Alright. I've had enough. This is one topic I must comment on. Rudy is a horrible coach. If nothing else, the stat that tells it all is assists. We are 27th in the league with the likes of Denver. 18 assists a game can mean one of two things. Either the team is just horrible and cannot make a shot, which is the case with #28 and #29. Or the team just doesn't share the ball, which can be directly attributed to bad coaching. We are the only good team down at the bottom in assists. It is just horrible. I think we have good shooters. They are just not getting goood shots. Take Steve for example. He has 3 shots. A layup, a one on one pull up jumper, and a set 3pointer. The layup and one on one are his doing alone and unassisted. His spot up 3 is usually assisted and he is 45%. If his 2 point shots were set assisted shots, then he would make more. All of mobley's jump shots should be assissted. When they are, he usually makes them. LOOK AT THE JAZZ!! That team is crap for talent. Yet somehow they are year in and year out the leader in field goal percentage at 46%. Half of their shots are layups. This is because Jerry Sloan is a great coach and we could use a coach like him. Look at YAO MING!!!This guy can shoot when he gets good shots. For the past 3 weeks, he has played horrible. It isn't really his fault. He is exhausted. But he is also being used incorrectly. I don't like him in the low post. He just isn't getting it done with that fade away. I do like his jump hook and he needs to use that more often. But one thing I don't understand. Why isn't his spot shooting. If he just stood 10 feet out on the baseline, then Steve drives to the basket, sucks in the center defender, then dishes out to Yao for the easy jumper. No one can get to his shot and no one can even bother his shot. It is simple as that. He also isn't getting enough dunks as well. Remember that first Dallas game when he had 30? The were all assisted dunks. Lets have some more of that please. But as far as Rudy goes, I would rather him not leave. I would rather him just figure it out. The rockets do play great defense and he is a player's coach which makes happy players. So I don't really know how to solve the problem. I just want the offense to get better because we are too good not to be winning all of the time.
Rudy has to do one of two things. Step down or start coaching. Even Mr. positive has got to start instilling some discipline and benching some guys at some point. Maybe a trade to wake the Steve gang up. He has to do something or he is in line to be fired. If this playground crap continues and no one steps up to show they can play on this team then don't be surprised to see RT do something drastic. If he keepsmaking excuses and jerking with the rotation trying to find one that works then he's as good as dead. He may just surprise us though. BTW. I am not at all sure any veteran head coach in the league would take the Rockets job. Steve and Cat look pretty uncoachable to me. More so every day. There are a lot of prima donna players in this league but I think we have two of the least coachable guys around. Maybe four if you count Mr "What us worry" Taylor and Mr. "Six years in the league and I still have not learned a f****** thing) Cato. Hell even Norris has stopped the assinine dribbling and last minute clunkers. How low do we have to get before Francis gets the team concept.
Realistically when things are said and done, it all comes down to the coach. If the players are not talented enough, why did the coach draft/trade for them in the first place? If the players don't complement each other, why did the coach put this team together? If the offense doesn't work or doesn't work well, why did the coach create such a scheme/system? Why did he call such plays? If the guards make stupid or selfish plays, why did the coach not teach/control them? If the center lacks confidence, why did the coach not trust him and give him confidence? But still I am willing to give our coach some time because while our team performance doesn't improve much, our result does show improvement. But if we don't make the playoffs this year, who knows?
this is what happens when a predominant perimeter team tries to evolve to an inside-out team...and the center piece in the middle hits the wall...the other bigs arent helping matters with their erradic post play... maybe we should go back iso-offense until yao or someone can be counted on in the post... in defense of rudy...he coaches with his heart and gut....so sometimes its hard to defend it logically...i think his philosophy is to let his players come to the conclusions on how they should play...that way they buy into what they do...he shows them what they did wrong..and suggest ways to improve...and waits for them to "get it"...once he convinces them how they should play...he asks them to trust the system and their teammates...it took hakeem 10yrs to "get it"...that is why he always preaches patience....
in defense of rudy...he coaches with his heart and gut....so sometimes its hard to defend it logically...i think his philosophy is to let his players come to the conclusions on how they should play...that way they buy into what they do...he shows them what they did wrong..and suggest ways to improve...and waits for them to "get it"...once he convinces them how they should play...he asks them to trust the system and their teammates...it took hakeem 10yrs to "get it"...that is why he always preaches patience.... [/B][/QUOTE] Excellent point. Couldn't agree more. I have been trying to say the same thing.
Great thread with some really good insights. BTW, great work DofD. The volume has really turned up, but I'm a pragmatist. I don't pretend to be an expert more than any other fan but I think I know who is responsible for what: General Manager- assembles the talent Coach - develops players and molds them into a team. What I'm seeing right now, especially on offense is PRETTY UGLY! Simply put: 1) IF THE PLAYERS ARE NOT LISTENING TO RUDY HE HAS NO CONTROL OF THE TEAM. 2) IF THEY ARE LISTENING TO HIM and RESPONDING TO HIM, HE DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE. Either way THE RESPONSIBLITY ULTIMATELY RESTS WITH THE COACH. Personally I think the inmates are running the asylum We are a young team that clearly lacks discipline, direction and leadership. I'm not sure RT is capable of molding this collection of players into a team. Whole < Sum of the Parts
I want to believe you, but it just ain't happening. My patience has shrunk down to it's thin layer. When mistakes are not corrected their will be no improvements. The Rocket team that you see on display is the result of mistakes not corrected.
We obviously went to the ISO mode the last 3 games. Did it win us any games? I say don't ever go back to it. I would rather lose a game playing the right way (inside out) and developing the correct system than lose a game playing the old wrong ISO way.
OK. How does anyone know if any of our players are smart or not? I know Moochie and the Cat are not extremely intelligent. But is Shaq? ANYWAYS...all the players on our team are smart. I think Steve has lost confidence in his team because he feels like he has to score. The only reason he feels like he has to score is because he tries passing.......and the rest of the team NEVER makes their shots. This is true. We have so many talented players, but none of them can shoot CONSISTENTLY. It's sad...only maybe Terence Morris can shoot CONSISTENTLY. Cuttino shoots based on his rythym. He either makes all his shots or misses them. We really need a shooter. STEVE HAS TRIED TO PASS IT TO YAO, BUT HE HAS BEEN MISSING EVERYTHING! Yao is not an option if he misses every time. James Posey has been doing pretty good. But he is better driving to the basket. He can't really shoot unless he is WIDE OPEN. Our players need to start moving around to get open... The Pistons offense is so smooth and easy and also BORING but it works. They just set huge picks and their shooters go around. I think they do that over and over and over again. It works... I THINK WE NEED A YOUNG COACH WHO RECENTLY PLAYED IN THE NBA WHO KNOWS MORE ABOUT THE CURRENT STYLE OF BASKETBALL...or just an assistant coach. Rudy's head would be shaking if he got fired.
This team will never do anything under Rudy. His decisions are laughable, and it is unfortunate that he will probably ruin a great devoloping talent in Yao. The last couple of games makes you really wonder, as he goes to the bottom of the bench, with the game on thel,ine is he trying to lose on purpose.
Here's some stuff to think about : 1) We can't run a good fastbreak unless James Posey is involved (maybe Hawkins, too). Posey knows how to run a break. The rest of our boneheads do not (speaking of our starters). 2) We do not know how to set up an entry pass to Yao. I've seen us attempt to pass the ball to Yao on the low block while he's being fronted by a 7 footer and had another defender behind him. Magic Johnson can't make that pass, for pete's sake. 3) I've seen us force passes to Yao like in #2 above when there were no passes there. I'm thinking that out of a timeout or during the game Rudy demanded the ball go inside to Yao so one of our players decides to do it at all costs. I have no other explanation as to why we'd do that pass. You should be taught how to make an entry pass in jr. high and high school if not college. You should know how to run a fastbreak from high school or college. If these guys didn't learn it back then, what makes you think they're going to do it now? Two of the greatest passing teams ever were the 80's Celtics and Lakers. They all knew where they should be on a break and where they were going to be 5 steps before they got there. They fed off of each other. They didn't have to think about the pass... it just came. On the flip side are our boys. The guy with the ball on our team doesn't even know where the hell he is much less his teammates sometimes. Francis penetrates very well, but he has no idea what he's supposed to do when he's there. Cuttino Mobley jumps in the air before making his passes as well. Steve Nash is the only guy I know that can consistently get away with jumping and passing - he at least has something in mind when he does it. Coaches are often given too much credit and too much blame. I'm willing to bet that no one including the Zen Master himself could coach this team to consistency. Maybe 4 or 5 years down the road when they (hopefully) mature... but it's not happening today. Jeff van Gundy was considered a good coach, and what's he doing now? Pat Riley hasn't done much since he left the Lakers where he was viewed as the God of Coaching. Even the Zen Master has fallen on hard times. Did he get stupid with basically the same players? It's not so much the coach... it's the players. You can have Red Auerbach coaching these guys and you'd still see the same thing out there. Maybe by the end of the season things will change, but I'm not holding my breath... but I'll keep hoping.
That's what I said about the coaches... Why don't we sign Magic Johnson?......... Our players are too liberal. They have too much control. I want to trade Mobley for a good player, but if we trade Mobley, Francis will just break down. We're screwed.
It's just inexperience. I know that's beating a dead horse, but it's the truth. Eventually the Rockets offense will inevitably become an inside-out offense, a la Hakeem days. Everyone agrees that Yao should get the ball more, and he will, when he's ready for that load. This season is nothing more than a trial and error year, to learn and build upon. The most optimistic of "experts" had us picked to win the 8th spot at best. We are ahead of all expectations, even with sporadic play from inexperienced players. The chemistry will get better and so will the overall performance of this team. Just be patient people, please. I'll say this...If by next year's season end, the Rockets haven't made vast improvement from this year, then we can reopen this discussion about firing Rudy....right now it's just way too early.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/1750822 the simple pass...hitting open jumps..taking advantage of easy post ups...rebounding...and hustling...yeah winning basketball is boring... here in lays the problem as i see it..steve and mobley are still about the flash and dash...the sportscenter highlight....versus the simple play ...the example that comes to mind is steve crossing a guy over twice...even though he has him beat on the first...wasted motion and energy... this is the reason why i think mobley can never complete a pass to yao...yao expects a simple pass..and mobley the spectacular... i like when they rockets look methodical in beating boston and phoenix..a couple of weeks back..it was boring..but they won...
the rockets will go on a huge tear near the end of the season, blast through the first round.. and then get swept in the 2nd round. bank on it.
Rudy's got two starters out with injuries and a third who's obviously exhausted. He doesn't have much choice than to go to the bottom of the bench. A month ago, people here were screaming for Boki to get some PT. Well, be careful what you wish for...
We don't have 2 of our starters. And one is very tired. One is very sick. And the other one is just crazy...(Mobley) lol...Bostjan got to play. He did OK...I'd rather have Terence Morris in though.
What???? I know we arent residing to using the fact that Glen Freaking Rice being out as one of the major reasons we are failing.....good god guys get a grip. Posey is our starter for the rest of the year....bank on it. He's proved it already. Glen may get the Shandon Anderson "Start" at the begginning of games, but Posey will be the guy who gets the minutes down the road. We actually upgraded when Rice went down. Posey is scoring more than Rice did, and rebounding much better, and Playing D.....how is Rice being out a hinderance?????? As for EG being out...Short of a few good quarters (cause he has yet to string together a great game. What are we missing from him other than some blocks? His D is pretty lame except for a few blocks a game he gets. And he has the worlds ugliest shot...he hestitates on O, looks unable to make any decisions and is hitting at a staggering 38 percent from the floor, hangs at the three point line all game long and lauches them at a 33 percent clip. He is hitting at 63 percent from the charity stripe....what exactly about a power foward that doesnt play like a power foward are we missing. Other than his 2 blocks and hand fulls of rebounds? Mo T isn't doing much else, but between him and T MO we are getting at very least the same production. Come up with something......anything better than this.
A lot of good posts in this thread. I guess the thing that annoys me about Rudy is well, two things: 1) His substitution patterns make no sense whatsoever - he'll have Yao and Francis out at the same time and only Mobley is a true threat to score which leads to him jacking up more and more bad shots out of iso sets...*shudder* 2) I agree that it is the players that decide games, but whether people like it or not, the coach is the one to get the blame when things go bad. It is not right nor fair, but it is the way sports are in this country. Meaning when we see the same dumb stuff from Francis, Mobley, etc, yea, you'll see some critcism about them but Rudy will get blamed as well because that is our mentality. Look - does anyone think that Tony Dungy is a bad coach?? He took the Bucs to the playoffs like 3 or 4 or I don't know how many times, but they never made a Super Bowl. Now, Jon Gruden comes in and in his first season, they reach the Super Bowl. Hmmmmm......... The point is that you can have some talent, but for whatever reason, you are lacking something....it is called chemistry and it not only consists of your players but your coaches as well. The Lakers are another perfect example. They were talented under Del Harris and Kurt Rambis, but for whatever reason, it wasn't until Phil Jackson came, that they got over the hump. Now people here know that I absolutely despise that pompous ass, Jackson, but I will throw a dog a bone in saying that he is damn good in getting them to win 3 straight titles. Change is good sometimes and I just don't think Rudy is an authoritative coach...and we need that type of coach to get through to these jabronis we have on our team. I am willing to see what happens the rest of this season. After all, we are young and we are trying (I think) to change from a perimeter-based offense to a post one. However, if the Rockets fail to make the playoffs this season and they are up and down like a yo-yo next year and we continue to have these discussions (which it seems like is a normal thing around here), then maybe it is time to really get rid of Rudy.
