I never want to hear this from the talking heads again. 2006-07 Houston Rockets vs. Dallas: 1-3 vs. Phoenix: 1-3 vs. San Antonio: 2-2 vs. Utah: 1-3 vs. Denver: 2-1 vs. Lakers: 2-2 vs. Golden State: 1-2 Total: 10-16 vs. Rest of league: 42-14 Utah Jazz vs. Dallas: 2-1 vs. Phoenix: 3-1 vs. San Antonio: 2-2 vs. Houston: 3-1 vs. Denver: 3-1 vs. Lakers: 1-2 vs. Golden State: 2-2 Total: 16-10 vs. Rest of league: 35-21 There are two ways to look at this record. One is that Van Gundy, working with a team that is not talented enough to beat the best opponents, has done a terrific job of making sure that his team consistently beats lesser opponents, thereby climbing the standings and securing a better seed and home court. The other way of looking at it is that Van Gundy's philosophy of avoiding risks and mistakes has bought us consistent wins against lesser teams at the price of developing the kind of open game that might threaten the best teams. This isn't just a matter of the coach or the offense he designs. It's a matter of personnel that appears to stretch beyond Van Gundy. The trades for Alston and Battier were trades of inconsistent potential for consistent safety: safer ball handling, fewer turnovers, better work ethic, smarter play, less athleticism, less fire, less firepower. I think both sides of the argument are true. Van Gundy did better than any other coach, including Jerry Sloan, at preventing losses during the season. His no-nonsense, number-crunching, defense-oriented, play-no-rookies approach bought us extra wins and gave us home-court advantage in a match-up a team that had actually played better than us against the elite. But having brought us there, he and we were exposed. The style of play that had worked in the regular season due to diluted competition did not work in the playoffs. And by then, we didn't know how to play any other way. Conclusion: This is the best Jeff Van Gundy can do with the talent we have. If he comes back, or another coach comes in and tries to continue his style, we won't do much worse than we did this year, but we won't do much better, either. And if he's gone, a continuation of the recent personnel strategy will likewise limit our failure and success. Anyone involved in making the Alston or Battier trades who remains with the Rockets will keep us on this path. Are you happy being a consistent playoff team with low chances of winning in the playoffs, or would you rather roll the dice? I'm a dice man, myself. But my guess, based on his history, is that Daryl Morey isn't.
I kind of agree. I think that our personnel is limiting us from being a top tier team. Management (and I am assuming JVG as well) seems content upon having two superstars surrounded by a bunch of role players. That isn't working. Teams need 3 (Boozer, Okur, Williams) (Parker, Manu, Duncan) (Nash, Marion, Amare) (Dirk, Terry, Stackhouse, Howard) to really be effective in today's NBA. I don't know if another coach could come in and be any more successful with our current lineup, but I do think JVG had his chance and couldn't get us out of round 1.
I will go to war with anybody who thinks the personnel was good enough. Personnel dictates EVERYTHING. Its why the Suns offense sucked balls last night... its why the Rockets offense was flowing like water at the end of 05 (they had guys who could hit open shots consistently... unlike this year's team). They better damn well be upgrading... no matter what coach.
Different coaches would surely mean different personel as well........JVG basically ousted everyone other than Yao in a matter of a couple of seasons......I dont think we need to oust everyone this time round. We have a few assets besides Yao and Mac, and I dont think we're that far away from contending....Besides, I think a different coach will utilize our current players differently......<b>much </b> differently...... Imagine us running a break actually. Even Alston can finish (layup or assist) a fast break.....imagine Battier and Luther doing something else besides just camp at the 3 point line.....Imagine us actually playing our rooks to see what they got......people keep saying we didnt have the talent, I beg to defer......We didnt have championship talent, maybe, but we had more than enought to get past Utah and GS and give SA a run for their money...... What we need is a new coach, and few solid tweaks (Mike James maybe), and score big with our 1st round pick, and we'll be right there.......
I agree. It seems (to me, I could be wrong) that tons of posters here simply believe the solution to this team's problems is to simply fire JVG. Now, I am all for a new change in direction and wouldn't feel the least bit saddened by his departure, but what needs to be changed is the roster. We HAVE to have a third scorer that can create his own shot. We need someone to start over Rafer. I just worry b/c cap wise we are in bad shape and we don't really have any tradeable assets outside of the big 2
I would be more interested in our record against playoff opponents when Yao and TMac were both playing than the raw numbers above. Maybe we would be closer to 500, which is what one would expect from a 4/5 seed.
Will, Nice topic, but I would say the one difference is that I believe the Rockets could have been better THIS year with a coach that utilized more of the current roster. If you had a coach that could have found a way to get Bonzi or Snyder or V-Span into the rotation, I believe the Rockets would have been better in the long run...and that includes the playoffs. JVG took the safe route, and to win big, you have to be willing to gamble.... DD
Personnel still isn't good enough... even if you include the fat Bonzi, low IQ Snyder (who UTAH got rid of), and limited experienced V-Span. I do know that NONE of those three would crack the 3-8 of any of the western conference semifinalists... and that's where we "should" have been this year. Hell, Jalen Rose and Erik Piatkowski would have gotten playing time for us... and they can't sniff the court in a playoff game where their team is missing 2 regular players.
You don't KNOW that at all, you are just voicing your opinion, just like me. Different coaches do things differently. Sloan has been playing Milsap, and lately Dee Brown. Popovich played TP and Manu as rookies. D'Antonio played Diaw, Barbossa and many other unknowns. JVG is too risk adverse to try new things, these other coaches realize that adjustments are not necessary but required in the playoffs. I contend that there are other coaches out there that would have gotten more out of this current Rockets team, coaches that do more than just prepare, but rather inspire their team to greater heights. Coaches that do not cause so much anxiety that it puts added pressure on the players. Coaches not myopic like JVG... DD
ya exactly. it doesnt matter who the coach is, what the system is! if you don't have people who can put the ball in the basket, it's all pointless.
maybe the rockets win another game here or there with another coach. But Utah is still a better team when it came to crunch time. Bottom line! they are better top to bottom on the roster. you wanna talk about myopic? its not realizing the serious problems on the roster and not realizing that you can only do certain things when your team is so limited in terms of talent and ability.
My opinion is that these players are better than the players you listed... the fat Bonzi (who said he's only giving 25% effort this year b/c of the contract), the low IQ Snyder... who your boy Sloan saw recognized defeciencies in, and got rid of... and the unproven V-span who was NOT as highly touted, or NBA ready, as Parker and Manu. Also, Sloan's main role players are still Harpring, Fisher, and Giricek. All three would have made this team better. And btw... its D'ANTONI... you sound like a damn fool when you say "D'antoni-o." And I was not impressed with his offensive strategy last night either... have Nash chuck up 3's. Also Barbosa looked like crap when the Spurs don't have to focus on the suspended players. Your "opinion" that a new coach will come in and magically "inspire people to new heights, cure cancer, solve world hunger... with V-span at his side" is just as MYOPIC and short-sighted as you accuse JVG of being (once again, you guys are alike). The Rockets need a better 3-8... or else petition for a move to the eastern conference.
I have said all year this team was not good enough as configured, which is why I wanted to play some of the younger guys to find out if they are going to grow into that missing piece. I realize that the ROTATION is not good enough, but I am not sure if the ROSTER is good enough or not. I do believe adding one or two minor pieces can make a major difference....Mario Elie and Sam Cassell did it for the Rockets first championship......now we need to find those components for this team's needs. DD
Then they better add a sweet shooting 1st round pick PG, and a veteran hard-nosed free agent who has had success for other teams before. THAT is not on this roster right now... no matter how you want to spin it.
agree. Millsap is better than our starting PF. its a shame rox didnt get him. manu and parker did play when they were rookies, but that doesnt automatically mean that you have to play rookie euros. Those guys are the exceptions, not the rule. rockets wont go very far, no matter who the coach is, if battier is the rockets 3rd best player (all else being equal)
