Hilarious! Who in their right mind didn't think the Rockets were going to struggle for a while under a new coach with a completely different philosophy? They changed our expectations when they started off fast, but we should have known this was coming.
I don't mind being 6-7 (actually I do), but I can't for the life of my understand what Adleman is thinking running out Hayes and Altson in the starting lineup everyday. Struggling to adapt to a new system is one thing, failing to see Hayes is not starter material or freakin Rafer NBA material is another. You can't be a good offensive team playing 3 on 5.
Actually, I'm not the biggest fan of him as a commentator of the ESPN games. He's ok, but what the hell, FIRE GUNDY! AGAIN!
Haha~ yeah! Fire JVG! Fire Adelman! Trade T-mac! Trade Yao! Trade Alston! Start Francis! Oh wait, Francis sucks now, Alston is still our best. Oh no! Alston still suck! Start Mike James! Oh Mike James suck! Start Brooks! Trade Battier! You are a YOF! Screw you, you are a YOH! so you must be a TOF! no you are a TOH! ... This is what people on this BBS have said over the past month or so. It's hilarious to read through them again. Full of sound of fury, signifying nothing.
I'm not disputing that a change would be justified at this point. How can I, when we're on a 6 game losing streak. Here's how the the same starting group performed a season ago. They were together in 35 regular season games last year, and our record was 28-7 in those games. Not bad for a team playing 3 on 5 on offense. The opponents in those games had a collective .484 record. When you dig a little deeper, though, maybe we fattened up on weak competition. We went 16-1 against the East, and 12-6 against the West. And we were only 2-2 against Western Conference teams with greater than a .500 record, including a blow out win against a (clearly out of sorts) Dallas team early on. Still, I think that group was very clearly the best 5-man group we had a year ago. They may very well be the best 5-man group we have this year as well (I hope not).
How much has the offense really changed? I still don't see much of a difference. RA still hasn't implemented much of the offense, and we're using basic plays that were used last year, so I don't think using change to justify our losing is valid. If you wanted to use change to justify how poorly we're playing then it would have to be on the defensive end. Last year, even if we shot poorly we could still win it, but so far this year, it has not been the case.
I don't mind losing. It's HOW we're losing that's bothering me. Plus, this team looks like it's about to implode any day now and heading straight for the lottery. Losing games is fine, losing 6 in a row to a mixture of top and bottom teams is not cool. Also, when you have a coach making some head scratching decision on the sidelines, you can't help but voice concerns about exactly what is going on with this guy. We don't look like a top-tier team going through a transition to get better. We just plain SUCK right now.
He's just stupidly stubborn like almost every NBA coach. They are very slow and take a lot of time to see the obvious. In the meantime we have to suffer through their lack of quick problem solving skills.
What scares me the most is that the team seems to be getting WORSE by the game. I am not seeing any progress but I am seeing individual's game deteriorate before my eyes. I stood by this starting lineup and although I still believe Chuck and Shane should start I think it is time for Rafer to be replaced by Mike James or Francis. Head also has no business on the court from what I have seen. Even if Steve shoots jumpers as poorly as Rafer (and that is not likely) we know he will go at the rim like a man on a mission and get himself to the free throw line. For all of Steve's faults we know the defense can never ignore this guy without him punishing it. Yao Hayes Battier Tmac Francis MJ Bonzi (hope that ankle is ok) Scola I don't see a better lineup than this.
Right now under the Rick A, the Rox could eventually become the western version of New York Knick, it is so sad for the fans, but does Les know the fans's feeling? Is any change going to be made? Is SF3 or Brooks going to play?
Hayes and Alston still start for us because thats the only way they are going to contribute anything. The reason why they can even play is because they are playing along side Yao and McGrady, who both draw double-teams and attention away from Hayes and Alston. Thats the only way they are going to get wide-open 3-pters/lay-ups
It is still as stagnant as before, except Yao is now planted at the elbow where he is much, much less effective. Therefore our offense is simply worse than it was before. Planting Yao back at the low post would at least make the offense as good as it was last year.
how did JVG get this team to 52 wins last season on top of all the injuries and a lesser bench support?? That is one heck of a job. As for RA, overrated coach
Well we've got a 2 game losing streak and the calls are back for JVG so I'm gonna bump this thread just to be prepared.