Hear the thud? Like a maniac jumping off the GWB (George Washington Bridge for the non NY'ers) only to hit the highway on the second deck. Happens everytime the Rockets lose. Hear the snaps? Like twigs? Those are the ankles of the bandwagoners. They tend to break hopping on and off the Rocket bandwagon. Which is why I tend to keep an extra supply ductape handy for those of you (and you know who you be) who will want to crawl back on board once the Rockets make the WCF. Yep. You heard me. WHEN THE ROCKETS MAKE THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS!!!!! During times like these on Wall Street, when the kids start screaming that the sky is falling because of a mere 4% drop in a trading day or when they scream about sub-prime lenders going bankrupt and here comes the recession or when people scream that the USA is about to get nuked by some 6th world country that just discovered firecrackers and is threating our economy by cutting the supply of bubble gum to the USA, I BUY MORE AND MORE AND MORE. And I am buying the Rockets right now. I am buying a big ole heap of Rocket Red while the prices are low and the kids around here are crying like babies in their corners while asking for their mommy and daddy. And its all just like business. I look at the Rockets. And they have assets. Tons of them. More than their liabilities: 1) The Rocks have Yao. Though Yao at times drives me absolutely crazy when he does that little flip with the left hand in the post!! Just flicks it up there like he just don't care! Still, he is the most dominant big man in the game. In the playoffs, that is invaluable. INVALUABLE. Basically, its an easy two every time he gets the ball. And that means alot against 90% of the teams in the NBA. 2) The Rocks have T-Mac. He can create his own shot. His offense is unlimited. He plays intense D when asked. He makes the team better. He is an MVP candidate. What more to say. 3) They have a GREAT coach. I know...I know...everyone here knows. I sleep with the man twice a week. But I assure you. Its only for the sex. Bald guys just make me randy! But objectively speaking, we have a great coach. Even the haters have to admit the guy worked miracles this year. We are THE top defensive team in the NBA. Even the feared Suns looked like crap last night. Not their usual pretty selves. And I have seen this coach in the playoffs. His teams are the best prepared, best disciplined, best conditioned, best toughest, best chemisted team in the playoffs. No rings? Yep. True. But even the toughest in all those categories will lose to a BETTER team. That is what Phoenix is right now. We do have liabilities. Does anyone remember how pretty the Rockets played when Mark Jackson was at the point a few years ago? Imagine this team with a REAL PG? Holy shiznet! A killer, killer dynasty no doubt. Rafer is a nut job mascarading as an NBA player. Lucas is no better. Head? He is a good 8th man. Liabilities? The Coach has some too. I would love for him to play Bonzi and Snyder more. Just to have the other teams guessing. The thing is that Riley is the same way. And he wins. So, really, who am I to think this won't work. It has worked for the Coach before. He never had a losing season until last year. He always made the playoffs. He has made the Finals. The league respects him. The players love him. So, would I like him to stop being so stubborn at times? Sure! I am always asking to not kiss me in public! I have a wife and kids and a mortgage! You think he listens?. So, by nature, he is stubborn. The thing is...its worked for him before. He learned his coaching methods from a legend. And this year, he's done very good with that approach. But this is where I am going to buy TONS AND TONS AND TONS AND TONS of Rocket Red stock. In the playoffs, you don't fast break your way to a title. In the playoffs, there are no back to backs. In the playoffs, there are no tomorrows. Its today, today, today. And its a half court game. What do the Rockets do best? Half court game! Against the Suns, that approach drove them bonkers for 3 quarters!! The Rockets wore down in the 4th because they had to travel overnight after playing a tough game against Orlando. Not so in the playoffs. If Yao is healthy. If T-Mac is motivated and healthy...I believe that the Rockets will beat Utah as the 5 seed. Then they get the feared Suns. And they will WIN. They will win because the Suns have to run to win. Did you see that half-court offense? Pathetic. They won't be able to run on the Rocks. That leaves half court execution. To me, thats where the Rockets shine. Did you see how the Spurs beat the Suns last year? Half court, half court, half court. A healthy Yao (hopefully not playing like last night), T-Mac and the rest. I like our chances. And for those that doubt? Thats ok. You probably nic-picked every win and blew up every loss all year ANYWAYS. So, who really cares? You are basically just staying true to form. I will make sure to have the duc-tape ready for you in late-May. I actually DON'T doubt. Because I have seen this story before. Dominant big man. Dominant wing man. Scrubs shooting three's. Worked before. Will work again. Buy! Buy! Buy!
Agree. I'm with you. I have a reserved spot on the "bandwagon," and it has a permanent impression of my butt on it. It's kind of like fngerprint verification...if you butt don't fit, you cannot sit.
I love the Rockets dearly. I just don't think they are going anywhere in the playoffs. Maybe, MABYE the 2nd round......but more than likely out in the first round again. They have the talent to advance, but for some reason, lack a mental toughness. And Almu, as you said, if they don't get out of the first round, JVG should be gone. DD
I gotta call my broker...'cuz I'm buying this stock! Thanks for bringing much needed positivity to a board that desperately needs it.
Yawn, another JVG-can-do-no-wrong thread in disguise by a New Yorker yeah, what a stupid poster. he wants his team to win and thinks they have the ability to do so. what moron. I guess he should be a real fan and just bash the coach and praise the scrub bench players while ignoring poor play.
Yeah, or maybe ignore the fact that the coach has yet to make a good adjustment to the junk defense that Phoenix is running. Oh, wait, it is ok to complain about the poor play of scrubs, but not the poor coaching by JVG? DD
Yeah, or maybe ignore the fact that the coach has yet to make a good adjustment to the junk defense that Phoenix is running you mean that junk that consistantly has them flirting with 60 wins? yeah...everyone in the league has figured out the suns. i forgot
LOL - The Suns are a good team, but they are not perfect and can be beaten. Six straight losses to the Suns and the only win was when Yao went nuts on the offensive glass and the Rockets won by like 20 last year. The point is....JVG....our coach....has yet to come up with a scheme to deal with the Sun's defense where they both front and have a man behind Yao...making the entry pass very difficult. When they go to this defense the guy who is being ignored should flash to the freethrow line for a wide open shot, or be used as a wheel to free up the 3pt shooters as the Suns defense reacts to the flash. But, for some odd reason, JVG has not made the adjustment, nor has he countered with our better perimeter defenders like Snynder when Barbosa is going off. JVG is just too stubborn, and lacks the necessary gambling strategy to win it all. DD
Hey! Sorry to bore you, wnes. We New Yorkers are so lame. Let me be you for a second... On second thought, I rather not.
Dakota... As many have already posted and have witnessed, you are the John Kerry on this board. And you are not alone, of course. You seem to continue to give the Coach the blame when we lose and then complain about him not using the bench or not expanding the roster or this or that when we win. "But...he didn't put Snyder in when they were up by 20." "But...he didn't play V-Span even though we just beat the Spurs." "But...he play Yao too many minutes even though we just beat Miami." Geesh...people accuse me of "JVG can do no wrong" when at the same time they forget the majority here thinks he can't do no right! The Suns can be beaten in the PLAYOFFS. Have you EVER seen a team such as this one win anything in this league since um...1989? Sorry to be so positive. The horses are here. I think the coach is excellent. I am not alone in the NBA realm in that thought. I rather go down in flames for it than to continue finding every damn itty bitty thing wrong win or lose.
OL - The Suns are a good team, but they are not perfect and can be beaten. Six straight losses to the Suns and the only win was when Yao went nuts on the offensive glass and the Rockets won by like 20 last year. fair enough but that stat is a little misleading, especially when you consider how many times the rockets were even close to full strength. The point is....JVG....our coach....has yet to come up with a scheme to deal with the Sun's defense where they both front and have a man behind Yao...making the entry pass very difficult. yes, its tough to get yao the ball when they front/double him and collapse. Unfortunately, when that happens there is only so much that can be done from the sidelines. Eventually someone will have to score from the perimeter, penetrate or yao is just going to have to stop getting pushed arond by smaller guys. When they go to this defense the guy who is being ignored should flash to the freethrow line for a wide open shot, or be used as a wheel to free up the 3pt shooters as the Suns defense reacts to the flash. you're right. But lets asume that a coach told a player to cut to the basket when he can, if the player doesnt do it and gets stuck watching the game the coach has done all he can. You can lead a horse to water... Lets assume the coach didnt tell him to cut. Well a smart player would still flash to the open spots, regardless of being told to do so. We do know that while playing offense there is always improvisation and that depends on the player quick thinking. Also, chuck was cutting his arse off. I have a hard time thinking that a coach would tell his players not to cut But, for some odd reason, JVG has not made the adjustment, nor has he countered with our better perimeter defenders like Snynder when Barbosa is going off. not playing snyder is a legit concern. could be multiple reasons. but i have a hard time thinking ignorance is one. JVG is just too stubborn, and lacks the necessary gambling strategy to win it all. maybe, but do you really show all your cards in the regular season? especially when you consider the rockets are pretty much locked into the 5th spot? plus, if gambling always paid off then Las Vegas wouldnt be doing so well. Didnt he gamble when he started bowen against the mavs a few years ago? Wasnt starting chuck hayes a gamble? is he risk averse? maybe. but that doesnt mean someone is stubborn. firing from the hip is a romantic idea and definitely the most "cool", but its not always the most practical.
