I know Axeman already posted a thread with the similar messages but that somehow got turned into hurling insults so I don't want to post there. 1. Get rid of Rudy OK seriously, you can argue all you want in favor of him but the arguments simply wouldn't stand. First of all, who would we replace him with? Probably a nobody, but with the amount of coaching Rudy does we might as well replace him with a nobody. You can argue all you want about this is a young team, about how we got new players and how we had injuries, but get this, this team might be young, but it DOESN'T take half a season to tell a team to play motion offence instead of stupid ISOs. It DOESN'T take half a season to get a team to stop jacking up stupid 3's. It doesn't take half a season to tell them, see that 7'5 guy in the paint, yeah he's on our team, pass him the friggin' ball. For one thing, the next time Cat jacks up a stupid 3 in a close game I'd sit his ass down until he smartens up. OK I understand Rudy has done a lot for this team, such as taking a punch and getting 2 rings, but he's been around for a decade, we paid our dues. Fire him and get a real coach 2. Trade EG Contrary to what most of you believe, Eddie will never pan out. You can argue all you want about how he's only 20. Do I think he peaked? Hell no. But I don't think he's gonna be anything great either. Sure he's got potential but that's nothing if he doesn't do anything with it. I think he will become a better player but never anything great because he's just so dumb. Seriously, which other PF stays outside jacking up 3's or miss wide open 2 footers? And he's not all that great a shooter. I'll say that's pretty dumb, which means that unless he really smartens up in the next 3 years he'll be nothing more than above average. And brain cells only die. Part of his problem is that he has no direction. He doesn't know what he wants to do. Is he a 4 or 3? He's too weak for a 4 and can't shoot for a 3. On a team that has no coaching he's only more confused. Not to mention he can't play D. Sure he'll get you a block every now and then, but every PF from KG to Elton Brand to Malik friggin' Allen schooled him. So in my opinion, he's only a liability to us if we wait for his "potential." 3. Coach Yao I love the big guy I really do, but I'm gonna get called a hater for saying this. You all know about the usual probs of him not being strong enough, but I think he has more problems. His D really dropped significantly. I remember that even 3 weeks ago no one dares to drive when he's patrolling the lanes and he'll get you 3 blocks a game. Now you can argue all you want about him being tired and all, but I don't think he's living up to his potential on either end of the floor. Another prob, he should dunk the ball instead of layups. The way the other teams plays him now, if he doesn't dunk the ball, he won't hit a shot even if he's 2 feet from the basket. Just look at how Grant played him last night. Hanging off his arm, scratch, etc. Dunk the friggin' ball. Also, can't believe I'm saying this but he's just WAY too unselfish. On a night where he's the only one on the team shooting above 47% and the one of only 2 shooting over 40%, he really passed himself out of the game. When he was 1 on 1 on Grant and 4 feet away from the basket he always passed to EG, who promptly lays up a brick. Shoot the damn ball more. I'm not saying take 30 shots a game but god 12-15 would be nice. 4. Get somebody who can play perimeter D Need I explain?
i agree with 2-4, but disagree with the suggestion of firing of rudyT, who is a good coach and a proven winner. there aren't many coaches out there as good as rudy. give him another two years with the current team before decising to bring a new coach.
I must say I agree. For every two things that Rudy does correctly, there are fourteen that he screws up. So goes rudy, so goes the team. Put in Mr. Mean as the interim coach, then wait till the offseason. Personally, I think there is an outside shot a getting Riley to coach us, if not look at the market. Someone will be available. Letting go of rudy is extraordinarily hard for all the same reasons as letting go of Dierker. Yet it needs to be done.
Good post. I don't completely agree, but I think you make good points. I've been defending Rudy, but everyone has their limits. Losing to one of the league's worst teams w/o their best player at home is insane. I'd ax him if we knew we could get someone better (where's Van Gundy???) I'd give EG one more year. It seems to take about 3 years from a lot of these very young guys to breakout. He still has loads of talent and I'd hate to pull the trigger to regret later on him. I am a huge Yao fan. I don't think getting additional coaching is the solution. However, I agree the guy is way too unselfish. The Rockets should start requiring him to shoot 15-20 times a night. No excuses. He shoots over 50% and even forcing up a few, he'd probably end up shooting above 45% on the year.
I think a blockbuster trade aside, the first thing that needs to change is the rotation. The current one simply isn't working and doesn't maximize all of the team's players' abilities.
Kinda hard to reduce Moochie's playing time, considering he's the backup PG when Steve needs a break and Rudy won't play Tito.
Totally agree on #4. What Yao needs now is a little bit of street ball mentality. He is a great player who is playing very confined right now. We all know he has great basketball smarts, what he needs now is learning the NBA game. Half of the NBA game is of course, the showmanship. Yes baby, bring on the streetball.
From espn insider : Pau Gasol Grizzlies Everyone Feb. 3 - A few more GMs commented to Insider this weekend that the Grizzlies are putting out word that they're willing to part with either Gasol or Drew Gooden. Whichever player brings the more lucrative bounty could be gone in the next couple of weeks, especially if a team is willing to agree to a package deal that rids the Grizzlies of the long-term contracts of Lorenzen Wright and Jason Williams. Jerry West is tired of being hamstrung by the salary cap and is apparently ready to pay a big, big price to get some flexibility this year or the next. I will make the deal either way. I can find ways to use either nasty contract in exchange for lotto phenom Pau. Griz need cap relief bad bad bad, as do most trade partners. This means Rice. I still want Brand or Odom, but I'm thinking the clips are too stupid to deal, like always. One other note : NO TRADES listed with Rox. Anywhere on the site. They are either very quiet, overlooked, or incapable of playing the wire. In banking on CD pulling this one out. As much as I dislike RT, I really like CD. I think he coached the championships, then RT ran it down.
This swayed my opinion. I love it when people tell me "you can argue all you want, but I'm right and you're wrong and I won't really tell you why."
Pasox. CD seems to have done a godo job. He doesn't seem like a genius, but he is a nice guy. At least he didn't screw up like the Bulls' manager!!! They are having so any conflicts. I'm pretty sure people have called CD and offered for Eddie Griffin or Glen Rice or something, but they haven't been serious.
If SF, Mobley, Yao, Hawkins, EG can make free throws on the road, we won't talk about this here. Rox should win at least five more games just by making free throws. That's how Spurs did on their 8-game winning streak on the road.
WELL MAN. If Yao's not the first Chinese guy to win a championship, MENGKE BATEER WILL BE. The Spurs are on fire. And they are looking good. And free throws. GOLLY. They only missed 2 free throws...until the very end...when they purposely missed some. BUT THEY SHOT EXCELLENTLY. All of them shoot well. Our players should go on a ONE MONTH FREE THROW SHOOTING COURSE.
Whether or not Rudy stays will depend, of course, on whether we make the playoffs (not entirely likely, but Shaq's breaking down, so we might sneak into the playoffs---but even that is no great shakes, considering all our dumb losses) and, perhaps, on what kind of trade the Rockets might make now or in the off-season. It doesn't look like Rudy can coach these guys, but if he had a solid, smart veteran player, etc etc.
I agree with you, however,... I don't think we'll get any better results with a new coach that's out there, unless it's Bobby Knight... EG does need one more year, but he needs to add some weight and be more aggressive. He's needs to work on an inside game... Yao is to unselfish. I think he's to concerned on other people getting there shots right now because at times, people aren't looking for the ball when he makes those amazing passes...
I dissagree with you on all accounts except #4. For one, you want to reward a guy who built one championship team and was willing to stick out through some rough times to build, what I feel will be another brand new championship team, by firing him. I'm sure Phil Jackson would be ready to jump what will be a sinking ship once Shaq is done to a team that will be on the verge of greatness. Second, Eddie is young! He was not drafted to be the savior after a year and a half in the league, not many players are. Your argument that he will never be great is weak. EG does not need to be great, for this team to be great. Knowbody nowadays fields all-stars at every position. I do feel EG will be good and probably will even make a couple of all-star teams. Finally, I think Yao has come a long way since the begining of the season. At times you can tell he is just tired. He's still trying to get used to playing a full season in the NBA. By the way, what does everyone else see in Van Gundy that I am not seeing.
