<iframe src='http://media.kfhradio.com/audio-embed/103362860/embed.htm?width=650&height=400' width='650' height='400' frameborder='0' scrolling='no' marginheight='0' marginwidth='0' style='border:0;padding:0;margin:0'></iframe> Topics discussed: -Where do all Morey's feuds with people come from? Thoughts on Charles Barkley’s comments -Difference between the Dwight Morey knows vs. the perception before signing him -Thoughts on Steve Kerr’s shot at Morey's MVP campaigning -Honest assessment on Harden’s defensive play this season -How close are the Rockets to being the best team in the West -Do you care about people liking you -Does people being against you/not believing in you motivate players and fans -Thoughts on what Sam Hinkie’s doing in Philly -Scrutiny moneyball gets, comparison to Oakland A’s
Interesting mention about Tom Thibodeau in Chicago. Talking about he is getting the blame for losing in Chicago. Morey is paying close attention to that i bet.
Always going to enjoy hearing Rockets talk even if it hit on a lot of the things that have already been talked about lately. I did like the end though... DG understands that the way we are building despite the minimal results thus far is actually working. That to win it all lots of things have to go your way and that just because things haven't quite gone our way so far doesn't mean what we are doing is wrong. Pointing out a few things that could have gone differently against Portland and this team could be viewed differently. Talk like that will get you branded a brainless sheep and Morey worshipper by some around here.
I don't know if there are any battles. I don't know if I'd call them that. [Played Barkley soundbites] In our feud, I'm at 140 characters. He's at about 15 minutes of discussion. I can't really talk. I haven't won a title just like Charles. At the end of the day, it comes down to winning. We have to prove it on the court. He was one of the best player in the playoffs, so we're looking forward to getting him back in not too long. We added Ron Artest the last time we advanced in the playoffs and had a good run in 2009. Everyone told me things about him. He was basically one of the best guys we had on the team. I'd say the same for Dwight. He's been unbelievable. Very positive overall. How it ended in Orlando and LA is a popular team and him leaving that team and choosing us, the deck was stacked against him. We only judge him how he's been with us, which has been great. We're both trying to win games. We've known each other awhile. We both laughed about that one. He was asked a direct question of whether he'd campaign for his guy and he made a response there. We think James is a great player. We're obviously focused first and foremost on winning. He thinks Steph is a great player. He's focused first and foremost on winning. He's pushed his guys for DPOY, he's pushed his guys for other things. It's all part of the thing. He got asked a direction question. At the end of the day, all of us both want our teams to win and our guys do well. He's had a great year defensively. He knew he wasn't where he wanted to be defensively last year. To his credit, he stepped up and improved. He's a 2-way player and can turn it up on defense especially. We ask him to do a lot. It's been a great year. We've had a top defense, even with Howard out. Harden is a big part of that obviously along with his teammates. When we get Dwight back, we have to be one of the top defenses in the league if we want to make a deep run like we're planning to. I would say, we feel like with a healthy Dwight, we can beat anyone in a 7-game series. Obviously we have to prove it on the court. Golden State has deserved the right to call themselves best in the West. Last year, we beat the Spurs 4 times and a lot of good it did us. It all gets proven in the playoffs. With healthy Dwight, we stack up well with anyone. I don't really care. We want to win. We haven't won as much as we want to. When people criticize us, they have good standing. We want to be a team deep in the playoffs and haven't done that enough. Until we do that, hate, criticism, whatever, it's something we accept and we need to figure out how to improve and get better. Hopefully this is the year we take that step forward. Dwight has gone through difficult times with injuries, leaving Orlando, leaving LA. He has something to prove. Rockets have something to prove. Harden wants to prove he's one of the best players and you have to do that in the playoffs. People definitely look at us and maybe don't get behind us but at the end of the day, we don't create that. We have to focus on our business and getting better to win. They've made every step right. Obviously I'm biased. He's doing an unbelievable job. People won't see that though. They look at the different ways we play, the different ways Sam and the Sixers are going about building their team. When you try to do things a little different, you naturally stick your head out for people to whack if things don't pan out. People playing traditionally, people doing things the normal way, 20-25 of those teams lose every year. We don't talk about them. The only reason people talk about Houston is because the different ways we do some things and different way Philly does things. Because they're different, when succcess doesn't come, people whack it down more naturally than the 20 teams that don't make the 2nd round. Only one team is happy in July and only one team in November for baseball. End of the day, odds are horrible. Lots of things have to align, need great execution, good fortune with health. OKC is as well constructed and well run as any team. This year, they're going through injuries. Does that mean what they're doing isn't working? No, no one is saying OKC doesn't work. Folks are attacking Thibodeau, who I think is a great coach, because different things haven't gone their way this year. Basically, all that matters is you win and everything takes care of itself. People will write the narrative after. Hopefully we can make the narrative how we go on deep playoff runs and hopefully more than that and that's the narrative of "Does using analysis and numbers help you make better decisions to win?" because we think it does.
Thanks, J.R. At least Morey acknowledges the criticisms (even from die-hard Rockets fans ... or maybe especially) are legit until we prove we can win in the playoffs. So even if lately I've been critical of his non-moves this Feb, I'll still support the team--Go, Rockets! Winning is all that matters. FO, coaches, players, prove it to the whole world.