I dream of the day Steve Francis can average the same asst/to ratio as Jason Williams. I fantasize about the day Steve Francis communicates with his big man, and spoon-feeds the ball to his big man on every play. J-Will has one of the best asst/to ratios in the entire league, and his ability to get the ball to Pau Gasol is absolutely magnificent. When he's passing the ball to Gasol, he makes absolutely sure Gasol gets it at the right time and place. I would do a Steve Francis for J-Will, Shane Battier and Stromile Swift deal. If they say no to that, swap Cato with Lorenzen Wright to get it done. Yao/Cato Swift/MoT JJ/Battier Mobley/Pike J-Will/Wilks Keep your eye on Swift, the guy will explode if given the opportunity.
Kitten128, boy, you really showed me what debating skills are all about. Take a couple of phrases that I used and repeat them over and over again. Way to make a point. Do you even know what a Pollyanna is?
I agree. Van Gundy should get guys who like to play his brand of basketball. Those guys are out there, and there is plenty of value of this team that can be traded to get those guys Van Gundy wants. I can watch Steve and Yao play on other teams and still appreciate them from afar. However, I want to see the Rockets start winning consistently.
Still fixated on your petty insults? Guess an old dog can't learn new tricks, eh? You misused your "Pollyanna" by the way, as I'm not quite as filled with irrepressible optimism and a tendency to find good in everything as you think. Otherwise, why would I be calling out for Van Gundy's head on my platter. Maybe you should reread the book, Moe.
K., I didn't misuse it. It was in reference to your naive optimism that Van Gundy could either: A: Make things better by simply being more positive or B: Should have made things better by trading Francis after such a short amount of time on the job. I'll tell you what, I won't use anymore insults. How about you not exaggerating Van Gundy's negativity. Be specific. He has said the team has not been consistent. It has not. He said in the last game they did not play with intensity. They did not. He has said that Steve has improved his defense. That seems positive to me. You didn't answer my questions as to when you trade Francis. What makes you so sure there are standing trade offers for Francis that make sense for the Rockets? Nice pic, by the way, but I don't get "old dog new tricks reference."
I'm not sure....it seems to crash their server: Houston trades: SF Bostjan Nachbar (3.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.7 apg in 11.1 minutes) SF Adrian Griffin (3.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.7 apg in 11.1 minutes) SF Scott Padgett (2.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.4 apg in 8.6 minutes) PG Mike Wilks (1.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.8 apg in 6.0 minutes) PG Jimmy Jackson (1.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.8 apg in 6.0 minutes) PG Steve Francis (17.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.7 apg in 39.3 minutes) PF Maurice Taylor (11.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.1 apg in 27.7 minutes) C Kelvin Cato (6.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 0.8 apg in 28.8 minutes) SF Clarence Weatherspoon (3.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.8 apg in 13.9 minutes) SF Eric Piatkowski (5.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.5 apg in 18.5 minutes) Houston receives: SF Theron Smith (0.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 0.0 apg in 10.0 minutes) SG Dahntay Jones (2.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.5 apg in 8.8 minutes) SG Ryan Humphrey (2.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.5 apg in 8.8 minutes) SG Bonzi Wells (13.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.4 apg in 27.2 minutes) C Lorenzen Wright (9.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.3 apg in 25.6 minutes) SF Bo Outlaw (4.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 0.7 apg in 18.1 minutes) PG Jason Williams (10.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 6.9 apg in 29.3 minutes) SG James Posey (11.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.4 apg in 27.7 minutes) PF Stromile Swift (10.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.6 apg in 20.6 minutes) SF Mike Miller (11.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.3 apg in 29.6 minutes) PF Pau Gasol (17.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.3 apg in 31.9 minutes) SF Shane Battier (9.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.4 apg in 25.0 minutes) C Jake Tsakalidis (4.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.3 apg in 10.7 minutes) PG Earl Watson (6.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 5.3 apg in 23.1 minutes) PG Troy Bell (2.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.5 apg in 3.5 minutes) Change in team outlook: +61.5 ppg, +23.8 rpg, and +18.1 apg. Memphis trades: SF Theron Smith (0.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 0.0 apg in 10.0 minutes) SG Dahntay Jones (2.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.5 apg in 8.8 minutes) SG Ryan Humphrey (2.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.5 apg in 8.8 minutes) SG Bonzi Wells (13.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.4 apg in 27.2 minutes) C Lorenzen Wright (9.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.3 apg in 25.6 minutes) SF Bo Outlaw (4.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 0.7 apg in 18.1 minutes) PG Jason Williams (10.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 6.9 apg in 29.3 minutes) SG James Posey (11.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.4 apg in 27.7 minutes) PF Stromile Swift (10.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.6 apg in 20.6 minutes) SF Mike Miller (11.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.3 apg in 29.6 minutes) PF Pau Gasol (17.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.3 apg in 31.9 minutes) SF Shane Battier (9.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.4 apg in 25.0 minutes) C Jake Tsakalidis (4.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.3 apg in 10.7 minutes) PG Earl Watson (6.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 5.3 apg in 23.1 minutes) PG Troy Bell (2.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.5 apg in 3.5 minutes) Memphis receives: SF Bostjan Nachbar (3.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.7 apg in 23 games) SF Adrian Griffin (3.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.7 apg in 23 games) SF Scott Padgett (2.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.4 apg in 28 games) PG Mike Wilks (1.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.8 apg in 10 games) PG Jimmy Jackson (1.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.8 apg in 10 games) PG Steve Francis (17.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.7 apg in 36 games) PF Maurice Taylor (11.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.1 apg in 30 games) C Kelvin Cato (6.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 0.8 apg in 36 games) SF Clarence Weatherspoon (3.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.8 apg in 16 games) SF Eric Piatkowski (5.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.5 apg in 24 games) Change in team outlook: -61.5 ppg, -23.8 rpg, and -18.1 apg. Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 16777216 bytes exhausted at (null):0 (tried to allocate 82 bytes) in /home/realgm/www/code/tradechecker/exceptions/tradeexception1.php on line 83
Rocket fans can be such divas! This is has to be at least the fifth "farewell"-style posts I've read here in recent months. The mods should just anchor a post on the top of the board for all of you whiners and woe-is-me pessimists. It's so pathetic. I pity you and your inability to derive any pleasure from watching your favorite team play. But instead of making grandiose posts about it, here's a tip: Quit posting forever. That'll show us.
A-train, didnt you make a post about qutting the rockets??? Why are you still on the clutchFANS message board?
Excerpts from Van Gundy taken from Chronicles or NBA.com over the season, not just after losses but wins as well: "Three turnovers shy of a quadruple-double, that would've been very special," Van Gundy said. "I haven't been around a quadruple-double. Yes, he did a good job. He had many implosions with the ball, but other than that he shot a high percentage and made good plays for everybody." "We played a lazy game; we've played many lazy games," Van Gundy said Monday morning at Toyota Center. "We've played as many lazy games as I've seen on tape from previous years. "The most disappointing thing is our unwillingness to change. It's not hard to see (that) we haven't changed much. You watch us turn the ball over, lack of energy, bad shots -- there are a number of things you could go to. That's how we play." "If you're going to defend a team like (Boston) effectively, it starts with making multiple efforts on many possessions," Van Gundy said. "We didn't even get a first effort. If you need multiple efforts and you don't get a first effort, it makes it very difficult to defend. You end up hoping they miss instead of making them miss." "We've got to play well enough to win, often enough. Anybody can play well occasionally. Most teams in this league play well occasionally, that's why they win occasionally." Van Gundy offered a terse explanation for Yao's removal, saying that the Rockets were "just trying to win." But the reasoning didn't sit well with Yao, who seemed most upset at the Rockets' lack of defense. "I'm not used to it," he said, referring to his lack of minutes. "Again we played with zero team energy to win," coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "I think pretty much until the fourth (we had no energy). But anybody can get desperate in the fourth. That performance out there is why we are who we are, and why we are where we have been. That's who we are. "I need to find the answer, because here we are, revisiting the same issues. It's just disappointing. Like I said, it's not new. It is what it is. We are who we are. But I know this, we can't stay who we are and do anything significant." "We were flailing," Van Gundy said. "I'm sure some part was carelessness. Some part was their pressure. I thought we did not react well to their pressure. We were discombobulated a lot offensively. "I think the biggest thing I noticed, which I noticed last year in games that were highly competitive and highly intense and highly physical, there was a lack of poise under pressure. ... Up five going into the fourth, they came back (and) made the run; we were taking bad fouls, missing open shots, missing free throws, not getting loose balls (and) not getting rebounds. We were playing frustrated more than composed." "You mean all the lobs," Van Gundy said when asked about the passing decisions. "I would say that what our lob percentage really is and what we think it is are two different things. When we keep it, just in general ... sound, solid and simple, we're going to be OK." "Every area. There's not one area that's even close to good enough," Van Gundy said. "It starts with our effort. We don't play hard enough to win. We got our butts kicked once again because we deserved to. "We're not adapting to change. There are a few pockets of resistance. I do know what a winning team looks like and what a losing team looks like. I've been fortunate to be part of winning teams for a long time." Without offering too many specifics -- Van Gundy apparently hoped to leave the arena before sunrise -- he singled out guard Steve Francis' tendency to try to hit too many "home runs," then said the team routinely botches its plays. "Steve, offensively right now (is) trying to hit the home run every time down," Van Gundy said. "Steve is sometimes so great he can hit a home run. To shake somebody and take on another guy and take tough shots, the game's got to be easier. We're not playing team offense the right way. Blown play after play, assignment after assignment." Francis said he only tries to take on a crowd of defenders when the shot clock is running down. Van Gundy, however, has repeatedly said he would judge his team and players by what he sees, rather than hears. He said he saw no progress, little effort. "You've got to play intelligently," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "You have to. You have to play with intelligent offense." "We're having a lot revealed about us right now," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "You learn a lot about yourself and the team. It's not a good revelation right now, obviously. But we continue to learn more about our team and the players." Back when the Rockets left Houston, when they were making their shots, when they were winning, Jeff Van Gundy openly lamented how they were playing. They were 8-3, in first place and had not lost consecutive games. But Van Gundy said he knew what a winning team looked like, and he wasn't seeing one. Some of the problems were obvious, but the tendency then was to think the Rockets were just getting their first taste of the famously dour Van Gundy, the pessimistic coach who could see chapped lips on the Mona Lisa. Even his "bloody stumps" address, when he said the Rockets were shooting themselves in the foot so regularly that they would remain on the fence between being a playoff and lottery team, seemed to inspire little genuine cause for alarm. When they returned to Houston on Sunday after four road losses in five games, the swagger was long gone, and the question had become whether the Rockets slumped on the road or were revealed, whether they were struggling as teams do with such schedules or had been exposed. Coach Jeff Van Gundy didn't want to oversimplify the team's problems, though. He said it's more than just bad passing and the players' inability to find the hoop late in the game. "It's really at both ends of the floor that we stray from what we are supposed to be doing," Van Gundy said. "We need to play our best when our best is needed, which is down the stretch of close games. So, it's much more than relying on two guys." If the players executed Van Gundy's system, part of their problems might get solved. Aside from lacking focus, the players had a hard time pinpointing exactly where they go astray. Also, if first quarters were be-alls and end-alls, there would have been no second quarter. They would have been declared null and void. Jeff Van Gundy described his team's utter ineptitude over the opening 12 minutes as "deplorable," and that was arguably being too kind. Van Gundy's comments after the fact were damning with the faintest of praise. He knew what he'd seen, and he knew we'd seen the same thing. He isn't here to insult anybody's intelligence. The ugliness was profound. Their tightly wired new coach didn't come across as hysterical, just hoarse. And completely spent. A whole lot of yelling, screaming and foot stomping had gone into this one. He had trouble finishing sentences, just as the Rockets had trouble finishing on the court. "If you start accepting things in wins that you wouldn't accept in defeats," a hollow-eyed Van Gundy said in a monotone voice, "you're doing your team a disservice. There's some good and bad in every win and loss. It's up to me to paint a picture of what it's going to take to win consistently. So I don't think I'm exaggerating. He puts a negative spin on almost everything even after a good, hard-earned win. And I wouldn't mind if he does that in private during practice, but he runs to the media like a b**** and whines and whines after wins and losses alike. This is getting real old. You can find faults in anybody and anything if you look hard enough, even the very best in the world at something. The Rockets are not nearly the best at basketball, and I truly believe that all this Van Gundy negativity is bad for the team's growth in the long run. If anybody has taken psychology, you may have remembered being taught that negative reinforcement works much more poorly over the long run than positive reinforcement. It's the classic case of the nagging parents who aren't satisfied with anything their kids do, and then the kids rebel like they wouldn't believe. This can happen to the Rockets.
AMEN to that, Peace be upon this, and whatever other religious quote I can give to this perfect post. I second the motion.
No, I said I've given up on them. I've already given up hope of the Rockets making the playoffs, but quit caring? Hell, I watched the second half of the Wizards game right after burying my dead dog...
