Based on some comments I saw today I decided to make this thread since I feel the same way and I think many will agree. Basically, whatever way you look at it, McHale is for better or for worse trying to win ball games. You might disagree with his rotations, substitution patterns, style of play or whatever, he wants to win and does it whoever he thinks are the right combination of players to do that. As long as a coach is doing that, there's no reason but not to support him. In emotional moments, we've all wanted him gone and even when we're logical, we see McHale and the other coaches' limitations. For example, the situation with Lin this year and Martin last year. It is obvious McHale is kind of old school and sits guys when they don't perform and even if a guy can score 30-40 points on any given night, he has shown to just play them 20-30 minutes. Implicitly a message is sent to the player that he needs to work on some things, play better next time and he will get minutes. McHale has stated several times that he went with what worked, which players he felt were performing well and that's that. I have no problem with that for most players. However, anybody with a computer or TV watching Lin knows a big issue is confidence. I really hope he does talk his guys about what he wants to see from them and there's good communication, not just in this situation, but in general. Now everybody coach has his methods and ways of learning and I think McHale is very simplistic in his approach. I say that because McHale's thought process seems to be simple. For instance: just rebound the ball, play this style, pass the ball and you will be fine. He always says basketball is not that hard but the first weeks he found out that implementing a few plays for the rookies and newcomers was not easy. In that regard, he seems to be slow to adjust to the idea that guys may not be as fundamentally sound / skilled as during his days or he just played with great team mates and that is not necessarily the case with his guys. The same with Lin and Harden, he's still trying to figure out how to work with them but even a computer whiz kid could see that there some minor changes can help them improve and work together. Truth is, coach was a great player and most great players don't make very good coaches. Still, the man is all about winning games and that's what the owner and Morey are all about too. If you do not agree we need to win now and just develop young guys, that's fine but keep in mind that McHale has an owner, a GM and his own mentality that winning is the way to rebuild. The man makes mistakes along the way, can be very frustrating but again keep in mind that with Adelman here, there were also plenty of people who wanted him gone. Some times even for the same reasons like waiting too long to take a time-out, final plays of games, plays coming out of a time-out, leaving guys in that in our eyes should be benched and more.. In the long term, who knows if he's what's best for the team, I am willing to give him another year or two when we get some players this off-season to help us become a playoff team. With the direction the Rockets are going, it's good we have a coach who wants to win and he has a mediocre team + Harden competing and if some games went our way, we would be in 5-6th place. Feel free to discuss
I agree 100% McHale JUST wants to win...He and his crew will be out of jobs, so that is understandable. The problem is that his approach comes at the detriment of the development of his young players with the exception of Harden. This year is supposed to be the year we develop our players and rebuild. Morey said that himself. But when McHale continuously makes questionable coaching decisions, there needs to be a change made NOW, not 2 years down the road. This year is where we develop our players, NOT develop our coaching staff.
Did you not just watch the last game? All the players are young, playing confidently and agressively. What more can you want? Smith is 21 and got lots of playing time. Asik the old guy is 26. You do have Delfino at 30 I suppose. I do agree with the other poster about Lin and confidence so I hope they cut him a bit more slack. However, most likely Lin is used to the tough love approach from his upbringing. I still think McHale is a Rudy T type of player's coach and will do fine despite the misgivings of bbs basketball scholars. A good players coach sometimes achieves results above what you would expect from a sheer X and O perspective.
Lin is being developed very well. He is being forced to work on shooting and becoming a more efficient passer. PPat has developed 3 point range. Morris...it is night and day this season versus last. Parsons has gone from good hustle player into a good starter. Douglas has found his shot and confidence. Asik has been okay on offense which is a lot better than he was. Word from practices in preseason was Patterson was dominating the rookies. Word out of practices now is that Jones has been coming on strong.
So you're saying by playing Douglas, Delfino, Cook over playing Lin or some of our other young players will help us win possibly a few more games to do what exactly? a) make the playoffs? If we do not make it we just wasted a season to develop players with higher potential and growth to get us there and more. If we make the playoffs we're not getting out the first round nor have we developed the players that can be a part of the future to do so. b) just win more games? That just small thinking, i can not accept that this would be in any plans for an organization that is looking to succeed. Every company has to think 2-3 years out what their goal is and it can't be lets just be mediocore this year by playing our vets when it was just mediocore last year playing even better vets. Last year I rather have seen Morris and Smith play more mins to help be a bigger part of today and tomorrow. I think most of us fans look at the rockets as a rebuilding team in which there's a lot of young potential that needs to be developed. Winning more games or even making the playoffs by playing more seasoned vets that are not expected to be part of the team in the near future does little to grow the team into more than what it is today. Additionally I think fans would rather see Lin's growth on the court than see a below average veteran just getting by. Fans are what drives revenue which in turn pays the coaches. Of course coaches would like to think its them that makes the organization turn.
You do not seem to understand the direction this organisation is going, do not let the 'new age' thing fool you. Play Cook over Lin, do you watch games? The coaching staff want to see more out of Jeremy and I don't blame them. Playing Douglas over him is at time mind-boggling but there's no secret agenda there or proving a point. They do it because they feel it wins them ball games. You can disagree with their way, which I also do since Lin needs confidence, but it might help long term.
Don't really get the point here. Of course McHale is trying to win games, but many disagree with the way he is going about it. I don't think McHale has nefarious intentions- I just think he's kind of an idiot.
"wall of text - didn't read" Yes coaches are about winning... The more they win, the better coaches they are
Yes Lin might be used to tough love maybe before he got his contract and before Linsanity - but he makes 8 mil, and the guy gets benched even when Lin plays decent. Going to hurt his confidence. And for people who say Lin gets benched for not being aggressive, where can I find evidence of this?
TJ needs more PT. Why doesn't McHale bench Osik the entire 4th and put TJ in for his development? TJ is a beast. Forget Greg Smith. I see potential in TJ.
Do you have any empirical evidence supporting your statement "his approach comes at the detriment of the development of his young players"? It certainly does not seem to be correct to me. Maybe I am old school but IMHO players earn their game time. RVG is where you go to play if you need game time to develop and cannot hold your own in the NBA.
this! almost every player on this roster has become and is becoming better and better game in and game out and we're even winning! What more can you expect from a coach?
According to fans, every coach who doesn't win 70% of their games is a bad coach. The talk of rotations, who plays, rookies, etc. is just rationalization.
Why do LOFs feel that Jeremy's confidence is very fragile? If he cannot survive a missed winning shot, or being left on the bench if Douglas is playing well, then he is doomed anyway. I think he is made of sterner stuff than that. He hung in there after not being drafted, and then being cut by several teams. He has aknowledged his weaknesses, and is working hard to improve them. He has shown himself to be a team player. If the coach feels that Douglas is playing well and gives them the best chance to win, then I don't think he will become despondent and insecure.
