During the games against the Trailblazers, ESPN analyst George Karl made a good comment about the Houston bench: "Look at the Houston bench. They are in a very difficult game, not playing very well, and you have 7 guys standing up 11 games into the season. That shows a lot of good stuff is going on with the Houston Rockets team."
Umm, those are bench guys and that's their only chance they get to step on the court during game time.
That's what i been trying to say...the difference between JVG and Rudy's coaching is like night and day. He has changed and tranform these guys to change and play hard and compete. Good things is going to happen if you play hard and play competitively. They cheer for every point, high figh teammates, argue with refs, argue for every call and kicking themselves for not making shots...ect.. That's what I like to see (that competitive spirits) and that's what I seen last night.
The Rockets were just as enthusiastic under Rudy as they are now under JVG, just more disciplined. The one thing you have to admire about this team is that they really want to win, even though sometimes they don't know how to.
Jim Jackson made a nice comment to Bill and calvin after the last home game I think talking about what he felt made Sacremento successful last year where he said that one of the keys to success was the relationship the Kings had off the court as well as on. He said that in order to win the Rockets would have to become not just great players but great friends, as well. I like having Jackson's mentality on the team, and I hope we see more of the team supporting each other from the bench in big games. I'm sure it makes a difference, especially in road games when you've got no other support in the building. The better the personal support and relationships amongst the Rockets become, the more trust, support and team play we'll see on the basketball court. That's how a team become powerful.
The Rockets are an extremely buddy-buddy team, more so than most NBA teams. I agree with what you said about the Kings. They are extremely close to each other off the court. It shows, especially during that off-court fight a year ago with the Lakers (preseason). I'm glad Jackson is with the Rockets, and I'm pretty sure he's happy to be with the team now. That's why a player like Moochie is still on the team. I'm sure management knows he's not an extremely talented or reliable player, and I'm sure his teammates, deep down inside, know this as well. But no one can deny how much he wants to win and how much he loves the Rockets and his teammates and will do whatever is in his power to help out. The man with the hair has a lot of heart. That's why Cat would never leave the Rockets, even if another team offered a lot more money and a lot more opportunity to be the premiere star. And that's also why Yao Ming really really fit well with the team off the court his first year--and that's also why he's extremely loyal to them. The Chinese media, during the first year and so far during this year, kept asking what other team he would like to play for and/or if he would want different teammates--and being loyal, he dismissed those questions and implied that even with what he doesn't always approve of, this is his team and he wants to stick it through. For how much people quibble and overspeculate and even exaggerate how much this team doesn't get along on the court, the truth is that these guys respect each other and though they may not see eye-to-eye are drawn up plays every single time, they are willing to push forward and compromise and eventually get to the point where they can work together to be better and that much more competitive. That's also why I think Rudy T. will probably not coach for another team, despite how the Rockets management screwed him over. He played for the Rockets, he scouted for them, he assistent coached and then head coached for them. I have a feeling that deep down inside, despite bitterness over how he was let go, he's tied to the franchise the way a person is tied to his family. Backstabbing aside, family is family. The Rox are a businesses just any other business, but more than other franchises, they really try hard to maintain a communal feel between players and coaches and management. That's why they held onto E. Griffen so long, despite his lack of fruition on the court. They believed he would grow up the way a parent has faith that they're child will grow up. But that's also why E. Griffen's (sp?) off-court spoils didn't sit well with them. That's why, though they cut ties with him as a player, are still trying to wish him well for his life in general. Whenever the Rockets win big, important games, it always seems to more than just talent and teamwork that gets it done. These guys want to win so bad, and hate losing so much, that even though it's only the beginning of the season, every loss feels crucial and humiliating as it does when in a head-to-head race for the remaining play-off berths. When they're collective heads are exactly where they're hearts are, when they add smarts on top of their already visible discipline and talent and desire, great things can only happen in Houston.
Great complement coming from a crybaby, cheapshot, out of work enemy coach. He can keep his complement. What's he ever done? Punch Rockets?
I am glad he noticed it. I noticed it too. I have not been able to see any Rockets games this year except the ones on ESPN/TNT so this is something that did stick out for me. It was like the bench was cheering on the Rockets in a must win playoff game. I loved it! Bring that playoff must win intensity every night. I like that the bench is "that into" the game like that. Shows the team is really "together".
Not only are they standing up and cheering, they are doing it 11 games into the season. Every team seems to get that kind of cheerleading in the playoffs, but we are only 15% of the way into the season and we are treating games like they are playoff games. I love the style of ball JVG is teaching. This is the type of ball that is played (and that wins) in the playoffs and THAT is what we need to be preparing for.
