well said.... right now it seems the rox cant go wrong. whether it's Brown, JVG, Dunleavy, or Nelson, the rockets will be a vastly improved team. i'm almost as excited this offseason as i was last offseason - and we haven't even reached the draft yet!
A source familiar with the Rockets' decision-making said the Rockets could look into meeting with former Hornets coach Paul Silas. The Rockets also have interest in Magic coach Doc Rivers. Methinks that Silas and Rivers are only getting mentioned as afterthoughts, due to their skin color. Thus, Jesse Jackson et al will not protest the result.
We have a different team than the Mavs. Don Nelson would be terrible in Houston, with these type of players. It's like Rudy sucking with these players. Rudy was awesome coaching veteren teams that listened to him and merely needed guidance and plays drawn up for them. Nelson would try to mold them into something they're not. I can just see it now: "Yao gets the rebound. He looks to Steve Francis on the wing. Yao dribbles to halfcourt. He tosses it to Eddie Griffin who slashes in for the lay-up! Yeeeeessssss! Now, back on D. 22 seconds left on shot clock. Parker gets it to Duncan. Duncan...in for the slam. Wow, Jim, what has happened to Eddie and Yao?" "I don't know, Gene. They never let the guards handle the ball, and they never try to play defense anymore."
I don't think Nelson fits our needs. And as Juan said, why would he give up the Dallas job? That said, I don't go along with the Nelson naysayers. Their usual criticisms are: 1. He has never won it all. Well, only a handful of coaches have. (Ironically, we just got rid of one that has won it all.) 2. He just uses gimmicks. That's another way of saying that he is not afraid to use unconventional strategies. What's so bad about that if they work? (I'm not saying that they work all the time. But what strategist has his things work all the time?) Beside, saying that he "just" uses gimmicks is an exaggeration. 3. He doesn't do defense. That might be true. But that's just another conventional wisdom that you have to win with defense. The goal of the game is to score more than your opponent. His Mavs have played decent defense with the zone. (And don't count them out yet. They are still alive with the choking Spurs.) 4. He has never coached a dominant big man. This is the only point I think is valid. That's why I think he doesn't fit our needs. 5. He looks like a Russian spy. Great point. No rebuttal.
Anything Nelson does to the Rox offense would be a vast improvement. As for D, have Les insist that a D coach be brought in - maybe someone from Brown's 6er staff. Or someone from the Pistons, Kings, Nets, etc. I still say, Eddie Jordan as the Rox head coach and Nellie as GM.
Who knows if this Nellie rumor is credible at all but here's my two cents. I have never been a fan of Don Nelson. People should not be surprised that the Mavs are all offense and no defense because that's always been Nellie's resume going back to the Run T.M.C. days in Gloden State. To win a championship (unless it's 2003 ) I think a team must (1) have a killer instinct/survivor mentality, and (2) play good defense. Nellie's teams will never meet point two. However, in recent years, even a critic like me would have to recognize that Don Nelson's stock has risen and not because of the recent success of the Mavericks. Nellie was scouting Europe when no one was and as a result has some of the best international connections of any person related to the NBA. At a time when it seems Europe is placing one star after another into the NBA, Nellie may never have been more valuable. So if we can't get Brown, hire Nellie, let him bring in some talented Euros, then fire him and bring someone in to develop those Euros.
Yeah, I couldn't stand Nellie either ... until his name surfaced for the Rox HC position. But who on the Rox current roster has that "killer instinct"? SF's killer instinct is off and on, while Mobley's is more "suicide instinct". Give me Jason Kidd.
