http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/sports/2919350 Nov. 25, 2004, 11:50PM Rockets failing to mesh Van Gundy says changes imminent in organization By MEGAN MANFULL Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle One thing Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy can guarantee is that changes are imminent in the Rockets' organization. He isn't sure what or when they will happen. He just knows the current situation isn't working. Three weeks into the regular season, Van Gundy has yet to see the team mesh on the court. The Rockets (6-7) have won only two games against teams with winning records and lost four games to teams under .500. "Certainly if the results don't change, we'll need to change either who plays or who's here," Van Gundy said. "Because one thing you don't want to get used to is mediocrity." Van Gundy sees the Rockets as an organization that has been mediocre for too long. Last year's team made slight progress by reaching the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. The Rockets were a seventh seed, however, and lost in the first round to the Lakers. The team hasn't won a title since the 1994-95 season when the Rockets won the NBA championship. Their last division title came in the 1993-94 season, and they haven't gotten past the first round of the playoffs since 1997 when they lost to Utah in the Western Conference Finals. "To break the cycle of mediocrity that our organization has been in is a challenge for all of us from (owner) Leslie (Alexander) on down," Van Gundy said. "And the one thing I love about him is he has an urgent desire to win. And he doesn't have any patience with mediocrity. And I think our team needs to reflect that. And I don't think we do, yet." Van Gundy hopes to see progress as early as tonight when the Rockets travel to play a Utah team searching for answers of its own. Van Gundy is still mulling possible lineup changes and didn't rule out the possibility of one happening as early as tonight. The Rockets have not changed the starting lineup all season except when injuries have forced it. Van Gundy has proved over time that every decision he makes is deliberate. "One thing that you don't want to be doing is vacillating," Van Gundy said. "So you want to be sure if you ever do change, not vacillate back and forth." Rockets players agree something is wrong with the team, especially after entering a season expected to contend for the Western Conference title. The team started with high hopes after acquiring Tracy McGrady from Orlando, but the transition of easing eight new players into the system hasn't been smooth. Changes blamed Jim Jackson said the offseason transactions are to blame for the slow start. The players are still trying to become familiar with each other on the court. "If you had a crystal ball and said, 'Yeah, I want it to happen by Dec. 1,' that would be the best scenario," Jackson said. "But, unfortunately, it doesn't happen like that. "I do think more time is needed, but coach has to make a decision on what he feels needs to be done. Players, we look at it a little differently. But coach's timetable may be different than ours." Van Gundy doesn't have a timetable yet. He likes the current makeup of the team and said the personalities all mesh in the locker room. They just don't fit on the court together. Bob Sura is still recovering from back surgery and likely will be cleared to play next month. And while Sura's return is greatly anticipated, Van Gundy has no notions that Sura can fix all that's ailing the team. Sura no cure-all "You would expect that he will help, but you can't expect someone who has never played a game with you and who's been out so long, to be a cure-all," Van Gundy said. "It's not that one position that is holding us back. It's really not fitting together well that's holding us back. "When you have good chemistry, it inspires you personally. It inspires each other. And we certainly need improvement in that area." Van Gundy said the blame is shared by everyone in the locker room, including him. He said he is still searching for a right mix of players who can win on the court. He added that the players need to ask themselves if they are helping the team come together or hurting the team. The change Van Gundy hopes to eventually create will catapult the Rockets to the top of the Western Conference. He has seen the potential in this team, but the glimpses have been fleeting. "To break out of that rut of being just OK is very difficult, but we have to be able to be ruthless in our pursuit of being better than mediocre," he said. "Mediocrity has seeped in and stayed in. "And to have a breakthrough, we're going to have to do some things differently as far as sustaining our play." megan.manfull@chron.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rockets Summary Reeling Jazz The Utah Jazz never looked like they'd be in the position they are tonight. After winning six of their first seven games, they are reeling after back-to-back losses to Chicago and New Orleans have dropped their record to 7-5. The Bulls and Hornets were each winless entering their games against the Jazz. Utah's recent problems are no comfort to the Rockets. "I'm mad that they've been struggling, because usually when teams struggle they come out and play hard," Rockets guard Tyronn Lue said. "We're going to have to be ready to play. We're going to have to go up there with defensive intensity and a defensive presence. And, hopefully, we'll be able to execute when the game gets into the fourth quarter, because we know it's going to be a close game." The Jazz are still in a transition period and are ranked 28th in the league in experience. The Rockets have struggled against Utah in the past, however, splitting the four meetings last year, and know how dangerous the team can be. "They don't have a super, superstar besides ( Andrei) Kirilenko, but the guys understand their roles and (coach) Jerry Sloan has them playing aggressive," Rockets guard Jim Jackson said. Quick holiday As Maurice Taylor left practice at Toyota Center on Thursday, he joked that he was going to eat for six consecutive hours. That's exactly how long he was going to get to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family, and he planned to take advantage. The team is still in the midst of its four-game road trip, but the Rockets returned home for a 24-hour stint so players with family in Houston could see them during the holiday. The team returned from Sacramento in the middle of the afternoon Wednesday and met for practice Thursday morning at Toyota Center. After practice, players had six hours before the team's flight left for Utah. "We were away on Christmas last year, and if you don't have to be away on the holidays, it's probably better not to be," coach Jeff Van Gundy said. -- MEGAN MANFULL
Two hot trade rumors from several sources: Cassel and Madsen to Rockets, Kidd and Mourning to Minny, Sprewell, Howard, and Lue to Nets. Mo + 2 future + first round picks + TE for Elton Brand. The Rockets starting lineup: Yao Brand JJ TMac Sam I am
how the hell did we get Brand? EDIT: Whoops, didnt read the second trade Mo going back to the Clips? That would be really odd, but then again, Sam would be coming back to us.... If this happens, Cassell and Kidd would be involved in trades once again...
Yao+Spoon+Mo+fillers for Kurt Thomas+Allan Houston Trade exception+jj+fillers for Sprewell Howard+fillers for Camby Ward Houston Spree Kurt thomas Camby Of course we're not done until we sign childs and ewing out of retirement. Then we will start to mesh.
Well, that sure sounds like some trades are about to happen. I hope the Rockets can pull off something good (and by that, I do NOT mean getting more Knicks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).
JVG is NOT worried about his job, and I find it laughable how many people are ready to fire him. He signed a 5 or 6 years deal. Do you think that Les is gong to fire him after 1 season? Not only would Les be on the hook for MILLIONS of dollars, but who would coach the team? Do you honestly think a big name coach will come here knowing they only gave the last guy a year to make a difference? JVG wants to win. This guy eats, sleeps, and lives B-ball. The problem with our team is that will still don't have the right mix. T-mac is our primary play maker, and he is getting doubled EVERY time he touches the ball especially in the fourth quarter. This effectively takes the ball out of his hands. If I am coaching against the Rockets, I tell my team under NO circumstances do I want T-mac or Yao taking shots in the 4th - PERIOD. We don't have the shooters to make teams pay for this strategy. We have JJ, and that's it. Lue is OK, Ward is OK, Nachbar has shot well but he has been foul waiting to happen. I am friends with one of the hold overs from RudyT. My friend tells me that JVG knows more about the Xs and Os then ANY coach he has been around. He is a smart guy despite what some of the so called fans think. He realizes that this current group is not a great mix of skills and I think he calls it like he sees it.
It's a 4 years deal about 18 mil, if he can't win with the core of Yao and Tmac, he will be gone, PJ is the next.
Considering Cassell has been having trouble with Flip Saunders, a real players coach, I'm not sure how well he's going to do under the heavy hand of JVG.
No, I think JVG *is* worried about his job. Unmet expectations (and maybe they were too high this year) are always the death knell for any coach. If JVG misses the playoffs this year, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get the axe, even though it's hardly a gaurantee.
I wonder if this is another scare tactic that JVG is trying to use. But I hope we do a trade, we NEED a good PG and a rebounding PF. How about: Lue/1st rounder for Daniels Howard for JYD or Howard/Gaines for Chandler
When a team with YAO and T-MAC can't score more than 100pts and the Toyota Center is a ghost town, everyone in the WORLD knows, and whoever is the coach should be KICKED OUT!!! Don't matter what his contract is!! Besides dumping Van Grumpy, we need 2 forwards who can score more than 8 measly points against the Kings!!! Man that was EMBARASSING!!! What league does MOTAY and Howard think they're playing in, NBA or NBDL?!?!? We don't need Van Grumpy to take this team to a .500 season. We be lucky to make .500 under him. A whole lot of coaches can do the same thing, with more fun and less stress on YAO and T-MAC. The last thing I want to see is YAO and T-MAC burnt out by Van Grumpy's mentally deranged negative approach system!! I want YAO and T-MAC to have FUN together this season, regardless if we make the playoffs. The only way YAO and T-MAC will have FUN on the court is when Van Grumpy is GONE!!
