Chron: Interesting quotes from JVG to Les

I just can't get all weepy about a coach who was twice offered a contract extension the previous year, twice turned it down, declined to make a commitment when asked to in the days after our season ended, and then acts like he was blindsided by not getting the extension.

 

Breakups can always get messy, with people perceiving different things... I think the bottom line is this thing could have been handled bettter from the Rockets end... if they just told him that they'd like try a different style with another coach from the start. That's what Les wanted last offseason anyway.. he kept Jeff on but the creative differences was there. Van Gundy loved the guys on his team, but eventually, a team cannot function with the coach and ownership not on the same page... So, it's either Les selling the team or Van Gundy getting fired.

 

i'm not sure i like how darryl morey comes off in this story.

no way would any of us agree to call this a mutual agreement to part ways if you wanted to stay as the head coach. what do you get for that lying? a token 'consultant' possition in which they will probably never listen to a word you have to say.

thanks but no thanks. jeff made the right decision.

i'm happy he stayed true to himself through morey's bullsh!t. i'm also happy that the rockets will have a definite upgrade at coach next year.

 

I know it is mind boggling. JVG had a chance to sign the extension, and chose not to.

JVG knew that Les had issues with him, he rolled the dice and lost.

Move on.

DD

 

yea

it looks like a mess on both sides, miscommunication and a whole lot of other things, obviously Les did not want the boring defensive scheme so he choose to run more of an offensive team

I was watching the game last night in San Antonio, in some cases I fell bad for Gundy, he looked like he lost a lot!

 

I just find Morey's "I was positive on .... I was positive on ..... " really annoying. He speaks very ambiguously and I hate that in a person.

 

And if we really want miscommunication followed by morose dread and antipathy, then hire Larry Brown. Oh, and Les would be out a very large chuck of change.

 

Nobody "miscommunicated" anything and JVG wasn't "blindsided". This isn't about Les doing JVG wrong because he had every right to fire him. It's about Les insulting the fans (and everyone else's) intelligence by trying to portray all of this as a mutual decision or one made by JVG. Les is too small a man to take full responsibility for deciding JVG wouldn't come back.

If Les really wanted JVG back, he would have waited a few more days, but he didn't. That is why he interviewed and will hire Adelman. JVG is "too stubborn" to cover Les' rear like Rudy did and more power to him. I wish Rudy had been more open about what happened instead of swallowing his dignity (and I say that as a person who thought Rudy SHOULD have been fired).

We have a jerk as an owner who has trouble telling the truth. Our GM was just a robot in the process and has no choice but to say what Les wants or lose his job.

Let's hope Morey can waive his wand and make some big roster improvements by acquiring a starting caliber PG & PF and Adelman can blend the elements into a contending team.

 

This firing crap is never going to go away. Even if Adelman takes the Rockets to the NBA Finals next year, the pro-Gundy crowd will be in full force telling us that "VG would have done it too...look at his 52 wins w/o Yao"....etc, etc. Blah, blah, blah.

Personally, I don't know who is right and I absolutely don't give a rat's arse who is telling the truth and/or more righteous. I can get to the personal bottomline very easily.

Les wants to run, Gundy wants to play mid-90's basketball in TODAY'S NBA.

Les...unless it's Larry Brown (which I doubt)...I'm with you 100%.

 

Answer me this: What is mid-90s basketball? What style do the Spurs, Pistons, Cavs and Jazz play? They are this year's Final Four. Do Phoenix and Golden State play the way you want in "today's NBA"? Where are those two now?

 

Great point A_3PO

This mid 90's basketball crap is garbage, successful teams like the NBA final four, play very similar styles to what the Rockets did this year but with better overall talent. If the rockets improve next year it will be because of an improved roster.

 

Mid 90's BBall = pound it into the low post at all costs with disregard for all other aspects.

No one in todays NBA can or does play mid 90's offense...the NBA zone took care of that.

PHX got screwed in the suspensions fiasco.

The Cavs low post presence is Z and Gooden...not 90's offensive ball.

The Pistons low post is CWebb...not 90's offense.

The Pistons 2nd low post option is Rasheed...he shoots 3's...not 90's offense for a PF.

The Jazz low post comes from PF while the C shoots 3's...not 90's offense.

The Heat play 90's ball...where are they?

 

90’s basketball was much more superstar-oriented than it is today. Basically it was “give the ball to your best player (usually the center), everybody else stands and watches around the 3-point line”. Predictable offenses that really so heavily on one single player just doesn’t work nearly as well anymore. That’s why the Lakers are such a poor playoff team despite having probably the most talented superstar in the game.

Offensively, nowadays, there’s much more of a balanced attack. You’re not going to see a single player average +30 points a game throughout the playoffs, like Jordan, Hakeem, and Shaq did. With the exception of the Cavs (who'll probably be swept), all the remaining teams are very balanced offensively. The leading playoff scorer remaining is Carlos Boozer, with only 24 points a game.

Hopefully, Adelman can implement a system similar to the one he ran in Sacramento that'll create a more balanced attack and a less predictable offense.

 

seriously??? until dethroned, they're probably still polishing their trophy. i'd be fine with being the Heat for a year. and i think that model works far better with the pieces we have in place then all of a sudden saying we wanna be "Phoenix-like"...who by the way, hasn't won a championship with that style.

 

Why do I get the feeling it went something like this...

GAME 7 LOSS

Les: "Your Fired!"

JVG: "You cant fire me! I quit!"

JVG picks up cell phone: 'tell Vercey Im retiring'

Morey to Les: 'Wtf are we gonna do now?"

 

I think San Antonio is who we need to emulate......the Heat had one miracle run out of a bunch of older veterans and one young attack the basket at all costs Superstar.

The Spurs play more of a team game, and are a more consistent force, I think the Rockets should follow their blue print.

DD

 

That's my feeling. Moreover, the firing reminds me of when Van Gundy quit on his team in New York. With him vacillating so much during the season about coming back, the brass must have been thinking about that episode and the real possibility that Van Gundy would flake out again.

 

whatever the style of play, JVG is so-so coach.

Just let it go