If the New York Knicks shocked the Boston Celtics Sunday, then the Celtics tripleshocked the basketball world Tuesday by firing Coach Jimmy Rodgers.
Forty-eight hours after the Knicks completed their stunning rally from an 0-2 deficit and eliminated the Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs, General Manager Jan Volk called Rodgers at his home in Winchester, Mass., and told him he was fired."This was a decision made by upper management and ownership," Volk told reporters in his office late Tuesday afternoon.
Rodgers, 47, is the first Celtics coach fired since Tom Sanders was dismissed 14 games into the 1978-79 season. The Celtics were 2-12 at the time.
"He wasn't able to translate what he wanted to do into a successful year. It's as simple as that," Volk said. "I talked to him over the phone to expedite things. He was disappointed, as one would expect. He was a gentleman. He understands the nature of the business."
But another Celtics official who spoke to Rodgers later said the coach was shocked, upset and bitter over his dismissal. He had just finished his second year as head coach after 17 years in the NBA as an assistant coach and director of player personnel.
Last season, with Larry Bird sidelined for all but the first six games, the Celtics finished the regular season 42-40 and lost three straight to Detroit in the first round of the playoffs.
This season, with Bird healthy, the Celtics finished 52-30 but still lost in the first round of the playoffs. Having blown a 2-0 lead made the setback doubly frustrating.
Rodgers joined the Celtics for the 1980-81 season as Bill Fitch's assistant. When Fitch resigned after the 1983 season, Rodgers remained as K.C. Jones' No. 1 assistant. He succeeded Jones at the end of the 1988 season.
Rodgers began his pro coaching career with Fitch in Cleveland in 1971-72.
There was a ripple of dissatisfaction among the players this season. In December, when Seattle came to town, Bird talked about how much he enjoyed playing for K.C. Jones and that Jones just would have let the veterans play their style. At one point in the season Bird seemed to resent not getting the ball more often. Kevin McHale also at times questioned Rodgers' tactics.