[Chron] Difficult loss tests Rockets' mental toughness

ron413 · Apr 4, 2007

Revenge against the Jazz is probably the best motivating force/ medicine...
It is known to work well.

See below example from the wonderful world of College football **pre-game video shown to the players for the LSU/ Tennessee key game.

<embed style="width:400px; height:326px;" id="VideoPlayback" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=6043732560196916319&hl=en" flashvars=""> </embed>

rocketshopeful · Apr 4, 2007

DaDakota said:

Oh, he watches film and understands that his teams are not running HIS schemes correctly.

My point is that what he is ASKING them to do may not be possible for THIS team, at least on a consistent basis, and that when players get tired, they can no longer run his schemes perfectly.

And, it would be on the coach to realize that fatigue is a factor, and maybe, just maybe make some adjustments to help with his team's obvious shortcommings.....you know like.

1. Lack of lateral quickness out of our guards - allowing easy penetration.
2. Slow footed Yao Ming
3. Lack of size and athleticism on the perimeter

Things which can be accomadated for and made work, if he is willing to RECOGNIZE that the team has these problems and changes up a bit to cover them up.

DD
Click to expand...

Coach of the year award goes to Jerry... I mean DaDakota!

SpiffyRifi · Apr 4, 2007

GRENDAL said:

Senior citizens

With Kevin Willis signing a 10-day contract with the Mavericks, Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo is no longer the NBA's oldest player.

Mutombo, 44, said he was not surprised so much that Willis is playing but that he postponed moving to his fashion business completely.

"He and I talked a lot this summer," Mutombo said. "He was over at my house a few times to sell me some jeans. He told me when he was done, he wanted to move on to the business world.
Click to expand...

Am I the only one who thinks this is funny? Kevin Willis is going around like the Avon Lady trying to sell jeans to other NBA players?!

HillBoy · Apr 4, 2007

McGradySNKT said:

Why is he ALWAYS talking about what this team is not, and hasn't figured out a way to fix it yet?

This is annoying because why arent there any solutions? I don't care about what the problem is, just fix it. 3 years of the same crap, we don't do this, or that, yet there is no real answer.

"We've struggled, this we've struggled that" Well make some freaking adjustments then sheesh.
Click to expand...

There haven't been any solutions because JVG does not have the talent or players currently on the roster to provide those solutions nor make those adjustments. They haven't drafted well for years now and their free agent/trade strategy has been one of constantly turning over personnel with no real plan in place. So it should come as no surprise that this is a good but not great team that simply does not match up with the top teams in the Western Conference.

Their needs haven't changed. They've needed a point guard ever since the McGrady trade when they tried to make do with Tyrone Lue running the point. Reece Gaines was a throw-in on that deal and his lack of impact here certainly showed why. Alston is merely the latest in a string of guys manning that position. The problem they face here is that they play in a conference where they face superior PGs like Tony Parker, Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Deron Williams and the Dallas tandem of Jason Terry/Devon Harris and they simply don't have anyone here that can play at their level.

They've needed a PF ever since they traded Cato to Orlando and they really screwed the pooch 5 years ago when they blew their draft (3 first round picks) for Eddie Griffin. They further compounded this "error" by trading away Kenny Thomas in order to "light a fire under EG - an effort that ended in failure since it didn't work and left them with EG & Mo Taylor - both of whom are no longer here. Ever since the TMac trade, they've been making do with Juwan Howard and [place PF name here] ( this year that's Chuck Hayes). This doesn't bode well when you consider that they play in a conference with players like Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzski and Amare Stoudemire at the 4. The bottom line is that they simply don't match up in key areas against the better teams in the West and JVG can whine all he wants but in the end he also has to shoulder some of the blame because he is just as much responsible for this roster as is Carroll Dawson. [/QUOTE]

WNBA · Apr 4, 2007

"But that game does not mean anything for us. The only meaning for us is to learn from the mistakes we made in the game and try to improve for the next game."--Yao

And as Tracy McGrady said: "It's not like it's the only loss we had this year. We lost the game. Move forward. We have eight more games left."
Click to expand...

Hold on here. Admit it or not, the loss was really bad. After all the same talks all season, Do you ever have a solution? no.
Is this still a "good loss"?

TBar · Apr 4, 2007

glynch said:

Maybe JVG runs off the mentally tough players,if they are not polite enough to him. Except for Yao who is tough, yet respectful of JVG's immense ego.

I'm not sure Barkley, Bird or Hakeem could have played for JVG.

Maybe we need to work Yao and Tracy and Motumbo harder, say 48 minutes a night till playoffs to improve their mental toughness.

It was good to see the vets joking about MOtumbo's age. I think you need good veteran leadership to counteract the hyperness and needless stress JVG puts on his players.
Click to expand...

for a manager with that style - it helps having people with extremely low self esteem who can be easily manipulated-browbeaten. This course is not supportive- uplifting or positive. Motivation based on fear and intimidation.

You know- make the guy that can beat up every body the foreman. Progressive

WNBA · Apr 4, 2007

HillBoy said:

There haven't been any solutions because JVG does not have the talent or players currently on the roster to provide those solutions nor make those adjustments. They haven't drafted well for years now and their free agent/trade strategy has been one of constantly turning over personnel with no real plan in place. So it should come as no surprise that this is a good but not great team that simply does not match up with the top teams in the Western Conference.

Their needs haven't changed. They've needed a point guard ever since the McGrady trade when they tried to make do with Tyrone Lue running the point. Reece Gaines was a throw-in on that deal and his lack of impact here certainly showed why. Alston is merely the latest in a string of guys manning that position. The problem they face here is that they play in a conference where they face superior PGs like Tony Parker, Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Deron Williams and the Dallas tandem of Jason Terry/Devon Harris and they simply don't have anyone here that can play at their level.

They've needed a PF ever since they traded Cato to Orlando and they really screwed the pooch 5 years ago when they blew their draft (3 first round picks) for Eddie Griffin. They further compounded this "error" by trading away Kenny Thomas in order to "light a fire under EG - an effort that ended in failure since it didn't work and left them with EG & Mo Taylor - both of whom are no longer here. Ever since the TMac trade, they've been making do with Juwan Howard and [place PF name here] ( this year that's Chuck Hayes). This doesn't bode well when you consider that they play in a conference with players like Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzski and Amare Stoudemire at the 4. The bottom line is that they simply don't match up in key areas against the better teams in the West and JVG can whine all he wants but in the end he also has to shoulder some of the blame because he is just as much responsible for this roster as is Carroll Dawson.
Click to expand...

[/QUOTE]

Very positive. I am a JVG believer now.

Any excuses for Yao and TMAC 's choking job at clutch time?

lastopsuburb · Apr 4, 2007

Still no Bonzi?

tiger0330 · Apr 4, 2007

GRENDAL said:

Curing Jazz-induced hangover proves to be a challenge

Asked Mutombo's age, Yao Ming said, "Like his number."

Mutombo wears No. 55.
Click to expand...

Yao is funny. I hear Deke is a little sensitive about his age so if you see Yao wearing a bandage or wearing a black eye, Yao probably ran into a Deke elbow in practice.

sjiang78 · Apr 4, 2007

GRENDAL said:

With Kevin Willis signing a 10-day contract with the Mavericks, Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo is no longer the NBA's oldest player.

Mutombo, 44, said he was not surprised so much that Willis is playing but that he postponed moving to his fashion business completely.
Click to expand...

44? A typo or a fact?

Forums

[Chron] Difficult loss tests Rockets' mental toughness

ron413 Member

rocketshopeful Member

SpiffyRifi Member

HillBoy Member

WNBA Member

TBar Member

WNBA Member

lastopsuburb Member

tiger0330 Member

sjiang78 Member

Share This Page

About ClutchFans

Rockets Content

Support ClutchFans!