[chron]T-Mac talks of streak

{{He called coach Jeff Van Gundy "by far the best coach I ever played for." And he said the Rockets' move to a more up-tempo style would last.

"I dont think we're going to go back to slowing it down now," he said."}}



In other words, the best coach Tmac's ever played for made a really stupid decision, and Tmac loves him for listening and relenting.

Apart from that perniciously misguided approach, JVG is a great coach (really).

 

If you call trying to dump the ball into Yao more than Tmac a "stupid decision." Well, those are your words, not Tmac's. In retrospect it was tried. It didn't work. JVG did this not because he was resisting and then "relented." He did it because it was the best thing to do (Do you think he prefers losing?). We learned that Yao can't carry a team yet (You don't hear fans/media yelling "Give the ball to Yao" as much anymore, do you?). Thus, Tmac became the focus. In the end, Yao will be better for it. Especially when he develops into a better post player later in his career. JVG *is* developing Yao by working with him on his weak points. Not just using him as a spot-up shooter. You might not notice it now, but you will later. JVG want Yao to become a complete player, not just a specialist.

So, I think you need to rethink you use of the word "stupid." Because there *was reason* at the start of the season to believe that Yao would be more effective than he was. It's not like Yao is Shawn Bradley or something. Going to Bradley...well, that would be stupid.

 

I ended a friendship with someone because I had said that that Bob Sura was the freaking man and he was a warrior. The type of player that everone wants on their team. I told him that Steve was never going to lead us anywhere. Mainly because of turnovers and how he never played d on opposing guards. Which is the main position you try to shake up because that is usually where the offense runs through.
He said that Sura wasn't that good and that he thinks he is better than he really is. I got pissed because I knew this guy was just talking out of his a** just to disagree with me. obviously are disagreement on this subject was not the only reason I ended my freindship but its definately what started it. I actually got really torked and knew he was a flake when he said he was thinking of going to San Antonio to watch one of their games because it was better basketball then my beloved rockets. Well, if he really felt that way about Sura he is a damn fool that knows nothing about what a team needs from players to make it to the next level. Anyway Tmac obviously feels the same way I do about Sura and the more and more he gets media attention for being the X factor the more I realize that my former freind is a jack ass. sorry for dumping. Go Rox.

 

Lol, yeah there are some peeps at my college that talk out of their a** about the Rockets like that. I have to bring out the facts and make 'em look stupid. I know how you feel man, suck it up Lol.

 

Yes... I think my use of "misguided" was better. Nonetheless, many people on the BBS, many analysts on TV, and apparently Tmac himself, think JVG needed to change his approach, esp. in regards to Yao 1st in the post. The problem wasn't Yao. It was the fact that everyone knew we were going to try to force it in there again and again, so they collapsed all over him. Yao still gets plenty in the post, but the opponents can no longer just assume we're going to do that. And all this time we had a two-time scoring champ ready to light 'em up.

Again, that's my only real criticism of JVG. Otherwise, he's swell.

One mitigating circumstance of the criticism pre-Sura was the lack of decent playmakers. Tmac had to devote a lot of effort to that himself.

 

All you say above is true. But realize that *none* of the things you say would have occurred if we first didn't active Sura, trade JJ and acquire Barry/Westley. Yao is open today because of our outside role players; and our *team* is succeeding because of *all* our players. Both TMac and Yao *still* get doubled and/or fronted today. But our outside shooters *hit* those shots. Thus, merely giving the ball to Tmac wasn't working either.

If we still had Ward/Lue and JJ we'd still be struggling. TMac being the focus or not.

I mean, I remember some people here blaming JVG because he made some "desperate" trades and accused him of not being able to "develop Yao." They wanted Yao to be the focus regardless of everything else. And if we lost games due to that bad strategy, they just blamed the coach. But they didn't realize that we didn't have enough help/role players. We needed those trades!

This is why I think we should always emphasize TEAM, and de-emphasize INDIVIDUAL. No one player can do it alone; even TMac (see Orlando last year). Take away Sura, Westley, and Barry. And this team will start sucking.

 

For Tmac, it was like Orlando all over again.

It was a brave, bold move by CD/JVG that paid off big time!

It's better than everyone's beloved team... but by god we love our beloved team and they're the best by us!!!!!!!!!!

 

Most great Coaches have a good understanding and a great bond with his players. it seems there is a common ground with this team. there is no my way or the Highway. great to see!

 

Not to take anything away from Grumpy who is an above average coach but McGrady has played for some crappy coaches. Doc Rivers was probably his best and no one will claim that he will go to the hall fame or anything.

Grumpy adjusted by letting T-mac and Yao loose which is more than I thought he was capable of. That I commend him for.

 

Yeah, gotta love that ISO ball we're playing!

 

I wasn't talking ISO ball. I was talking about Tmac dribbling up the court and taking a 3 point shot with 18 seconds on the shot clock. I was talking about letting Yao put it on the floor when he get near the free throw line. I was talking about all the guys taking an open shot no matter how much time was on the clock, what play was called and who was on the floor.

Lets face it, no other Gundy team has had this much freedom on the offensive end. Maybe its the personnel, but I give him credit for something I didn't think he was capable of which is adjusting. Lets leave it at that.

 

I know. It's pretty incredible how players make that much a difference. Too bad JVG didn't have Jordan back in the old days. Maybe instead of "bruising-defense" he could have been known for "explosive-offense."

Or would that be *learning* about your ***new*** team? Which takes a little more time than 10-15 games.

I wish people would get off this kick about "stubborn" or "refusing to adjust" or "he should have known bettter, because so-and-so would have been a better coach."

Learning about a new teams capabilities takes time.

This perception of JVG not knowing offense will die this year. Just like that same perception would have never been born if he had a young TMac/Yao back in the 90's.

 

Forget JVG & Tmac. How about some love for Sura! JVG always said that they needed to surround TMAC and Yao with "pitbulls". We have at least one in Sura! This team needed someone with a chip on their shoulder. Someone with attitude and fire. Sura fits the bill.

"Wake up and smell the Sura!" - FAOS

 

Talking of the winning streak, the role players were indeed a major factor. But Yao has been a stablizing factor in this period. When TMac had a small shooting slupm, when the whole Rockets went 0:11 at the 3pt line, it was Yao's consistent high shooting percentage and his clogging the lane that calmed the players down and kept us in the game. And then of course, everything clicked for the whole team in the thrashing of Wizards.

 

thanks for the article.

its not surprising to hear Tracy say that about JVG. the guy has had bad managment and coaches wherever he has gone. Carter never played him in Toronto during his rookie year even though it was evident that the team was going no where. and a few months after he was drafted Isiah (who was tracy only real role model in the toronto franchise) wanted to trade him to philly along with popeye jones for stackhouse and spoon.

then he goes to orlando and wins for doc rivers the coach of the year and the managment in toronto did nothing to try to keep players around him. i know the deal with hill (i am happy for you grant but you could have done something to restructure your contract so that the team could sign a mid-level player when it became clear you couldnt play for the year) being the max player and it being hard to sign anyone else. the managment there treated him wrong and especially when the new gm took over. fact is this is the first time where he was put into a situation with a good if not great coach (sorry but i always have liked jvg) and a winning managment that will do their best to put the best team out on the floor night in and out whether it be through the FA market or trades

and oh yeah

GOD ITS GREAT TO BE A ROCKET FAN RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!

 

Tmac is obviously not a very intelligent guy when it comes to tackling complexe issues like these so I'll allow a more more astute personality to handle it......

That right above is the meat of that piece. Everything else is chicken play.

 

Seriously this is very frustrating to read atimes. Do you folks even watch the games? One who watches the game and have the minutest of intelligence will know that the unlishing Mac talk has been ridiculously hyperbolized and "the faster pace offense" is myth (thanks should go in order in large part to Sura) than not. Has anyone realised that our offense is not necessarily a "faster paced" one?

Key note - there will not be anything pretty about this offense had Lue or Ward continue to run it. We do not even have to debate that. The offense is in most part the same save for the parts that evolved we should be all too familiar with now. The X factor has been the personel running the offense. QED.

I get warn out trying to get this point accross - our offense did not really open up per se we just got better parts to run part of the original play more effectively, and the "new" (which people conviniently forget very easily) needed time to mesh. Nash (availability and otherwise) proves the personel point very clearly.

There are many more myths out there including this BBS and it is most common among people who do not watch enough of our games or do not have the intelligence to understand fully what they see.

We still run the same offense san antonio run and it is call CONTROLLED OFFENSE. Duncan even mentioned it today in an interview. It anchors solidly on the each part of the offense doing their duty methodically and repeatedly. It requires special characters to make it go. It requires a #1 than be a true #1 in the truest sense of it. It requires selflessness, execution and finishing. All of that and then some is fundamently the principles of such offense/defense.

Unfortunately Mac missed it in this case because we evolved more or less rather than otherwise (what he thinks happened). JVG himself said so himself and Greg Popovich alluede to it as well. I will take their words coupled what my eyes have seen over anyone else. We have evolved from a Yao as #1 option to a Mac as #1 option. We have evolved, albeit as a result of injury, from a Ward/Lue run offense to a Sura/Wesley/Barry offense. We became more selfless in large part due to the personel changes. We gelled and the players trusted each other more. And the winning ways surfaced thereby making the players to buy more into the evolution process. And we continue to evolve because that is what is expected of a "new team" like ours.

An average basketball fan should not find it hard to understand those principles and the processes this team has come through and still in parts on going. And please if you have not watched enough games, do bother entering this debate (similar ones) unless sole reason of being better educated & informed because you will be sounding more like the naive Charles Barkely and Kenny Smith.

 

You are a pompous a**, you could have just said this team has chemistry instead of writing a dissertation that is in part uncomplimentary to the members of this BBS.

 

just out of interests sake who are the other coaches Tracey has played for?

Doc
Johnny Davis
Did he play for Lenny in Toronto?