CP3 was becoming a free agent, it was much easier for him to say 'get a new coach or I am signing somewhere else'. Harden could complain and try to force a trade if we didn't find a different coach, but that would hurt his reputation as much as Howard's, and really not get anything done.
I hope you're right, but keep in mind that Sampson was here when the Rockets were taking crappy opponents lightly, blowing big leads, allowing Harden and Parsons to coast on the defensive end of the floor, and failing to execute at the end of games against the likes of the Lakers and Sixers. I just don't understand why we have to settle for mediocrity in McHale and try to cover that up by surrounding him with better assistant coaches. Why not just get a better coach in the first place? If your contention is that the Rockets have a good system but they need to run it better, again wouldn't we be better served with a superior head coach?
I feel like you give too much credit to Sampson. But either way, what good is a good staff, if the guy in charge of it can't use it to full potential. It's a waste of Les' good money. Also I figured, hey, let's look at the two biggest weaknesses. McHale, who is inept as a coach... there are better coaches out there who could take this team as is a lot further. And Harden, who for all I'm concerned, choked it on multiple occassions, doesn't play D, and overall seems disinterested. You act like these guys did nothing wrong in their life and if we wait long enough, oh it'll magically happen. So if we had Kelvin Sampson, would we still be in the playoffs? Would we get a ring with Kelvin Sampsons? Are you a UH fan who is buying into his greatness or something? The guy was a crap personality and a mediocre coach who cheated the system when he was a college coach, so we are better off in the long run without him too.
Ok I should have rephrased it... obviously MOREY and LES think that McHale can improve. I can only put myself in their shoes to try and understand the decision that was made and all the factors that went into it. IMO... I do think that they do think the basketball decision making from the staff can improve. McHale is a waaayyy better coach than he was back with Minnesota even though like you said before, his weaknesses still ultimately prevail. I think people are going to take me giving an EXPLANATION of the decision as me ultimately backing McHale.... that's not the case. However I do at least try and understand the decision somewhat. If that makes me a bad clutchfan poster than flame me.
I can understand the decision somewhat. But none of the explanations I've come up with seem to emanate from a good place. Either Les and Morey think McHale just needs one more year with this team which is incredibly naive and risky. Or they think the Rockets aren't talented enough which is a serious indictment of Howard and Harden. If management thinks those two aren't good enough as a tandem to win a single playoff series, what does that say about them? Or they don't think the head coach really matters very much in the NBA. Which isn't naive. It's stupid.
Mcfail is not a good coach, but not that bad. Any player who plays no defense is a garbage player. Harden is an average player at best. It does not matter what good numbers he can get from the offensive end. He gives up more.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Karl This is a great year to upgrade coaches btw, considering who is on the market.
Senseless post... Why is it senseless to discuss making major changes to such glaring issues? I choose change over staying still in a hopeless situation any day. Who wants to sit on the side watching other teams in the playoffs. Yeah, that's a lot of fun...
If I had to sum it up in one statement, I'd guess that it was simply system protection. Obviously Morey feels very strong about the system they run offensively, and possibly to his detriment in the future is overly concerned with not keeping that system in bringing in a new coach. All the talk from Morey about McHale improving.... well... we all know, like you said earlier, is weaknesses aren't going away, and even with a strong supporting cast to make up for those weaknesses, aren't going to completely mask them. However he has dramatically improved from where he was with Minnesota... which probably speaks more to the fact that the stakes are much higher here in Houston, the assistant staff is an upgrade, and he has better players. Maybe that's a good sign for next year, or maybe (more likely) its just like putting lipstick on a pig. But for the most part, its still a well trained pig that's doing pretty much what you are wanting him to do in the first place. To your point about Les/Morey not thinking the players are good enough- I dunno, but I would guess that they feel like they are a few supporting pieces away. I don't think its any surprise to anyone that they were very disappointed with the play of alot of the guys they brought in, and were probably disappointed in the in-ability to turn Asik into several really good players that could have helped more during the season & into the playoffs, and they want to see how this team looks in the future with better supporting players, or see what happens when/If they get that 3rd All-Star player??? I dunno. There really isn't a great answer the fans have right now. We can try to understand, but we just aren't going to know everything that is going on behind closed doors.
OK I'm going to let you explain this before I say anything else. Please tell me about these "plays" and this "system." What exactly is it? Because from what I can tell, it includes tossing it down low to the big man and iso ball with Hardin... and then panicking to find a guy when the defense adjusts and taking bad shots when the clock runs dry. Also what kind of defense schemes are we using to stop opponents? Please explain this.
That makes sense. But that puts the onus on Morey and not McHale. It's now Morey's responsibility to make sure his system works in the postseason. That means he has to improve the roster. He has to bring in an assistant coach who will implement a defensive scheme. And he has to answer for any postseason disappointment in the upcoming season.
