We should have seen this coming.........

I knew it would take time and loled when people predicted a great regular season record but... For the last time, intensity and effort has nothing to do with what kind of system you have or what kind of offense you run.

Somehow they didn't have any problems giving their all that during the first 7 games and that's what disappoints the most.

 

Jon Barry was not a great player. Calvin Murphy is a Hall of Famer! Calvin said that the system is not hard and simple. He said it's ridiculous that they are playing the way they are and that they used the system better in the pre-season. I think Calvin knows basketball waaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy better than Jon Barry!

The bottom line is that Rick's system may be outdated for today's NBA that has changed to a faster play with new rules in place. Rick has not made the adjustments. And like a lot of good coaches that are called great because of their records, he is not showing the ability to maximize his talent instead of r****ding it.

I think the players take a lot of responsibility for not playing hard and passionate, but most of all the whole team is sucking; so I blame the coach the most. How many coaches would be more successful with the talent we have? I would suggest most.

 

Lingering JVG effect? I don't know. I actually had a "It (the lack of intensity) starts with either Adelman or T-Mac" sentence in my first comment but I took it out before I submitted.

It seems like Gundy's negativity and never being satisfied with this team was actually a something this team desperately needed, yet the fans and even the owner would constantly criticize him for that.

But I don't see how are we going to improve if we're not going to play hard. Maybe such a radical change in coaching, both in a philosophy/mental approach and offensive/defensive mindset, was too brutal because Adelman and VG are like on the far ends of a spectrum.

 

I think we all have come to realize that that "it's time" is a little premature. This team with a new coach,system, and players definitely needs more time to work it out. We just need to lower our expectations and watch how they will improve (hopefully). Basically, what we have been doing for the last decade.

 

Well I am not on the fire Adleman bandwagon yet. We need to see if he can rally the troops and get them to play together as a unit. Still, it is disappointing to see a squad this talented get beaten game after game and know that it is because of the new system and the coaches. You can point a finger at our guards, T-Mac, Yao, Scola, Hayes, Battier etc etc etc but the only real change from last year to this year is the coach.

 

Calvin Murphy is in the HOF because he had a better career as a player than Barry. Isiah Thomas had a better NBA career than Jon Barry. NBA careers don't translate into game knowledge, insight or coaching ability. I've heard enough of Murphy and Barry to know that either has a good grasp of the game. Considering Barry played for Adelman and Calvin made a media-level observation, my vote is that Barry has a higher degree of accuracy on the subject.

The bottom line is that RICK is dated? When can I stop laughing. What is "dated' is the concept and legacy the Van Gundy started and Morey perpetuated.

In one sentence...when you have Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, all that is need to compete with the WC elites is standstill spotup shooters and complimentary single-dimensional role players who guard the paint. A totally bogus concept that goes as far back as the novelty of Kelvin Cato as the Rockets' starting PF. And has the same repetitious 1st round exit result.

Buy a clue. We've seen the results of VG's over emphasis on one of the court. How 'bout...just for a 4 year change of direction...the Rockets actually find and play personnel who are NOT below the league norm in heigth, quickness and athleticism.

And next time you speak with Calvin? Ask him whay HE thinks of that idea.

 

-Bump-

This is a good thread with some intelligent posts...yet it only has 7 replies (now 8, I guess). What a surprise.

 

I think these two things are at the heart of the frustration and those that jump on the "trade so-and-so" or "fire adelman" bandwagons.

We did have a 50 win team last year and the quick start.

I am seriously thinking the loss wasn't JVG as much as Tom T. Seriously. I have seen several Celtics games and their defense looks stout. It helps to have a guy like Rondo to defend the opponents point guards and a Garnett down low.. both under rated defenders imho... but where we look lost on defense is when I personally get frustrated.

Do you think that we can get better though at this point?

It seems to me that the team has lost confidence in the coaching staff. Which is something I don't know if they can gain back. I know I personally have doubted the coaching just through Adelman's press conference quotes... and his rotation "fiddling". Make a decision already!!

I expected it to take November for us to get a handle on the offense and coaching changes, but here we are halfway through December and I see no steady improvement on either side of the ball.

 

I think many of us expected a slow start with respect to the schedule, new system, new players, and new coach. Thats why the 60-plus win people are in a panic.

I think the most frustrating things right now are the unwillingness to stick with the plan, and out right not putting forth effort on the floor.

The result is miscommunication on the floor, dropped passes, can't bring the ball up the floor (Toronto), missed layups, jacking up ill-advised shots, losing your man on D, and missed wide open shots.

So, while the system is being tweaked and implemented to fit our players, a little effort from our guys out there will have to get us over until they get it, without the effort, we're going downhill faster than a sled with Eric Cartman on it.

 

Whenever people are in duress they revert to whatever is comfortable.

I see the Rockets running the system well and then they get counter punched by the other team and they abandon it and try to run last year's system with this years personel, it won't work.

They are in limbo, until they totally commit to the new system they are going to struggle.

I honestly think there are 2 main problems with the Rockets.

1. Tmac lack of playing off the ball - he simply reverts back to having the ball in his hands too much and other teams can take him out of the game by doubling the ball, he needs to commit to being the end of the pass, or the pass that leads to another pass - the guy in the middle of the sequence. Until the team gets a flow where all 5 players are involved they will struggle, and that all starts with Tmac.

2. The lack of a 2nd penetrating perimeter player - a playmaker to take the load off of Tmac. When teams double team Tmac if we had a guy who could take it strong to the hole, hit the midrange shot and dish out to other open players, I believe almost all the problems would vanish. Passing the ball is contagious, it has an effect on everyone, they all play harder when they are all involved, this team is one true PG away from being A LOT better.

DD

 

Whether it's Jeff or Tom, somebody has to step up to the plate and put in the hours and hours of hard work these guys used to put in.

Contrary to popular myth, defense isn't just hard physical labor and and atheleticism-- it's about organization and working with each other. Giving help, recovering, rotating to the right guys, etc. It's choreography. You got to have a plan and work on it so you react quickly to what you need to do.

Part of the reason why last year's starters have played the best so far this season is that they know what the plan is on D and know when and how to give help. The rest of the guys-- not so much. Somebody has to help get this thing organized.

I disagree with those who blame unfamiliarity with offense or reverting to old offense as the reason why the Rockets have struggled. First, so much of the struggles seems to come at the defensive end, where supposedly only limited change had occurred. Second, it's really not about which system you play, it's about execution within the system. Guys have done quite a bit of the "motion offense" fairly well (25 assists, I think, on 34 FGs vs. Detroit. High assisted basket ratio had been a hallmark of the Kings offense) but at other times, they are just not on the same page with each other in whatever system.

Whatever they decide to play, these guys just need to be prepared to play them.

It's all about preparation.

 

All I'm saying is this a GUT check on ALL Rockets fans! There is no jumping ship. There is no trading or firing take that should happen. If you are willing to renounce your Rockets fandom now during a low period, then I wouldn't have called your a Rockets fan in the 1st place.

 

Great coach Hubie Brown said it already. We don't have the right players to play RA's system.

Why?

(IMO) Because Tmac believes in his own Me-Mac system. Call me a hater but tmac's game ( remember, i said his game not himself ) cannot co-exist with talented people. RA's offense is more on passing. Unless he changes his style, as RA said recently,

One thing, DEFENSE. We're not getting good looks and we are moving poorly defensively.

 

I don't think there's been a huge dropoff defensively. From the players who were here last year, all of them except McGrady are playing with the same defensive attention and intensity. McGrady seems to be coasting more than usual on the defensive end, and we've introduced other players into the rotation that have not played as well on that end.

There seems to be several popular rationales for the poor performance:

(1) Adelman isn't doing a good job coaching his system
(2) JVG personnel are preventing Adelman from implementing his system
(3) Lack of passion/leadership from McGrady is filtering down to the rest of the players
(4) Tough schedule
(5) Players are just in a shooting slump, and it will eventually come around.

The optimist goes with (4) and (5), the JVG apologist goes with (1), the JVG hater goes with (2), and the T-Mac hater goes with (3).

Sorry to compartmentalize it in that way, and I know it's probably a mixture or combination of some of those, but I think that pretty much covers it.

I think what's happened is the new guards we brought in (Mike, Steve, and effectively Bonzi) to bring some offensive punch to the team have performed well below par. I would say that falls on them and on the Rockets management (Morey et. al.). Scola has come around more slowly than was probably anticipated, though that's more understandable. Most of us expected this group to play well under Adelman, but it hasn't happened.

Consequentially, Adelman has elected to rely more on the personnel from last year -- guys who are used to playing with each other and have demonstrated that they can at least play defense at a high level. Basically, he's trying to keep our heads above the water with a rotation that provides steady defense, instead of risking a complete breakdown by going with the new guys. The problem, of course, is that the personnel from last year is less than ideal for running his offense.

 

i expected a slow start. Some adjustments, some woes and such, but I did not expect to see the team quit like it has in a few games. I didn't expect to see so little energy.

I'm not freaking out yet, but im certainly not happy with it all. I said I would give them until mid-january as a rgace period before i get overly critical. unfortunately, thats just around the corner and I'm not seeing much that looks like a step in the right direction.

 

anyone who has listened to calvin commentate over the years would tell you that he is very knowledgeable about the game.....Barry seems pretty good also, but I think he cuts tmac some slack, because he used to play with him.....I listen to calvin's show sometime and he seems pretty on point about tmac, the rockets problems as a team, etc............

 

I for one am NOT renouncing my fandom but I must admit that I have not been this frustrated with this team since before T-Mac got here. Saturday's game was a disgrace and completely inexcusable! Remember, they're supposedly professionals. They get paid to perform not screw up! Christ, try to at least fake you're trying to compete.

It's been a long time since a regular season game riled me up like the debacle vs the Mavs. If you just look at the score you're missing the point. From up 41-38 to down 94-74 with 2 min left in the game.

Like I said "where's the pride, professionalism, desire, anger, emotion ... ANYTHING!"

If the ship is not steering on the right course, the ship mates WILL question the Captain as they should ...

I'm a fan but, I'M (not upset) try PISSED OFF right now with MY Rockets!

 

... and your rockets got beaten by your most hated team. that hurtz.