Sorry, buddy. I don't see how that is the point of this thread. I know you didn't intend to do so, but I'm sure you understand enough of human nature to realize that this thread could easily be seen as taunting. This is a decision that was made less than week ago, and, frankly, proponents of JVG like myself don't need or care for your olive branch. I'll never cheer against the Rockets...has little to do with the coach.
Maybe I should have just titled the thread "I am done bashing JVG"....... I wish the guy the best, the one thing I never question is his work ethic and his 100% belief that he was doing the right thing. I just happen to think he is wrong on several things... DD
I believe we would have won more games in the regular season and in the playoffs. No way to prove it, but it is what I believe. I contend that developing a couple of players does not mean more losses, it means giving the starters a break, and thus I believe by the end of the year more wins would be accrued than losses. Playing someone 5-10 minutes a game or more depending on how they play that night does not mean the team suffers....IMO, in fact I think by having more NBA ready players during the season the team is more able to survive when injuries inevitably hit. DD
But your reasoning for this is so completely illogical. If X player is not good and needs more on the job training to get good - then the team is going to be set back in the short term. Perhaps if we saw some sign of steady or noticeabley improvement then it's easier to make that calculus - that your long term gain at the end o f the season will outweight the short term net loss. But with regard to the individuals in question - we saw very little progress whatsoever (and apparently, indications are that behind closed doors and in practice and walk throughs, things were much the same) Spanoulis, for example, looked as bad in the last game as he did in his Nov-December "tryout" with the starting rotation, and didn't look much improved from his very flawed preseason peformance. NOvak looked as underwhelming in all facets of the game (save shooting, in which he was OK but not great) to the point were his negatives out weighed his positives. Contrast this with a Luther Head or a Chuck Hayes, who actually showed things last year in games and were rewarded with bigger roles this year. But at the same time you acknowledge their short term deficiency, you maintained the diametrically opposed position that X players were "NBA ready" to the utmost degree. Sorry, but there is simply no way that these two things can simultaneously be true. If X = Y, then by defintion X =/ Z, where Z = -Y (unless Y is zero) Actually I was crappy at algebra so forget that. As a consequence it is hard to believe that you are using your head over your heart, rather than just blurting out your long held, very obvious personal preference, over, and over, and over and over and over again.
I hear ya Sam, and there is certainly no scientific data to back it up. And it would be impossible for me to prove because the team did not do it. In coming to my conclusion I will toss out stats that players have when they are just in at the end of the game, those are fairly meaningless. I just base my beliefs on what I have seen from the players I am commenting about....and what I believe they will become with playing time. You are correct though, it is what I believe, nothing more........ And for the record the two players I would have liked to see developed more are Snyder and V-Span because of their attack the basket mentality.... This team lacks versatility and those are the two players who add a lot to our team, if they are playing well......I hardly think 5-10 minutes of run with the first team is going to hurt the team overall, but I concede that it might. I concur about Peja...I mean Novak. DD
