I will be the first to admit that I have dogged RA all season. I also said that if he got us out of the second round, I would forgive all and never question him again....he is very close to winning my respect for the rest of his tenure here! RA was the biggest difference in this game, other than that heroic Yao moment. I can't believe that more people are not speaking about it. The Lakers were getting their momentum when Sasha Fierce was frustrating Wafer and the Lakers speed team was strongly harassing the Rockets. RA finanlly in my humble opinion OUTCOACHED the other coach, in this case the great Phil Jackson, by going to that small lineup of Brooks and Lowry. That along with Yao's couragous return is what made the difference in the second half for us. RA's moment of telling his team that they had to win the game and not let LA lose is going to be a classic. It makes you have to eat cheese and re-evaluate the way he coached the team the whole year and forgive those times when he seemed totatlly clueless....looks like that man had a long term plan on how to reach his team when it really counts! He inspired Brooks to be aggressive in the second half...that is awesome and spectacular. Brooks is a second year player, what 30 game starter? facing the Lakers in round two? Yet RA got him to play like a veteran and exploit the other teams weakness to our advantage. I GIVE RA HIS PROPS! HE OUTCOACHED PHIL JACKSON AND NATE MCMILLIAN AND WON BOTH GAME 1's ON THEIR HOME COURT! All of the previous RA abusers like myself need to come clean and give him his props for his playoff coaching, regardless of what we thought about him in the regular season or what happens from here on out.
I am impressed by Adelman ability to motivate our guys to play so intense and ferocious as if they are fighting for their lifes. I am not sure JVG can do that, everyone in JVG team was worried about being "hit" out by JVG for making mistakes and not listening to instructions.
Coach A is the perfect coach for this team, right now, in this era. He was aiming for the playoffs all season, trying to figure out who could do what, the best combinations on the floor, while wondering who could even play. Things picked up once that uncertainty about McGrady was gone. People thought he was snoozin' on the bench and wasn't a strategist. They couldn't figure out what he was doing. You'd think no one knew his record over his long, highly successful career. I started following Coach A after he became Clyde's coach at Portland. The guy can do it. All he needs are smart players that'll buy into his system and have some talent, because he'll make the most of what he has, as long as he knows what he has. That was why we took off after McGrady left. It banished the uncertainty and coach had them ready. Last night should have removed all doubt.
The move to play Lowry-Brooks when Wafer was being frustrated at both ends of the floor was brilliant. He's made some excellent changes in the playoffs so far.
Ha Ha..can't let you off that easy... In order to give credit you must spell his name right in the title...but you can call him Rich and I'll still say he coached a hell of a game. Maybe you'll remember his name next time.
I admit I have very critical at times but he outcoached Phil last night. Props to Rick Adelman for helping us to get through last night.
Yes, I would say he had a long term plan for the playoffs. He read his players right through the whole season to be in position to coach them effectively during the playoffs. Right now that's for sure how it seems. He seems much more motivational now and the team is responding, not worn out by it from all season.
Yes, that's the spirit man. All of us who criticized him need to fess up and give him his props for what he has done so far.
Yes that was the best move of the night by him. Although Chuck was amazing with his defense as well. But I really would love to see Wafer get started and I think he will provide us with a big game or two to help take this series!
I'll tell you what is truly brilliant.... THE NUMBER OF PLAYER APPRECIATION THREADS ON THE BOARD THESE DAYS!!! Anyone else notice these? Or even resurrected appreciation threads? To me, it's the direct consequence of a GREAT player's coach who: 1. Plays to his players' strengths 2. Optimizes minutes across players 3. Plays the bench 4. Gets EVERYONE involved. I mean, how cool is it that we talk about everybody nowadays! I mean, how cool is it that every other thread is NOT about T-Mac and Yao??? As most of you guys know, I was FIRMLY in the JVG camp when he touched down in his hardhat in Houston. But many of his shortcomings have been overcome by Adelman. Cases in point: 1. We develop young people in AB and KL - hell, they RUN our show now! 2. We move the ball MUCH better 3. We go deeper into the bench 4. We are less offensively impotent at PG 5 Yao moves without the ball much better yet 6. we haven't lost a step in defense!!!! nor 7. has Yao's productivity materially gone down!!! moreover 8. YAO IS HEALTHY!!!!! theSAGE
Yes, I would agree with all of that....and adding a perimeter defender like Artest to the mix without losing any of your other main defenders has really helped, RA deserves credit because I did expect us to score more but to lose a lot on defense eventually. That move to bring Barry off the bench last night for a few critical minutes and a big 3 was very important as well. I think it confused the Lakers game plan for a bit, enough to keep them off balance.
I can't believe that more people aren't willing to give or acknowledge credit to RicK Adelman after that great Game 1 win. Either they don't really know the game, or they are hesistant until we win the entire series. RA superb coaching in that game last night made all Rockets fans lives a lot better and more interesting for the rest of this series and possibly playoffs. Give the man his due credit!
Had it not been for the criminal referees, RA should have had his ring on his fingers a few years ago. Anybody still remember how the Fakers was given that game a few years ago? That's one thing I really don't like about the Fakers. They are so spoiled and can get whatever they want from Stern, the referees.
Rick has really found some creative ways to get Yao Ming the ball. Entire plays are draw up with all four other players touching the ball before Yao Ming gets it in great scoring position.
The move by Adelman to keep Lowry in the 4th quarter along with Brooks is a brilliant one, as neither Landry nor Wafer was contributing. Lowry scored a mid-range jumper and grabbed 3 rebounds, reminding me of a mini-Barkley.
