Bickerstaff calls out officials during press conference.

Dude, you're spinning off into space here. Unless you really aren't watching the games. Howard is getting prison-raped out there but has some sort of target on his back with the referees. The last two games simply brought everything to a boil with these dumbass refs giving techs that Howard didn't earn, thus giving the other teams an opening to frustrate Howard further and get him tossed.

"Tears of rage against the machine." Good grief, Charlie Brown.

 

I've watched EVERY game, for several years. Yes, Dwight gets pounded on every single night. Yes, unfairly. Yes, Dwight doesn't get many of the calls that he should get. Yes, I believe the refs officiate differently for Dwight than they do for other big men around the league.

But, I also believe, and I say this as a huge Dwight fan . . . Dwight is an ABSOLUTE MORON the way he acts on the floor sometimes. Everyone who says that he's been in the league long enough to know better is right. Dwight HAS been in the league long enough to know better. You just can't shove people around after a play is over and think that somehow "this time" the refs are going to let it go. If I am a ref in this league and Dwight is CONSTANTLY daring me to call him on it, guess what? I'm gonna call him on it. And I don't care if somehow in Dwight's mind he believes he's warranted. I don't care. Dwight is acting like a petulant child, and I'm going to slap him on the wrist for it.

I agree that Dwight gets the snot beat out of him on a nightly basis. But I also know that Dwight's getting $88 million dollars to get the snot beat out of him on a nightly basis. As McHale used to say, he's not logging tall timber out there. And so Dwight swearing at the ref under his breath last night earning himself his second technical of the night and second game in the row where he's ejected, well guess what. THAT'S WHAT LOST US THE GAME. Not the officiating, not JB running out on to the middle of the court during the course of play, not Harden's lack of defense . . . none of the regular excuses apply. Last night it was all on Dwight, because for the second game in a row HE COULDN'T KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT.

That's what a fifth grader does to earn himself detention after school. Dwight is thirty years old. Grow up already. Man up already. Grow a pair. After 11 years in the league, the refs aren't going to change how they blow the whistle at you. The sooner you get that in your head, the better off the Rockets will be.

And I say all of this as a HUGE Dwight fan. He ought to know better by now.

 

Rockets got tabbed with an ugly ball image. Take Harden, he is a brute force to the rim as a SG, when the NBA wants gracefull finesse ballet type visual style. He gets too many calls has been so repeated that it's annoying. Though he was getting fouled hard on the majority of those drives.

Howard is another who as many have said still plays like a brute. He has learned so little from Hakeem. And when Howard gets to the line, it's not a free throw, it's a roller coaster ride.

The Rockets aren't mean enough for the NBA to push as villains. And they aren't fancy enough to pull for as heroes.

So they'll sprinkle ref magic, and let the team crumble on it own doubt.

But JB said it best, the NBA referees Dwight so much differently, and allows players to foul him on each and every play. And it's time the NBA gets the script ball exposed

 

How can you have a league that even the commentators on tv talk **** about the refs and the rules. How does the NBA not find that embarrassing? The announcers and fans at home consider your rules a joke and they just keep on

 

I'm glad JB called out the refs who were horrible last night. But he himself cost the Rockets the game with his substitution of Capela alone.

 

Trust me...I respect JB a ton...even before him ripping the refs for how the officiate Dwight. That being said...THIS team isnt LOSING because they arent scoring. But rather, they are getting abused defensively. We blame Harden a lot...but Beverley was just letting Wall get into the lane at will...Brewer gambles way too freaking much. Terry is old. Dwight gets easily frustrated by his opponents...he is a seasoned vet, and should be employing those same dirty tricks on his opponents. Capela's frame allows him to be pushed back into the rim.

Basically when our team scores 110+, why are we allowing 115?? Yelling and screaming is fine, but the players/coaches also need that same accountability.

If I was Les, the assistant coaches wouldve been iced last night. This team needs to build a formidable defense...rather it is one of the worst in the league. As a result we have equaled last years loss total for the season.

 

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2016/01/31/howard-ejected-again-rockets-rip-refs/?ls=iref:nbahpts

 

Can't disagree with this even if I tried. I agree with JBB about how the league treats Dwight (and to a certain extent most true big men who aren't shooting 3's), but it's not the reason the Rockets are still teetering around .500.

JBB I like but he was a big part of the McHale regime that allowed for a crappy training camp and start to the season. Obviously Morey and Les weren't really thinking that coaching was going to turn the season around. It was going to be the players. But this group of players really really needs to be truly coached again at least defensively. It's beyond disgraceful the effort they put forth at that end.

For the record though I think JBB will be a fine head coach in this league for many years but I'm not sure he's the right fit for what this team needs to win... Which isn't a players coach who allows a ton of freedom defensively.

 

Good on JB for calling out the refs but the guy is really in a no win situation. He has his hands tied. He is trying his very best to get this group playing well but they're just not there for whatever reason.

To me this falls on Morey. I mean JBB was under that idiot McHale's tutelage for 4+ years. He learned all the bad habits under McHale. Same goes for the players. Just a quick stop gap solution like JBB won't work. He was the guy supposed to be in charge of the defense. If it didn't work with the idiot McHale. Why would Morey think that by firing McFail and hiring his same assistant, things would get better.

If JBB were to be successful and I am sure he will be, he needs an entire preseason and training camp to get his ideas across. However, he needs to start at a lottery team and progress forward.

 

Yes. Even in previous years when the Rockets had a statistically better defense, they weren't really that good. No one ever feared their defense. The team doesn't just need to "play better", they need to develop a defensive identity, that attitude that contending teams have that they can and will shut down a team just because they can.

 

lol JB lost it

 

Bad luck meme.

8 years of coaching, under McHale
Gets first real coach job, Morey hires him.

 

IMO JBB is dead man walking anyway. And this team is caught in a vortex of mediocre. But I do give JBB credit for speaking up. Sure, the team is playing horrible basketball, and he is making many mistakes.

But we're half way through the season, and smiling and taking it hasn't worked, has it? Complaining probably won't either (its not like the calls can get that much worse though), and him sticking up for his players (especially Dwight) and himself will hopefully make a difference inside the locker room. Heck, how many times during the game do eople post comments like "why doesn't JBB draw a T"? May even make fans respect him more too.

And wh knows, maybe calling out the refs, pointing out their obvious blunders might actually make them try to eliminate the blatant reffing mistakes. Maybe. Sure didn't hurt Cuban.

btw, comparing JBB to Kerr? Seriously?

 

Even tho he domt deserve it insert the 25k fine. He prob cant even afford that.. And he doesnt deserve to

 

Agree with you on every word. It's time someone holds them accountable, and I'm happy J.B. is using his pulpit for it. By the way, in addition to the last two games, we're only a few days removed from that bizarre Ariza OOB reversal in New Orleans. It's been really bad.

Also, on Dwight: any credibility the officials had on his 2nd tech went out the window when they couldn't even keep their story straight. Right or wrong, the T on Dwight obviously came when Dwight swatted the official's arm away. The official explanation of it having to do with him/Nene is a flat-out lie.

 

okay, obviously JB is no Steve Kerr. The point I was really trying to make is that the Warriors have no business being in game that's that close with the Sixers. Similarly, we have NO business constantly losing to sub-par, sub-.500 teams like the Wizards. And then blame it on the officiating. That's all.

 

I'm not totally disagreeing with you, BUT at what point is it the referee's responsibility as a professional to do his friggin job? Why is there another set of rules for Dwight? I don't care how much a man is making when you're getting beat on and watching the refs consistently call touch fouls for other guys, you're going to get frustrated. The other NBA players know you can pound Dwight and get away with it, this is why they do it. I've long said it may be a good thing that Dwight is soooo playful because if had an old school 80's tough guy mind set someone could really get hurt. Imagine if Dwight angrily sought his own retribution against some of these guys, someone would get hurt. It's the referee's job to keep the game clean & they should do it.

 

JB calling out the refs is all fine and dandy and I don't disagree with what he said in press conference. Just looking at the big picture, he's still not the coach this team needs imo. This team is still careless and not disciplined and a total joke on defense this year, I mean it's pathetic. I don't care if the refs are perfect, the team is not going to be successful as bad as they are on defense! The defense is so bad it can only lead you to believe that JB and this coaching staff are still not making it through to these guys. I'm sure the team probably like him and respects him for having their backs but he's still not what they need in a leader it appears. Big picture, this just isn't working.

 

Well, I want a new more seasoned coach that demands respect, but I think eventually JBB will get there.

Players should pool their money or the org should pay his fine.

DD

 

Dwight most likely would. It is always an awesome feeling when a coach is willing to go to war with you and has your back. JBB has his player's respect. But respect doesn't win games. Its time for the Rockets to get back to the basics and completely revamp their defensive approach.