http://www.sacbee.com/martymac/story/782164.html Split with Adelman is lesson for Maloofs Can't help but wonder what the Maloofs have been thinking since former/deposed/unwanted Kings coach Rick Adelman has led the Houston Rockets into a positive state of unconsciousness also known as 20 consecutive victories? Unquestionably, the Maloofs had problems with some of Adelman's quirky, impersonal ways. At times, so did I. There were times when Adelman was rude and condescending to subordinates just because he could get away with it, although he never was that way to me. My man could get weird on you. However, that did not impair the vision enough for me to forget he has been a winner and can coach. In the grand scheme of things, that's all the Maloofs really should have cared about. His players liked playing for him, and they played for him – that's the bottom line. The Maloofs are businessfolk. Owners and executives pull stunts because at times you have to be cutthroat to succeed in business. However, the better ones do not insult their employees' intelligence levels or underestimate those levels by being untruthful. The Maloofs basically said Adelman couldn't coach defense and then hired the Little Dude (Eric Musselman), who had problems being forthright. The Maloofs should have said, You know, we really don't get along. We've paid you well. You've done a good job. If we can maintain respect (re: stay away from each other), this can work. If not, let the doorknob hit you. They could have hated the ground my man walked on, but so what? Let him do his job. In no way is this a slap at Reggie Theus and/or his coaching staff. They've done a good job in Theus' first year running the show. College doesn't count, baby. This is the big time. I guarantee Theus had no idea what dealing with Ron Artest was going to be like. And other than the creation of a job opening since filled by Musselman and now Theus, this is about Adelman and how people need to remember what they know and what they don't. People are down on Geoff Petrie right now, and he has made mistakes, as have those same critics. However, as long as Petrie is here, the Maloofs should let him make the basketball decisions. All of them. Do what you do, and when you don't like what Petrie is doing and lose faith and trust in him, then fire him. Just don't get in his way. The Maloofs are talented in many ways and are good people with good hearts, and that's how I judge folks. But they also are emotional, probably more so in this genre than their other businesses. Basically, the Maloofs didn't like Adelman, and I'm guessing he wasn't extremely fond of them at times, either. Hey, I haven't liked all of my bosses, and some of them probably haven't liked me, either. That's life. We can both do our jobs and go home. However, the Maloofs got into this "defense wins championships" garbage and listened to those who said Adelman couldn't coach defense. That the Kings in 2002-03 tied the San Antonio Spurs – yes, those defensively oriented Spurs – for the NBA's lowest field-goal percentage allowed must have been a fluke. Never mind that Adelman had a number of defensively skilled players (Jimmy Jackson, Keon Clark, Bobby Jackson and Doug Christie) and made the most of their collective presence. Now, here is Adelman with a Rockets squad that is fourth in points allowed overall, has the second-lowest defensive field-goal percentage and is fourth in blocks. Either Adelman always has known a little about coaching, defense included, or he read one of the "Defense for Dummies" books during his season between jobs. Or the more likely scenario is that he inherited a team from Jeff Van Gundy that was based on defense, and he has been able to work from there. Let this be a lesson to you.
I'm wondering what JVG was thinking when he did not spent enough time on installing Offense into the Rockets team last season. If only he took the time and study some more Offensive X and Os while commentating the games for TNT, he would be the glorified coach of 2008.
I would say if Rafer had played up to his level this year and we have either Scola or Landry in our team last year, we might meet Spurs in the WCF.
They sure struck out with Eric Musselman. Theus has done much better. When healthy, they have given fits to the elite in the West.
Come on, Artest is a lockdown defender. Plus he doesnt allow layups. "NO LAY-UPS!!! NO LAY-UPS!!!"
jvgs philosophy and teachings play a big part in this team's defense. he laid the groundwork. sure, there are new players, but if you come to a team that used to put so much stress on defense, then it is obvious that you too will pick up the slack. and after all, we did have the same starting five at the beginning of this year as we did at the end of last year... im just sayin
Rick was known to be aloof,He didn't like doing interviews and all the other media stuff,Rick was just a private dude that didn't like the limelight. That is just his personality and as everyone see's in houston, rick just isn't a attention freak like most other dudes.
No way in hell would that have ever happened. First, VG would have stuck with Hayes over Scola and Landry because of his over emphsis on one end of the court. The minute they missed a rotation, they'd have gotten the hook. Don't agree? Look at the PT difference between Novak then and now. Novak still (as do both Scola and Landry) severly misses defensive assignments...but Adelman is able to live with mistakes that threw JVG into convulsions. Further, VG is a shot clock control freak. That IMHO is the major component to Alston's productivity increase. Alston under VG (like Francis before him) had to have the ball and offense at a certain point at a certain time. That chore was lifted from Alston's shoulders and he can now just read the defensive to see what is available without concern for keeping to a play with a narrow margin of options.
JVG didn't have luxury to play Novak and Novak got one more year experience. It's big. Still, JVG made Novak only starting game. JVG didn't have Scola or Landry. He had only Juwan Howard who belong to the end of the bench in coach JVG's mind. Did you read what JVG commented on Scola/Landry?
Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley were downright disrespectful towards that King's team and they were the one started the talk the Kings couldnt defend anybody. But you look at the personnel on that King's team, outside Christie, nobody struck you as a lockdown force. I remember back in 98, 99, Adelman took then the absymal King's team first time entered the playoff after a long time, they were breath of fresh air. Vlade, Webber, White Chocalate ... Bottom line, Adelman rebuilt that team to be an elite and did his best with what he had on that team. Like Tmac said, when it came to basketball, just dont ever listen to Keeny and Chucky. I felt that Mark Cuban also listened them too much.
he refused to wear pants to executive sessions with the maloofs. then he asked that ALL participants forgo pants (or skirts) which crossed the line and they fired him
JVG is always impressed by established players, he is nor patient enough to develop them. He was not going to bring in Landry or Scola, he would have probably traded the pick for another established player similar to what he did with Battier. In 4 years of JVG terms, not one rookie developed correctly to play the NBA game vs. playing the JVG game. Head played due to injuries in the 2006 season of Yao and Tmac and Hayes played because of his one dimentional play (defense).
Interesting Article on the Maloofs relationship to Rick: Maloofs Want You to Forget About Adelman Rick Adelman made his first return to ARCO Arena last night as a visiting head coach; if you'd forgotten, he left the Kings in 2006 at the behest of the Maloof brothers, with a lot of bad blood and spit being exchanged. Since then, of course, the Kings have been between terrible and awful (33-49 record last season; 6-10 after beating Adelman's Rockets Saturday). As such, the Maloofs would like Sacramento to forget Rick Adelman ever existed, thank you very much: They allegedly barred the Comcast SportsNet broadcast team (who are Maloof employees) from any pre-game interviews or special attention towards the significant occasion. Also, they both executed the rare no-show at ARCO; their seats went to four lucky cheap seats residents. Basically, the Maloofs wanted this visit to come and go without Kings fans -- or themselves -- being reminded of prior glory. Kings fans did not comply. Witness this video shot from ARCO's second deck when Adelman was introduced: <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RVPrN6hH5sY&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RVPrN6hH5sY&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"width="425" height="355"></embed></object> Of course, this was almost completely invisible on the TV broadcast of the game; the announce team didn't avoid the subject entirely, but let's just say I'm positive Scot Pollard's days as a King will get more attention when Boston visits than this blast from the past did. Lesson to the Maloofs: You cannot control the story.
The Job Interview: Les Alexander Meets "Quirky" Coach Candidate Les: Hey, Rick, nice to see you. (they shake hands) You've already met Daryl, I take it. (Morey and Adelman shake hands) Why don't you have a seat there next to Daryl? Rick: (picking at ass crack) Damn, this lingerie is killing me. (sniffs fingers) I've got to do something about that. (sits down uncomfortably) Don't you hate it when your lingerie rides up? Daryl: Uh, Rick...heh heh...Les, he's a kidder... Rick: No, no, I'm serious. I haven't worn this lingerie since I coached the Queens. Um, that's the Kings. Sorry, Freudian slip. Shaq was right. But anyway, I was wearing this same lingerie, and I was standing at the sink, right after playing a game with Vlade of "Lil Fuehrer and Goebbels". I was brushing my teeth, trying to get the taste out of my mouth, and Vlade walks up from behind---I swear this is a true story---and he pulls at my lingerie and says, "When did you start parting your hair to the side?" (pauses) Get it?! Get it?! That guy used to crack me up so much. (pauses) What's wrong? Les: (aghast, finally manages to say) I hadn't heard that story. Daryl (head in hand, face red, mumbles to self) And GM was such a good job. Rick: Look, is this gonna take awhile or what? 'Cause I'm double parked. Les: Well, uh, I wanted to take some time to talk to you--- Rick: OK, fine. It's just a rent-a-wreck Toyota anyway, you'll pay for it, right? I mean, I wouldn't have even HAD to rent a car if SOMEbody had bothered to send me a limo this morning. Daryl: Well, Rick, you told me your hotel is right across the street from here... Rick: You think I'm gonna walk around THIS city? What, and get my head caved in? Hey, Les, I'm hungry. You got any food around here or are you gonna make me pay for that, too? Les: (long, long, pause: think about the pause in the "why am I so funny" speech by Joe Pesci in Goodfellas) Uh... (erupts in laughter) HA HA HA! You're so quirky! That's hilarious! Daryl: Yeah. Heh heh. Ahem. QUIRKY. Rick: OK, quirky, fine. Do I get my sandwich? Les: I guess we can rustle up some Micky D's. (pause) GOTCHA! Isn't that funny? You quirky guy! Rick: As long as you don't "Micky D" my contract. Les: (long pause, then bursts out laughing) HA HA, you've gotta love a quirky coach! Rick: But not in Sacramento, obviously.
