Couple things...first Landy as much as I love him (big Purdue an since birth and thus Landry fan for the last four years) he fouls too much to start. He is great for a come off the bench spark playing 20 minutes. Let's not overload him too early. While I also like Brooks and think he has a bright future he has done well in spurts but not consistent enough to start and play 30+ minutes. He's a rook PG you put him against the top points and you're going to see turnovers unless you play him in spurts meaning he doesn't have time to commit turnovers and then dwell on them. He should be getting more PT though. While we haven't played great recently we have been winning (4 straight and 9 of 11) so why mess with what is working.
I think you have a great point. When playing a great team theres no way in hell we can afford a slow start. Tracy needs to be in the starting line-up and so does Scola.
I thought young guys like Hayes, Head, Yao (who had only 1 year when Van Gundy came in) etc played plenty. Even Sucky Spanoulis got his chance. He sat because he sucked and didn't wnat to learn. Young guys and rookies who did not suck got their minutes. Those who sucked didn't. Van Gundy isn't that much different than Adelman.
"The guys who were playing were not doing the job. As long as we were playing well, we were going to stay with those guys" -Adelman That's something I never heard JVG say. For better or worse JVG stuck with the same guys, whereas Adelman has no hesitation trying different combinations. Maybe that was just a function of JVG not having anyone else to go to on the bench, but we never saw Rafer or Hayes get benched for having a bad game.
Neither Brooks nor Landry is close to being ready to start. It's best to bring them into the game late 1st, early 2nd quarter against the opposing team's reserves. They don't need the pressure of starting, maybe failing at it and then being put back on the bench. If they play well in a game, give them the minutes they deserve. Throwing AB into the fire against the top PGs in the Western Conference every game and doing the same thing to Landry against starting PFs would not be a good idea.
Yeah, the same thing goes for J.Howard and D.Wesley. They could suck a whole game without getting pulled. In contrast to the pet players, once rookies or new players are in JVG's doghouse, you are in a refrigerator. I don't recall seeing someone came out alive from dat house. Our rookies have been sent to the NBDL and were called back to play. That's flexibility. Instead of burying them at the end of bench, worrying about minutes, being afraid to make mistakes for finally getting a lil PT, they were sent to play elsewhere and are given second chances to prove themselves. Now they are flourishing under our eyes. If it was under JVG, we could've traded one or two of them for an old worn out veteran that retires in a year because we want to "win now", like what we did to Nachbar in exchange for Jimmy Jackson.
If Brooks, Landry and Scola continue to excel playing together - and it remains to be seen if Scola and Landry play at the same time from here on out - they will continue to see late-4th quarter minutes... Tmac/Bonzi/Brooks/Scola/Landry is a killer 2nd unit... Add Yao and Shane for Bonzi and Scola/Landry and you have a great team to finish games. The key here is that Adelman is willing to try any kind of lineup - that is a flexibility that we didn't see with JVG... JVG would have stuck with Hayes and Alston no matter what situation in the 4th and no matter if they were playing bad... But enough about JVG...
Only other player I want to see out on the floor is Deke. He's so cool and it's his last season I just want to see him get some more min.
Jvg does play rookies but I was stating that rookies or seniors all looked behind their back almost every play as they fear JVG.
The difference between JVG and Adelman is not that rookies playing etc, it is rookies being trusted, and learning THROUGH their mistakes. Also, Adelman has already used the NBDL more than JVG......and it worked. Adelman is willing to let players find their way, sure he will pull them if they are screwing up, but if they are putting in effort he will put them back in the game. JVG would pull them and bury them.... DD
Also against GS, i think LAndry should start. we need to match up to their speed and athleticism, and find a way to slow it down. also, we have to limit our turnovers. And find a way to get Antonio Daniels from tha wizards man, you always find some way to post negativeity when we got a good thing goin on. good grief.
i was wondering if TMAC going to come off the bench for the rest of the season? I think he should...he looks so FRESH in the fourth...he was driving through the lanes and dish out for an assist on every plays unlike before...i think before he was so tired that's why he just jackup jumpers..
GSW does give us matchup problems. We need to slow them down defensively and match up athletically. At this point with all the weapons they have and the style of ball they play, I don't think we should try to get into a running game with them. We do need to contest their three point shooting though. I think we need to have Yao out there with Battier, T-Mac, Landry and Brooks. That way we have speed, athleticism, height and scoring out there along with great defense from Battier. We need to put Battier on Baron Davis but someone else has got to stop Monta Ellis which means Brooks on him. Man, I just hope Landry and Brooks can rise to the occassion.
bonzi still hasn't shown much. Especially for a guy who was thrilled about Adelmans system, and hardly excelling
