At the end he says this is first time in his life he heard players say: "Well, we just didn't have it (tonight)" after a loss. is that Martin?
Very insightful post, anchel, but I'm hoping it's a problem with his knee that will get better with time. It's his first surgery, correct? The guy has always been healthy before this, and doesn't know what to expect from the recovery process of knee surgery. We went without a training camp or pre-season worth mentioning, so he didn't have a chance to work himself into NBA shape, and couldn't work with the team's trainers AT ALL during the lockout. My hope is that he'll play better as the season progresses. The last thing I want to believe is your theory! - I think the trade bothered him. How could it not? But I don't think it would affect his play. Luis is the Anti-Martin, for what that's worth. I think the far greater number of games in a week, sans training camp, sans pre-season, is taking its toll. I just hope he adapts to the change in pace quickly, and that this doesn't drag out. The coaching change, as I said above, would have a bigger impact, IMO.
The former. I always thought the volume on these Rockets videos is too low, but it seems especially bad on the Mac Air with its weak speakers.
Love the candor from McHale too, it's like JVG with HOF street cred. But at this point, McHale is the anti-Kubiak. Kubiak gives you next to nothing then blames himself.
What good does calling your players out do when they are not listening in the first place. He is just yelling at the moon. DD
My take on it is, this season more than any other, effort and intensity for 48 minutes can decide games. Guys aren't used to playing at this frequency, not getting days off like normal. I was hoping the Rockets could use it to their advantage since they have such a deep bench....but so far it seems McHale isn't looking to mine that option and the players are quickly succumbing to that fatigue. They're letting games go once in a hole, usually there because they didn't come out with energy on defense or on the boards. Donut teams have to outhustle opponents on the glass every night, every quarter, every possession. Right now, we're folding anytime we see a frontcourt with burly bigs. 27th in rebounding. 28th in points allowed. I love the Rockets, but it's tough to be proud of this roster this month, Lowry aside.
HP, we don't know the context, and I am willing to give McHale the benefit of the doubt because effort was indeed an issue. The statement in itself could mean many things. "It" could mean shooting touch. It could mean luck. It could mean talent. If the player played hard and made that kind of statement, I wouldn't make a big deal out of it because it could just be a frustrated smh kind of comment after a loss despite lots of effort. It's easy for a coach to blame the effort, especially on the media. And it's the coach's job to motivate effort. My biggest beef with JVG back in those days was that he always blamed effort when it was clear that we didn't have enough good shooters to compete. How much effort do you need to make a wide open shot?
Have to realize that McHale stepped into the situation looking long term. The team wants to move to a most post prominent focused team. The Rockets thought they would have Gasol and Nene along with McHale. Now, they are in a transitional phase. Lowry has taken well to the change, and I think in time Patterson and Morris (if he can mature) will thrive in it as well. Best thing to happen to the Rockets this year is to be so bad that it forces Alexander to accept rebuilding. The Rockets are in a postion due to cap space and assets to rebuild faster than most. Both Scola and Martin should bring helpful talent through young players and/or draft picks.
Maybe it's just as simple as OKC had Kevin Durant down the stretch and we didn't. Or, as a younger Kevin McHale once put it... "Maybe it's just the fact that we have a Larry Bird and they don't." - McHale, May 30, 1987, after a Game 7 win over the Pistons.
We've seen it happen with crappy teams/players. With good players, the response is different. The response is play harder, hold yourself and your teammates accountable, and man-up. Robert Horry was traded, came back because someone else failed the physical, and then helped his squad win two championships. He's a winner. The problem isn't players believing they are just assets - it's their talent level, desire to win, and responses. Even all-time greats can't just coast on talent alone (looking at you Lebron). You've got to have a deep desire to win. It seems like McHale has it - no surprise. All other things equal, sure. But the last game aside, McHale is complaining about effort. All other things aren't equal, because it appears as if the other teams are literally trying harder.
Then why call it effort when clearly it is talent? That will not win many converts in the locker room when you are blaming them for laying down instead of competing. DD
Maybe if McHale wasn't so busy benching the guys who don't try hard every game like Hill and Thabeet, he'd have more options at center than Scola. lol. And he doesn't actually do that much anyhow. Let's see: Last two games...Ibaka vs Perkins...who cares which one he guards. It's not that big of a deal. We actually don't want Ibaka defending Scola if we can stop it. Three games ago: We have Griffin vs Jordan. So, you'd rather have Scola guard Griffin? Four games ago: Gasol vs Bynum. Like OKC, who cares which one he guards...they are both going to be tough for Scola. Five games ago: Hill and Dalembert logged 48 minutes. Scola did not play center. This "Scola is playing Center" argument is not only weak but not really valid much and merely an remnant of poor game analysis of the opening game. People just continuing a Game 1 argument about nothing.
I expect McHale to keep his mouth shut in the media and deal with his players like professionals. Calling them out in public when it is HIS JOB to get them to play hard is a reflection on the piss poor job he has done getting them to buy in at this point. Now, I will concede that he has taken over under horrible circumstances, and he has a tough job to try to mend fences, but you don't call them out in the media when they don't trust him, nor believe in him yet. All that will do is fracture the team further..... DD
See <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=6542449&postcount=16">anchel's post on Page 1</a>. The Scola "We didn't have IT" quote was after the Clipper's game. I assume McHale was talking about that horrendous game.
