This coaching staff is becoming a concern. * Can't get the superstars to run the offense * Our defense is starting to look like crap * Can't figure out consistently (GS doesn't count) how to take advantage of teams front Yao * Using Luther Head who has one big game and then disappears * Keeps giving Rafer the green light (has improved lately) * Not on same page with Tmac concerning injury status * Refusal to give Steve a shot, no worse than Luther * Refusing to sit Ron despite obvious trouble with ankle What has anyone seen that RA has done to help the offense when the front Yao. It's is appalling to hear that Marc Gasol fronted Yao and he had only 4 rebounds. Fronting should at least get you a double double.
No, not blaming anyone. Just stated a concern with the lack of strategy by the coaching staff to put this team in a better position. Also, JVG never lacked to motivate someone. Getting drilled for 109 points by the Grizzlies and it's all on the players.
JVG had his shortcomings too. That's why he's not coaching here. What's done is done. I liked JVG but I like Adelman too and we should give him a shot. To be fair to Adelman, he doesn't have a lot to work with right now and the team and it's players are being very inconsistent (on the court and about playing)...I don't know how you could blame that on the coaching staff.
The defense concerns me the most now. To allow the bottom team in the league shoots over 60% in the first half (51.7% for the whole game) is inexcusable. That's got to fall on both players and the coach.
It was a fluke. We didn't allow too many easy baskets. They shot from 3 or shot long range 2s and made them. The best you can do is contest the shots and force them into bad shots... they made them anyway. I don't think yesterdays game overall says anything about our defense. Ron was out, Yao was having a crappy game (generally he's good about keeping people out of the paint), and the other team was hitting.
Agree with some of your concerns. But right now is a low point early in the season and some of those issues will be worked out assuming everyone gets healthy.
I think Iavaroni's shock therapy of bringing Gay off the bench must have jolted the Grizzlies. I think the players were stunned he would actually punish anyone and they played over their heads. This doesn't excuse the sluggishness of the Rockets that allowed the Grizz to go up by 22.
* the stars have not been healthy to run the offense that requires movement * defense might look like crap due to injuries and getting killed on matchups and long play time for bench players * Fronting Yao has always caused us problems and if you do not have a second scorer things look much worse * I think Steve is now still worse than Luther, heck we do not even know if he can run * I have not heard anything about the coaches refusing to sit Ron, it was actually Ron who came out after the game and said Yao and I are playing tomorrow
this is definitely not true. If JVG has motivated Yao, Yao should never have been dominated by Okur like that.
I'm not going to guarantee, but if adelman had roster control, there are guys on this roster that wouldn't be here.
Adelman is used to letting his players play out of their funk and find their own identity. Trouble is this team doesn't have the experience, leadership, Basketball IQ, nor the professionalism that he is accustomed to. This group needs direction, discipline, and an identity.
He won 22 games with Mutombo at center. Thank god he doesn't have roster control I don't my post players making passes from 18ft out and shooting jumpers all day.
I really don't have any concern with the coaching staff. It's also very hard to run your offense with your superstars if all three can't even get on the court together. The Rockets have played good defense all year. It's just that the last game was a great offensive effort on the Grizzlies part. And how in the world can Adelman control how individual players perform on a given night? Can he control Luther Head shooting terribly the other night? I say Adelman did the right thing by sticking to a player like Luther Head who has and could produce, giving the impression that he's not giving up on his player. It's just unfortunate that Luther didn't respond in the last game. Same thing for Yao. Adelman can't control Yao getting outrebounded and not demanding the ball from his teammates. With Tmac injured, Adelman is doing the right thing by stepping up Rafer's role. And this in fact has been beneficial; Rafer has been playing great basketball lately. Wafer has also thrived so far under Adelman. We can't blame Adelman for not playing Steve either. Matt Bullard said the last game that Steve isn't in game shape yet. If you try to play someone who is not ready yet physically, he can't play to his potential on the court.
Okay Steve is done, but then what is Luther. Scores 21 and disappears when a prime opportunity is staring him in the face. He has disappointed repeatedly and the coaching staff continues giving him a shot. Von deserves Luther's minute even though his defense is suspect. As someone stated earlier our team isn't mature enough to play out of a funk. Plus nobody has addressed the issue of handling teams that front Yao.
regardless of if we're missing player X be it artest or mcgrady, our defense should not be this bad. just look at the spurs when they loss manu and parker. their defense still didn't miss a beat. this is a coaching concern. after one year without jvg hammering in his defensive principles every practice, our team has simply forgot how to play jvg defense. we're screwing around with elston turner's version of defense which is "allow the other team to shoot over 50% for the game". jvg may not be a creative offensive minded coach like adelman. but he is a brilliant x and o type guy who knows how to motivate his players to play hard-nosed, tough defense. adelman has what it takes to take the rockets over the top, more so than jvg, but at this point we need to get back to our defensive ways to win some games to get to the playoffs. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. remember that.
