LOL! Couldn't help it. I think the complaints about JVG's offensive abilities are overblown. Personally, I don't care for his motivational methods or his personality, but I can live with that as long as the team wins.
The thread is not "VanGundy is the problem", but more in the line of "Will T-Mac's numbers drop under JVG, and WILL it be a problem."
I think people should see him more, Jeff. I base over 6 years of watching him do it with much less talent than the Rockets have. And I can't get over how many coaches and analysts think so high of Van Gundy and nobody wants to give him a break. I don't want people to lick his boots like I do......but give him a chance. He just got here.
Gucci... Rasheed Wallace dropped in scoring when he went to the Pistons. Clyde Drexlers scoring dropped when he came here...still in his prime. Cassells scoring went UP when he left Rudy T!! And so did Micheal Dickersons. Nobody mentions how sucky Charlie Ward is as a player AFTER he left Van Gundy and how effective he was as a starter WITH Van Gundy. Did we forget how crappy Grandmamas defense was before he came to the Knicks? He was then known as an excellent low post defender DESPITE the fact that his back blew out and THAT was the cause of his drop in scoring. People, JVG needs time. Fire him after season 3. Not after season 1.
Cuz...Gundy wasn't the coach??? Hey! Wasn't Rudy T in the house on most games? Was that an earpiece I saw in Gundys ear during the season? Ok. I stop. Don't want to degrade the thread with my corny humor.
What I love about T-Mac is that he will open up Yao's game. Neither needs to lead the league in scoring they will both keep the defenders honest opening up oppurtunities for the other. I really really really really really hope this happens, everyone but Yao is expendable.
Yao's numbers better have gone up, and I expect them to go up even more. Jim Jackson's offensive numbers did go up, probably because he doubled his minutes played. 20mpg in SAC to 40mpg in Hou!! Look, I'm not saying we need to fire JVG or whatever, but its hard to argue that offensive numbers go down under him. He preaches defense over offense, which isn't a bad thing. I expect T-Mac's numbers to go down a bit, but the question is will T-Mac be okay with this? Because, T-Mac seems to get unhappy easily, and he loves to show it. Which doesn't just reflect him, but it reflects an entire organization.
I have absolutely no doubt that JVG is an offense-killer (for both teams on the court), but as far as Stevie and Mobley's cases go, the implementation of the zone defense ALSO definitely had something to do with their drop in production. I mean it adversely affected every high-flying, scoring gaurd in the league: Francis, Mobley, Pierce, McGrady, Iverson, Kobe... All of them took noticeable hits in the PPG and FG% departments. But like I said, despite that, I know Van Gundy definitely deserves some of the blame for the degredation of Steve's offense.
I think that had more to do with the awful management in O-town and a 2-19 start to the season... as for years past, I was unaware he had many issues besides, T-mac is a big boy, he knows JVG is in Houston and that Yao is the first option - but he WANTS to come here, so even if his numbers drop, it is his choice to play here
with his 3 point shot - he has probably never seen one (the 3 pointer is the best way to beat a zone)
"James Naismouth didn't invent no bouncyball; I invented bouncyball. James Naismouth is the DEVIL!" p.s. Naismith deliberately misspelled to add some spice. ;-)
Well he was the one to openly admit it. It clearly frustrates many gaurds in the league, though. Francis and Mobley's Dallas trash-talking exemplifies that. And if their mouths don't do the talking, their games do...
