re: Bill Simmons on recent BS Report: "Pels will replace Monty with Thibs"

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ZILLER: I agree with you on Thibs. It's a bit like Let Westbrook Be Westbrook: you can't have the good without the bad. His dedication to grinding every single moment (plus all that talent, who all bought in) is what got them on top of the East in 2011 and 2012. Monty has been pounded repeatedly for his tactics, but something's working, because the Pelicans won't die despite a bunch of injuries. He's certainly not perfect, but he deserves a lot more credit than most are willing to give. You went down to witness the team for a while. Does he seem to have a serious impact on the Pelicans' drive? He said in your big piece that he's felt a need to take some of the "veteran leader" burden off Anthony Davis. That surely has real value, right? FLANNERY: I think it does, but more importantly, Monty Williams and Anthony Davis think it does. Here's an example: Monty kept AD out of the lineup the first night I was there for a game against the Clippers even though Davis wanted to play. They had no business winning that game, but they did anyway. That's a testament to two things: One, Monty's not going to put his star player in jeopardy for a short-term benefit; and two, somehow, someway they keep winning games they should lose. Now, the flipside is they've lost a lot of games they should win, so again, no one knows anything.

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There aren't a lot of coaches who would approach it this way and I think that's a good thing for AD long-term. ZILLER: It totally is. And that sort of positive impact is lost on the 99 percent of basketball fans who aren't in the locker room. We think we see Monty's tactical failings -- even though most of those of likely more than meets the eye; remember, we know nothing -- and so we write him off. But behind the veil he's doing things to infuse his team with faith, loyalty and trust. All of that has value in the long term ... if he's allowed to stick around for the long run.

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