I dont think the 11 games by MilkHair are comparable to what JB is doing. I know its a small sample size, but you can see it over the past 4-5 games
Also benching Brewer and playing KJ after the Sixers game. JB is trying everything under the sun to win, I respect that
Yes. Some people here just can't seem to understand this. Ditto. The same staff that got the team to the WC Finals was in place to start the season. Does anyone here honestly think losing Josh Smith destroyed team defense? Get real folks. Be logical. And that logic does beg the question of what would change with a promotion of someone who served under McHale for years. Was McHale "tuning out" a lot of Bicerstaff's "fresh" ideas? There have been tweaks in player combinations but the defense hasn't taken a sudden sky-rocketing back to last season's form. It's so obviously player effort that even a child should be able to see it. Look at the end of some of the games when the Rockets knew the game was slipping away and see the panic and desperation effort that kicks in. Everyone asks the simple question, "Why doesn't the team care that much when the game starts?" There's a story about what Pat Riely told one of his Laker teams in the playoffs about wanting air after someone holds you under the water until you're gasping. He said, when yo want a championship that much you'll know you've done your best. (paraphrased; I didn't feel like looking up the exact story.) McHale's "play harder," Riley's "need for air," Jackson's "Zen" philosophy. It really all boils down to talent, desire and effort. A coach is definitely important. But the one (w/staff) that started the season wasn't different from the one that got the team to the WC Fiinals... except that the first quote above is the real truth. Players are ultimately responsible for team success. You can't say the players were suddenly being asked to do a lot different from last season. The two biggest personnel changes were minus Josh, add Lawson. And that caused players to "tune out the coach?" So the poor performance on defense that continued after McHale was removed is... because? Bad system? No. Bickerstaff is not doing a bad job. Neither was McHale. The players were and continued after McHale was gone. Things worked better against the Pelicans when Harden didn't hold the ball as much. Was that Bickerstaff's influence? Or maybe Alexander's comments about player effort? I know which one I think had the most influence. But judge for yourself. And no matter what made Harden play "differently" in the last game, the fact of the matter is, the same players played "better." I agree with the first quote above. It's 95% on the players. Does anyone really think Phil Jackson could take whatever is the worst team in the NBA, in any given season, and get them to the Finals? Dream on.
Although I agree more with the decisions JBB is making out there, especially in terms of rotation minutes, the proof will be in the results. Regardless of what you think about McHale, you can't deny the Rockets were very successful under him. I guess now we will see if it was in part because of him or in spite of him.
It seems about the same, but not sure you could expect a whole lot more given the amount of time he has had to work with them. He has tried some new things, which is more than what McHale was doing, so at least that is something. I don't think we would have ever seen Howard and Capella on the floor together, which I think has some potential, so he have to give him some credit for being willing to try that. He has also admitted that he needs to decrease some minutes played by the starters, particularly with Harden, while McHale was intent to work him into the ground. I think he is doing fine. I do not think that he is going to be the long term solution, but he certainly isn't doing any worse.
NO WAY! Impossible a coach influences the team how he wants to. I thought Morey was a puppet master!!!
Over the last 4 games the offense is avg 108 ppg per 100 possesions that's actually top 10 in the NBA. I don't know if thats JB or coaching. My guess is the players, we were playing flag out bad the energy has been better the last 2 games thought so I have to give JB and JH a little credit in that department there the leaders.
I loved that JB finally put Capela in the starting lineup. He has been playing too well to keep him as just a backup to Dwight. He needs to get minutes. I was dissapointed that he has kept playing Brewer but at least he plays him less than McHale. JB also seems to be trying to emphasize posting up more than McHale had this year (last year being a different matter entirely). Once he took over Harden immediately started to post up frequently.
Looks like Harden iso stopped until it counts in the end of the game. All they did was post him up tonight
Finally, a coach that can make in game adjustments and actually draw up PLAYS during a time out. We will be the third seed before its all said and done.
It's a small sample. But the hustle is there. The team simply wasn't competing under McHale in those first 11 games. Even the 4 that they won, they played awful defense and relied heavily on Harden having superstar games in order to eek out the victory. That's not enough to make me wanna remove the interim label, but he probably has earned the right to finish out the season and see what he can do with this roster(or whatever's left of it after December 15).
yeah, it's been missing a long time--a coach who can adjust his schemes in-game. Love that play where everyone touched the ball before Tjones' pnr with Harden resulted in a Jones dunk. That was after Harden had coughed up the ball twice trying to split doubleteams at the top of the key. When the players see the game plan works, the more they will buy in. Also love that TJones was more effective tonight. Pachulia doesn't scare anyone? Good call on resting Dwight tonight so he can bang vs Cousins tomorrow
Love seeing Harden start possessions off the ball on the weakside. It makes the 3 guys on the strongside more dangerous with the opponent focused so much on Harden.
