Chronic: Adelman would be wise to heed Rockets' blunders

[Rockets34Legend]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/justice/4815278.html

By our good friend, Richard Justice....

Sometime before Rick Adelman begins hanging pictures in his new office, the Rockets may get around to telling Jeff Van Gundy they've decided to change coaches.

Or maybe not. The Rockets have mishandled this thing almost every step of the way, so they may see no reason to change now.

Judging by two conversations I had with a team official Thursday, they don't know or don't care about doing the right thing. Are you paying attention, Rick Adelman?

The bottom line is Rockets owner Les Alexander doesn't want Van Gundy back as coach. I know this because the Rockets have begun negotiating a contract with Adelman.

To negotiate with a new coach before getting rid of the current coach is classless beyond discussion. But at least it signals what the Rockets plan to do.

No amount of spinning — and the Rockets were doing plenty Thursday — will make it the right way to do business.

Van Gundy deserves better. He gave the Rockets his best shot for four seasons. No other coach could have worked harder or cared more. No other coach could have taken defeat harder. He's a professional in every sense of the word.

No matter what Alexander thinks of Van Gundy's offensive schemes or his defensive strategy, this is no way to run a railroad. Are you paying attention, Rick Adelman?


Stories get crossed up
Maybe there's a split inside the front office. Maybe rookie general manager Daryl Morey wants Van Gundy back and is holding out hope he can convince Alexander to agree.

The Rockets were attempting to sell an assortment of stories Thursday. Few of them rang true.

First, the guy I spoke with said Van Gundy hadn't decided whether he wants to continue his coaching career. If this is the party line, it won't fly.

Van Gundy informed Morey on Saturday he would like to return as coach, according to a person with direct knowledge of the coach's thinking.

"If Les wants me back, I want to be back," Van Gundy reportedly told Morey.

Wait, there's more. The Rockets say Van Gundy "made demands we can't meet." This, too, appears to be a lie.

The Rockets want you to believe they're changing coaches because Van Gundy forced them to do it. They're trying out parallel story lines — that he wouldn't give them an answer (not true) or made unreasonable demands (also not true).

For some reason, the Rockets want Van Gundy to be the heavy. They may think fans will riot at Toyota Center if the little guy is axed.


Rockets out of touch
Talk about being out of touch. Unless Hunter Pence shows up when Adelman is announced, few people are going to care much one way or the other.

In truth, Van Gundy told the Rockets he had just one condition about returning for a fifth season. He wanted to know Alexander wanted him back. He made no demands concerning salary, staff or roster decisions.

Here's more spin.

The Rockets say it was Van Gundy who suggested Alexander interview Adelman. This was told to me in the context of Van Gundy's ambivalence about continuing his coaching career. Not true.

Van Gundy, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, told Alexander last week: "I know you have problems with my coaching style. You ought to look around and see if someone is out there you'd rather have coaching your team."

Alexander apparently wants more of an up-tempo, Phoenix Suns style of play, and Van Gundy is uncertain that a team with Yao Ming can play that way. He's a defense-first coach.

Van Gundy did give Adelman his blessing to interview for the job, telling him Alexander seemed ready to make a change.

Once Adelman arrives, he'll learn Alexander fancies himself quite the personnel expert, too.

It was Adelman — or someone close to Adelman — who told Van Gundy the Rockets were ready to talk money. Van Gundy has yet to hear it from anyone with the Rockets.


Van Gundy peace offering
Late Thursday, the Rockets finally seemed to understand they had blown it and made a peace offering.

Even though Van Gundy hasn't been told he won't return as coach, he was asked if he would be interested in remaining with the team as consultant.

Is that the definition of hush money? Such a job might keep him from giving an unvarnished opinion about how he has been treated.

But because he has promised his family he won't move them again for a while, he might take it for practical reasons.

There might be an awkward moment or two if he's at the news conference in which Adelman is introduced as the coach. The Rockets might not even understand why it would be awkward, but it will be.

Are you paying attention, Rick Adelman?

[Outlier]

Great article. Too much funny business going on within the Rockets organization, sheez.

[ghettocheeze]

WOW I'm convinced Les Alexander is an incompetent fool and JVG is no better :D

[couch_pot8o]

see, this is why im so torn up with whats up with the organization.. someone's saying this and that, and someone else is saying the complete opposite from the other story. its just too confusing.. is jvg really gettin his @ss booted out of here in such a disrespectful way, or are they really making a compromise or working something out that would be best for both parties?! this whole fiasco has really gotten out of hand and i dont know which is truely happening.. whatever happened to "the rockets are one of the classiest organizations in the league"? i mean, i want jvg out, and adelman in, but in fairness, jvg doesnt deserve this kind of a pink slip (if indeed he is gettin this kind of bad treatment with les).


Van Gundy peace offering
Late Thursday, the Rockets finally seemed to understand they had blown it and made a peace offering.

Even though Van Gundy hasn't been told he won't return as coach, he was asked if he would be interested in remaining with the team as consultant.

Is that the definition of hush money? Such a job might keep him from giving an unvarnished opinion about how he has been treated.

But because he has promised his family he won't move them again for a while, he might take it for practical reasons.

There might be an awkward moment or two if he's at the news conference in which Adelman is introduced as the coach. The Rockets might not even understand why it would be awkward, but it will be.

Are you paying attention, Rick Adelman?

hmmm JVG as a team consultant, or a "defense coach" but on the hush and without the title? and adelman would be the "offense coach".. hmmm....

p.s.
welcome to houston rick adelman!

[Hippieloser]

Huh. What a mangled situation this has become. It seems as though Les Alexander doesn't wan't JVG back. I guess he expected Van Gundy to "retire?" To resign? I don't know what he expected, but if he didn't want him back he should have simply told him so. Or HIRED someone to tell him so. Hell, make Morey do it, surely that's part of his job.

I'm okay with the Rockets making a change. I guess Adelman is as good a candidate as anyone out there, except maybe for Larry Brown, and who wants to deal with him? I am upset over how JVG appears to be being treated. I respect the fact that nobody has trashed anybody publicly, but you shouldn't find out second hand that your boss is interviewing for your job. That's bull****. JVG may not have gotten us out of the first round in his four years here but I fully believe that he tried his very best and sincerely worked hard to win. He deserves better treatment, even if the decision has been made to bring in a fresh face.

[hooroo]

Yawn, Justice trying to create a story out of nothing.

[Invisible Fan]

This wouldn't sound remotely credible had Rudy's ouster not have been as incompetently handled as what's written here.

[Pizza_Da_Hut]

How do we know Jeff isn't involved in the discussions as is? and F jeff, we need to focus on winning, not being "classy"

[wnes]

What's Gundy gotta do?

No justice, no peace?

LOL

[BigM]

i don't have a lot of confidence when it's justice writing the article because i don't know what's fact and what's bulls!t.

i mean, i'm a van gundy supporter but i hardly believe it's only one side(the rockets) that's messing around here.

i will say every day that seperates me from game 7, i want him back as our coach even more.

[SuperKev]

Adelman is a terrible coach...

His teams win counts DECLINED in 80% of his years coaching.

What are we thinking???

[Yaozer]

We could bring in DaDa for much cheaper...

jk ;)

[thumbs]

Sadly, this looks like Richard Justice is trying to sabotage the Rockets effort to improve our coaching situation. However, no coach worth his salt will be intimidated by such "warnings."

[doublebogey]

WOW I'm convinced Les Alexander is an incompetent fool and JVG is no better :D

I am an incompetent fool but I dont get millions. How can be an incompetent fool and make millions bucks? Please tell me. :confused:

[Amel]

Yawn, Justice trying to create a story out of nothing.

I agree, its BS coming out of his mouth like always

his articles should be banned

[Amel]

Sadly, this looks like Richard Justice is trying to sabotage the Rockets effort to improve our coaching situation. However, no coach worth his salt will be intimidated by such "warnings."

I do agree somewhat, but hey! it's just a stupid blog and Justice is an idiot

[xiki]

This wouldn't sound remotely credible had Rudy's ouster not have been as incompetently handled as what's written here.

Good point. I buy RJ's story as truth, if not fact. Folks, we're losers for a decade. Money (Les) winners and a team no one wants to play in the p/o's, but beats anyway. When we get there, that is.

BTW - RA is as ugly or uglier to look at than JVG. I hope his stache is gone.

[rhester]

:mad:

If you needed Richard Justice to point out the obvious to you.....

Truth- Rockets have not offered Van Gundy publically a new contract.
Translation- They don't want Van Gundy back.
Truth- Van Gundy has not quit.
Translation- He would come back.
Truth- The Rockets have given nothing but muddled signals that change as time goes on.

Translation- They (Les) have handled this about as well as the original Calvin Murphy firing, and Rudy T 'quitting'.

Rick Adelman- I would like to be the first to predict we will not compete for a championship until after the TMac Yao era. Unless they fire Adelman after the end of his first season and get some talented players around TMac and Yao.

Van Gundy had faults just like every coach has faults, but he was one of the top tier coaches, a big step above Adelman.

Does anyone really think a coach is going to fix this....

TMac is soft (mentally and physically)
Yao is slow and unathletic (not his fault, it is what it is)

Both of these deficiencies could be compensated for with the right type of players surrounding these guys, because they are both good scorers.

We have really bad matchup problems- did anyone see what Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Harpring and Okur did to us? We only took that series to 7 games because we had a defensive system in place that held the games close and Tracy scored often enough and created enough to keep them close.
We just got exposed, that's all.

Until we get better help than- Rafer Alston, Chucky Hayes, Luther Head, Deke, and J Howard we will remain a team that wins with gutsy defense and the scoring load on two players.

It is sick how far we went this past season with that roster.

I can't wait for Adelman to work magic on these guys, our supporting cast of players couldn't make the bench on Phoenix or Dallas. ;) Smiley face, I feel better now.

[A_3PO]

First time in a while I liked a Richard Justice column. I repeat: This mess is on Les. My respect for him couldn't be any lower right now. Dear Les: Be a man and cut JVG, hire Adelman and take responsibility for the success/failure that follows. You ain't foolin' nobody. Stop the charade. You are pathetic.

[weslinder]

First of all, this is Richard Justice, so to say that it's worth the paper it's printed on would be insulting to the trees that gave their life to make that paper.


However, if I go on the assumption that it's true, which is an enormous leap of faith, why would Adelman even want to come. The way they've treated Van Gundy is just bizarre. I almost think that in Les's bizarro world, Van Gundy is now his backup plan. Like he can go and court other coaches and Van Gundy will be waiting on the couch for his phone call if those fall through.

[xiki]

adding Board fav Vecsey to Board fav RJ, here's: http://www.nypost.com/seven/05182007/sports/playing_coach_up_sports_peter_vecsey.htm

PLAYING COACH-UP HOW 'BOUT THAT?

The Rockets are about to name Rick Adelman their new coach, ushering Jeff Van Gundy out, just as Peter Vecsey reported earlier this month.

May 18, 2007 -- ENDING educated speculation that highly-coveted free agent coach Sam Mitchell may leave the Raptors for the Pacers or the Bobcats, the NBA's reigning Coach of the Year and Toronto team president Bryan Colangelo have come to terms, The Post has learned. According to a Canadian Mountie, the fully guaranteed agreement is for three years at $4 million per, a $2.4M raise.

This just in: Stan Van Gundy has emerged as the prohibitive favorite (over Brian Shawn and Jim Boylan) to replace Rick Carlisle in Indiana.

The Post also has learned the Rockets soon will announce Rick Adelman as their new coach, that more or less confirming my original Jeff Van Gundy-is-done story.

Adelman is a flawless choice for a team anchored by two superstars and two or three other key components. Never a self-promoter or one to demand players he must or must not have, he merely manages (never over-coaches) the personnel on tap and gets them to the playoffs - 14 out of 14 times as coach of Portland and Sacramento.

As expected, Van Gundy is back behind the microphone (for tonight's Game 6 Spurs-Suns telecast), where he has all the answers for everything that's wrong with the world and the game, and where his system always works perfectly.

It's interesting to note that the lone time one of his teams got anywhere worthwhile - the 1999 Knicks - is when players he diametrically resented coaching did their own thing.

[doublebogey]

Adelman is a flawless choice for a team anchored by two superstars and two or three other key components. Never a self-promoter or one to demand players he must or must not have, he merely manages (never over-coaches) the personnel on tap and gets them to the playoffs - 14 out of 14 times as coach of Portland and Sacramento.


This is an excellent good point. As least Peter Vecsey gets it right sometimes.

[monkeyboy32]

:mad:

If you needed Richard Justice to point out the obvious to you.....

Truth- Rockets have not offered Van Gundy publically a new contract.
Translation- They don't want Van Gundy back.
Truth- Van Gundy has not quit.
Translation- He would come back.
Truth- The Rockets have given nothing but muddled signals that change as time goes on.

Translation- They (Les) have handled this about as well as the original Calvin Murphy firing, and Rudy T 'quitting'.

Rick Adelman- I would like to be the first to predict we will not compete for a championship until after the TMac Yao era. Unless they fire Adelman after the end of his first season and get some talented players around TMac and Yao.

Van Gundy had faults just like every coach has faults, but he was one of the top tier coaches, a big step above Adelman.

Does anyone really think a coach is going to fix this....

TMac is soft (mentally and physically)
Yao is slow and unathletic (not his fault, it is what it is)

Both of these deficiencies could be compensated for with the right type of players surrounding these guys, because they are both good scorers.

We have really bad matchup problems- did anyone see what Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Harpring and Okur did to us? We only took that series to 7 games because we had a defensive system in place that held the games close and Tracy scored often enough and created enough to keep them close.
We just got exposed, that's all.

Until we get better help than- Rafer Alston, Chucky Hayes, Luther Head, Deke, and J Howard we will remain a team that wins with gutsy defense and the scoring load on two players.

It is sick how far we went this past season with that roster.

I can't wait for Adelman to work magic on these guys, our supporting cast of players couldn't make the bench on Phoenix or Dallas. ;) Smiley face, I feel better now.

BINGO!

I cant believe the amount of people here who blame JVG. Its not his style or system that is the problem, our problem is that we dont have much talent after Yao and Tmac. Yea, lets play an uptempo style of bball and have Rafer throw up 20 shots per game and Chucky shooting 15 times per game. I cant wait to see how that will turn out :confused:.

[weslinder]

BINGO!

I cant believe the amount of people here who blame JVG. Its not his style or system that is the problem, our problem is that we dont have much talent after Yao and Tmac. Yea, lets play an uptempo style of bball and have Rafer throw up 20 shots per game and Chucky shooting 15 times per game. I cant wait to see how that will turn out :confused:.

Unfortunately, I think Chuck is going to be pretty much worthless for Adelman's style of play. But Adelman will certainly benefit Juwan.

[MadMax]

Yawn, Justice trying to create a story out of nothing.

story out of nothing?? there's absolutely a story here.

i'm not a richard justice guy. in fact, if you hit the Astros forum on this site, you'll find that i'm probably his biggest critic.

but the Rockets have absolutely bungled this thing. if this is what we can expect from the new GM, i'm not real encouraged....though i think it's probably deeper than that..i think it's the owner.

you don't start interviewing coaches until you fire the one you got. this is way too public of a business to do that. the drama that les is creating is entirely on him.

i've defended les many times here. but this is bush league. treat people right or it comes back to haunt you.

[DaDakota]

We could bring in DaDa for much cheaper...

jk ;)

Heck yes, I would run JVG's defense about 80% of the time and Rick Adleman's offense......

I promise everyone free Big Macs and the Rockets to get out of the first round....NEXT year.

Oh, and Billy would be playing a LOT of PG.....

:D

DD

[Amel]

you guys need to understand that both sides want their part

its just business, noone of them is stupid

Les wants a new coach and a new directions,but out of fairness and professionalism that JVG had with the management, they do not want to push him out just like that....well the issue now is, the more they drag it out, the more it looks weird

I think they should announce Adelman as the coach today, so JVG can say whatever he wants at ABC

[jmwilliamson]

I could give a damn less. Van Gundy is gone. Why wait until his contract is officially over? I enjoyed his personality while he was with the Rockets, but I can't say I'm too pleased with the results. He didn't earn the right to leave on his own terms.

[MadMax]

you guys need to understand that both sides want their part

its just business, noone of them is stupid

Les wants a new coach and a new directions,but out of fairness and professionalism that JVG had with the management, they do not want to push him out just like that....well the issue is the more they drag it the more it looks weird

I think they should announce Adelman as the coach today, so JVG can say whatever he wants at ABC

wait...it's out of "fairness and professionalism" that he started interviewing for a new coach before he fired the old one?

there is nothing fair or professional about that at all.

i love how people say, "eh, it's just business." yeah...do business that way and see what reputation it earns you.

[rockbox]

How is this handle inappropriately? Les wants to get rid of JVG but can't officially do it until next month, so he prepares for it by finding the one replacement that he thinks would be an upgrade. He offers JVG a job that he doesn't have to show up to and pays him the rest of his money so he doesn't have to fire him outright.

How could he have done this any better? Do you guys think he shoot tell everyone that JVG sucks and hire a new coach or do you guys want to Les to let JVG have one more season while some other team hires Adelman. I just don't how Les could have done this any better.

[BEXCELANT]

wait...it's out of "fairness and professionalism" that he started interviewing for a new coach before he fired the old one?

there is nothing fair or professional about that at all.

i love how people say, "eh, it's just business." yeah...do business that way and see what reputation it earns you.

Sounds like the BS coming out of the Miami Heat when Riley replaced Stan Van Gundy. Remember when Stan said he was tired and had nothing against the Heat? He wanted to spend more time with his familiy and move away from coaching? If that's true, then why is Stan gunning for head coach of the Pacers?

[DaDakota]

:mad:

If you needed Richard Justice to point out the obvious to you.....

Truth- Rockets have not offered Van Gundy publically a new contract.
Translation- They don't want Van Gundy back.
Truth- Van Gundy has not quit.
Translation- He would come back.
Truth- The Rockets have given nothing but muddled signals that change as time goes on.

That is the way negotiations work, the public is the last to know, but we all can read the tea leaves.

:Translation- They (Les) have handled this about as well as the original Calvin Murphy firing, and Rudy T 'quitting'.

Yes - same thing is happening here, basically it is Les' team to do with as he pleases.

:Rick Adelman- I would like to be the first to predict we will not compete for a championship until after the TMac Yao era. Unless they fire Adelman after the end of his first season and get some talented players around TMac and Yao.

Will you come in and admit you were wrong when the Rockets get past the first round next year and are improved as a team during the regular season? Because I honestly believe that Rick will get a lot more out of these guys by loosening the reigns...

:Van Gundy had faults just like every coach has faults, but he was one of the top tier coaches, a big step above Adelman.

I think they are both good coaches, and I don't know where you get the big step above Adleman bit....Rick Adleman has had more success in the NBA than JVG has...

:Does anyone really think a coach is going to fix this....

I am 100% certain that a new coach will make the Rockets better.....sort of like Rudy T got more out of the same team that Don Cheney had, or Phil Garner got more out of Jimy Williams old team. A new voice is needed.

:TMac is soft (mentally and physically)
Yao is slow and unathletic (not his fault, it is what it is)

Tmac is soft - got to put pitbulls around him...(Snyder, VSpan)
Yao is slow but hardly unathletic - he needs to be moved around more so he is not worn out so much banging on the low block....High post anyone? At least mix it in with is low post...say 85% low post 15% high post, give the defense something else to think about.

:Both of these deficiencies could be compensated for with the right type of players surrounding these guys, because they are both good scorers.

Agreed.

:We have really bad matchup problems- did anyone see what Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Harpring and Okur did to us? We only took that series to 7 games because we had a defensive system in place that held the games close and Tracy scored often enough and created enough to keep them close.
We just got exposed, that's all.

Those guys are not that great.

Williams is a good PG, but inconsistent
Boozer is a stud - I have always liked him
Harpring is a tough role player.
Okur - Well now, here is a slow footed unathletic player doing well, didn't you say that about Yao?

:Until we get better help than- Rafer Alston, Chucky Hayes, Luther Head, Deke, and J Howard we will remain a team that wins with gutsy defense and the scoring load on two players.

Help was on the bench, just didn't get developed.....WHICH I WAS SAYING ALL FRICKEN YEAR !!!!! I could see that this team needed more than the guys you mentioned and ALL YEAR LONG, I was clamoring for JVG to play his bench to try something new because I knew the team would fail in the playoffs unless they had another creator on the floor....well....I was right, and it cost JVG his job.

:It is sick how far we went this past season with that roster.

We should have gone to the WC finals once GS beat Dallas

:I can't wait for Adelman to work magic on these guys, our supporting cast of players couldn't make the bench on Phoenix or Dallas. ;) Smiley face, I feel better now.

I will await your apology next year, sometimes being a visionary is tough work, but I relish it.

:D

DD

[Amel]

wait...it's out of "fairness and professionalism" that he started interviewing for a new coach before he fired the old one?

there is nothing fair or professional about that at all.

i love how people say, "eh, it's just business." yeah...do business that way and see what reputation it earns you.

well, they or Les at least, did not want him there anymore...he might be trying to make it as smooth as possible for him...so he doesn't look like the 'bad guy'

but yea, it's a mess right now

[MadMax]

How is this handle inappropriately? Les wants to get rid of JVG but can't officially do it until next month, so he prepares for it by finding the one replacement that he thinks would be an upgrade. He offers JVG a job that he doesn't have to show up to and pays him the rest of his money so he doesn't have to fire him outright.

How could he have done this any better? Do you guys think he shoot tell everyone that JVG sucks and hire a new coach or do you guys want to Les to let JVG have one more season while some other team hires Adelman. I just don't how Les could have done this any better.

he can't officially do it until next month?? absolutely he can. he just has to pay for it.

don't like that part of the deal?? then don't sign it! otherwise, fire the guy and move on.

[MadMax]

well, they or Les at least, did not want him there anymore...he might be trying to make it as smooth as possible for him...so he doesn't look like the 'bad guy'

but yea, it's a mess right now

i just can't fathom how they think this is smooth. smooth is...fire the guy and move on. give people certainty about their futures. i've had to fire a few people...it sucks. it's not easy. but it's better than stringing them along.

[Amel]

i just can't fathom how they think this is smooth. smooth is...fire the guy and move on. give people certainty about their futures. i've had to fire a few people...it sucks. it's not easy. but it's better than stringing them along.

I agree, the best way would have been just firing JVG and moving along, but thats why I said, fairness and professionalism, add loyalty to it and it gets harder to get the guy out

[MadMax]

Tmac is soft - got to put pitbulls around him...(Snyder, VSpan)


in what universe, other than your imagination, are Snyder and VSpan pit bulls???

the idea that you need a leader to lead a guy like TMac illustrates the problem to begin with, Da Da. TMac has to find it himself, or this whole experiment is a failure.

[MadMax]

I agree, the best way would have been just firing JVG and moving along, but thats why I said, fairness and professionalism, add loyalty to it and it gets harder to get the guy out

i don't think les has any loyalty to JVG. not a bit. he's trying to clean up a mess now that he created by offering him another position.

again..i don't see this as professional. not in the least.

[weslinder]

in what universe, other than your imagination, are Snyder and VSpan pit bulls???

Greece :D

[Amel]

i don't think les has any loyalty to JVG. not a bit. he's trying to clean up a mess now that he created by offering him another position.

again..i don't see this as professional. not in the least.

I'm not saying Les, its JVG that did everything right on his part during his years with Houston, I am not talking about his coaching but about the relationship within the organization, he did the right things and still does...

[MadMax]

I'm not saying Les, its JVG that did everything right on his part during his years with Houston, I am not talking about his coaching but about the relationship within the organization, he did the right things and still does...
i misunderstood you. sorry.

[DonkeyMagic]

what a mess.

im suprised by how les is acting. If you dont want a guy back then fine, but dont go behind his back. thats just tactless.

[DaDakota]

what a mess.

im suprised by how les is acting. If you dont want a guy back then fine, but dont go behind his back. thats just tactless.

I believe that Les can not fire Gundy until June 30th officially. I think it is all contractual.

IMO, this is what is what has transpired.

Last year Les asked JVG to lighten up in the press and JVG made fun of that during the year. Les fumed.

But, the team was winning and JVG was getting serious COY consideration. Les offered an extenstion - JVG refused, gambling his bargaining power would be greater after playoffs.

The team failed miserably in the playoffs partly because of JVG's lack of adjustments - Les decided to go in a different direction.

What I think will happen is that Les will hire someone else, and JVG will get paid as a consultant (Hush money) and they will part ways.

I believe that JVG's ego and his making fun of his bosses request to be more positive plays a greater role in his departure than the playoff failure.

Les owns the team, he asked his EMPLOYEE to do something and was ignored....that has to hurt....

And IMO, the team will be better with a coach who loosens the reigns a bit......loose teams win more.....

DD

[doublebogey]

I am 1000% support the hiring of Rick Adelman. But I think the Rockets should make a clear annoucement of its directions. I dont think there is any contract violations if they say "the Rockets have decided a new direction and will wait for JVG's contract to finish to make an annoucement" or something like that. Instead they keep on saying there's a possibility that JVG will return as coach.

Now, the Rockets is on its way to hire RA. Then suddenly, JVG kind of saying he likes to return. So, Les doesnt want to look like a villian and offer JVG a non-coaching position. What a mess!

[sirbaihu]

:mad:

If you needed Richard Justice to point out the obvious to you.....

Truth- Rockets have not offered Van Gundy publically a new contract.
Translation- They don't want Van Gundy back.
Truth- Van Gundy has not quit.
Translation- He would come back.
Truth- The Rockets have given nothing but muddled signals that change as time goes on.

Translation- They (Les) have handled this about as well as the original Calvin Murphy firing, and Rudy T 'quitting'.

Rick Adelman- I would like to be the first to predict we will not compete for a championship until after the TMac Yao era. Unless they fire Adelman after the end of his first season and get some talented players around TMac and Yao.

Van Gundy had faults just like every coach has faults, but he was one of the top tier coaches, a big step above Adelman.

Does anyone really think a coach is going to fix this....

TMac is soft (mentally and physically)
Yao is slow and unathletic (not his fault, it is what it is)

Both of these deficiencies could be compensated for with the right type of players surrounding these guys, because they are both good scorers.

We have really bad matchup problems- did anyone see what Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Harpring and Okur did to us? We only took that series to 7 games because we had a defensive system in place that held the games close and Tracy scored often enough and created enough to keep them close.
We just got exposed, that's all.

Until we get better help than- Rafer Alston, Chucky Hayes, Luther Head, Deke, and J Howard we will remain a team that wins with gutsy defense and the scoring load on two players.

It is sick how far we went this past season with that roster.

I can't wait for Adelman to work magic on these guys, our supporting cast of players couldn't make the bench on Phoenix or Dallas. ;) Smiley face, I feel better now.

This post is right on. The hating on this board is incredible. Not only does Van Gundy supposedly suck, but Richard Justice supposedly knows less about the situation than the haters on this board, though the haters have never talked to anyone in the Rockets organization in their lives, and would probably go pee-pee if they had a real conversation with T-Mac. Haters here have zero connections to the Rockets organization but they somehow know more than Justice, the same way they don't coach even high school basketball but they are supposedly so much smarter than JVG.

The world of message boards allows people to spout off like experts although they are not, with no consequences at all. Hey, did I tell you I benched 700 lbs yesterday while talking to Les Alexander on the phone about who to have as coach? (He asked me not to reveal my decision until I'm at T-Mac's Tupperware party this weekend.)

[SamFisher]

WOW I'm convinced Les Alexander is an incompetent fool and JVG is no better :D

Now you see why your earlier posts on this were ridiculous?

Les has been exposed as a fraud, IMO, and it took a moron like Richard Justice to do it. Humiliating.

[DonkeyMagic]

Now you see why your earlier posts on this were ridiculous?

Les has been exposed as a fraud, IMO, and it took a moron like Richard Justice to do it. Humiliating.

lol. that is sad when RJ makes someone else look like a tool

[Deckard]

story out of nothing?? there's absolutely a story here.

i'm not a richard justice guy. in fact, if you hit the Astros forum on this site, you'll find that i'm probably his biggest critic.

but the Rockets have absolutely bungled this thing. if this is what we can expect from the new GM, i'm not real encouraged....though i think it's probably deeper than that..i think it's the owner.

you don't start interviewing coaches until you fire the one you got. this is way too public of a business to do that. the drama that les is creating is entirely on him.

i've defended les many times here. but this is bush league. treat people right or it comes back to haunt you.
I know it's Bush League, Max, but keep this out of D&D, OK??


;)

[SamFisher]

Heck yes, I would run JVG's defense about 80% of the time and Rick Adleman's offense......

I promise everyone free Big Macs and the Rockets to get out of the first round....NEXT year.

Oh, and Billy would be playing a LOT of PG.....

:D

DD

See I keep seeing people make this same mistake. You can't run both. JVG's defense is based on keeping the pace slow, getting back in transition, etc. That necessarily affects your offense. If Adelman wants to come in and run a high pace fine, but it's hard to run a fast paced offense and a lockdown defense - the best you can hope for is Phx. Though with the Rox current personal that's not possible.

[SamFisher]

Yawn, Justice trying to create a story out of nothing.

Yeah, "nothing", other than exposing all of the previous conventional wisdom about htis story as a complete fraud due to Les' lies.

[hooroo]

i just can't fathom how they think this is smooth. smooth is...fire the guy and move on. give people certainty about their futures. i've had to fire a few people...it sucks. it's not easy. but it's better than stringing them along.

What isn't speculation is is JVG can quit before the Rockets fire him. The Rockets have asked him back but JVG has laid out certain conditions.

Obviously the delay in any announcement as Morey has more or less stated is the negotiation of those conditions. What is also true is they have no coach for 2008. The position is open, JVG is just another candidate for the position. I see no problem with them looking at other candidates.

[crash5179]

Why is everyone and Richard Justice so quick to jump on the Rockets orginization and obsolve JVG from any fault in all of this?

Didn't the Rockets offer JVG a nice extension this season that JVG turned down?

Wasn't it JVG that originally leaked that he was tired of coaching to his friends in the New York media so the Rockets would publically persue him.

How many times has JVG come out publically said he definitely wanted to coach again next year? None.

IMO if JVG wanted the job he should have acted like and not claimed that he was unsure or that it was up to the Rockets. He should have come out and answered the questions with something more on the lines of a "Hell Yes" and not acted so ambivalent about it.

Maybe Justice should also report how classless JVG has been through this proccess as well. Why would the Rockets want to commit publically to someone who cant commit publically to them.

[DaDakota]

Why is everyone and Richard Justice so quick to jump on the Rockets orginization and obsolve JVG from any fault in all of this?

Didn't the Rockets offer JVG a nice extension this season that JVG turned down?

Wasn't it JVG that originally leaked that he was tired of coaching to his friends in the New York media so the Rockets would publically persue him.

How many times has JVG come out publically said he definitely wanted to coach again next year? None.

IMO if JVG wanted the job he should have acted like and not claimed that he was unsure or that it was up to the Rockets. He should have come out and answered the questions with something more on the lines of a "Hell Yes" and not acted so ambivalent about it.

Maybe Justice should also report how classless JVG has been through this proccess as well. Why would the Rockets want to commit publically to someone who cant commit publically to them.

JVG gambled - and lost.

It is all ego at this point.

DD

[DaDakota]

See I keep seeing people make this same mistake. You can't run both. JVG's defense is based on keeping the pace slow, getting back in transition, etc. That necessarily affects your offense. If Adelman wants to come in and run a high pace fine, but it's hard to run a fast paced offense and a lockdown defense - the best you can hope for is Phx. Though with the Rox current personal that's not possible.

You can play both offense and defense Sam.

You are making zero sense.....during the times you are not in transition, you use the defensive schemes.

Just because you run some high post offense does nothing to change the defense....

Yes, you will give up some more points due to a rise in possesions but that doesn't mean the scheme changes...

DD

[rhester]

DaDakotaThat is the way negotiations work, the public is the last to know, but we all can read the tea leaves.[/
2 days after the 7 game loss meet with Grumpy and tell him he can resign now or be fired, explain why and move on. That would have been a good way to handle it.


Will you come in and admit you were wrong when the Rockets get past the first round next year and are improved as a team during the regular season? Because I honestly believe that Rick will get a lot more out of these guys by loosening the reigns...

Yes, gladly. I hope I have egg all over my face. I want to eat crow next year right here on the board (DD please remind me I have a bad memory-seriously)
But honestly the 'Rick will get a lot more out of these guys' statement is scary freaky... will VSpan play more and do better, I think he will. will Snyder and Novak get more time, possibly. Will Hayes, Alston, and Howard be better once they loosen up? :D :D (that is my laughing out loud)

I think they are both good coaches, and I don't know where you get the big step above Adleman bit....Rick Adleman has had more success in the NBA than JVG has...
They are good coaches. Adelman knows his stuff. But let me frame my opinion this way...

I've watched Grumpy take questionable talent and get the most out of them for years. I don't like some of his my way or the highway attitudes, but the players seem to buy in.

I've watched Adelman take very talented teams and peater out time and time again... what I have not seen is Adelman do squat with a less talented team- one with about the same talent level we have- just look at his record when his rosters were not as good and he ends up being fired.

BTW- I am OK with firing JVG and making a change. I am fine with Adelman. What I am not fine with is the thinking that Adelman is going to take this roster and succeed. I don't have a clue how we can get better except get real lucky in the draft. Remember Howard went to the Mavs real late in the first round, Tony Parker same, even Prince/Detroit was very late. That is the kind of steal we need this offseason.

I met with Van Gundy before the season started and he personally told me four things the team needed to really make a championship push- first he told me they needed a larger athletic 4 who could rebound and relieve some defensive pressure off of Yao- not named Stromile, second they needed a better point who could score consistently and could defend penetration, third they needed a larger starting 2 guard who could get his own shot so TMac could stay at the 3, and fourth they needed a defensive stopper. After talking to him for about an hour I was convinced (or deceived however you want to see it) he really knew we had some glaring roster deficiencies and the best we could come up with was Snyder, Bonzi and Battier- :D :D (laughing again).


I am 100% certain that a new coach will make the Rockets better.....sort of like Rudy T got more out of the same team that Don Cheney had, or Phil Garner got more out of Jimy Williams old team. A new voice is needed. I am 100% certain that only Yao and TMac can make this team any better... but I don't have any idea how it will look next season... I for one am not counting on Rafer, Battier, Chucky or Vspan stepping up and being the big difference maker.


Tmac is soft - got to put pitbulls around him...(Snyder, VSpan)
Yao is slow but hardly unathletic - he needs to be moved around more so he is not worn out so much banging on the low block....High post anyone? At least mix it in with is low post...say 85% low post 15% high post, give the defense something else to think about.

Yao is deadly close to the basket, hope he improves, I think he will.
But truth be told he is easy to defend once he steps away from the basket. Unless he starts shooting that fadeaway at about 45% he needs to stick to the low post. Keep working on his hands (catching passes), improve his moves to get position. He is slow and 2% of the time he jumps for rebounds and 2% of the time he jumps to get his shot off- that's unathletic- do you see how many times he is getting beat to rebounds by undersized and more athletic players? Yao is a great player within himself. We need to work to get him defensive help and work to get him his spots in the low post. As he improves he will develop some other ways of scoring. I think it would be good to get him some face up shots but that will require him moving more and getting off some screens... talk about wearing him down.


Those guys are not that great.

Williams is a good PG, but inconsistent
Boozer is a stud - I have always liked him
Harpring is a tough role player.
Okur - Well now, here is a slow footed unathletic player doing well, didn't you say that about Yao?
Williams had his way with us and it would have been a 5 game series if he was not so young and decided to hand it to us.

Boozer- I can't stand him.

Harpring- one player Van Gundy coveted for the Rockets

Okur- great 3 point shooter who is not slow and slightly more athletic than Yao.



Help was on the bench, just didn't get developed.....WHICH I WAS SAYING ALL FRICKEN YEAR !!!!! I could see that this team needed more than the guys you mentioned and ALL YEAR LONG, I was clamoring for JVG to play his bench to try something new because I knew the team would fail in the playoffs unless they had another creator on the floor....well....I was right, and it cost JVG his job.

Out bench is a joke, you just lost credibility.

The only player worth keeping is VSpan because he is a very nice slasher and will become a very nice NBA player.
I like Novak alot also... actually I have alot of hope for him.

We should have gone to the WC finals once GS beat Dallas That's what I was thinking...


I will await your apology next year, sometimes being a visionary is tough work, but I relish it. I will gladly and humbly do it. Nothing would make me happier.



DD[/QUOTE]

[DaDakota]

The world of message boards allows people to spout off like experts although they are not, with no consequences at all.

Yeah, basketball is SOOOO complicated, no one can figure it out or have an opinion about it.

I mean what are we fans thinking?

:rolleyes:

DD

[sirbaihu]

Yeah, basketball is SOOOO complicated, no one can figure it out or have an opinion about it.

I mean what are we fans thinking?

:rolleyes:

DD


Apply for the coaching job, dude! Just ask for half of JVG or Adelman's salary and, with your knowledge, you've got it wrapped up!

[TTRocket]

One thing that puzzles me about all this (after reading the Feigen and Justice articles) is that the Rockets still seem to be holding out the possibility of JVG returning as head coach. Even after offering him a consultancy position in the organization.
Unless JVG is holding out with conditions, but Justice indicates this is not the case. :confused:

[DaDakota]

Apply for the coaching job, dude! Just ask for half of JVG or Adelman's salary and, with your knowledge, you've got it wrapped up!


I already coach basketball, but clearly not on an NBA level.

I don't want to coach the Rockets, really, I am happy making video games.

However, don't be upset when I recognize a percieved problem and bring it up, that is what being a fan is all about.

DD

[DaDakota]

One thing that puzzles me about all this (after reading the Feigen and Justice articles) is that the Rockets still seem to be holding out the possibility of JVG returning as head coach. Even after offering him a consultancy position in the organization.
Unless JVG is holding out with conditions, but Justice indicates this is not the case. :confused:

Consultancy = Hush money

Don't bad mouth the organization.........

I said this just after the season that the decision was made and to let the posturing begin.

JVG knows he is gone, and he is trying to squeeze as much dough ray me from the organization as he can....good for him.

DD

[sirbaihu]

However, don't be upset when I recognize a percieved problem and bring it up, that is what being a fan is all about.

DD

Hmm....recognizing a "perceived" problem and bringing it up is what being a fan is all about? So if I say "The Knicks' payroll is bloated" then I am a Knicks fan? "The nation of North Korea is f'ed up" makes me a North Korea fan? "Micheal Jackson has had too many plastic surgeries" makes me a Micheal Jackson fan?

No, you are wrong about "what being a fan is all about."

[doublebogey]

Why is everyone and Richard Justice so quick to jump on the Rockets orginization and obsolve JVG from any fault in all of this?

Didn't the Rockets offer JVG a nice extension this season that JVG turned down?

Wasn't it JVG that originally leaked that he was tired of coaching to his friends in the New York media so the Rockets would publically persue him.

How many times has JVG come out publically said he definitely wanted to coach again next year? None.

IMO if JVG wanted the job he should have acted like and not claimed that he was unsure or that it was up to the Rockets. He should have come out and answered the questions with something more on the lines of a "Hell Yes" and not acted so ambivalent about it.

Maybe Justice should also report how classless JVG has been through this proccess as well. Why would the Rockets want to commit publically to someone who cant commit publically to them.

I agree that maybe the situation but the Rockets should handle it better. If the Rockets has made up its mind, then they should make an annoucement. It's an organisation vs employee. Why the organisation need to care about the posturing of an employee. They should clearly annouce they have a new direction but just wait for the right time to annouce it.

[TTRocket]

Consultancy = Hush money

Don't bad mouth the organization.........

I said this just after the season that the decision was made and to let the posturing begin.

JVG knows he is gone, and he is trying to squeeze as much dough ray me from the organization as he can....good for him.

DD
Here's Lopez's thoughts on this question.
Link: http://blogs.chron.com/lopezblog/archives/2007/05/rockets_whos_ru.html

May 17, 2007
Rockets: Who's running the show?

This whole Jeff Van Gundy things is stacking up to be a classic case of the right hand not knowing what the left is doing -- or that someone will be blindsided.

That's ultimately what will happen here. Somebody's getting played and deceived. Problem is, it's not exactly certain whom that might be.

Is it new GM Daryl Morey? Is his first act as new GM that of a puppet, working the mathematical and statistical numbers, but not having much of a say at all whether Van Gundy stays and who replaces him?

While Rockets owner Leslie Alexander was interviewing Rick Adelman this week -- a bizarre turn of events in itself -- Morey was meeting with Van Gundy about his future. Either Morey didn't know what Alexander was doing, or he had to tell a fib about it.

Either way, Morey comes off looking like something less than a GM in charge of personnel decisions.

Or is it Adelman, or Van Gundy or maybe another coach promised to be getting a look -- Larry Brown -- that ultimately will be pulling a knife out of their back.

Van Gundy cannot be happy that a job interview was conducted for a job that he still has. Adelman, not exactly Mr. Bubbles, is known for doing things right and respecting the game. So was he lied to about Van Gundy's status. Otherwise, why would he even do the interview and come off looking like a vulture hovering over a dying coaching carcass?

And then there's Larry Brown, whose agent already has been in contact with Rockets insiders. He was up for the job last time. He has the credentials. He's a favorite of Alexander.

Will the job be offered to him? More significantly, does anyone outside of Alexander and trusted confidant Carroll Dawson know what's going on? Probably not.

And why is CD at Alexander's side nudging this thing along, if Morey is the new GM?

Hey, it's Alexander's toy. He's playing with it how he wants. That's his right. It just makes a lot of people look bad and will leave a lot feeling jilted and deceived.

[DaDakota]

No, you are wrong about "what being a fan is all about."

Who died and left you in charge of defining fandome? I must have missed the memo.

:rolleyes:

DD

[weslinder]

Here's Lopez's thoughts on this question.
Link: http://blogs.chron.com/lopezblog/archives/2007/05/rockets_whos_ru.html

With all this low-hanging fruit, it must be party time for the morons at the Chron offices.

[DonkeyMagic]

With all this low-hanging fruit, it must be party time for the morons at the Chron offices.


lol. everyones getting fat.

this whole situation is disgusting.

[smeiou78]

Huh. What a mangled situation this has become. It seems as though Les Alexander doesn't wan't JVG back. I guess he expected Van Gundy to "retire?" To resign? I don't know what he expected, but if he didn't want him back he should have simply told him so. Or HIRED someone to tell him so. Hell, make Morey do it, surely that's part of his job.

I'm okay with the Rockets making a change. I guess Adelman is as good a candidate as anyone out there, except maybe for Larry Brown, and who wants to deal with him? I am upset over how JVG appears to be being treated. I respect the fact that nobody has trashed anybody publicly, but you shouldn't find out second hand that your boss is interviewing for your job. That's bull****. JVG may not have gotten us out of the first round in his four years here but I fully believe that he tried his very best and sincerely worked hard to win. He deserves better treatment, even if the decision has been made to bring in a fresh face.

So much for the Rockets being a classy organization. Way to go, Les.

[DaDakota]

So much for the Rockets being a classy organization. Way to go, Les.

They classfully paid JVG over $20 million dollars for 4 years of work, that sounds pretty good to me.

DD

[smeiou78]

Unfortunately, I think Chuck is going to be pretty much worthless for Adelman's style of play. But Adelman will certainly benefit Juwan.

If Adelman comes, I don't see how he could keep Chuck and possibly even Battier. They're not offensive players. I don't think all of the Chuck mancrushes in this forum could save him. :(

[smeiou78]

Heck yes, I would run JVG's defense about 80% of the time and Rick Adleman's offense......

I promise everyone free Big Macs and the Rockets to get out of the first round....NEXT year.

Oh, and Billy would be playing a LOT of PG.....

:D

DD

Please fix the Rockets!

[smeiou78]

How is this handle inappropriately? Les wants to get rid of JVG but can't officially do it until next month, so he prepares for it by finding the one replacement that he thinks would be an upgrade. He offers JVG a job that he doesn't have to show up to and pays him the rest of his money so he doesn't have to fire him outright.

How could he have done this any better? Do you guys think he shoot tell everyone that JVG sucks and hire a new coach or do you guys want to Les to let JVG have one more season while some other team hires Adelman. I just don't how Les could have done this any better.

The appropriate way to do it is to say, "Jeff, in the words of a well-known, red-wig-wearing SOB, you're fired."

[smeiou78]

This post is right on. The hating on this board is incredible. Not only does Van Gundy supposedly suck, but Richard Justice supposedly knows less about the situation than the haters on this board, though the haters have never talked to anyone in the Rockets organization in their lives, and would probably go pee-pee if they had a real conversation with T-Mac. Haters here have zero connections to the Rockets organization but they somehow know more than Justice, the same way they don't coach even high school basketball but they are supposedly so much smarter than JVG.

The world of message boards allows people to spout off like experts although they are not, with no consequences at all. Hey, did I tell you I benched 700 lbs yesterday while talking to Les Alexander on the phone about who to have as coach? (He asked me not to reveal my decision until I'm at T-Mac's Tupperware party this weekend.)

Thank you! Some people will believe what they want to believe, but I have lost a great deal of respect for the organization.

[smeiou78]

They classfully paid JVG over $20 million dollars for 4 years of work, that sounds pretty good to me.

DD

Sorry, DaDakota. I usually agree with you, but on this, I don't see how you can defend Les. Paying someone is not being classy. That's simply fulfilling your obligations.

If you want to get rid of JVG, fine. Just don't play games and start interviewing people until you've fired the guy.

[BEXCELANT]

I dunno but if I had 20 million at Van Gundy's age ya know what I'd do? I'd be on the golf course and oogling beautiful women on the beach in Tahiti.

[weslinder]

If Adelman comes, I don't see how he could keep Chuck and possibly even Battier. They're not offensive players. I don't think all of the Chuck mancrushes in this forum could save him. :(

No, Adelman will like Battier. Battier's good for a certain amount of very efficient offense. He makes his open shots, he sets great off-ball screens, he runs the court well enough, he gets extra possessions to execute that offense, and his attitude will save Adelman from having the Rockets drop to the bottom few in defense.

[HillBoy]

Heck yes, I would run JVG's defense about 80% of the time and Rick Adleman's offense......

I promise everyone free Big Macs and the Rockets to get out of the first round....NEXT year.

Oh, and Billy would be playing a LOT of PG.....

:D

DD
OK, I have got you on the clock now DaD. I'm going to see just how long it takes before you turn on Adleman when his Rockets team doesn't turn out quite the way you envision.

[weslinder]

OK, I have got you on the clock now DaD. I'm going to see just how long it takes before you turn on Adleman when his Rockets team doesn't turn out quite the way you envision.

December 15, 2007: The date when DaDakota posts the first "Fire Adelman" thread.

[thumbs]

I cant believe the amount of people here who blame JVG. Its not his style or system that is the problem, our problem is that we dont have much talent after Yao and Tmac. Yea, lets play an uptempo style of bball and have Rafer throw up 20 shots per game and Chucky shooting 15 times per game. I cant wait to see how that will turn out :confused:.

JVG is a brilliant coach but the players he likes for his system are clueless in any other system. They have no trade value, and they can't cover quick, agile players.

JVG's style of play was great in the 90s but not in today's fast-paced game. That why we got sliced and diced by Utah. Sacramento, Dallas, Phoenix and San Antonio would have done the same thing.

Look at all the crippled Knicks he brought in. He choose Rafer Alston over Mike James. It's the personnel he brought to the Rockets and his out of date tactics that led to his downfall -- not his coaching ability.

[HillBoy]

i don't think les has any loyalty to JVG. not a bit. he's trying to clean up a mess now that he created by offering him another position.

again..i don't see this as professional. not in the least.
Yes, it was extremely bush league to interview Adelman while JVG was still officially the head coach but nothing about this franchise should surprise you anymore. I applaud JVG for forcing Les to go on the record by dismissing him. I suggest that you sit back and giggle at the predictable outburst of Adelman love, the unrealistic and inane trade proposals and the ever hyperbolic DaDakota posts. Enjoy the sunshine for now because come November, I see a storm brewing once they discover that the "Sacramento Rockets" team they envision won't be showing up anytime soon until Adelman can reshape this roster by bringing in players that can fit his system.

[Luffy1]

Man Justice must be an extreme JVG lover....Which one you guys is justice here?! ;)

[MadMax]

Yes, it was extremely bush league to interview Adelman while JVG was still officially the head coach but nothing about this franchise should surprise you anymore. I applaud JVG for forcing Les to go on the record by dismissing him. I suggest that you sit back and giggle at the predictable outburst of Adelman love, the unrealistic and inane trade proposals and the ever hyperbolic DaDakota posts. Enjoy the sunshine for now because come November, I see a storm brewing once they discover that the "Sacramento Rockets" team they envision won't be showing up anytime soon until Adelman can reshape this roster by bringing in players that can fit his system.

i could not agree more. we don't have the personnel to play that kind of game. we will be rebuilding, in a sense. i will be shocked if we're any better next year than we were this year.

[HillBoy]

JVG is a brilliant coach but the players he likes for his system are clueless in any other system. They have no trade value, and they can't cover quick, agile players.

JVG's style of play was great in the 90s but not in today's fast-paced game. That why we got sliced and diced by Utah. Sacramento, Dallas, Phoenix and San Antonio would have done the same thing.

Look at all the crippled Knicks he brought in. He choose Rafer Alston over Mike James. It's the personnel he brought to the Rockets and his out of date tactics that led to his downfall -- not his coaching ability.
OK thumbs I'm not calling you out here but stop and think for a moment. Who's in the Eastern Conference final? Detroit - a defensive team. Who's in the Western Conference final? Utah - a defensive team. Look at the teams still playing: New Jersey, Cleveland & San Antonio. None of them are what you'd call "run-and-gun" teams so maybe, just maybe, playing defense in the playoffs works.

And as for "the personnel he brought to the Rockets and his out of date tactics", JVG was the coach and not the GM who scouted, drafted (or didn't draft) and signed all of those players. In spite of all that he still got this team to the playoffs in 3 of his 4 years which was, at least to me, a much better situation than being a fixture in the NBA Lottery which they had been before he showed up.

Again if you didn't like JVG, that's cool but at least be realistic about what he did or what he failed to do here.

[MadMax]

The Suns have played an up-tempo game for YEARS now. Seriously...over 10 years. How many rings has that won them?

Come to think of it...someone let me know the last team that won a championship that you would characterize as up-tempo.

[weslinder]

The Suns have played an up-tempo game for YEARS now. Seriously...over 10 years. How many rings has that won them?

Come to think of it...someone let me know the last team that won a championship that you would characterize as up-tempo.
http://cache.nba.com/media/history/magic_254_jrskyhook.jpg

[McGradySNKT]

Blah blah blah. They didn't want him back and it was apparent when they interviewed another coach. It was really apparent when he didn't get an extension earlier in the year.


Spare me with all of these beelding heart crap stories. The Chronicle has it's nose so far up Assistant coach's behind it's not even funny. Good Riddance and I could care less for long goodbye's. He's expendable like anyone else is and he isn't the first or last coach to be ousted. He didn't get it done plain and simple and had ample time and enough rope to hang himself.


For all of you Assistant coach goons crying that Novak wasn't good enough, he could surely have made more 3's than Rafer has he chucked up more than anyone in the league.

[DaDakota]

The Suns have played an up-tempo game for YEARS now. Seriously...over 10 years. How many rings has that won them?

Come to think of it...someone let me know the last team that won a championship that you would characterize as up-tempo.

Celtics & Lakers come to mind....

DD

[McGradySNKT]

The Suns have played an up-tempo game for YEARS now. Seriously...over 10 years. How many rings has that won them?

Come to think of it...someone let me know the last team that won a championship that you would characterize as up-tempo.


To add on to what weslinder said, check the Miami Heat's fastbreak points once Shaq came there old and broken down. You'll be surprised.

[MadMax]

Celtics & Lakers come to mind....

DD

great...let me know when i should expect larry, kevin, and robert to show up. or kareem, magic and worthy.

the fact that you have to go back to freaking 1988 kinda speaks for itself. that's going on 20 years now.

[MadMax]

To add on to what weslinder said, check the Miami Heat's fastbreak points once Shaq came there old and broken down. You'll be surprised.

fastbreak points? the rockets were amassed fast break points in 1994...i don't think you'd call them up-tempo. that's just taking advantage of turnovers.

please tell me you're not saying you think the Heat were an up-tempo team.

[ivanyy2000]

The Suns have played an up-tempo game for YEARS now. Seriously...over 10 years. How many rings has that won them?

Come to think of it...someone let me know the last team that won a championship that you would characterize as up-tempo.

Unfortunately, the defense, which JVG and some of fans are most proud of, couldn't stop Utah scoring 100+ pts on Rox, winning the deciding game of the series and kicking Rox out of the playoffs for the third time in last four years.

By now, I think people who have brains should at least think about it: why this JVG's team, while always ranks at the top of almost all defense categories in regular season, can't win a playoffs series? Why his so-called top-notched defense system couldn't stop opponents from scoring in the most important game of the year, in which they absolutely had to make stops? Why Boozer couldn't be stopped and torched Rox throughout the series? Why Utah scored 103pts on Rox in game 7 and Mavs outscored them by 40 two years ago? Why can't his defense stop Phx making Rox its personal b*tch? How about the Mavs or even Warriors?

The answer is simple: his defense is overrated. His team's defense stats are inflated in regular season because there were so many bad teams in the NBA, especially in the East. More importantly, his team was one-dimensional. He sacrificed his offense to make his defense look better. Spurs, Pistons, Jazz are never one-dimensional defense team and balance is indeed the key to win a championship.

[McGradySNKT]

fastbreak points? the rockets were amassed fast break points in 1994...i don't think you'd call them up-tempo. that's just taking advantage of turnovers.

please tell me you're not saying you think the Heat were an up-tempo team.


Nope. I'm telling you that balance is the key, not just one style or another.

The Miami Heat led the league in fastbreak points in the NBA and won a ring, so that argument about playing more uptempo is as weak as watered down Kool-Aid.

Adelman has coached a few teams and he's not stupid. I hope you guys aren't stuck in the assitant coach mindstate that no other coach ever makes adjustments because he didn't.

[blathersby]

The only words that come to my head are "BAD LES! NO BONE!"

[ubigred]

GOODBYE JEFF

Les warned him before the season started to clean up his act an offense. Nothing happened. It all came to a head this playoff. Only 4 players scored one game!!! incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodjob Les

[thumbs]

OK thumbs I'm not calling you out here but stop and think for a moment. Who's in the Eastern Conference final? Detroit - a defensive team. Who's in the Western Conference final? Utah - a defensive team. Look at the teams still playing: New Jersey, Cleveland & San Antonio. None of them are what you'd call "run-and-gun" teams so maybe, just maybe, playing defense in the playoffs works.

And as for "the personnel he brought to the Rockets and his out of date tactics", JVG was the coach and not the GM who scouted, drafted (or didn't draft) and signed all of those players. In spite of all that he still got this team to the playoffs in 3 of his 4 years which was, at least to me, a much better situation than being a fixture in the NBA Lottery which they had been before he showed up.

Again if you didn't like JVG, that's cool but at least be realistic about what he did or what he failed to do here.

It's okay to call me out. Any one of the teams you mentioned is light years more athletic than the Rockets. They play better defense because they are quicker to the ball and quicker to react.

JVG's defensive system leaked like a sieve when their opponents used quicker players. He is a brilliant coach and got a lot out of his players, but make no mistake, these are the players he wanted. The players he didn't want didn't play.

[DaDakota]

great...let me know when i should expect larry, kevin, and robert to show up. or kareem, magic and worthy.

the fact that you have to go back to freaking 1988 kinda speaks for itself. that's going on 20 years now.

The rules (or rather the calling of the rules) changed over time after the Detroit grab fest badboys.....and stayed that way until just these last couple of years.

And I would argue when was the last time a defensive team won? Most of the teams winning now have balance, not just one side of the ball being exceptional.

DD