3rd Quarters have been a problem for this team for a few years now. Why can't these guys get it together in the second half? I think if the starters can't produce then you have to go to your bench more. Maybe riding the pine to start the secound half is what needs to happen and bring the starters in after a few min. What do you guys think??? Htownrocketfan
No, this is as far as what you know about it. You consider it coach's "measuring stick" because that is what you hear and read. I can guarantee you that Jeff is not referring to the media's or the fan's sentiment but rather the sentiment of the players in the locker room and nothing else.
I agree with Gunn he's talking about the players not anybody else.Also I think it's obvious with 2 different coaches and 2 different styles of coaching that it's certain players that just don't get it. It seems like the only tape SF and CM watch are And 1 mixtapes.
I Think this is a valid point, at some point the players have to take a hard look at themselves and say we tried it via route A and route B but we keep making the same mistakes. Oh yeah “WE” keep making the same mistakes. I think the player need to take the brunt of the blame.
I have doubts that Steve will significantly improve his game in the area of PG duties/skills......regardless of who coaches/helps him. As he gets older, it will be even more difficult to train (retrain?) him in how to run a fastbreak and pass instead of trying to break down his defender in a half court situation while the rest of the team stands and watches. Trying to teach him in the NBA what he should have learned in High School is a daunting task and probably more difficult than JVG thought last year going into the job. <hr color=red> The Utah Jazz had the retirement of Stockton and Malone moving to the Lakers, yet they seem to have adapted to the loss of those two players in less than a season. The Rockets installed a different coach and lost Rice & Posey while adding JJ. The additions of Pike, MJ, Adrian etc are minor changes. Major changes Utah Jazz: Lost Malone & Stockton Houston Rockets: Lost Posey & Rice Added JVG Added JJ Portland has had several additions and subtraction to the roster <b>during the season</b> and they are only a few games behind the Rockets. Denver has had siginifcant roster changes in the past two years and they are also only a few games behind the Rockets. Changing the roster can be good if it is the <i>right change</i>. In regards to Steve being an <i>important piece</i>, he is at times and other times he isn't. For the Rockets to be considered a viable 2nd round and better contender, Steve will need to be an important piece most of the time. When this season ends and everybody sits down to evaluate the good and bad, one of the key questions will be if Steve can become an <i>important piece</i> most of the time (in the current environment of playing with Yao and JVG as coach).
Gotta love what JVG is saying, even if it basically points out to these flaws that we all know and hate. Sure, we're missing some players right now, and that has made winning even more difficult, given our current schedule; but that just makes past losses (as JVG points out) all the more galling. Teams with smart players (re: Seattle, Ray Allen) can just tear us up; our players are stupid and just don't seem to want the win badly enough. Or maybe it's just me. I was watching the Kings game yesterday and my friend, who is a Fakers fan (ugh!) and doesn't know the Rockets too well was saying how close the game is, the Rox have the lead, why am I being so negative. And you know what I said? "Watch. The Rockets will find a way to lose. We'll throw the ball away, we'll blow a layup, the other team will run it back for an easy score. You watch." Bingo.
No, that is not what I consider, please re-read what I wrote. I said, I agree that Jeff's measuring stick is not just the play-off. It's the media & BBS that used the playoff as a measuring stick. I am not pissed at Jeff for saying it, I am pissed at people (read media & BBS) for saying "Yeah, what he (JVG) said!". Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember before the season started, everyone (majority) said it's a successful season if we make the playoff. Well, we are almost there. Why continue to b**** and moan? Yeah, we shouldn't be satisfied (and neither should the players), but how about giving some love? I swear, sometimes I think posters on this board are a bunch of "wifes" -- never happy with what you do. I remember someone put up a POLL awhile back asking if we should trade Steve even if we win the championship and there were something like 10% that said "Yes"... unbelievable. Mango, I agree with you that Francis will never be a great PG, but I think he is a decent passer. IMHO, what hurt the team & Francis more is his inability to hit the mid-range jumpers and finishing his drives. I believe both are mental things that can be corrected/adjusted in the off season. Really, what teams in the past has accomplish what Utah has done this year? I have to take my hat off to Sloan. Portland has more talent than we do, I think they have really underachieve. I don't know if removing the "cancer" had helped or if it was more of a chemistry thing. Intesting that you brought up the Nuggets. Andre Miller had a terrible year when he went from Cleveland to LAC. His #s were as bad what Steve did this year. He has recovered this year in Denver, I'm hoping that Steve will too (even if he doesn't play for us next year).
I read what you said, and you may have written it incorrectly, but your statement implies that coach Van Gundy's thoughts are somehow tied to the expectations of the media and fans and not the players.
QUESTION isn't that when *coaches* make their adjustments It seems SOMEONE ain't adjusting at half time like OTHER COACHES Rocket River but no . . it is the players. . .
The rockets are making the same mistakes under JVG that they made under Rudy T. Your damn right its the players
SF is all about showing off cross overs, dribbling like it's play ground ball. Players like that don't win championships. Just ask AI.
The problem with this team now is confidence ... When you have a coach that exudes pessimistic feelings it is bound to trickle down to players, fans, and the entire organization. I think JVG is a good coach, I just wish he could give our players a little more confidence .. I don't know how often I see our players out there playing not to make a mistake instead of playing to win. When you don't have confidence in what you are doing, and you are just playing to not mess up, that is when you are bound to screw things up like the Rockets do so often, especially in the 4th quarter. That we owe to JVG.
They have made the exact same mistakes for the last 5 years. Rudy T was the ultimate players coach who never criticized his players and they responded the same way. Make no mistake about it, the players are the problem
you mean like Jordan and Pippen they went through the legs all the time. In fact Jordan was the ULTIMATE playground guy he took his man off the dribble EVERYTIME Would he be AS GREAT in this zone era? I think not. . still good. . Still great but NOT AS GREAT Rocket River
Yeah but Jordan is also the best to ever play the game and he played smart. If he did dribble and cross over all the time aleast he created his shot or pass the ball. SF will either dribble off his leg or run the shot clock down and cause a turnover. SF is becomming cancer.....
Well, I think getting in is important. We need to taste it. Taste defeat. taste Victory. And it seems to me we have as much talent as any team in the West. So we could run the table. Our team is as skilled as any out there. The championship is still the goal. So I think it's important.
JVG's earned my respect this season. I gotta say I didn't like it when Rudy was hung out to dry, and I especially didn't like replacing him with JVG, but I like how straight forward he is, and I have grown to really appreciate his coaching.
