Being a Control Freak, JVG Leads Rockets to Nowhere

I just can't envisage Rockets winning the Championship under Van Gundy. No, this is not entirely based on the results achieved last year (though I must admit this does have influence to certain extent), but rather the manner in which Van Gundy handled his tenure during last 3 years. Look, Houston is no more contender than it was when JVG first took over, and 3 years is more than adequate time period to hold coach responsible for the results on the court.

Firstly, I don't buy the argument that "if is players who make or stop baskets on the court and hence coach has nothing to do with it". Moreover, such statement is often followed by "the role of coach is to prepare players for the matches", presumably made to justify why Van Gundy takes his hefty pay check with implicit assumption that coach's work is not observable. The problem then is that you can always assign blames to the players by insisting on coach did everything he can whilst it was players who did not "execute" the tactics of a coach. That borders on claiming that Van Gundy is omnipotent - which is mind boggling to say the least.

Now I am not going to point out all the "mis-management" JVG commited over last 3 years because (1) the list would be long and (2) it would be unfair on him to emphasize the negatives whilst ignoring the positive side of his management skills without any systematic analytical framework. Nonetheless, I just cannot see any clear observable evidence that indicates JVG is in the elite leauge of coach. Insisting on winning 72% of games last year when players are healthy (by which we mean TMAC and Yao are playing together) as a proof that Van Gundy is a good coach is sheer mis-conception, especially taking into the cosideration that the most of the opponents that we faced whilst coincidently Yao and Tracy were happened to be on the court. It is equivalent to the claim that I am better than you because I scored 100% in my high school math test whilst you got 40% in Cambridge Finalists Exam. You got to adjust the other external factors such as the quality of opposition during the span, and even though 72% is pretty good standard by all means, I doubt the results were significantly better than those of Spurs, Mavs, Pistons, against the same group of opposition. The matter of fact is Rockets are a pretty good team bar injuries, but it becomes a fallacy when that argument is used to present the team as "excellent". Obviously as a long time Rockets fan, "excellence" is a standard for our team to be judged, and Van Gundy hasnt cleared this test conclusively.

Moreover, I am pretty sure that once you compute the cost of wins by averaging out the salary spent by JVG teams against the number of wins he achieved then my bet is that Van Gundy will be right at the middle of the pack. Obviously New York has a tendency to over-spend, and there is also an element of pressure that goes against conductive performances, but even with these factors somewhat incompletely adjusted out, I highly doubt JVG is in the upper echleon of coaches.

Personally I have quite enjoyed few performances that I have been able to watch thanks to the members of Cluth fans making the videos accessible through the net. Barring some horrific sequence of events this team will make the playoffs and I am extremely confident that we will pass the first round (And end to all those craps that Tracy not being able to take his team past first round). But what angers me is that if we do make past the first stage, it will be the first time that Rockets have had a shot at NBA finals for a long time. There is nothing exceptional about this. And JVG put some terrible shows to watch during his tenure to make the matters worse along with several mistakes. But we are certainly more up tempo this year, and 6-3 is not a bad start at all considering that all of us was talking about "gelling up". If Bonzi burn off some fat and get into shape, I can't see any team better than us in NBA except the Spurs. But the jury is out there, and Van Gundy got to deliver. Otherwise he is off.

 

Anyone watched the Spurs/Chicago game today?

Spurs heading into 4th with 15 points lead.
Pop substituted ALL 5 STARTERS OFF and used BENCH PLAYERS ONLY.
Does JVG have guts to do that!!!?

This is the difference between a GREAT COACH - Pop, and a good (only with the plays) coach - JVG

 

The Spurs bench is playoff tested. A lot of them can start for most teams. Be serious.

 

I remember after the Rox/Spurs PRE season game JVG said: "Even the Spurs bench players are this good........."
This was a MEANINGLESS comment!!!
Pop has a 11-men rotation list every game!! the min playing time per each player would be 5-10 mins!!!

Now I wonder how much time JVG to Novak/Vspan and even JLIII?

Ppl envy Spur's Parker/Udrih due - the 2 European guards. But don't you realize Pop gave them at least 15mins playing time per night since day one!???

Please give Vspan PT please

 

I wish Pop has a brother..... or brother inlaw... COME TO HOUSTON PLEASE

 

The bench you are talking about consists of Brent Barry, Matt Bonner, Jackie Butler, Robert Horry, Oberto, Udrih, Vaughn, White, and Williams. Which one of these players can start for other teams?

 

Barry, Finley, and Oberto (or Elson) could. Even Udrih.

 

ever time in the 4th part,I am always in fear of the game.My God!!!
maybe my heart was broken.
In the 4th part,the defense is soft, they're like playing balls with kids.

 

So a washed out Finley and Barry, a second rate center and a backup point guard? I guess maybe the Bobcats or the Celtics might have some use of these players, since they are in desparate need of any help. But then, using this logic, I think we can make a case for our bench players too.

 

Well said VSPAN, I like your play, and I hope you get some play time each game.

 

I agree with you, the difference is these people get revitalized with the Spurs because very simply, POP MAKES THEM BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES, (what a crazy concept). In the crunchtime of meaningless regular season games (and lets be honest regular season is not THAT important being 3 seed vs. 2 seed likely won't be difference of you winning championship IMHO). So POP knowing this plays his reserves in late game only up 10 maybe even 6 or so at end of game because they MAY LOSE THIS GAME, but in long run they become smarter, better, and more confident players, so when their number is called they can come through.

I mean JVG needs to learn this IMHO, but so does just about every coach in the NBA, so don't bash too hard on JVG, there are NOT alot of POPs. .

 

JVG SUCKS!!!! JVG not playing V Span and Novak will not help the Rockets. The starters playing a lot of minutes will just be tired and lazy in the fourth. Give the rooks a chance and let your vets have some rest JVG.

 

Under the current circumstance, I can't see VSpan and Novak playing for significant minutes (at least 5 min) per game unless one of the following happens:

1) We have a solid lead of over 25 pts with 6-8 min left in the 4th quarter

2) Our major rotation has completely worn out and has several serious injuries as the season goes on and there's not enough players to play

3) Les, CD and other executives are not satisfied with JVG's coaching performance

4) Other coaching staff and/or our star players challenge JVG's strategies and ask him for a change

5) The negative impact of not playing the rookies has caused enough damage on the franchise and fans and media have put enough pressure on JVG

Maybe there are more...

IMO, I don't want scenario 2-5 to come to reality because that means chaos and will destroy the chemistry the team just established. If nobody can help, I wish GOD would blow some whistles in JVG's dream and clear his mind so he can finally realize it's now the time to play the rookies.

By the way, I wonder if this "not playing the rookies" approach is single-handedly controlled by JVG himself, or it is an agreement by a group of people including other coaching staff and the executives.


We fans care for the Rockets, that's why we criticise(not blame or say strong words) the teams because we want to help them get better. We want to see everybody on the team improve.

 

Anyone want to claim three fourth quarter collapses in three games is not due to coaching?

 

I think it is 5 4th-Q collapses.

 

Sorry for not saying JVG sucks. This time he sucked less. keep it up.

 

LOL @ JVG's mismanagement of players YET AGAIN in Detroit game.

Nice predictable offense he had going there. I could tell exactly what the Rockets were going to do even before they brought the ball upcourt.

Yeah, my HDTV is *that* good.

JVG apologists....wake up and smell his jockstrap...and then get the hell out of his undies.

 

Van Gundy has got to go

 

JVG,I really don't understand what's your mean. Why not give any chance to Nov and Span?