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[Chron] Solomon: Rockets will score more under Adelman

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by doublebogey, May 23, 2007.

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doublebogey Member

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It's an interesting interview with Pete Carril.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/4828151.html

Rockets will score more under Adelman

By JEROME SOLOMON
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

The answers are comical. The question: What do you think of the Rockets' offense?

"Horrible."

"Terrible."

"What offense?"

The answers (not to mention the accompanying laughter) were recently provided by three Hall of Fame basketball players.

Of course, these guys played in the 1970s and '80s. In your father's NBA, if you didn't average 100 points a game, you weren't trying. Crack that barrier on average now, and you have a loosey-goosey, run-and-gun squad.

The Denver Nuggets once scored 100 or more points in 136 straight games, a stretch that included every game of the 1981-82 season.

As a brick-throwing point of reference, the Rockets scored more than 100 points only 93 times in four years under Jeff Van Gundy. On three occasions during his tenure, the Rockets hit a hot stretch and topped 100 points four games in a row. What a week! (Two of the "streaks" included overtime games, but we'll not be petty, since Houston won all 12 of those games.)

So yes, now that Van Gundy is no longer the Rockets' head coach, maybe more of the entertainment at Toyota Center will come from the wondrous athletes on the court rather than the T-shirt-tossing teens accompanied by all that irritating noise during nearly every timeout.

With Rick Adelman set to be announced as their new head coach today, you can rest assured the Rockets will actually attempt to score on every trip to the offensive end of the court.

Rick knows offense
What? An over-the-top accusation, you say? You can't prove it's not true. Sometimes when the Rockets scored, even they seemed surprised.

Maybe under Adelman, opponents will be the ones who are surprised. The man knows how to design offenses that score.

"He will take a look at his team and scour film after film and try to figure out where they need to be to be the most successful," coaching legend Pete Carril said by phone Tuesday from his home in New Jersey.

Carril, who spent 29 seasons at Princeton, knows a lot about basketball. Carril, who spent 10 seasons as an assistant at Sacramento, including eight with Adelman, knows a lot about the Rockets' new leader.

"He's not a hardhead, so whenever things change, he's able to implement those things to deal with those changes," Carril said. "He doesn't think there is only one way to do something."

Part of Adelman's offense comes from one he used when he and current Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie played with the Trail Blazers in the early '70s. Some of its concepts come from what Petrie learned while playing for Carril at Princeton.

It's about finding open players and taking open shots. Movement is encouraged.

Carril — makes more sense to call him "Coach" — said Rockets fans should prepare for an interesting offense that takes advantage of the strengths of each player on the floor. And that includes that very tall fellow who worked out with Hakeem Olajuwon on Tuesday afternoon.

"To think that Yao Ming can't do anything on the basketball court is lopsided," Carril said. "The opinion of the people down there is he is a low-post center and that's all he can do. I don't think that's the case."

As for those fears that Yao would be out of place in a fast-paced, high-scoring offense, Carril said that is the last thing Rockets fans should worry about. High-scoring doesn't necessarily mean fast-paced.

Working with Yao
Carril, who designed a devilish offense at Princeton that helped earn him Hall of Fame induction in 1997, said he has dreams about coming up with ways to use a player with Yao's talents.

"I think the guy's great, and he'll grow and develop under Rick," said Carril, who could see Adelman opening up Yao's game like the Kings did with Vlade Divac. "You can use him down in the low post or on the high post. He gets right in the mix.

"He catches the ball damn near every time you throw it to him, so you can play with him. You see the way he catches the ball when (Tracy) McGrady whips it in there on the move? That shows you that he can react to passes.

"Rick is going to figure out exactly how to play that guy and everybody else. He's done that for years."

As for Carril, he says he is itching to get back into coaching — 40 years isn't enough — but it won't be here. He is more likely to rejoin Petrie in Sacramento.

"I miss basketball, so there's a chance I'll get back into the fray a bit," Carril, 76, said. "After all the years, I can't sit around. I need the movement."

As does the Rockets' offense.

Listen to Jerome Solomon weekdays from 3-6 p.m. on 97.5 FM. jerome.solomon@chron.com
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#1 doublebogey, May 23, 2007

Amel Member

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boom here goes the dynamite

"He's not a hardhead, so whenever things change, he's able to implement those things to deal with those changes," Carril said. "He doesn't think there is only one way to do something."

"Carril — makes more sense to call him "Coach" — said Rockets fans should prepare for an interesting offense that takes advantage of the strengths of each player on the floor. And that includes that very tall fellow who worked out with Hakeem Olajuwon on Tuesday afternoon."

I LOVE IT!

#2 Amel, May 23, 2007
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Hearing Carill say these things gets me more excited than hearing it from some of the posters here.

We still need more talent, but this is the first time since the coaching change that I've been optimistic.

#3 Nick, May 23, 2007
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"To think that Yao Ming can't do anything on the basketball court is lopsided," Carril said. "The opinion of the people down there is he is a low-post center and that's all he can do. I don't think that's the case."
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Carril, the point isn't if "that's all he can do;" The point is if Yao can be DOMINANT doing "that" like Hakeem and many others believe he can...ie., play low post.

#4 heypartner, May 23, 2007
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Finding open shooters was not the problem this past season. Finding shooters who could make open shots WAS.

And if Yao is in the high post - we're going to need a taller 4 than Chuck, or a more physical one than Juwan.

IMHO.

#5 GoatBoy, May 23, 2007
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We are going to score more next season?! AMAZING... Didn't see that one coming.

#6 superden, May 23, 2007
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The next intelligent basketball article that Jerome Solomon writes will be the first.

#7 weslinder, May 23, 2007

doublebogey Member

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weslinder said:

The next intelligent basketball article that Jerome Solomon writes will be the first.
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Wow, u really have some comprehension problem. The column is basically a phone interview of Pete Carril. It's not about the intelligence of J Solomon. I guess u think u r better basketball mind than Carril. God bless you!

#8 doublebogey, May 23, 2007
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"I think the guy's great, and he'll grow and develop under Rick," said Carril, who could see Adelman opening up Yao's game like the Kings did with Vlade Divac. "You can use him down in the low post or on the high post. He gets right in the mix.
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I pray to God that Yao will not be used as a Vlade Divac...

#9 Pest_Ctrl, May 23, 2007
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heypartner said:

Carril, the point isn't if "that's all he can do;" The point is if Yao can be DOMINANT doing "that" like Hakeem and many others believe he can...ie., play low post.
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Um, no, that's not the point at all.

The point is to win a championship...with or without a dominant Yao.

Fortunately, Yao himself agrees with that. He wants to play his best while helping his team win.

It's nice to see something positive like this coming out of the Chron. I'm so tired of hearing the complaining going on over perceived slights, lack of respect, and so forth within the Rockets organization, or how Les is an idiot for wanting Phoenix style basketball (or at least, according to Lopez, this is what he's said)....if Les wanted Phoenix basketball he would waited on the Phoenix assistant coach...Les wants a functioning offense

#10 JayZ750, May 23, 2007
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Pest_Ctrl said:

I pray to God that Yao will not be used as a Vlade Divac...
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Yao isn't a good enough flopper for that to ever come true.

#11 MayoRocket, May 23, 2007
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I can't for next season. As for Yao playing with CNT. I believe the CNT team will be in the states in July playing in one of the Summer leagues? that way Yao can practice with the Dream once again.

#12 rocketsmetalspd, May 23, 2007
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Pest_Ctrl said:

I pray to God that Yao will not be used as a Vlade Divac...
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Hopefully they meant like his mid-range jumper, his passing, and his cut screens?

#13 Sofine81, May 23, 2007

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JayZ750 said:

Um, no, that's not the point at all.

The point is to win a championship...with or without a dominant Yao.
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oh, geez...pls don't start a semantics argument with me. They are so boring. I'm not for or against Aldeman. Please save your breath.

#14 heypartner, May 23, 2007
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Movement is encouraged.
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Nice.

#15 Tb-Cain, May 23, 2007
doublebogey Member

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heypartner said:

Carril, the point isn't if "that's all he can do;" The point is if Yao can be DOMINANT doing "that" like Hakeem and many others believe he can...ie., play low post.
Click to expand...

You must miss this part

"You can use him down in the low post or on the high post. He gets right in the mix."
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The game is not about to plant Yao at the low-post when things are not working. Sometimes, you need a little variations to throw the defense off-balance i.e. move Yao to the high post, then you can go back to what's the best will work for you again.

People are talking about variations. To think Adelman will move Yao to the high post is laughable. Adelman will only do what's the best to score and win games.

#16 doublebogey, May 23, 2007
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I don't think the argument here is where Yao can be effective, the high or low post. Whith the touch he has I have no doubt in my mind he will be effective regardless...

The argument is whether the offense will run more smoothly if it were to involve certain sets that have Yao in the high post...and with slashers on our team like Yao and Snyder I think the answer there is inarguably yes.

#17 PeteTheCheat, May 23, 2007
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Amel said:

boom here goes the dynamite

"He's not a hardhead, so whenever things change, he's able to implement those things to deal with those changes," Carril said. "He doesn't think there is only one way to do something."

"Carril — makes more sense to call him "Coach" — said Rockets fans should prepare for an interesting offense that takes advantage of the strengths of each player on the floor. And that includes that very tall fellow who worked out with Hakeem Olajuwon on Tuesday afternoon."

I LOVE IT!
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I love it, too.

#18 glynch, May 23, 2007

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PeteTheCheat said:

I don't think the argument here is where Yao can be effective, the high or low post. Whith the touch he has I have no doubt in my mind he will be effective regardless...

The argument is whether the offense will run more smoothly if it were to involve certain sets that have Yao in the high post...and with slashers on our team like Yao and Snyder I think the answer there is inarguably yes.
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should read T-Mac and Snyder

#19 PeteTheCheat, May 23, 2007
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GoatBoy said:

Finding open shooters was not the problem this past season. Finding shooters who could make open shots WAS.

And if Yao is in the high post - we're going to need a taller 4 than Chuck, or a more physical one than Juwan.

IMHO.
Click to expand...

Yeah but our team fell in love with the 3 point shot but never had movement.

1)No peneration be our guards thus no easy points
2) No backdoor cuts only a few times Chuck Hayes tried and T-Mac got him the ball
3) No pick'n'roll type plays

It was too predictable and Utah took advantage of that.

#20 ghettocheeze, May 23, 2007

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