Our coach is out of date, and our best player is a bit of a wimp. 27 seconds left, down two. What do the Rockets do? They immediately foul Stockton! How about a little pressure? How about trying to get someone else to the line? Of course, if Rudy had not waited until all but two points of a fifteen point lead had been blown to call timeout, maybe the Rockets would have been able to pull it out. Rudy insists on using his worst players at the worst possible times. Sure, give Langhi and Collier minutes in the second quarter, but NOT THE FOURTH! What the hell is wrong with that man?
Maybe if Lewis Lloyd was still playing here things would be different, He actually shot over 50 percent something these players have never did in their lives.
It's some of the former but more of the latter I'm afraid. Simply put re. the Jazz game: Aging superstars + smarts + effort and hustle (51-30 rebound edge) > Rockets Dallas Rocket
Black Magic has done some other things that hopefully none of the other Rocket players would dream of doing.
You know, once upon a time, almost everyone shot over 50%. Now, almost nobody does. It's not just Houston. And I'd guess it's mostly because defense is better and more physical now, rather than that players have become worse shots. Yes, perhaps many have... but there are too many guys who make their money as pure shooters who don't shoot 50% as well. The Rockets are tanking like I never believed they would... Rudy threw that Jazz game.
The shooting is bad nowdays. But the fact of the matter is is that its hard for players to get in any type of rythm mainly because the coaches are rewarded too many timeouts nowdays which allows them to suddenly stop the flow of any run made by the opposing team. When those group of bozos got together in phoneix to change the rules last year this was one of the key things they should of addressed. Limit the coaches ability to rut and plug up the flow of a game with numerous timeouts and naturally the speed, pace, and scoring will pick up. I don't think Rudy intends to tank at the begining of the games. But if the games or somewhat close and the Rocks are playing against a hated rival such as Utah then he's proabaly more in the Kapaya mode than the Tank mode. Though I do hope his ass is in tanking mode when he plays that completley ineffectual three guard lin-up. Sometimes I wonder whats really going on....
