Doesn't sound like JVG likes Reggie Evans very much. They are discussing how flopping needs to get out of the league and JVG called Reggie Evans one of the leagues biggest floppers. JVG doesn't like flopping at all and said the players that get caught flopping in a game should be fined.
Maybe that's why he dislike Mo so much. Though I thought he was really good at taking a charge, and not flopping. I lost a lot of respect for Nowitzki during the series with the Rockets because he was doing it quite a bit... and the stupid refs bought it! In retrospect, how much respect could I really have for a Maverick anyway?
Why were Jeremy & Adam doing the show? When I heard them on the way into work, I thought they were replaying something from last night. What happened to John & Lance? One thing I noticed from JVG was the long effusive praise for Joe Johnson. Methinks if JVG had a wish list Joe Johnson would be a the top.
Also.. JVG said when he was an assistant coash under Don Nelson ( in NYK ) ,, Nelly taught flopping in practice.. something he had never seen before.. Guess that explans Dirk's skill / art mastery of the flop
caught quite a bit of it. Much repetition from last afternoon's conversation. - Easy to go from lottery into playoffs. - harder to go from low seed to 5 seed. - even harder to go from 5 seed into top 4, but that's the goal. to get there, we need to improve the team. can't remember the quote but it's clear that JVG believes there is a talent gap between us and the top 4. Doesn't want to compromise the chemistry that was on the team, but he was unequivocal, we have to improve the talent. Seems to me that he is poised to take some "risk" to chemistry to improve talent. - discussed the contributions of Mutombo. Energy off the bench, stellar defensive play, clogging the paint, best season in years. stuff we've heard before. said that too much is made of Deke's impact on Yao's game. - what made the most impact on yao's game is our guards' inability to keep the ball in front of them. exposed yao to fouls. some yao should have avoided, but he was exposed too much. - caller asked about the JJ/Wesley trade. JVG said Wesley is undersized but was our most consistent perimeter defender. - discussing Barry, he said that the plus/minus numbers when Barry was in the game were staggering. Terrific energy, passing and outside shot. JVG didn't say so but he was so effusive about Barry that I'd be surprised if Barry wasn't brought back. - In response to caller question about what was the number one thing he'd want to address this offseason, coach said that they had to be bold and smart. Tmac and Yao are relatively young and coach is concerned about the "durability" of many players (he didnt' say "age". He noted Howard's injury briefly, but specifically said that except for James, he has concerns about our back court in that regard. He mentioned Sura's health specifically. Dont' recall if he discussed Barry and Wesley's age. HE SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT, IN LIGHT OF TMAC AND YAO'S AGE, WE NEED TO HAVE PLAYERS THAT WILL BE READY TO CONTRIBUTE AND GROW WITH THEM. I wish I remebered the words exactly but that was the substance of what he said. He said that in the same few sentences as his comments on the "durability" of the backcourt. He also commented that we lack players that can create and get their own shots, particularly late in the shot clock. particularly a problem in the playoffs. - finally, he commented that Tmac should have been 1st team all nba and that the orlando writer that wrote the last me mac article was bush league. he also noted that tmac and yao are among the most underrated players in the league, despite some recent publication listing them as the most overrated. - he was complimentary of yao's commitment to the chinese nat'l team and said that instead of criticizing and worrying about yao's rest, the american players should follow yao's example. ------------------------ I think these comments are huge and telling. 1. I believe there should be and will be a change in our starting back court. Sura and Wesley are movable, have reasonable contracts and are still productive. Throughout the year, the starting lineup got off to slow starts in the 1st and 3rd quarters. We lack energy and punch. 2. his comments about being bold and not afraid to make a mistake, combined with his concerns about "durability" and having players that will grow with tmac and yao, indicate that we will go for a player on the rise . . . not more veterans. 3. I seriously doubt that we'll go after Kidd. Donyell Marshall is less likely as well. 4. Expiring Contracts for SAR and Miles = bold and not afraid to make mistakes. It also gives us that youth/athleticism that we want. 5. Daniels would also work as a FA signing, assuming that we moved Sura or Wesley in a trade.
Sounds like JVG still wants to make some serious off season moves. He used (past tense) words like "was" and "were" when refering to the team. He often refered to the the Game 7 embarassing loss. Also commented on the age of T-Mac and Yao and said that he wanted the "pieces" to be "ready" when T-Mac and Yao were ready to win it. Sounds like he hinted at wanting to get younger and more athletic. He said Yao's commitment to his country should be viewed as an honorable thing, not a negative. He wished American Players would be that commited to playing for their country Also mentioned a reason for the Barry/Wesley trades was to get quicker.
1. He spoke highly of Jon Barry but gave the impression he would not be back next year. He didn't say he wouldn't back - but you could tell he was short on the subject. "Jon Barry has so many facial expressions". JVG laughed and said "Barry tries to flop but it never works, I wonder why he still does it". 2. Spoke of matching Yao and Tracey with players their same age. Didn't want our two to be primed for a champioship and have the team mates too old or too young to win. 3. End
As they should.....if it wasn't for our fine country they wouldn't have the opportunity to make the kind of money they are making right now. The reasons for playing the game have shifted from "Passion" to "Payday" and that is truly as sad thing...
i can see how trading sura and wesley will be risky for team chemistry (especially bob). good to know that he is looking to get younger, more athletic, and more durable. that leaves out spree and kidd IMO. i think that joe johnson is on the top of our list this summer, however JVG said that he wants to make a trade before signing anyone.
Wow! there are even more hints in this interview than the 790 one! Man, if you aren't so anxious and excited about this offseason, then you will never be excited about anything! This offseason is going to be more action packed than the damn playoffs!
straight off draftcity.com: The latest news from Greece is that Rockets draftee Vassilis Spanoulis forwarded an email of the Houston Rockets to a Greek internet site, noting the improvements he’s made in the fields of shooting and penetration, while still having some questions about his defense. There were some very interesting comments. “There is a daily contact with the Houston Rockets via email, such that 'I feel that every turnover I commit lands at the same moment on the other side of the Ocean,' Spanoulis jokes. His games are videotaped and the tapes are sent to the Houston Rockets' offices. Moreover, during the last weeks, the Rockets try to implement a new method, in order to improve the Greek International player’s weaknesses, in order for him to play in the NBA alongside Yao Ming as soon as possible. They sent him notes and information via email, information that was...stolen. 1. The player's penetration skills have reached such a high level that gives him a seat in the NBA. 2. His shooting skills appear to be much improved and his "ignorance of fear" (the fact that he isn’t afraid at all) is a result of the freedom that his coach Panayiotis Yiannakis has allowed him to have (Spanoulis is his team's captain by the way) and is similar to the offensive freedom noted in the NBA. 3. On defense, there are some questions concerning facing opposing pick and rolls. He might need to become tougher on that, however the system of the Rockets differs greatly from the tough defensive system of Maroussi. In the NBA, the defensive player is obliged to chase the opposing player, even after the screen, while in Europe it is quite normal to see another player switching in similar cases. <br /> <br /> "There is a 4th note on their email, but I won't reveal it," says Spanoulis who will leave for Houston on the 10th of July, in order to participate in the Minneapolis Summer camp with the Rockets. "Going to an NBA summer camp doesn't mean that I'll sign a contract with the Rockets. If, of course, they offer me a 3-year guaranteed contract, I won't say no, but it's equally likely that I'll play for 2 more years in Europe, in order to be 100% ready to go there," said Spanoulis, whose contract with Maroussi is expiring this summer and the only thing he knows is that he wants to play in Euroleague. "The fact that I want to play against Europe's best doesn't necessarily mean that I want to leave Maroussi. I could stay for one more year with the team, but only if we get more players in order to compete for one of the three Euroleague tickets next year (2006-07)," said the International guard, who is now preparing for the 3rd and last game vs. Makedonikos, while dreaming (again) of making the A1 (Greek league) Finals.
