From Insider: Greg (Titletown USA): Do you think Stern had a completely unreasonable reaction and kind of epitomized the doth protest too much phrase in dealing with Van Gundy? Threatening a lifetime ban, what is he thinking? Ken Bikoff: I think it is pretty extreme. Certainly what Van Gundy said wasn't the worst thing a coach a coach has ever done, and what Van Gundy is suggesting has been talked about for years. What angers Stern is that Van Gundy isn't snitching on his supposed source. Stern wants his rank and file to avoid bringing the integrity of the game into question, but Van Gundy did just that. To be honest with you, I wonder if he is reacting so harshly because Van Gundy got close to the truth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kevin: With the technology now available it seems archaic to rely on the officails and inevitably human nature. Why doesn't the NBA try out an instant replay feature for the final 2 minutes of playoffs games. The Finley steal cost Houston that game and maybe the series. Ken Bikoff: We can't go to a pure replay system in the final two minutes because it would drag out the end of games even longer. The problem I have is that there can't be any touch fouls late. I don't like touch fouls at any time, especially when there are other, more physical plays that go uncalled. Officials have been costing teams games for years. There isn't going to be a change now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael (Atlanta, GA): Can you explain why Van Gundy is keeping Bob Sura on the bench at the end of games? Keeping him in the game would give the Rockets another slasher and he is not a bad shooter either. Ken Bikoff: I think his defense is the biggest problem. Sura isn't known as being a tough defender, but you are right about the offensive spark. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jeff, Houston: Good afternoon Tim I guess you probably heard enough about the Van Gundy fine situation. My concern is what if he is right?? Isnt the fine little bit too much?? Not couting the possible suspension. Tim Legler: I don't have a problem with the fine. This is crossing a line. What Van Gundy is doing is questioning the integrity of the officiating and the league. I'm shocked he would raise the issue but I'm sure he didn't think it would be this big of an issue. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike (Houston): How is Van Gundy crossing the line? You're an analyst, and you should be able to tell that Yao is refereed differently much like Shaq is in Miami. Tim Legler: I don't think Yao is treated differently. He doesn't' get in trouble for illegal screens, it's because he is 7'5'' and he tries to take charges and gets places half a step late. He is always moving with the contact occurs. If he was more aggressive, he could get away with more contact. I don't think he is referred differently. 95 percent of the fouls against him are legitimate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chris Hellriegel (Wyckoff, NJ): I love seeing what you have to say on NBA Shootaround, so I thought I'd ask a question. Do the Rockets have any chance of coming back and winning the series? Or is Dallas on too much of a roll? Tim Legler: I think Houston could still win. I think they win at home and then go back for a Game 7. The home team has all the pressure in Game 7. If Houston can just win that game at home, they will play well in Game 7 and have a shot. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike (Providence): Tim, I hate to beat the Van Gundy issue into the ground, but what ever happened to free speech? Does it not exist in the NBA? I'm confused. Tim Legler: Free speech is one thing but for him to say Ming is getting calls to take him out of games, I have no problem with that. But criticizing an official and saying other refs are working together, that is saying there is premeditation involved. It's different that just questioning a call after a game. It's just bad for the NBA. I have no problem ripping officials. I can't believe the way refs are protected. But what Gundy did was different. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ronnie (Wilmington,De): Where do you see Tracy MCGrady, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson and Chris Webber playing next year? Tim Legler: AI will still be in Philly. McGrady in Houston. Other two are up in the air. Webber probably Philly, just because he is making so much money next year. He's damaged goods so nobody will want him. Philly underestimated his knee problems. Jason Kidd I think will be in NJ still. That organization wants to see what they can do with those guys healthy at the same time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dave (Dallas): With Dirk struggling to hit is shot right now will this drop his status as a Top 10 Player in the NBA? Tim Legler: No. I'm a little suspicious of his struggles. He is not playing his game. He is playing with his back to the basket a lot. Because Houston is small, he's trying to take advantage of the size issue but that is not his game. But people around the NBA still know how good this guy is. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nice work avoiding the questing Tim. What if JVG is right? Looking at this thing logically, it just makes absolutely no sense for JVG to make something like this up. If he wanted to just question the refereeing, he could have done that easily, taken his 5-10K fine, and moved on. Why make up a whole backstory about it?
first off, tim's analysis that 95% of yao's faouls are legit is just plain wrong along with the fact that's he's probably seen less then 5% of yao's games. i saw his little demonstration on espn yesterday where he picked a few of yao's obvious fouls and then questioned why jvg was complaining? c'mon tim. what about that idiot who asked what team mcgrady would be on next year?
Remember few years back Shaq shot something like 25+ free throws in a game. On the hand, Yao get a T for smiling at the ref. How can this guy call Yao's fouls are 90% legitimate? What are fcking moron.
i cant imagine shaq ever getting called for an offensive foul on the play in game 5 when yao was posting up alan henderson where he picked up a foul. that was the worst offensive foul call i've ever seen, tied with the one yao got when he was posting up dirk and dirk acted like he got hit in the face
"Tim Legler: I think Houston could still win. I think they win at home and then go back for a Game 7. The home team has all the pressure in Game 7. If Houston can just win that game at home, they will play well in Game 7 and have a shot. " This part I believe him....
I'm still fuming about Dirk grabbing his face after a little body contact. All he needs to do now is incorporate a leg kick into his shot, so he can rack the defender and get a blocking call on his shots. Then he really WILL be the second coming of Karl Malone.
I just have no respect for Tim Legler. What does this guy know about basketball? He was nothing than a scrub during his playing days. I'll take Steve Kerr over him any day of the week.
He knows much more than you do He disagrees with JVG on the refs thing, that is fine. But there has not been a SINGLE analyst on TV anywhere that has been more pro-Rockets than Tim Legler. If you have watched him on ESPN all year you would have known that. So give the guy his due. He has been a big fan of the Rockets all season long, when everyone else was doubting our team ans saying things like "Dallas will sweep" or "Dallas in 5" or some of that crap.
You've got to be kidding me. I've seen enough smack from Tim Legler on ESPN. He blows. He defines the phrase "fairweather journalism", as does every other analyst on that network.
I think Legler was on the Mike & Mike Show this morning on ESPN radio. Whoever it was talked about the Yao Ming foul issue and he said two things that I found to be very interesting: 1. If Yao would concentrate on attacking the ball - i.e. going for the block, rather than trying to draw the charge, he wouldn't be getting hit with so many fouls because he's still moving when contact is made and this has the officials looking down instead of up and that's where the whistles come from. One would think that "coach" Ewing would have pointed this out by now. 2. JVG is asking Yao to do far more than most teams ask of their big men setting up the high screen & picks and then having having to get back and defend down low. Yao is not quick enough to do this consistently which is why he's often late to the play and gets whistled for the foul. Yao is so much bigger than the guys guarding him, they are literally grabbing, holding, hooking and clawing at him on defense. This is the same problem Shaq has but Shaq is so powerful it negates what the opposition is trying to accomplish. It may well be that Yao has bulked up too much and perhaps should slim down some in order to improve his speed and stamina. It would also help if he wasn't asked to defend so far out from the basket.
Dirk's playing with his back to the basket because TMac has him shut down...can't put it on the floor like he usually does.
this is the way i remember the season regarding yao's foul troubles: early in the seaon, yao was concentrating on blocking shots but he was getting into foul trouble early and often. yao tried to make some adjustments to the way he was trying to block shots -- there was an article in the chronicle which talked about JVG wanting yao to work on the angle/direction of his jump when he was going up for the block. (i cant find it, but does anyone else remember what i'm talking about?) eventually, yao decided to stop going for the block and started trying to take charges. once he did that, he wasnt getting into early foul trouble (relatively) as much. but he still would get called for blocking fouls when his hands werent straight up in the air or when he wouldnt get to the spot on time. in the playoffs, it seems like the rules changed. they arent calling many fouls on yao when he goes up for the block, but they are calling them almost everytime he tries to take a charge. it doesnt matter if he beat the offensive player to the spot or had his hands straight up in the air. i think yao has made the adjustment to the way they are calling it in the last two games, and his blocks/game have gone up. unfortunately, now hes getting called for these other ticky-tack offensive fouls as well as cheap fouls such as the one at the end of the 1st half of game 5.
Yep, can't quite remember the last time I saw a little man go over the big man's back, and have the big man called for the foul.
Actually, it was Dikembe who got the T for smiling at a ref. Yao got a T for TOUCHING a ref. Both were totally insane calls, but that's how it goes when you're a Rocket.
legler's comment that 95% on yao's fouls are legit (along w/ pretty much every comment he makes) is the definitive proof that he has never watched a full game. the thing that sickens me about the espn telecast is that they regularly rehash the info that a true fan would know about his team, and they do so about 2 weeks late. by the time they mention it, it's already cliche. I honestly think he and greg anthony skim the headlines, then tune in for highlights on NBA TV. Their comments are shallow like the kiddie pool. give me kenny, charles, and ernie anyday.
