Or rather, doesn't compete. They are possibly the laziest group of players I have ever seen on the Rockets. They just do not compete hard night in and night out. Why? What does it take to be a professional and go about your job respecting your opponent? Why do our alleged star players refuese to play hard? Why does our team coast so much. Six games lost this year by my count to teams that had no business winning against a Rockets team that gave a hoot. I am not very impressed with our coaching staff and their ability, or rather inability to get players to try hard...heck just compete. I would rather see Luther, Von Wafer and Dorsey bricking it up but hustling out there than watching our alleged starters playing horrid basketball. It is time for a change, somewhere with this team, I just don't know what needs to happen, but something. If the players are not going to play hard....sit em....ALL OF EM..... DD
No, not at all, they didn't play hard on defense all game.....this team comes out flat almost every single game.... There is no reason they should be 20-12...none.....they should easily be 26-6.....with a little professionalism. DD
I am of the exact same opinion. The problem with this group is far deeper than injuries, there is something fundamentally wrong with their whole approach to the game. Ultimately, the coaches are responsible for getting the right team on the floor at the right time, and getting the team ready and prepared to play. This bunch rarely looks prepared or ready to play. I will tell you what, Rafer told the whole truth in his pregame interview. He said he could not believe that people should have to pay money to see that kind of horrible basketball. Amen to that.
umm...did you just do a spin off from God's Son thread? I think you are basically saying the same thing
His attitude toward winning or losing the game might be contagious somehow in the locker room.No matter how hard our bench players play on the court,the starters just don't give a damn,excluding Mr.Ron Artest. What price winning the game against the scrubs without our competitiveness and determination?It's just a SHAME. T-Mac should introspect himself.
Not sure, I don't know if it is coaching, or the players themselves but it has to be something. Coaching wise it seems we are getting the Wade Phillips treatment...where you take a talented team away from a disciplinarian and they struggle. Players wise, they just don't respect the other team far too often.....and that is maddening. College basketball is so much better to watch, those kids compete...the pros are just lazy. DD
Not really... there is a big difference that you are ignoring. God's Son is bashing Rick. DD is bashing the players. I tend with DD. Horrible defense. This time... not just Tracy, everyone else on the team. I love how the posters blame Rick putting in the starters, but the players were the reason for the deficit in the first place. No heart or passion from the start. I thought Artest brought that, but I guess one guy is not enough.
Tmac stunk tonight Yao stunk tonight Artest stunk for stretches tonight, in fact his play in the 2nd quarter was not even NBDL worthy, and missing 2 of 3 FTs at the end of the first half..inexcusable. The entire team was horrendous, and it is not the first time, they have been horrendous more often than they have played hard, their talent has let them have a decent record, but that is just masking the bigger lack of competitive fire problem on this team. They just don't play hard... DD
No matter which coach you bring in, there is no big difference with this group of players. Change starts from the players, key players.
I'd say this much is for sure: His attitude definitely doesn't INSPIRE or ENCOURAGE his teammates to play harder or make sacrifices. I have to imagine some of the real leaders around the league (Garnett, James, etc...) that actually care about winning every game push their teammates to do the same and don't settle for anything less. McGrady doesn't lead his teammates to play with passion and drive them toward excellence. He doesn't lead the lesser players to overachieve and believe in themselves. The same goes for Yao. Artest is by far the closest thing we have to a leader on this team.
This team is made for the playoffs. I truly believe that. We still have an inside-outside threat and now we have added someone who can be to the line (the thing we have been missing most in previous season). The only thing that worries me is our defensive intensity. But I am hoping we will refocus on that later in the season.
