Brilliant move to start Ryan Bowen and not play Spoon, how many coaches would change from a rotation that won you your last 7 games, victories that included 4 playoff teams. This guy is a great coach, now is he going to start Bowen for the rest of the series or has he got something else up his sleeves. My guess is he does, maybe he starts Deke, maybe he goes with the twin towers of Yao and Deke. What rabbit do you think JVG pulls out of his hat? Also, its a damn shame that JVG wasn't given some recognition for Coach of year. I was watching NBA TV and the analysts mentioned D'Antoni, Skiles and Carlisle. I'll take JVG over those bozo's anyday. D'Antoni has like 5 stud athletes, so why should he be COY. Skiles was given recognition for turning around the Bulls after losing their first nine games. Carlisle because he lost all those players to suspensions and injuries. Well JVG has gotten this team to the playoffs with a team that has the fewest athletes, and is slow and old. We also went 6-11 but finished with 51 wins and our lineup has had multiple makeovers. I think the votes are all in, but I hope JVG makes the voters eat crow by winning the whole enchilada.
Well, "If it's not broke, don't fix it." I wouldn't expect him to take Bowen off Dirk unless adjustments have to be made. If....more like when we have to start doubling Dirk up most of his possesions, the coach will handle that. And we all know JVG is the king of making in and post game adjustments. That's one of the reasons i think we'll win this series. Avery Johnson will make a great coach one day, i think he already has done a great job since taking over, but he can't out coach JVG right now. His only real hope is to win on his team's talent. His little pep talks will only do so much.
I'm not sure what he'll do, but I'm pretty sure what he'll emphasize. Establishing Yao. IMHO. a major part of the Rockets' Game 1 success was hitting their shots (47.4%) and thus nearly eliminating the Mavs transition game. And all of us recognize that Dirk is a load in transition. Again, just my opinion but for the most part the Rockets reduced the Mavs to a perimeter jump shooting team. I'd prep for Dirk taking Bowen down into the low post and make sure everyone knows when and where to double and what the rotations will be. Avery seems less willing to play a junk zone than Nellie. But at some point the Mavs are going to have to figure out how to stop the Rockets PnR's. A zone would somewhat limit the PnR. But I'd more expect the Mavs to hard trap (double) McGrady out of the PnR so a refresher course in where everyone goes after the trap would be in order. I don't think JVG will change anything major but I'm pretty sure he'll prep for what the Mavs are going to do.
I think this is an accurate statement. Rockets' hot shooting in Game 1 was excellent but shouldn't be counted upon for Game 2. Points in the paint is still a higher percentage score and to get those points we need to establish Yao. Yao should hypothetically have his way with Dampier. Given how good a rebounder Dampier is, it's probably 1 FG and out. Dallas also sneakily sends two at Yao, sometimes from teh blind side, for steals. The Rox need to send more cutters to the hoop so Yao can catch and pass or catch and shoot while keeping the defense honest. Among the more glaring stats that were "advantage: Mavs" was offensive rebounding. Yao needs to be securing those defensive rebounds to make it one and out for the Mavs on the defensive side. <whew! that's all on Yao> Apart from that, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't go with Ryan Bowen again. if Ryan is a poor man's version of Dirk, then Padgett would be a REALLY poor man's version of Ryan. Whichever way the Rockets go, it'll still come back to team defense and clogging up the middle. Historically, I don't think Dallas ran many pick and rolls per se with Dirk b/c Dirk could just pul up and shoot over people. After Game 1, I wouldn't be surprised if Dallas began running mor pnr against the Rox and forcing Yao to guard Dirk where Dirk might have an advantage over the slower-footed Yao. <uh oh it's back to Yao again> Bottom line: Yao needs to show up. -theSAGE
Good call, just heard Dirk's post-game interview on TV and he mentioned the Rox were a good defensive team because Yao and Deke clogged the middle and he said that the team would have to talk about how to adjust for that. Looks like for Game 2, Mavs are going to attack the basket and the PNR and dribble penetration will be the theme of this game. Yao may foul out all 7 games at this rate, glad Deke is backing Yao up. Deke is going to be huge in the playoffs because Yao is going to be in foul trouble a lot of games.
bowen will start again. the playoffs are about adjustments. les see how avery counters before we move. yao did show up IMO. 11-8 in 20 minutes is pretty damn good. if he doesnt get in foul trouble in game 2 then we can expect 16-12 in 30 minutes.
If I were coach, I would start Spoon for game 2. Two reasons. One, just to keep them off balance. I figure they are drawing up plans to have Dirk post up inside. Let's be prepared for that. Two, the advantage for the Mavs to exploit with Spoon, is to shoot outside rather than take it in. The master plan is to establish Dirk as a jump shooter only.
Good thing you're not the coach. Why would you change something that works? If the Mavs adjust then we can adjust. But why would you take Bowen off Dirk if he did a good job?
Somehow I'm not satisfied with those numbers....we're about to give this guy a max contract so I am hoping for a little more...color me unrealistic then. One thing I noticed is that Padgett didn't get alot of minutes. This translates to me that JVG thought he would have a tought time on Dirk. Hopefully he'll find minutes for The Body.
I'm not satisfied either but I'm not satisified ONLY with the 6 fouls. When Yao was on the floor, Yao got his shots off. When Yao didn't get his shot off, he often got fouled and was shooting free throws. Yao was a major force in this game...when he was in. When Yao gets more minutes, it'll be more evident.
There are plenty of adjustments we'll have to make: 1.) Stackhouse vs. Wesley - I felt the mavs should have exploited this mis-match much more. Frankly, if I was AJ, I'd put Stackhouse out there from the start. 2.) Dirk will post up down low - When he stands out by the 3 point line, he's playing right into the Rockets' defense. T-Mac can guard him out there, and Bowen can guard him out there. If, however, Dirk would just go down low, he'd realize he'd have a much bigger advantage. Of course, being just a low-post player is not really Dirk's MO, so we'll have to see if he's going to make the commitment. 3.) Yao - When he was in the game, the offense was working pretty well... and he got a couple of hook shots, which are very high-percentage. He'll be a difference maker before the series is done.
I wouldn't go so far as to say he was a "force" except for a little in the forth quarter (mentioned in Clutch's recap), but I agree with what you said. Yao can get his shot against Dallas. And it should get easier from here on out.... 1) Yao is smart, but tenative. He should be receptive to JVG and the things he says. Game 2 should be familiar to him, and maybe that will translate to a better performance. 2) Dallas will be forced to change their defense, and hopefully Yao will make them pay if this happens. 3) [conspiracy theory] There are 1 billion people in China buying NBA products. Are those refs really going to let him foul out of a playoff game??
It wouldn’t shock me if Van Gundy has another big surprise in store for Avery Johnson, like having Yao come off the bench or some other crazy move that the Mavs aren’t expecting. The thing that stood out to me most the first game was just how unprepared Avery Johnson and the Mavs were. He looked like a rookie coach that’s in over his head. They had absolutely no plan to stop Mcgrady. They had no idea that Van Gundy would let Bowen and Mcgrady guard Dirk. The players all looked like deer in headlights. Just a week ago AJ was adamant that Dirk was not going to play center in the playoffs. Yet, in the first game of the playoffs, AJ panics and plays Dirk at the 5 for half the game. I say keep testing Avery Johnson’s coaching ability by throwing curveballs his way.
They call KVH the 5. JVG caught them with their pants down regarding Spoon. Spoon was even quoted in the papers the day before talking about his starting assignment of Dirk. IMO, JVG still has Padgett and Spoon as "bullets". The offense is completely different when you have a ~40% 3P shooter like Padgett vs. Bowen. Avery is extremely personable and knows how to relate to his players and develop their games, but when it comes to pure X's and O's, I don't think there's anyone out there better than JVG. In the playoffs, everyone's motivated; it's all about who can find the ways to win.
Give him enough talent (but it doesn't neccesarily have to be more than the other teams'), and JVG will approach Belicheck status.
Mavs are probably going to try to bull their way in the paint to draw BS fouls like they did for a stretch yesterday. They better try that crap in Dallas while they can, cause they are not gonna get so many questionable calls in Houston. It would be so nice for us to get a questionable call for once, instead of having points randomly deducted from our total.
I actually think the abundance of foul calls ended up hurting the Mavs more than help. They were unable to get any offensive rhythm throughout the game because every other offensive possession for them was stopped due to a foul call.
