I am not one to jump to conclusions. We have now had 5 years of JVG ball and 3 years of Yao + T-Mac (albeit with some downtime due to injury). I am not even certain at this point what should be changed, but I am convinced that change is needed. For whatever reason - be it coaching style, the personalities of our stars, the games of our stars, or something else - it is just not working. I love JVG and I think he is a great Xs and Os coach, I am just not sure how great of a leader he is and the two are very different. If I am Les, it is time to seriously consider moving in a different direction. I am not saying that it may not indeed work out with JVG or that he is not capable of getting it done, but I think there is a good chance he may not be the guy to get it done and we just can't wait any longer. I am also not so sure that I would not also entertain offers for one of the stars. Granted, you would have to get significant quality in return, but it may be time ot start mulling over those options. Given our cap situation, unless we get very lucky in the draft, we just don't have any way of making a significant improvement in our team, and the crew we have just isn't getting it done. It stinks too, becuse I think they are great guys. It is just time for a shake up. Not a rash firesale, but a shake up none the less.
Something has to change I don't care what it is but it's obvious this isn't working. Whether it's T-Mac going, or Yao, or JVG, or the bench, I don't care. We need more talent, we need more athleticism. T-Mac played well, I don't think he was aggressive enough, but what's new. He played pretty well. Yao's not 100% so I'm not really THAT angry about him being run out of the gym all night and not being able to dominate Okur. We have no talent around them and it's got to change. I don't care what changes, change something.
battier, one of the best defensive player in the league. rafer, king of streetball head, one of the top 5 threee pointer shooters in 06-07 season mutombo, simply the best back up center ..... our role players are not bad, it is the coach's and the star players' fault.
The Rockets only have three legitimate NBA starters on this team...and by legitimate...I mean would start for an average NBA team... Yao and T-mac are fine...they scored 50 + in every game this series...the rest of the team is a complete zero on offense. Battier is a fine role player and he does a good job at what he does...but if you have a Battier...you can't have a Hayes or Alston in the starting lineup...that's three zero's on offense. Alston is the worst PG in the playoffs...and possibly the worst starting PG in the league. If you had a legitimate PF that could score 15 and 10 every night...you could get by with Rafer and Shane. Rafer is fine as a backup...but without the ability to hit his open shots...he's a liability. H stands for horrible...as in Hayes, Head and Howard....none of those guys need to play any type of meaningful role on a team that plans on winning a playoff series....Hayes is fine as a bench energy guy.... If the Rockets are serious about winning...they need to get two players...either a starting PG and a starting PF....or a starting PF and a really great 6th man...that can score 15-20 a night....or they could play T-mac at point...and go get a good SG and a good PF.... If they bring back Howard and Mutumbo to be rotation players they are telling the fans that they aren't serious about winning. Look at the other teams in the playoffs 6th man...and then look at ours...and you can see we are short. Putting all your eggs in the Bonzi basket was a stupid mistake...that moron was a knucklehead everywhere he's been and it was no different in Houston...he got paid and never showed up. We wasted our veteran's minimum exception....and that roster spot....we didn't have any production from that role...Luther Head shot well in the regular season but disappeared in the playoffs....he can't be the backup point.
vgd should leave with shame. look at the utah's field goal percentage,i can't believe that he is good at defence,don't mention to the attack.
Did you type this post before the series started? Our role players were HORRIBLE. Battier was good in game 5 and tonight. Rafer, Head and Mutombo were anywhere from bad to completely worthless nearly every game of this series. Can we get a guy who can create his own shot??? Jesus Christ, even I'm wishing Mike James could come back now.
JVG won't go deep into the bench and doesn't try differnt players in unique situations where they should succeed. He is freakin stubborn, We had no one outside of our limited rotation who could have put up some decent minutes in the playoffs. He played two guys (Howard and Head) Mutumbo got 3 minutes... He should have had V-Span / Novak / Synder / and probably Bonzi all ready to step into different situations and go. Playing a team 7 times straight, you need to be able to give them different looks.
Oh sorrow...And now to lament... What can we even do to get the talent/athleticism we need? I don't think anyone is tradeable (to get something decent in return), so we have draft picks (26th? in the upcoming draft) and our MLE? I don't know what the front office can do, but...get 'er done...however you do it.
get rid of gundy, bring in elie. get rid of rafer, bring in jason kidd with a re-worked contract. send battier to the bench or get rid of him, bring in matt barnes. get rid of juwan howard, find a pf who isnt worthless. get rid of clyde and bullard, bring back calvin.
i would get rid of yao for solid players who can create their own shots, but unfortunately i dont think we're getting rid of yao. t-mac will stay thats for sure. hes the leader of our team and the only one who showed up to play tonight. van gundy lost confidence in yao and just told mcgrady to take over, which he did a fine job of...t-mac deserves NONE of the blame.
May be we should get Olajuwon to play power forward for us. He'd be a tremendous upgrade over anyone we have, who either can't score, can't defend, or can't keep his fat ass on the roster.
I can agree with you except for bringing back Calvin. I like Bullard and Clyde alot more and I don`t care who disagrees with me. I was tired of his arrogance and I hope we stay with the more intelligent, positive, and polished manner of two equally great Rockets. Besides he doesn`t help the Rockets win games...
you're entitled to your opinion, but please dont use the words "intelligent" and "clyde" in the same paragraph. he's dumb as nails, and that isnt up for debate.
