Dec. 15, 2003, 10:53PM Rockets recognize error of their ways By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle With Rockets players believing the good is spliced out of the team's tape reviews to focus on the bad, coach Jeff Van Gundy had 2 1/2 quarters of Saturday's loss to the Spurs screened before Monday's marathon practice. That could have been considered cruel and unusual punishment. Or another example of showing only bad with nothing good. But a message got through. Cuttino Mobley was reminded of when he was an obstinate child, ignoring his parents' bedtime orders. Steve Francis said this has been the most difficult of his five NBA seasons. Van Gundy just said again that basketball does not have to be so hard. Passing the ball, following a game plan, and becoming an effective, reliable team don't have to be monumental chores. "To me, it's worse than last season," Francis said. "It's been such a roller-coaster ride. I'm definitely down for it. I've got my seat belt on. I'm in the front seat of that roller coaster, and I'm going to ride it all the way out." Francis has struggled with his shot during the Rockets' 13-9 start, as much as at any time since the end of the 2001-02 season, when he played with muscle lining shredded in his right shoulder. But this season's pain, Van Gundy said, is unnecessary for Francis and the Rockets as a whole. "It doesn't have to be that way," Van Gundy said upon hearing Francis' comments. "He's capable of playing well every night. I don't think it's difficult." But it has not happened, so Van Gundy rolled the tape. He started with seven plays, each blown beyond repair, to start Saturday's game. Not only did he demonstrate the Rockets' inability to pass with confidence, but he also cited it as another example of the difference between champions and also-rans. Van Gundy showed defensive game plans ignored. He showed mistakes made. He rolled that tape until the session and practice lasted 3 1/2 hours. "I'm trying to get them to see the stark contrast between how San Antonio plays and how we play, why they're world champions and why we've been what we've been and we are what we are," Van Gundy said. "The differences are dramatic in how they trust the pass and how they trust the defensive system. "(Tim) Duncan and (Tony) Parker shot 20 times in the game. They didn't care. They passed. They had 18 assists between them. We had 14 because we don't trust the pass. We're reluctant passers. There's no reason to be. I don't know why you would be reluctant to pass. "It's not big or small. It's not one person. It's not two. It's the group. "They think when you show them an edit, you're picking out the bad stuff (to show). We didn't do one thing the right way in the first seven possessions. We can't do one possession right. We don't have the discipline it takes to keep doing the right thing." Van Gundy has refused to say the Rockets have been resistant either to change or his instructions. The results, however, show that little is different. The Rockets' strengths and weaknesses remain the same, and Van Gundy is not willing to predict things will change just because he, and maybe even his players, want them to. "I would say this: I was a history major," Van Gundy said. "And if you don't learn from history, you're doomed to repeat it, and usually the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. "They can change it at any time," Van Gundy continued. "It doesn't take some great talent when you get the ball to throw it to the open guy. Or when you're told to play a certain situation a certain way to play it." If the results are not much different for the Rockets, who face Minnesota tonight one game ahead of last season's pace, they seem to have gotten the message. "We're inconsistent right now as a team. From 8-3 to 1-4 to 4-0 to 0-2," Mobley said. "Are you a good team? An OK team? A team that didn't play anybody? What are you as a team? "Just do what he says. If it doesn't work Coach's way, it's not our fault. But until we do it his way as a team, we're beating ourselves in the head." After an output of 140 points in back-to-back losses to San Antonio-- just one point better than the worst two-game total in franchise history -- the Rockets might find that improving their dreadful passing is a good way to start repairing the damage. After averaging 18.4 assists per game last season, the Rockets average 17.4 this season to rank 28th in the NBA. Their average of 86.6 points per game ranks ahead of just three teams, New York, Miami and Toronto. "Sometimes it's not me, it's not Steve, it's not Yao (Ming who is) going to get 20," Mobley said. "It might be Mo (Maurice Taylor). It might be Jimmy (Jackson). It might be somebody else. "We've got to go into a game knowing, `I'm going to go in to play hard. If I score seven points and we win, that's what it is.' That's what you have to go in saying. You can't go in saying, `I'm going to get 30,' or `I'm going to have 10 boards.' You can't go in like that, worrying about individual plus we're going to win. It's got to be, `We're going to win, and I'm going to play hard on the defensive end, and the offensive end will take care of itself.' And I think that's what San Antonio did, and we didn't." So Van Gundy, with his one practice this week, had his players study themselves and the Spurs side-by-side until the Rockets could see the difference. "It was cool," Francis said. "It was needed. We lost two in a row. And Coach definitely thinks we need to pay more attention to details, so I think what was said in practice will rub off in the next few games. It should. I think everybody understood the points Coach was trying to get at -- spacing and finding the open man." Added Mobley: "It's about disciplining ourselves, doing the right thing. Yeah, we say when we play Minnesota we'll do the right things after an hour and a half of watching a tape of mistakes. We'll see." http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2298877
The players seem to have no faith in themselves. Their words say it all. They have to play through the pain by executing on both ends. I'm afraid nothing is going to change.
Isn't it odd how the media is making no mention of Yao throughout this losing streak? I'd like to know if something's bothering him or anything's the matter at the very least. Some report on his confidence would be interesting.
If the Rockets don't get to the playoffs, they will have a lottery draft pick in 2004. I'd go for an international point guard. It seems like the point guards trained outside the United States have good fundamentals. I don't want to them to draft a combo guard and force him to pass. Check out the places that Carlos Arroyo, Raul Lopez, and Tony Parker played. There's gotta be a good passer somewhere on this planet.
It was an article about passing. Yao's one of the few, if not the only, player on the team that actually passes more than he should.
"Just do what he says. If it doesn't work Coach's way, it's not our fault. But until we do it his way as a team, we're beating ourselves in the head." This quote disturbs me for a couple of reasons. 1. It says straight up that they are not doing what JVG says. 2. "If it doesn't work Coach's way, it's not our fault." This statement implies that they should be taking the blame for the past failures because they aren't doing what JVG says, but I haven't heard anyone take the blame. On the other hand this statement says that the coach should take the blame for losing which I think is total BULL $HIT. The players play and are responsible for winning. They get payed the big bucks and need to take responsibility for winning and losing. 21 games into the season and these guys are just now deciding they might need to play like the coach wants??? WTF. We got some real geniuses on our team.
Key players aren't buying into the system and are going renegade on the court. They are looking at Van Gundy's system like taking castor oil. I really don't think Van Gundy's system was responsible for the 8 points in a quarter. It can't be that bad.
["To me, it's worse than last season," Francis said. "It's been such a roller-coaster ride. I'm definitely down for it. I've got my seat belt on. I'm in the front seat of that roller coaster, and I'm going to ride it all the way out."] All the way out of town, I hope.
I think one of the best things about coaching in Houston that Van Gundy will love is that the media criticism is not even close to what New York city has. When the team tanks, people just stop going to the games and calling talk shows. Eventually, fan apathy reaches the point where you can't find any Rocket fans who want to admit it.
Something disturbs me about that quote too. It doesn't exactly resonate with "Go TEAM." Instead is seems to imply, "well, let's just do it HIS way and if we fail, it's HIS fault anyway." Very fatalistic. I think the Rox as a team lack confidence. Something about going up against the premiere teams gets the worst of them. When the Rox match up against lesser teams they seem to come out with a much different persona. I think this December 25th when they go up against the Lakers will be very telling about their maturity as a team. Sources of confidence: 1. Winning 2. Yao stepping up 3. Francis getting his output up The trouble with 3 is that if the Rox start winning again BUT play outside of JVG's system... will they mutiny? Winning has a way of reinforcing whatever it is one is doing. And as inconsistent as some of these undisciplined ways may be, it feeds on itself and reinforces to players that it's ok to be undisciplined. theSAGE
Now that has been the crux of my stance all along. Often time indicipline is permited and allowed around here so long you win. I have never advocated that because it eventually catches up with you if you don't win right. Bad habit is bad habit is bad habit. Wins have never distorted my view of that. IMO, this present mix of players will not cut. I have resigned to the fact that we will not see 180% turnaround as long as this team stays the same. They are not smart and cohesive collectively. It is time to MOVE ON.
Maybe that's why they are not doing it. Our boys want to perform Sportscenter highlight stunts on every play. A simple pass is just not interesting enough for them. But after freaking 21 games into the season, I really don't see signs of team ball in this group. JVG thinks they can change it at any time. I am not as optimistic. I've seen this movie for five years now. I'll give them till end of this season. After that, heads will roll.
Yao May Emerge If there is one silver lining to this folks, it's that we get to see what this team, and more specifically, Yao is made of. Adversity has a way of bringing out the "truth" in people whether that be their "best" or their "worst. Personally, I see some fire beneath Yao's grit that has to emerge on a consistent basis. SF, despite his tough talk is a little shaken now, IMO, b/c he's still adjusting but he has a lot of fight in him. Not to oversimplify things but I think the pieces start falling into place once Yao and Francis really start "clicking." Those two are the anchor points from which all other good things flow. Inasmuch as the other team members are frustrated, the bulk of the responsibility still falls the peoples you entrust with the ball for the greater portion of the game. If this "system" that JVG is employing is anything akin to the system he put into place in NY, I also think that there is no denying the Rox' weakness at the 4. Inasmuch as I like Cato, the 4 was very importatn from an offense POV for the Knicks. Oakley could consistently keep defenses honest by hitting that outside 16 footer. Cato really doesn't fit the bill here and among the reasons that things aren't working consistently, I'd put this among the reasons at the top. I honestly find this article to be an appeal to players to be more PROACTIVE in determining and remedying their mistakes. i.e .the whole "My bad" kind of mentatility where each player begins to take more accountability of their mistakes on the court, and in learning from them, moves on to become better. Perhaps what's frustrating JVG is how oblivious his players are to their repeated mistakes that seem all too obvious to a coach watching on the sidelines. JVG is used to working with less-talented but much more teachable players than I think he has here. Ironically, the talent on the Rox team almost gives them an excuse to get away with playing undisciplined. Changing those habits will not be easy. theSAGE
I think the effort is there to play team ball but the execution has just been lacking. IMHO, I think the problem to date has been precisely to get to the Rox to play more "team ball." If you believe Francis and Yao to be the franchise players that most people seem to believe, then these two is where the bulk of the scoring should be coming from. Francis SHOULD be allowed to jack up 16 shots, IMO as should Yao each and every game. Again, this is a question of evolution. And when I see the Rox today, I see semblence of the Lakers of five years ago and perhaps more so, the Magic of ten years ago. Shaq and Penny were the go to guys on the Magic and the team relied on these two horses night in night out. The Rox need to start here. theSAGE
Unfortunately, efforts don't win games. Execution does. We do have very talented players but can they (or better yet, will they ever) play as a team? I read it in another thread that some Rox fans felt that we should let SF go back to his ISO-mania days. You know, that may be exactly where SF's heart is still at. If that's true, we are in for a very rough ride this year.
Score after first quarter of season: ASYLUM INMATES > JVG The fact that we're still 13-9 gives me hope What we're witnessing is a major power struggle - should be interesting to watch things unfold. No question, Francis is the lead inmate and still doesn't have a clue- and he doesn't have a clue that he doesn't have a clue Problem is, I'm not sure if he is cabable of changing as he has the least bball smarts on the team(not good for a floor leader ) D R
"It doesn't have to be that way," Van Gundy said upon hearing Francis' comments. "He's capable of playing well every night. I DON'T THINK IT IS DIFFICULT." You know I think we might need an NBA coach who has actually played ball at the NBA level. Van Gundy might just be the best of the college type coaches, without NBA experience, but most of them have failed, Pitino, and many others. Does anybody know if in New York, JVG just rode on the coattails of the team Riley put together or did he really make the difference. I know he really drove the people he had, but who put the team toghether initially?
