JVG about to Go On 610

maybe if van gundy at least gave jl3 and v span more p time, they could improve as they learn. practice is nothing like the real deal.

 

Just because some people dont think Spanoulis should be starting or getting regular minutes because his production on court has not warranted it, doesnt mean they are "haters."

This is atleast the third time, I've seen you randomly called people V-span haters. This isnt the Espn Boards where you have to either be on a players nuts or think his not playing is sacriligous to not be a "hater." You know it is possible to simply think Spanoulis has potential but has not earned or deserved the playing time without being blinded by hate . Conversely you should realize that while you and others may love for Spanoulis to play, it doesnt mean the opposing position held by most is completely unwarranted or unjustified.

In short, IMO if you want to participate in good bball discussions, stop with the silly and asinine labeling or go to the ESPN boards.

 

I never said you were blinded and I didn't question any motive you may have had. I reacted to your post and I wasn't disrepecting you in any way. But...

How can anyone seriously argue we're closer to a championship because we're in the playoffs this year? Admittedly 1/11 are freaky scary, but getting into the tournament (as JVG's mentor calls it) just gives us diehard fans more games to watch. And that's about it.

I, as a fan, am glad you've seen the games JVG's has. Um, when was I talking about V-Span?

Because I agreed with DD and Amel on some points? Is your point that since T-Mac and Yao are actually playing at this time this year we're closer to being a contender?

Wow. Brilliant!

 

Just my 2 cents:

If Billy can improve his three point shooting and hit the same percentage that Rafer is hitting from 3 point land - can cut down his turnover at the same time, then he should play. Heck - if he can shoot like Luther, he will play significant minutes.

But... it's been a season - and all he did was complain about how he is the T-mac in Europe, and that the role JVG asked of him is not his game. Some may argue that the role of a coach is to devise a game plan to suit the strength of his players. This is true - but JVG's job is to design a game plan to maximise the strength of his stars - Tmac and Yao, not role players. Role players are meant to fit in and help maximise the strength of the star players. And role players in the Houston offense needs to be able to hit the 3 point shot consistently.

Just because Billy's game is based on driving and dishing, I failed to see how being able to hit 3 pointers at a 40% clip can hurt his game - in fact it can help open up the lane for him. So... the question is - is he working on his shots after practice and not stop shooting until he hits 500 shots a day? It's not like he needs to save energy for the game that night! If 500 shots is not enough, how about 1000?

Don't get me wrong - I love Billy as a player. But if he really wanted to play and be in the game, he would be a 40%+ 3 point shooter by now, and JVG would have no choice but to play him.

 

60 wins? That's pretty pathetic for a internet basketball forum coach. If I were the coaching the Rockets, we'd go 82-0 and 16-0 in the playoffs. Also, there would be at least 1000 red rowdies, and they'd get the front court seats.

 

So Amel's using the word "haters" now? You might think it's bad, but it's an upgrade to him calling posters "racists", like he was doing earlier in the season.

 

Yeah... and failing in practice is nothing like failing in the real deal either. We've given Lucas some playing time every now and then. Every time we do, we are reminded of what he brings to table and what he sucks at. When V-Span was playing in pre-season and early regular season games, same thing.

 

Clutch, where for out thou now?

 

hahah

you guys are cracking me up

this thread started real good, now you guys turned it into a joke

hateeeerrrss!

 

This is a great well reasoned post. And I agree with a lot of what you are saying.

However, I do disagree that a coach should not utilize the skill sets of all his players including role players.

I think a system should be constantly tweaked to maximize each players talents.

If V-Span adds creativity and penetrating and dishing, then JVG should find a way to work his skills into the equation.....for the betterment of the team.

Either way, this point is moot.....and with V-SPan we will just have to wait and see.....

DD

 

OK, please go back and read my "Bonzi doesn't FIT" thread.....it covers most of what JVG is talking about.

I actually agree with what JVG is doing a good percentage of the time, but it is his inability to adjust quickly to situations that bugs me.

DD

 

I think thats ridiculous reasoning. I don't think Vspans strengths even work with T-mac or Yao. Yao clogs up the paint for his drive and dish whilst T-mac is the drive and dish when he is on the court. IF Vspan developed a 3 pointer I seriously think he would play. Noone GETS a chance to play or gets minutes to play just because they "could". Whatever happened to hard work?
Has anyone here not head of Michael Redd at all?
The guy worked his ass off as a rookied

WITHOUT GOD DAMN PLAYING TIME

is that really that hard to ask of Vspan, do you really need to clamour on internet forum boards to get him playing time?
Is it really nesscary to be a great player by playing in your rookie season when you are just adjusting to a 3 point line that is ever so important to your teams over all game plan?heck is it really nesscary to change the entire game plan to suit a Rookie?

 

No, I don't claim to have had any better ideas than the moves CD and JVG have pulled off the last two years. And you may be right about the baby steps. I will admit winning a playoff series may work wonders for T-Mac and Yao's psyche, but it's just hard for me to be excited about that.

Of course, when I'm watching the Utah series I'll be screaming, punching the sofa, cursing, jumping up and down etc.

 

If that's the case and he's unwilling to explore other options because he's too loyal to the guy, then hopefully Rafer AND JVG will be on their ways out.

Somehow I doubt that's the case with JVG, because I know he's only loyal to two things: team discipline/willingness to learn and winning.

JVG is no Rudy T when it comes to being 'loyal' to his players by handing out silly contracts/extensions to keep them around. He strikes me as your typical 'cut-throat' New Yorker who's all about the bottom line.

No offense, NYers, I actually like that trait ...

 

paraphrased from Van Gundy about the fans in Houston who think they know better than the coaching staff

"they just dont know basketball"

 

We already know that's not the case. We thought we had Mike James this offseason, and then almost got him at the deadline.

 

There was plenty of exploration on the part of Van Gundy: He explored with Shane at the 4, Novak at the 4, Spanoulis in the rotation, Bonzi in the rotation, Snyder getting some minutes, Luther at the point, JL at the point, Juwan losing all his minutes.

All of these happened one time or another during the season, he explored.

What people blame Van Gundy for is when their pet player got his chance and failed, Van Gundy didn't stick with the failed experiment in order to "develop" their pet player at the cost of not putting out the best lineup to play with guys who are working their ass off to win every game.

It's not fair to Yao, Tracy, Shane, etc, for a coach to develop pet project players while they waste precious minutes of a typically brief NBA career playing with guys who don't give them the best chance to succeed.

 

WELL SAID ... I'm not sure that people who vent or have already made up their minds, will understand that, but it's an excellent perspective.

Unfortunately, some actually think that by criticizing someone whom others consider important or intelligent, that others view them as important or intelligent or better than the one they criticize, when it only reveals the opposite. To make it worse, they often feel they have to say it over and over and over, insulting everyone's intelligence, as if it makes them more persuasive, when it's just irritating, killing intelligent interaction. Sorta like the worst person in choir who always sings the loudest, or the religious extremist who only learns a set of arguments and preaches at you, without understanding. You'd think they'd get embarrassed, learn more, then speak when they have something of value, but unfortunately they feel persecuted and become more rude.

Debate is good. Variant opinions are stimulating. Even emotional outburst are understandable. But, ranting and broken records get irritating.

 

Sorry for the bump ... since Clutch has permanently banished me to rookie status for some reason, I can't make new threads.

Your pigs flying moment of the day: Charlie Rosen not only gives the Rockets the highest grade among all WC teams, he also praises JVG for the best coaching performance of his career.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6683902