[Podcast] Jeff Van Gundy on 1560 w/ John & Lance

Thanks Repped

 

I met JVG yesterday, he is unbelievably nice and cool.

 

Has anybody ever heard Van Gundy declare any coach a bad coach?

 

Yes, Van Gundy talked in general about how some NBA players had bad coaching while growing up, I think he was talking about a specific player but I can't seem to remember. It was during the opening panel of the Sloan Conference.

Please name one coach declaring another NBA coach a bad one, that would be news to me.

 

I just remembered he was talking specifically about Yao, he said Yao had a lot to learn when he got to the States because he had bad coaching in China.

 

The coaching fraternity members don't turn on each other. Van Gundy did make a joke about "Big Chief Triangle" but that's not calling Phil Jackson a bad coach-- just that the offense got a lot of credit that should have gone to the brilliance of Michael Jordan.

Van Gundy did say in the interview that if he really didn't think a guy is doing a good job, he would most likely danced around the question and said something like "I like some of the stuff he does..." instead of giving that coach an effusive unconditional praise like he did with Adelman.


BTW, the "VP for Common Sense" thing came from Bill Simmons, not Morey. Morey probably was relaying Simmons' idea to Van Gundy, perhaps without attribution.

 

JVG doesn't like Phil Jackson. But I don't think he would call Phil a bad coach.

 

There are maybe 2-3 people in the whole world that genuinely like Phile as a person, he is arrogant, self-serving and rubs people the wrong way.... but he is a good coach, the real question is whether he a top 1-2 NBA coach all time... that is up for debate.

 

OK, so has anybody ever heard JVG refer to a coach as good but not great? He does that with players, calling the current Rockets roster as full of very good players and in need of one or two great players.

 

Thanks for posting - I'm always excited to hear JVG

Listening now

 

JVG is the man. Can't believe he forgot about Detroit's more recent championship

 

Well we should obviously try putting a gun to someones head and force them to come here.

 

stopped in during lunch and chatted with Jeff. Outstanding guy, very affable and was willing to talk all about the rockets - from the cato days to aaron brooks to les alexander.

really cool to have a discussion with him and i really appreciated him talking as candidly as he did, especially when he is here to promote a charity. i'll make sure to purchase some raffle tickets online.

for those interested, he indicated that you could purchase them online at provisionschool.org

 

LOL, same thoughts here.

 

Whats wrong with that?

 

JVG was on 790 this morning too. He talked the rocket's players, and coaches for all about good parts, nothing is negative. He is a very professional man.

 

JVG on this morning
Miami Heat heavy

Spoiler

Welcome to the show, how are you?

Doing great, how about you guys?

Doing wonderfully. ... John and I were talking about this, you're a fan of all the different sports. You watch diffrent sports. Basketball seems like its the only sport, despite its high degree of athleticism, where you actually can get better in your 30s. Where you can become a better overall player in your 30s, when your maybe less athletic, and smarter and maybe more skilled. Do you agree with that? Can you speak to that? I feel like Rose is..its as if hes too athletic, too fast. Look at Dirk, athleticism never his thing, but man does he really know the game right now, maybe better than he ever has.

I would agree with the versatility. The great players realize as they're athleticism starts to erode, they got to add skill every year so they try to fight off father time as much as they can. Nowitzki maybe the most unique in the league that he's 7 feet, great shooting touch, great balance. He gives Avery Johnson a lot of credit for making him go in and develop a low post game which he has now. He is versatile now. Not just out on the perimeter either isolating or playing P&R. He got the post game. We know about his great FT shooting but I think he is able to draw more fouls than he use to in different ways against better quality defenders. He is very much improved. He feels he is very much improved over the last 3-4 years. Im not sure if hes improved as much as hes maintained what he was able to do in his 20s. Also, with an undersold aspect is being able to fit in with a good team. He can still be a dominant player yet not be so dominant that it squelters other players around him. I think that is true greatness right there.

Is it a little surprising, not sure if you've seen Q rating for LeBron, you forgave him right away, had him winning 72 games and like 20 championships and greatest team ever, that people havent forgiven LeBron yet and there is still a dislike for him out there?

I dont think its necessarily about what they did coming together but how they went about it. That doesnt take away for me or detract from his greatness. This guy is truly a great great player. And I'll say this, I dont think him winning a championship this year doesnt change my opinion. Doesnt make him greater, if he loses, doesnt make him lesser in my eyes. Im not as wrapped up in "You cant compare this guy to this guy until he wins as many championships." Are we saying Olajuwon isnt a better player than Will Purdue because Purdue has 3 championships and Olajuwon has 2? Come on, stop. Jordan is by far the greatest player I've ever seen. Doesnt mean I can compare him to earlier eras. LeBron James is in the conversation of being a top 10 player of all time if he continues on. I think when they got together they were the best. Still think they are the best. I think they will win multiple championships. Think Spoelstra will end up winning the second most championships in the NBA. Think he'll get 3-4 with this group and then put them in position to maybe have a chance to get another group thats great like Phil Jackson did. A lot of ramifications from them winning but to me, Im not gonna look at James different. I already knew he was great. This is what they wanted, they got it, they did it a certain way, rubbed some people wrong, and so be it. They'll have to live with that.

Miami Heat team that is hitting their stride. You had a tendancy in the past that when everyone piled on one guy, in some ways you will call out people for piling on when they shouldnt. Chris Bosh has taken a lot of heat. I dont think he is an alpha dog or lead dog. With that said, has he been a force when asked to step up. That mid-range game is deadly from him right now.

No question. I agree with you. Not sure you put your team in position to win a championship with him as the best player but certainly as third best player, he has been fantastic. Thought he would have to make the biggest adjustment of all. He would have the ball come on a consistent basis to him in Toronto. He was number one option. Thats a huge sacrifice going from that to basically playing off the ball, rarely having a play called for you, while figuring out "Hey, how can I be effective?" He has figured it out. You put him in a P&R with Wade and James, you're putting the D in a difficult decision. Right now Bosh is playing so efficient that he is actually covering up some of the bad games that Wade has had. This is the benefit of thoese 3 guys coming together. When Wade had 2 consecutive bad games, they won them both. In past history, no way they win that particular game.

If you are Spoelstra, who do you put on Dirk and where does the double come from?

I put Bosh on him from the start. Then Haslem, who did a very good job in 06, and the ultimate weapon in LeBron. I wouldnt go full blown double teams. Dirk an improved passer but not great. Not sure Dallas has enough O if you take away the 3 pt shot. Every time you go to play Dallas, you gotta think about Terry and Dirk and taking away his layups and FTs. You wont stop all midrange shots but if you limit Terry and stop Dirk's FT and layups and maybe 3, then you have a shot of containing them. Miami has the best D and they'll prove that against a good O in Dallas.

Interested to see when Dallas goes to high screen and roll with Dirk and Barea. Almost like Barea getting over the screen and getting into the paint takes presidence over looking for Dirk off the pick and pop. Do you thnk Barea and his ability to get into the paint and finish---do you think this can be a dynamic that softens up the Miami D since they'll give appropriate help to Dirk popping off looking for the three?

One thing people fail to realize when they talk about Dallas' bench is, give Barea credit but give Nowitzki credit. They dont give him the right help off Nowitzki on his screen and roll. Sometimes Barea is walking into the lane because everyone is so concerned about Nowitzki. I think Miami will have different attack. I think you'll see Bosh, who's really improved in team D, show out hard to redirect Barea. I think they have a good matchup in Chalmers vs Barea on D. He'll be able to negotiate that screen, get back in front and do a better job than any previous 3 teams Dallas has played in keeping Barea out of the paint AND still not allowing Dirk to get free. Think it will be hard for Dallas to score 85 pts. Miami is so good, so good defensively it will be really hard on Dallas.

So you think Miami wins this series?

Correct. I was wrong on how many wins they were going to have but I think I'll be right that they'll be a dominant team for a long long time. They're talent is too good. They're starting lineup is the best in basketball. They're going to just keep adding talent to this mix. They'll be great for a long time. ... They're going always have 3 of the top 4 players in every series. When you have that, plus you're well coached, you're going to win. I dont see...Dallas will try to do it by numbers and depth but Miami will do it by very good 8 man rotation and have 3 of the top 4 players. Find it difficult for Dallas even though they had tremendous run. Dont see how you beat them 4 times.

End of the day, best player on the court will always be LeBron. LeBron is making big plays. This is what winners do. He is playing like a winner right now. Whatever you want to say about the decision or any other manner or way he goes about trying to win a title, you cannot take away that he is a smart basketball player, and highly highly competitive player. Great will to win despite he likes to do it with other guys. While he is the alpha dog, a little different than Jordan vibe. He has always been a guy that likes to be buddy buddy with his teammates too.

Right about James. High basketball IQ, plays the right way. When he is making the jumpshots he is making like he is right now, he is indefensable. Beats you with the jumpshot, the drive, the pass, the rebound and no one talks about him being the best perimeter defender in basketball and its not close. 2 way player. You're right. To me right now, listen, I had someone tell me the other day I was surprised they didnt have their championship parade before the Finals, because they do everything...celebrate too soon. I said stop the non-sense. These guys...you can disagree, how they went about it, whatever, to me thats history. You can disagree with that. Right now, it's listen: they're going to have to be dealt with for a long time, they're really good, they're going to add pieces to the puzzle, I dont see how...I feel like if they stay healthy, they're going to be a dominant team. I feel like they're that good.

You going to ask Mark Jackson on air if he's going to be GS' new coach?

Absolutely not. I think, their new ownership is being intelligent in considering him. I think he would do a good job. Bright basketball wise, good way with people, he is driven, and is tough. He has every characteristic that you would need to be a succesful head coach.

Extremely argumentative as well.

I'm a little tired of them picking on me.

Breen doesnt seem to have your back coach.

No, it's a 2 on 1 thing but whatever.

Can any player at 22 be great coach? John and I talked about this with Rose. He struggled. I'm not sure you can be great as a 22 y.o. I dont know if you can be truly great at that age.

I think you can. Magic, Bird, James, Wade, Kobe. I think your point is, can you be as smart as you have to be with great athleticism. I would say this: Rose is so athletic that they have to figure out when and where to use that great athleticism and when to make sure they run their team the way it should be run. Think about it from Rose's standpoint: the pressure he was under. Surprised it was as close in that series. He had to make every play. What other offensive weapon do you see on Chicago where you say "We have to take care of that"? Whereas MIami: Wade, Bosh, James, P&R, Miller outside, Haslem midrange, they had so many weapons. THought Chicago did a great job. If you flip Rose with any of those 3 players from Miami, and brought one Miami player to Chicago, not sure Chicago would've been as good as they were. Rose, because of intangibles and ability and accountability to take the blame, where as others want to push the blame somewhere else, I thought thats why they overachieved so much and great job by Tom Thibodeau.

Jim Tressel resigned.

Smart move on his part. Sometimes, you make mistakes that you have to pay a heavy price. Always wonder about college coaches, just having gone through about thinking about college, you cant put yourself in a position where you're going to be fired for cause or have to resign. Too much invested in it. Tressel, they could've still won without some of those guys. Not like basketball where you're gonna have no talent on your roster.. Ohio State will always win. Sometimes you feel like, he probably felt like he had no choice. I feel bad for him but think he made the right decision.

Absolutely. Have a great series.

No problems. Take care.

 

Thanks as always hsf09.

Dang, JVG says the Heat has the best defense, and the man obviously knows his defense.

 

It'd be better if he was talking Aggie basketball. Sigh.