Wow! JVG got us to the playoffs! Van Gundy improved our record by a whopping 2 games last season. Who knows what if would have been under Rudy. Portland and Utah were rebuilding, and we just took their spots. We dragged ourselves into the playoffs.
Yes we did make the playoffs but Im just saying I think there couldve been an easier way with a different coach. I just dont want him to hold back the talent that we have like he did last season. We have great potential (even with Charlie Ward) and we should have a winning record. I hope Van Crappy proves me wrong but I dont think that he will. He also plays Bowen too much.
gucci888, Rudy would have given more ISO's to Francis. And that would not have gotten us to the play-offs. Yao was becoming more a focus of the offense and that couldn't go on with Francis here. Rudy is the biggest ISO coach. No thanks. Nostalgia or not.
Un, no. They can keep him. Never bring him back. I'll take Phil, Brown, Sloan over Rudy anyday. You should love that one!
Heh... DaDakota's post below was a common tone of the times back in Rudy's day. Francis was given the benefit of the doubt. Personally, I didn't like Rudy's coaching of Barkely and Pippen, Francis and Mobley. I coudln't stand his reliance on the ISO (Plays? Rudy?). Francis was the death of Rudy-ball. That's usually what happens first. Coach get the blame first (over new players). Then, the players start to get the blame. Bring in any new coach and this team (current) would still have growing pains to go through. But the difference is that *more* blame would go toward the players. That's just the way it goes.
I think JVG is a great coach. The players simply have to get the job done, follow through, play a 48-minute game. Right now, the Rockets are having their ups and downs, but I'm confident, as the season progresses, they will improve substantially.
Sorry, you don't know that, and it cannot be proven. It is every bit as valid to claim RT could've gotten 50 wins, and gone to the Western Conference Finals with the Rockets of last season.
Are you kidding me? We would have made the playoffs Yao's first year w/ Francis, but Rudy had to leave. To say he couldn't have improved the team more than 2 games is ridiculous. I believe we took steps backwards with JVG. A 2nd year Yao, Jim Jackson, and a better MoT was the difference between the 2 years, not JVG. Rudy is the biggest ISO coach? What did you want him to run with Francis, Francis, Francis on the team? We had a crappy team in the middle of when the West was at its strongest. I could have sworn Rudy was able to get 2 championships with a team game. Rudy changed his style of game to fit the team, something JVG can't do. I'll take 2 World Championships over JVG 80ppg ball. What has JVG done to win all the love and support from me? The answer: not a damn thing.
Put it this way. It's very plausible. We know that Yao was not fully ready to take over. But giving the ball *more (than JVG would have)* to Francis had already been tried before; which is what Rudy would have done. It's not like SF was a creator that makes others better. He's more a limited SG that, when he scores more, doesn't get others involved as much. It's a trade off. Pick your poison. Yao's game would have suffered. Besides, Cato and Mobley's individual defense improves greatly, as well as his outside shooting (Cats). And that was directly the result of JVG. Rudy would have tried more of the same; Francis fisrst, Yao second. He was very conservative on demands of his players. He didn't want to ruffle Francis's feathers. Yao was pushed to the limit under JVG last year. And I don't think that Rudy would have gotten more out of Yao since he would have still focused more of the offense from Francis.
I'll see you in Hell DavidS. But of course I'd take those coaches anyday, they are all Hall of Fame coaches, or atleast will be. Do you think JVG is a better coach than Rudy?
No matter what you say about past championships, you can't just bring back Hakeem/Drexler and re-create those titles. Rudy didn't do it by himself. Come on man! Stop making Rudy an god like figure. He's not. It was a team effort (lead by Hakeem). And that's what we are trying to do today. Build a team that can win a title one day. By the way....Rudy was an ISO coach even during 96-98. Before Francis. He would just dump it down to Barkely or Hakeem, over and over and over...same play, same offense. Francis just made things worse because he couldn't run the team as point guard. Fast-break? Rudy gave up on that with Francis. It was half-court ISO and clearouts. Not fast-breaks. Remember?
I rather have Sloan over JVG, but rather have JVG over Rudy. I'd rather have L. Brown over JVG. And all of them over Rudy. I never again want to go back to the ISO ball. All I'm saying is lets give JVG some time. 3-4 years he'll be here. And each season will be graded play-off performances. That's how coaches get FIRED! They do not perform under the harsh play-off environments. Will JVG win your love? Not unless he does well in the play-offs and one day wins a title. That's the ultimate measure.
I could swear we have 2 players similar to Hakeem/Drexler duo, just a whole lot younger. I'm not trying to make Rudy look like anything. He had a good team to work with. But he got the job done, twice. JVG is the most overrated coach in the leage. You can talk all you want about how Rudy wouldn't have gotten us to playoffs/championships, but we will never know. But that doesn't mean you can't look at the coach now and not feel that he is the right fit. You're last part just proves my point. Rudy adjusted the offense to suit the players. He knew Barkely/Hakeem was unstoppable in the post and fed them the ball. He knew Francis was very hard to defend and fed him the ball. JVG won't change his coaching to suit the players he has, he expects the opposite. He needs to know he has Yao/TMac to work with and find a way to get this to work, not his "my way" only approach to the game.
3-4 years? I sure hope Les/CD do something before than, if things don't work out. Will JVG win my love? Probably not anytime soon. I want championships, and most likely won't be satisfied until then. But my point is that JVG won't be the guy to get us there.
Respect? Perhaps, although it is "not very plausible." Love? Nope. Maybe if he's still in the organization twenty years from now, has learned how to run a decent offense, learned how to keep "issues" in-house, won several titles, and learned how to put his players in the best position to use their skills. That, however, is about as plausible as me winning the lottery tommorow, and purchasing the team from Le$.
Sorry, I disagree with that part. Yes, a player should be allowed to create on his own. But every friken time? What about the other players? There were a few plays that were created with Matt Maloney and Barkley that required a two man game, screens, and back doors. At least Barkely would mix it up now and again. But other than that. It was just post-ISO. No motion, and just a bunch of guys standing out on the 3 pt line (Pippen; a waste). I will never like that type of offense. Predictable!!!! Sure, it showcases the players talent. But it can't win consistently! Sloan seems to do the best mix of role players and talent mixing. As far as Francis. Rudy did the only thing he knew. Give the ball to his best player and let him do his thing. That's coaching? I mean, ok, fine. If that player can create on his own. But we found out that was a mistake. So, it was a catch-22 with Francis. Damed if you do, damned if you don't.
