Sources: Jvg not interested in Rockets because of relationship with owner

Fixed...

 

Very well said. Would rep if I could.

 

According to a number of people on this board, JVG has publicly stated that if he were to coach again he would implement someone for the offense.

 

Bobby Sura was a great player for the team when healthy. The type of player Yao and Tracy needed to be surrounded with at the time. Too bad, like most of that era, injury killed the chemistry being developed in the spring of '05.

 

Les needs to apologize.

 

Great post!

 

JVG did have a clear direction on offense, get the ball to Yao in the post. Unfortunately, that team couldn't do it most of the time. It's a combination of fault of Yao, the players, and JVG.

Will JVG be able to create an efficient offense with Harden as the focus? Maybe, maybe not. But the past history says unlikely.

The only sure thing with JVG is that he will try to hold players responsible, and have them work their ass off on defense, which is what this team desperately need.

BTW, why people believe JVG, or anyone can make Harden a better defensive player? He has been in the league for a while, has been in the winning situation with OKC, or losing situation with the Rockets. If he doesn't have it by now, I don't thinks he will ever have it.

 

Well Harden has never had a legitimate coach before. He had little Scottie Brooks when he was drafted to the sticks and he had Kevin McHale and JBB here.

There's reason to think with some legitimate coaching, he could improve.

 

When Harden has a legitimate coach (Coach K, Thibs from Team USA), he's shown he can be one of, it not, the best player in the league.

Look at last season as an example. He spent the summer 2014 playing for Team USA under Coach K and Thibs, came into training camp focused and in shape. Summer 2015, no Team USA ball, didnt seem to work out much, sprained ankle, out of shape, got paid by Adidas, started dating a Kardashian, which probably meant he was out partying all the time.

And you've seen how terribly unfocused he's been on the defensive end - it almost feels like he's worse this season than 2 years ago when the infamous Harden Defense video was posted.

You bring in a legit Coaching staff how can hold Harden accountable and make him play defense - JVG got Francis and McGrady to D-up.. I would imagine he can get Harden to do the same.

IMO, if Harden doesn't buy in defensively (regardless of who the coach is) and step up as the leader that he's expected to be, i think it would be in the Rockets' best interest to cut ties with him - if they ever want to win a championship.

 

Harden was fine last year defensively. He had lapses, but not like this year and honestly, very very few elite scorers defend well.

Also, defense isn't as simple as one player not doing their fair share. Derrick Rose is a worse defender than James Harden, and the Bulls were an elite defensive team with him getting 35-40 minutes a night.

When it comes to defense, system and roles matter a great deal. You do not need to be a great defender to flourish. Steph Curry is a very bad individual defender, but is part of a larger system and group that covers his back. Put him on a team like the Rockets with no direction and there would be constant complaints. That is the point where I agree with those that state coaching matters a lot.

 

This. Very rare do I see teams exploit Curry on the defensive end and attack him and try to get him in foul trouble. Even when they lose it isn't ever because of Curry being exposed defensively.

 

Stephen Curry is a bad defender on the court?

I Am not sure you watched the difference in his defense when the Kerr era began, he has actually almost improved as much on defense as he has on offense on the court. He is nowhere near a bad defender, if anything that is what surprises Me most about his game since last year, he is an underrated defender on the court.

 

Curry as an individual defender is poor. Curry as a "help defender in Ron Adams' defensive system" is solid and active.

 

I agree 100% with how to treat these players now days. JVG isn't an idiot though and has a history of being extremely loyal to his players. Tmac had horrible work ethic (plenty of natural ability) but JVG brought out some good things in him and they got along fine. We have already tried the player friendly coach and that did not work. Thibs is on the other extreme, which would not work for Harden but was a nice thought in theory. Coach K did wonders to Harden's game before last season. We need more order and everyone has been complaining about no structure in our offense.

You missed the point with the Yao stuff. The ball went THROUGH Yao almost every play. It wasn't just give the ball to Yao and make him power it in every play like the Curry example. That is why we had the shooters that you mentioned and that is how they made the majority of their shots. Give it to Yao, he gets double teamed, pop it out for the 3. Tmac got plenty of iso opps with the ball still and averaged 20+ each season. He handled the ball quite a bit. We actually did screens and set picks and everything under JVG. I understand that a half court offense is not that exciting but our offense is too predictable and stale. It is painful to watch at times but JVG limits turnovers which was a huge problem for us. Him taking the easy way out before makes no sense as an argument. He did what any smart coach would have done when you have Yao. Yao was a great passer and shooter, not that great of a rebounder. Why not give it to him and let it go through him? Otherwise, Yao would just be another player on the team and his skills would have not been utilized enough. Did you hate on Rudy for doing that with Hakeem?

Keep in mind though, we will probably bring in some veteran players if we bring in JVG. He likes smart players not just some super athlete.

I get most of your points and understand where you are coming from but we need someone that is respected. There is not much out there to choose from but out of that group, he is the most qualified. If we bring in another mchale or a blatt, we run the risk of the players not giving him a chance or shutting him out.

 

Either way, the guy can defend, individual or not, nowhere near a bad defender on the court anymore at the possible moment.

 

JVG is an NBA relic. The games has passed him up. Time to bring in somebody new.

 

How about Shane Battier ?

 

JVG wanted to dump the ball in Yao's hands so...

 

brother!

 

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