He's T'd up on a call that goes his way, then shoves Jason Kidd out of bounds as Portland loses again. Someone has to, or the league's highest paid team will continue to unravel. As recently as March 5, they had the best record in the West. Ten days later, after adding disgruntled Rod Strickland to their already overloaded roster, they were suddenly tied with the Mavericks for fifth place. Pippen has told those close to the team that he wants to lead the Blazers out of this mess.
Players arrive late or skip practice altogether.
He openly cursed Dunleavy when he was benched against Seattle, and has snipped at the embattled coach behind closed doors. Some around the team wonder if, at age 35, Scottie can relate to the younger players. Pippen has subtly mentioned to the Portland press how Wallace's lack of control hurts the team. What makes it tough for Scottie is that, in his 14th season, he can no longer lead by example. He's missed 17 games with injuries and is no longer the defensive force he once was.