i can't help but remember the reasons Avery was fired this time were the same he was fired from Dallas. i'm not saying the job in Brooklyn was/is easy with the parts they have, but look at the main complaints the guy had (especially when the Mavs lost to the 8th seeded Warriors in 07):
1) having a system that he didn't try to tweak a bit to have his players be comfortable, a dictator type role where he forced them in the role (see Devin Harris/Dirk and now Williams/Johnson)
2) constant tweaking lineups in panic or for no reason (i.e. look at the most recent Boston game. they were 2-0 vs. Boston with a big lineup but then starts the game small for no reason and goes back to big at halftime and they get a loss vs. a team they've owned).
Pop and every other coach is going to stick up for him because no one will. the coaches have an "unofficial" fraternity where they got each other's backs even if they're doing a crap job (i'm sure Pop stuck up for Vinny's awful overall job in Chicago among others). until Avery can come up with a system and mentality that he can allow his players to play well on the floor together and still keep his philosophy, he won't be a good overall coach and the players will most likely carry him. if you need proof of it being possible, there's 2 prime examples:
Coach Pop: compare his teams from years ago to the teams this year and last. no way would you expect Pop to go with this type of play but he tweaked his mentality on the court and everyone's playing well AND playing defense.
Phil Jackson: he's known purely as a "Triangle Offense" type guy, but look what he did in 2004 when Payton and Malone didn't feel comfortable in the triangle: he eliminated it and went with another scheme. They might've won the title if Malone didn't get injured. He can coach out of the triangle and tweak his triangle to make it work, he ran the triangle around Jordan, then Shaq/Kobe, then Kobe/Odom, and finally Kobe/Odom/Gasol. he tweaked his mentality and coaching to accommodate the players around him and their skills and that's something Avery definitely doesn't do.
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