[Rockets.com] McHale explains why Jones didn't play

Don't worry I have VanGundy on speed-dial.....
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It's basically Mchale trying to talk out of his ass, when what he really means is that he's showcasing Morris for a trade, and Morey doesn't want the GM's around the league to start salivating over Terence Jones.

 

I think it makes sense. Morris had been doing well in practice and has been around longer....If Douglas and the rest wouldn't have coughed up the lead, then Jones probably would have played some. Delfino finished as the vet, who was playing well.

 

Yeah McHale had no problem being open about it when Dalembert/Greg Smith were being punished so I'm not sure why TJones would be different. Wouldn't surprise me if it was just McFail being McFail.

 

maybe McHale wants to give off the air that he wants to win now by not playing rookies.however he picked the wrong rookie not to play...also could be something against starting Jones in his first ever eligible basketball game as a rookie when he is not named Davis, Lilliard or mkg

 

I dunno about you guys but i get what McHale is saying. It was a the first game of the season with pretty much a brand new team after and crazy summer of trades. He picked the guys which he could count on to perform at a certain lvl vs. high potential unproven players.

From the sound of it the new guys should be getting their shot tonight and in the near future as things settle in.

 

I guess its possible, but if thats the case Morris didn't help his trade value. I wouldn't be shocked if at least 2 of the PF's the Rockets have are gone by the trade deadline, but would be shocked if it happened this early in the season.

-For the Rockets and the trading team to be deciding who is more valuable than the other would sort of be a shot in the dark. Meaning, we really dont know who has greater trade value out of the bunch right now because nobody has really separated themselves yet. Jones would seem like the one, but he hasn't done anything in a regular season game yet so to an NBA GM he still would seem to be a prospect and nothing more.

I would guess it was the Harden/Floor spacing affect that he was most concerned about going into game 1. Made basketball sense to me at least, but it was a tad bit odd to see no Jones at all.

 

Morris has never performed at any level but that of poor.

 

First game of the season, let's just see what happens. If he continues to sit T Jones, then we know something aint right! We don't know what goes on at practice or between games that could impact playing time. I think he plays tonight and people can chill.

 

i think mchale is just a hard ass.. Lowry couldn't stand him and i don't think a lot of guys could.. maybe he's treating him like a rookie and just not playing him to see how he acts?

 

We are 1-0 I will put to pass what happened in the first game. I want to see him play tonight heck we may even see Motiejunas too...

 

That's idiotic. GM's salivating over any of our rookies would be fantastic. We don't have to trade them but it'd be great if we could.

Moreover Marcus has to do a lot to get GMs to value him much at this point. Certainly more than most think he can do, and way more than he did in game 1. I don't get why so many are holding out such great hopes for Morris. He got drafted behind his brother and is a tweener (or is trying to be or was) while his brother isn't. And his brother simply isn't that good either.

McHale didn't play the rookies cause he's a hard ass. Doesn't mean they won't eventually play and get big minutes (see Parsons last year) if deserving, but McHale wants them to "earn it" just a little bit. I think that is ok generally. Just sucks that we are then stuck with Morris starting at PF.

 

He sounded like a moron to me. He also sounded more afraid that the team might forget a set than how they performed on the court. Maybe he is just afraid of looking like a bad coach so he is scared to put guys out there who have to feel their way a little bit.

 

I don't think it is random at all to be honest.

No rookies played. Morris is not a rookie and was said to be performing well in practice before he was injured, which is why we didn't see him in preseason.

Yes Jones, played in pre-season, but I am certain Morris would of started had he not been injured.

 

It's not fantastic if we are looking to get rid of one player, ie Morris. GM's salivating over our other rookies makes it harder to jettison him. Why even consider trading for Morris if T-jones is a better pick?

 

Morris played in eleven D League games last year, and then played a total of eleven minutes the entire preseason this year. And then Morris is suddenly thrust into the starting lineup while a talented rookie who performed well during the preseason can't get a single minute? It just doesn't add up.

 

Cutting Lexington over Douglas passed me off! The guy is so clueless on offense and defense, and he jacks up horrible shots

 

I'm wondering what McHale has done historically with rookies in season openers. I'm too busy (i.e., lazy) to do the research, but it wouldn't surprise me if he never plays rooks in season openers, because they're likely to be awestruck and respond like a deer in the headlights.

 

This would make a lot of sense . . . Coach M has been praising/playing him ALL preseason !! Then to give him a DNP - CD - was blatantly strange. It reeks of a punishment and not a rookie thing.

I'm guessing UR correct - it must've been hard for coach to watch Morris fumbling around and missing layups for 25 minutes. I counted 10 points Jones would've had that Morris missed out on. I'm just glad it didn't cost us a Win.