http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/2955401 Van Gundy says concerns over playing time affecting team By MEGAN MANFULL Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy can sense the frustration in the locker room. The majority of his players want more minutes, and he can tell that some of the bench players think they should start. If every player on the roster made an argument for why he should be in the regular rotation, Van Gundy said he would agree with all of them. But instead of bolstering themselves with such depth, the Rockets (11-13) are camped below .500 and struggling to beat lower-tier teams. "There's not one guy that couldn't make that case and make some valid points (for being in the rotation)," Van Gundy said. "And that leads to unrest, instability and frustration, and frustration zaps energy. "And that's why we've been a team that's been sideways a lot of times. And that's unfortunate, because they are good guys. But like I said, very few are satisfied." Unlike others around the league, the Rockets are keeping their frustrations quiet publicly. They aren't demanding trades, as DeShawn Stevenson of the Orlando Magic did last week. They aren't getting into screaming matches with their coach during games, which is what the Cavaliers' Eric Snow did with coach Paul Silas on Thursday. Although the Rockets aren't voicing their problems, Van Gundy has initiated some conversations. "There's going to be some natural conflicts between coach and players," Van Gundy said. "But I think we've had too much. The opponent tonight is not other teammates who are maybe playing more than you. It's not me. I think we've had more than I'm used to of that." Rotation tweaking The rotation has fluctuated for much of the season. Only recently has Van Gundy seemed to settle on a nine-man set. Clarence Weatherspoon, whose strength is rebounding, is the one player who has never established himself in Van Gundy's rotation this year despite the team's struggles on the boards and at power forward. Bostjan Nachbar and Scott Padgett have played significant minutes some nights and none other nights. Nachbar is currently on the injured list, and Padgett's role has been greatly reduced in the past week. "It's always difficult when you want to contribute but the time doesn't come," said Weatherspoon, who has played in only eight games. "But you just have to sit there, be positive, study and be ready." Even after 24 games, the team is hardly settled at power forward or point guard. During the past three games, Van Gundy has used a nine-man rotation that excludes rookie point guard Andre Barrett and power forwards Padgett and Weatherspoon. The main reserves are Dikembe Mutombo, Ryan Bowen, Maurice Taylor and Tyronn Lue. "Everybody talks about depth being a great thing," Van Gundy said. "Depth is important. Too much is just as problematic as too little. And I think you've seen it with us. At some spots, we could use more, and at some spots, we have too much. It's not a fault of anybody's. It's no fault of (general manager) Carroll (Dawson). It's just how it's been dealt so far. "But it's had a big impact on our season and our ability to enjoy the season and for the fans to enjoy the season, because it's translated into some downright horrid efforts. Forget the ball not going in or whatever. The struggle has been putting a team out there that's been enthused and everything." Van Gundy said that in his nine-year coaching career, he has never dealt with a team like this season's Rockets. The separation between players' abilities has been better defined on other teams he has coached, which has helped him avoid conflict. Last season, power forward was the only role that was sometimes in question. Van Gundy rarely wavered with Kelvin Cato as the starter, typically keeping the pecking order of Cato, Taylor and Padgett in place. "With the makeup of our team, it's just something that we have to deal with," Taylor said. "There's nothing we can do." Put team first Ideally for Van Gundy, the players would accept the minutes they receive and place their focus on the team. Mutombo is the most obvious example of a former star who has embraced his reserve role. Mutombo played 25 minutes Saturday at Charlotte but averages only 12.7 per game behind Yao Ming. "Chemistry is about putting the team's goals ahead of your own goals," Van Gundy said. "That's what leads to chemistry. It's not some complicated thing. Because when you do that, you see more energy. And let's face it: Right now we're a team of very average intensity and energy. Our one chance to be really, really special this year is to have uncommon intensity and energy due to uncommon chemistry."
I can see Mo-t, Howard and Weatherspoon b****ing about playing time. One of our Power forwads have to GO.
Cudos to Mo, Howard, CW, and Padgett. All have shown incredible professionalism. You never hear them whine about playing time or demand a trade, incredible in this day and age of sports. Say what you want about their abilities, but they are more classy IMO than the rest.
If Spoon played in the 4th quarter against the Bobcats, no way Rox lost to the Bobcats. Spoon would get a couple of offensive rebounds and score some points.
I am getting so tired of Van Gundy. He has a real knack for irritating me. If he spent as much time b*cthin' at the refs about the absurd calls the Rockets have been getting/not getting, as he does talking about his players to the media, I'd be a tad more inclined to cut him some slack. It's clear that we have an unbalanced roster. But the guy just keeps runnin' at the mouth. How about doing a better job running the team?
So does this back up the story in another thread that Boki asked for more time or a trade, and got his @$$ bounced to the IL?
Shut the f**k up, JVG. If you behave like a sissy in front the refs, there is no need for the players to stand up for you and you have absolutely no rights to complain about the players in front of the media. That will make you more hated than ever.
I guess we were spoiled. A coach we all loved in Rudy-- even if we at times disagreed with him. JVG seems like an interesting guy to have a conversation with-- even about basketball-- , but I hate him as the Rockets coach. A new experience. Is it ok to fire a coach just cause the fans hate his act, regardless of what his team does on the court? He isn' that bad of a coach in some ways, but players will never go to war because they like him like the players did for Rudy. I don't view him as a championship coach. As usual he is whining. So he has players of roughly equal ability? Shut up, coach, and quit taking everything to the media. If you just want to voice opinions in the media go back to being an analyst. What a change from Rudy who almost never compained in the media.
Its not all JVGs fault. look at our team. We have too many 'BIG NAME' players, Howard, Mutumbo, Taylor, Weatherspoon.. This is like the Knicks with 500 SGs and 6000 SFs Where are the Bullards? Where are the Chucky Browns? Where are Tierre Browns?? Its easier to have team chemistry if you have role players.
How can you develop chemistry when some players play heavy minutes in one week and completely out of rotation in the next week? I am talking about Padgett, Boki and Barrett. Everyone knows they all played well and contributed when given chances, but all the sudden, they were thrown to doghouse for no reason! It is ironic to extreme that JVG always runs his mouth talking about we lacks energy blah, blah and blah. These players provide energy and play hard for every minute when they were on the court! And the reward? Doghouse! Totally ridiculous and unfair to those players. Fire JVG NOW!
I hate to agree with the essence of your Post, but I agree with the essence of your Post. I was appalled when I read this this morning. Give me a break. Oh, yeah -- give me (a) some wins and (b) a team worth enjoying winning.
Here's the rest of the article. Rockets Summary Words make difference A short talk with coach Jeff Van Gundy after the Rockets' shootaround Friday appears to have paid off for Maurice Taylor. The power forward has been going through the worst shooting slump of his career, hitting only 39.2 percent of his field-goal attempts. The misses had started to frustrate Taylor, whose ability to score has always been his greatest asset. The more he missed, the more his minutes dropped. Last Wednesday against Atlanta, Taylor missed his first three shots and picked up only one rebound in nine minutes. He was benched the entire second half. Before the team's next game, however, Van Gundy talked with Taylor about clearing his mind and just playing the game. In his past two outings, Taylor is 7-of-15 (46.7 percent) from the field. "Me and Coach talked a little bit (Friday), and he told me to just clear my mind and play the game, stop being so hesitant," Taylor said. "For a minute there, I kind of got down on myself about how I was shooting. But hey, I'm a great shooter. Shots are going to go in. I need to stop thinking that way and start playing my game." Every game's different Bob Sura went from a go-to guy one night to almost a quiet contributor the next night. In the Rockets' victory over the Warriors on Friday, Sura hit nine of 10 shots and finished with 24 points. Against Charlotte on Saturday, he attempted only three shots and made two of them to finish with seven points. "I don't go into a game thinking a guy should shoot (a certain) amount of shots," Van Gundy said. "He should shoot the ones that are his shots if they are the best shots. I don't look at it going by straight numbers, but if they double off of him like they were doing (Saturday) night, we've got to do better." A double agent? A newspaer report in Tacoma, Wash., suggested that Vince Carter, traded to the Knicks on Friday, might have sabotaged the Raptors in a game against the SuperSonics last month by intentionally tipping off a play during the final minute of a loss. "I would hope he didn't do anything like that," Morris Peterson said. "You could ask anybody in this locker room. It's a rule of thumb: You never give away your plays, if you are going to be here or not. I hope that wasn't the case." Toronto coach Sam Mitchell didn't totally dismiss the report. "I'm not questioning that it's untrue. It's just not worth my time to go back and rehash that. It does me no good," Mitchell said. MEGAN MANFULL AND CHRONICLE NEWS SERVICES
Maybe he's trying to send a message to the fours. "If one of you guys play with consistent effort, you will consistently get the bulk of minutes"
From what I read here, it seems JVG is pressing Management to make some changes, espically in the PF and PG position where we have too many guys need playing time. Basically he is saying situation is worse than public thought and we need to do something before thing getting worse. I smell the trade is coming.
what's strange is spoon on the bench and getting no game time whereas the guys on the IL have been useful to JVG ie actually playing when not on the IL. perhaps cd has been shopping spoon and they're leaving him on the bench in hope someone will take him?
