles Clippers to the brink of elimination in a thrilling seven-game playoff series, the Golden State Warriors fired head coach Mark Jackson today, team officials said.
In his three years as head coach, Jackson led the Warriors to a combined 121-109 record and two playoff berths. Jackson was named head coach on June 6, 2011.
“Mark has accomplished many good things during his three years with the organization, including his role in helping elevate this team into a better position than it was when he arrived,” Warriors general manager Bob Myers said in a statement. “However, as an organization, we simply feel it’s best to move in a different direction at this time.”
Owner Joe Lacob also acknowledged the improvement the team has made under Jackson but said, “We must make some difficult decisions in our day-to-day operations of the club and this would certainly qualify as one of those examples.”
Jackson, 49, is only the third head coach in Warriors franchise history to lead the team to a 50-win season and posted the fourth-most wins of any head coach with the organization, behind Alvin Attles, Don Nelson and Eddie Gottlieb, team officials said.
The last two years have been the best two seasons for the Warriors since the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons, the last time the team made consecutive playoff appearances.
Scott Morris, Bay City News
