JVG is gone, so are the MATCHUP PROBLEMS. Adelman's message: "There's nobody we can't beat.". This is CONFIDENCE.
Because, unlike Adelman, Jeff Van Gundy always got run over by some teams. After each of those losses, he said with his crying face: "Those teams are tough matchup for us."
One word : Stubborn. Stubborn people cannot win and if they do they can't win long. Winners adapt to opponents and continue to win. We always lose to certain teams. We may win once or twice against these teams but that's because luck not strategies and why? because we were rigid and stubborn back then.
And those team were not tough matchups for the previous Rockets teams? "Tough matchups" and having "no team we can't beat" are not mutually exclusive. Utah was and remains a tough matchup, and the Rockets beat them 3 times out of 7. We could beat them. We did not. The current teams are on a win streak, but there are teams that remain tough matchups. Even the championship Rockets had their tough matchup in Seattle.
You have to be joking. Adelman is doing an awesome job, but our biggest problems last year were PF and PG. JVG did not have the luxury of playing Scola, Lundry and Brooks.
Really? You guys want to turn this into a JVG vs Rick Adelman thread? Can't you just be happy that Adelman has confidence in the team and they are playing well? There are plenty of existing threads if you want to get into that.....again. Plenty of great comments coming from this article. Team playing with confidence. Great bench along with McGrady playing better overall (at least vs. New Orleans). All around good vibes coming the team.
Brooks is not a luxury anymore. He hit the rookie wall and sucks right now. I will give you that Scola and Landry are better than what we had at PF last year. Still there is very little chance Van Gundy would have played Landry. Plus it is no coincidence Rafers game improved immensely under Adelman. And that is the biggest reason the Rockets are playing so much better. And it's clear to see that this Rockets team is confident they can beat anyone. That was never the case last year. My only concern is Landry is going to play himself out of Houston. They need to keep him on the bench and use him when only absolutely necessary.
I dont agree with this, there is no proof to support this assertion. Like Morey said, he had been destroying people in practice. Rafer played pretty well under JVG. He shot more threes at a higher percentage than under Adleman. That said, I do agree Rafer has more freedom and is penetrating and creating much more under Adleman. Then again, let's not forget that Rafer is very streaky and could easily shoot 30% for the next month. But I would aruge the biggest reason the Rockets are playing so much better is the PF position. Remember JVG had to play Hayes and friggin Juwan Howard at PF last year. They just need to pay Landry whatever is necessary. He is a beast.
RA is responsible for the current talent level of the rockets. He developed the players, the rookies, not JVG. Why not just give credits to RA for his own merits? Why JVG has to be brought into everything RA does? First, the bubble of RA keeping JVG's defense is created, now, JVG should be thought of as someone who would have done all the development work that RA did? What's next? RA washes JVG's underwears so that he has the chance of sneaking in JVG's bedroom to steal a page or two from JVG's defensive playbook?
I love Adelman's approach..... And I agree with him.....the Rockets can beat anyone, anywhere. GO ROCKS ! DD
yeah. JVG was the only reason there were matchup problems Give it a rest for pete's sake. not to mention MJ ( even although he didnt do much, he was productive under JVG). but back to your point. You are right. It's a fact that the rockets have better players and talent up and down the bench. Adelman is doing his job well, just as JVG did. The only difference is the rockets have more players that can get the job done.
