Casey sinibak ng Raptors

Kasalanan ni James at ng Cavaliers

TORONTO -- Nagta­pos na ang pitong taon na pagiging head coach ni Dwane Casey sa Raptors.

Ito ang inihayag ng To­ronto team kahapon.

“After careful con­si­de­ration, I have decided this is a very difficult but necessary step the fran­chise must take. As a team, we are constantly trying to grow and improve in order to get to the next level,” nakasaad sa official statement ni Rap­tors president Masai Uji­ri.

Winalis ni LeBron James at ng Cleveland Ca­valiers ang Toronto, 4-0, sa kanilang best-of-seven Eastern Confe­rence semifinals series.

Pinasalamatan ni Ujiri si Casey sa kanyang mga nagawa para sa Raptors sa loob ng pitong season.

“We celebrate everything Dwane has done for the organization, we thank him, and we wish him nothing but the best in future. He was instrumental in creating the identity and culture of who we are as a team, and we are so proud of that,” ani Ujiri.

Nagtala ang Toronto ng franchise-record na 59 wins ngayong season pa­ra makamit ang No. 1 seed sa Eastern Confe­rence.

Iginiya ng 61-anyos na si Casey ang Raptors sa playoffs sa nakaraang li­mang seasons.

Sinibak ng Toronto ang Washington Wi­zards, 4-2, sa first round ba­go mawalis ni James at ng Cleveland, 4-0, sa ikat­long sunod nilang post­sea­son match up.

Ito ang ikalawang di­kit na sweep ng Cavaliers sa Raptors sa Eastern Conference semifinals.

Nanalo ang Toronto sa 2-4 kabiguan sa Cleveland sa conference finals noong 2016.

Nilisan ni Casey ang Raptors bilang winni­ngest coach sa franchise history mula sa kanyang itinalang 320-238 record.

Noong Miyerkules ay hinirang si Casey bilang Coach of the Year ng Na­tional Basketball Coa­ches Association.