Good job Glen, U finally did something good for this team. Hopefully Steve and Cat will listen to ya. Ur a shooter and and u havent done that since uve been here. Good time to start. GO ROCKS!
Maybe a players' coach needs a player coach. We haven't had any type of leader that knows how to keep a team cohesive and productive when things are falling apart. Francis is too young, or inexperienced, or whatever the reason may be--he's not that leader yet. I remember from Clutch's camp reports how Rice's on-court leadership was praised. It may be that he already has the team's respect, and he is both frustrated not to be on the court and excited to feel like a contributing part of a talented team. A public "reprimand" might be only his excitement overflowing into the media. Maybe not. But I'm glad to see it. As for all those bashing his play on the Rockets, I can't understand how people can say an injured player sucks, unless he's old and never to return to any close degree his previous form. But that's not what we've been hearing this season.
Does he mean that he is going to demand the ball for himself, or is he mean that he'll demand more ball movement overall? I think the majority of you believe the first scenario. Which is it?
It's nice having a veteran. I'm not worried about Rice demanding and getting the ball because he'll find a way to get it and contribute, but if he can make Ming demand the ball we will be in great shape! And they better get it to him if he's demanding the ball. If the Rockets can get Ming going the sky's the limit!
Have you seen Ming in the games? I don't think he has the clout to demand the ball just yet. I would like to see Ming get comfortable on the court first. I'm a huge Ming supporter, but if he started demanding the ball right now, I'd question his basketball smarts. Rice likewise hasn't done anything when he's gotten the ball, even when he's had open jumpers. I do think Steve Francis should pass, and have more ball movement. I think he's made some improvement over last year. But it's got to be hard when everytime you pass, your teammates miss open shots, or turn the ball over, meanwhile you're hitting more than 50% of your shots. Logic tells you that you go with the shot that has the best chance of success. Right now Steve's shot has the best chance of success. I do agree that it will be better for the team if Steve is able to trust his teammates and pass more, but it's understandable that he's not. Also a lot of fans are complaining because we are 2-2. If Steve starts passing more the losses will probably go up, based on the play of most of his teammates on any given night. It will be good for the team in the long run, but I don't know if many of the fans on this board have the stomach to take those losses.
He was talking about in general (also talking about Yao getting the ball too). Go back and read the very first post. You have to realize that even if Rice was talking about himself, at least the guy has been around the league, has a ALL-Star MVP, and a ring. The guy knows what works, and what doesn't.
But you see, I don't care!!! Those loses will pay off later! The fans that don't "have the stomach to take those loses" will never understand what they are missing. They will only understand, "instant gratification." Now you might say that I want "instant gratification" for the Rockets to gel into their new offense. But I have yet to see any resembles of a new offense. They are not even trying it out in any consistent manner. All I see are old trends. So I don't want instant success. I want some proof that we are willing to sacrifice some games that don't require 40 minutes of ISOs and 8 minutes of setplays. Even if that means that we lose some games. Once you see what I'm talking about you will never acccept this kind of play again.
David S, I honestly believe you really would be able to stomach those losses. I would too, and I would love to see crisp passes and great movement both with the ball and off the ball. But other people are very upset right now because the Rockets are 2-2. They complain that those two victories shouldn't count because they came against bad teams. If they can't take the fact that we're .500 what will they say when our win percentage is .275? I have seen more passing than last year. It's not enough, and it often isn't executed that well, but I' have seen more of an attempt. There are also more Pick N' Rolls, or Pick N Fades being used so the team is using more set plays. EG is trying to set up closer to the basket more, and our defense is a little better this year. If the Rockets want to sacrifice their next 15 - 20 games to solely concentrate on better ball movement, I won't complain, but there are plenty that will. According to some it could even cost Rudy his job. If the Rockets want to slowly work on the new offense and hopefully improve over time, while still picking up some wins I won't blame them.
I posted a thread about a month back, wherein I stated that we need to prioritize the kids, get them whatever pt they need to develop, and to have the lineup we will be using when we try for rings play as much together now as possible, to get the growing pains out of the way, even if it means losing more games this year....and, by and large, I was blasted. I said that as we are not a real threat to win the ring this year, let's do everything we can to get to that point and be as effective as we can when we do...short term loss, long term gain. And poster after poster said something to the effect that " I don't care...if we don't get to the playoffs this year,I will lose it. We have been out for too long..." There were those who argued that the playoffs are an education in and of themselves, and that is, I feel, an incomplete argument, but at least it was a real one...The other stuff, I've never understood. To me thoe worst kind of team to be a fan of is the Bucks or Cavs of the 80's...what I call a treadmill team...Always just good enough to finish out of the lottery, and therefore never get the kind of player to make them into a championship team. I have never understood the " Win 5 more games this year, and worry about next year next year. As a coach, and an organization, you have to have integrity and courage...and that means risking your job to do what is best for this team in the long term. Many coaches won't take the step back that leads to the three steps forward because they are in jeapordy of losing their job if they take that step back...But if you look at the teams who win it all, they make that sacrifice...The Lakers took a step back by trading a sure thing now, Divac, for a chance at greatness later in Kobe...Even if that cost them 5-10 games that year. The Bulls comitted tons of pt and almost all of their shots to Jordan, then brought in someone who installed an unproven, unconventional offense because it best utilized their young talent available, recognizing that it isn't what you do now, it's what you'll be doing when Jordan and Pippen etc. click that really matters. And it goes on... Rudy is pretty invulnerable, in terms of losing his job. He has a wealth of job security he earned during the championship runs, and that is a kind of organizational currency...and I think that he should spend that currency by doing what is best for our future, not what is best for tonight. Risk playing the kids...risk pissing Steve and Cuttino off by making them play his offense, if he has one, or sitting them down. Risk tonight's game, risk the ire of the short sighted fans...Remember ' Hoosiers'? Take the heat and do what's right...That's my idea of a winner.
You know what bugs me? We could've been 2-2 if we started Boki, Griffin and Ming in the frontcourt, with Collier and T-Mo backing them up. But we had Cato, we had Rice, we had KT.... For a 2-2 record, I'd rather have started that young team and given them mroe minutes early on.
Go Rice! He is just stating what everyone else has, including the Barkleys and all. The offense needs more distribution. Steve said he is just taking what they are giving right now, that his points will probably come down. That should happen with Rice, KT and MT coming back and Yao Ming catching up...
