Bill Walton said it best last night when he said that the Rockets looked "over-coached and under-taught" and that they looked like they were thinking too much about every movement or decision. What's funny is that I was watching the game with my friend who I played high school basketball with, and just moments before Walton's comment, I said "these guys look like they've been Talton-ized". The reason I said that was because our varsity basketball coach's last name was Talton and he was a nightmare. He didn't tolerate any improvisation in the offense and would literally take a player out and sit him for the remainder or the game if he took an ill advised shot. I'm not talking about ballhogging or shooting fadeaways on 2 defenders, I'm talking about ONE shot that didn't come in the flow of the offense. Turnovers were the same way. One bad pass that turns into points for the other team would certainly earn you a place next to him on the bench. We never knew when we'd get pulled for doing one little thing wrong and were always looking over our shoulder to see if someone from the bench was heading to the scorer's table to replace us. The entire time we were out on the court we were so worried about doing the right thing that we couldn't do ANYthing. Instead of acting on instinct we tried to guess what our coach would want us to do in the particular situation. It felt like we were playing with handcuffs on, or like our abilities had been stolen, a la Space Jam. My senior year we went 13-18. My freshman year, playing with the same people who would eventually be on that varsity team, but with a different coach, we went 19-5, including a 16 game winning streak to end the season. Unlike Talton, the more layed back freshman coach let us get up and down the court and play off of each other freely without constantly thinking about the X's and O's so damn much. We were allowed to play to our strengths and play off of instinct and just let the chips fall where they may. In doing so, we didn't just win, we annihilated teams, and we had FUN doing it. So, this is what I feel is wrong with the Rockets, and it was like Bill Walton was reading my mind. The Rockets have been "Talton-ized" and the only way they're going to get better is if Van Gundy let's them do more playing and less working. I love JVG, but sometimes I think he has a tendency to play his system regardless of whether or not the talent actually fits the mold. Some may call it strict and some may call it stubborn, but whatever it is I don't think it's working this time around. I just hope they can start to have some damn fun out there, because right now it looks like they've been going to funerals before every game or something. They just look like they'd rather be somewhere else and I hate it because they have the talent but it looks like self-doubt is really doing a number on them. Aside from T-Mac who is in pain right now, I think the 3-6 start is all mental and very little physical, but sometimes that's even harder to overcome.
I think Steve Francis in his last year with us, looked like a scared rat out there. This was a guy that was suppose to be fearless, but JVG (and the media, and the public) that year whiped away his spirit. That said, I think JVG is a good coach, and I wouldn't be ready to blame on him yet. Players just gots to learn the way he wants them to do things, and eventually I believe they will do well.
The reason we are losing is because we don't have a healthy McGrady. He makes the game sooo much easier for everyone else, but when he struggles, the rest of the team has to try and make up for it. With our guards minus Head shooting terribly, there's no way we can win. I dont think its the coaching that is making Anderson, Wesley, and Alston miss WIDE OPEN shots. I'm sure they are worried that doing a few stupid passes or bad shots will get them benched, but look at Yao. The last game, he was in foul trouble AND he had 9 TO's in the entire game, yet Van Gundy left him in there. He's obviously not kicking someone out of the game for a few bad plays. The best thing Van Gundy can do until Tmac is totaly healthy is start Head and Swift. Let them get some more confidence and experience within our system. With all the old legs we have on this team, it would be good to let the young guys strut their stuff for a bit until everyone is healthy and ready for Tmac. A line up of: Head Barry Bowen Swift Yao sounds a lot better than having Anderson, Alston, and Wesley chunking up bricks.
jvg has new personnel and it will take time before he is able to mold an offensive gameplan that accentuates and exploits everyone's offensive strengths. a slow start should not surprise us. just remember how we started last year and the kind of tear we ended the season on.
JVG did not get to where he is by having a weak belief in what he teaches and his philosophy. He is not going to change because of a little struggle. First of all, if he dropped it all, and did change up what he has been teaching his team the past two years, they would never respect him and believe in him again. He'll keep hammering it home to these guys and they will get it and they will be the better off in the long run because of it. Bill Walton is like that though. Thats something he would do. Any many who exaggerrates as much as he does about things is not a man you should listen to when it comes to coaching. He's wishy washy and is not a coach for a reason.
I get what you're saying, but I just have a couple of thoughts. You say they aren't missing wide open shots because of the coaching. Well, I think they are. It's hard to shoot under stress and if you feel like someone has you under a microscope then you're more than likely going to be stressed...that's human nature. About Yao not coming out of the game when he messes up... Well, Yao and Tracy are the franchise so they have to play. I didn't mention it before but the best couple of players on my high school team got a much longer leash than everyone else did. I'm talking about the rotation players, the ones that are fighting for minutes and starting spots. If the guys on my high school team were worried about being benched for poor play, imagine how these guys must feel. This isn't some extra-curricular activity to them, it's their profession. Also, I think people are missing something when they talk about our slow start last year and how we eventually turned it all around. I understand that we brought in some new players, but I think that aspect is overblown. There is no reason that they shouldn't know the system already and be comfortable in it. People talk about how long it takes to learn and adjust to Van Gundy, but Wesley and Barry were able to gel with the team immediately when they got to town last year. We have the same team as last year but with 4 new role players that should only make us better, a lot better actually, yet we are worse. EVERYONE besides Yao and Head are underachieving. They all look lost out there and I don't think it's because we aren't putting talent on the floor. I just think that they aren't confident in using that talent yet, because they're trying too hard to play within the system. We really picked things up last year when we got Barry and Wesley and got Sura back. This year we already have Barry and Wesley, and Sura may not be back in January if he comes back at all. I'm not giving up, but I'm not ready to say "we did it last year, don't worry about it" just yet.
It takes time to know how to play for Van Gundy. He's very demanding. Anderson and Alston are ballers, they play for the love and fun of the game. JVG doesn't make it a whole lot of fun. That's why there is an adjustment period playing for Van Gundy. I am not saying it's JVG's fault or the players. All I am saying is, be a little patient. There is no question that part of the offensive struggles are attributed to Van Gundy. It's not a coincidence that Anderson, Wesley, Swift and Skip are all shooting career lows at the same time. He's a defensive coach. He asks players to expend a lot of energy on defense. Sometimes you don't have the legs to shoot very well, especially at the begining of the season when some players are not in playoff game shape. And every game for JVG IS a Playoff game. That being said, they will all come around. Things would be a lot smoother if T-Mac was healthy. The length of the transition period will depend on how soon T-Mac can come back to establish the identity of the team and develop the much needed chemistry.
i had noticed that same thin ccr. after a play they almost always look for his reaction. they are tentative and look nervous like they are afraid of screwing up and disappointing jvg.
If you stick to what's right, in a long run you are going to benifit. So let's not caught up in just a game or two. JVG's been in the league long enough to have some credits as a good coach. The players need to execute. Get up and down is not going to be our forte. We dont have a guy named Nash.
i cant help thinking its the coach. i know yall are tired of hearing this but im gonna go with it anyway. its one thing for your coach to criticize you in practice or in private but to say publically that your suck. theses guys walked in confident with there egos intact and look at em now.
I feel like I should clarify something. I like JVG and don't think he is a bad coach. I just think that he comes off in a way that might cause some players to play too cautiously while learning his system. I obviously don't know what goes on in the locker room or in practice, but I think he might just be riding the guys a bit too much for this point in the season. You'll notice that when he has to call a timeout and they show him on the sideline he always has a mix of these two faces: + I think if he were treated the players with a little more calm and understanding, they might be able to relax and play a little more loosely. I DO believe that they'll figure things out in the long run, and I was simply stating why I felt they were getting off to such a disappointing start. Don't fire JVG, don't start trading people. Just give these guys a chance to get their heads on straight and believe in themselves. If they can do that, then we'll see the turnaround that we saw last season.
Every coach has its own style. Gundy is just that type of coach. He is not strictler this year than any year before. Players need to execute, if they dont coach get on them. It's a tough business. I dont think a "kind" coach can make this team any better if he sticks to JVG's ball.
Damn, thats a good observation. I'm not ready to give up on JVG yet. I'll still back him up, more-so after last year. He just needs time.
Don't take this the wrong way but you've been "Waltonized". Walton is this comentator who makes stupid statements that are impossible to prove or disprove and that's why he's either loved or hated. To say that the coach hindered your play in H.S. may be true- but at this level discipline and execution are the name of the game. We would certainly be over .500 if we let the guys just play. But we would end the season right at .500 too. You MUST have a system in the NBA. JVG's system demands discipline. It demands perfection on both ends. The growing pains we are having will serve us in the long run. Yes... JVG does get onto the guys- that's because they haven't proven they can run his offense. Last year, the team started to be successful, and then magically the rockets started to improvise. JVG though has to know that down by a bucket with 50 seconds left to play, that we can get in a set and run a play. It has to be one of his plays. Only then can you accept these mistakes. As for shooting under pressure... you better damn find out who can do it in November because February is the wrong time to figure out you can't hit the broad side of a barn when the rim shrinks a little. Just an observation. Now if we end the season 30-52 something else went wrong. Consider this an extended preseason. Mike.
I know Walton makes outrageous statements (ie. "That was the most horribly executed play in the history of the sports") but he does sometimes have a point. He's actually a very intelligent man and a lot of his comments are meant to be obviously sarcastic. I believe he was giving an honest and educated opinion (being an ex player) when he made his comments last night. Trust me, I don't believe everything that comes out of Big Red's mouth and I see why you wouldn't either. The guy is downright silly sometimes (most of the time).
Amen to what Walton said!!!! I would, also, add this...JVG`s constant negativite, sour-dour approach can end-up destroying the heart of this team. He needs to take a long look at himself, because man-for-man-across-the-board this is now his team. He needs to dig deep and practice towards himself what he preaches to his players
