If we have any chance of winning in the playoffs - looking back, you have to hand it do the coach for being a master at getting his players to buy in to what he wants. Just all across the board the evidence is iron tight that he is the best at getting players into line: T-mac: Turned a guy with a reputation as lackadasical and a quiter into a ring thirsty hungry MF. Yao: Took a guy known as soft and gentle, polite and got him to stare down guys after dunks. Now his finest work: Juwon Howard: How much has this guy improved? The guy has become the consumate team player. This is juwon howard we're talking about. A guy spurned by other teams as soft and selfish. Bonzi Wells; who in the world would have ever thought this guy was tamable. "I don't need practice" man is now towing the company line? WTF??? The level of discipline is pretty fantastic. And it's amazing how much his players respect him and never criticize the coach - with the exception of VSPAN.
You've got to hand it to the fans (Not you NewYorker), some are praying we have another first round exit just to get rid of JVG.
I don't know anyone rooting for a first round exit. I am certainly not a fan of JVG, but everyone wants the Rockets to win. DD
I am confident about getting past Utah-this team will do well in that series IMHO-and the sky is the limit after that with team confidence soaring. I Support this coach because I am a Rockets fan. with 21 to 22 sellouts this season (I'm not sure how many)- Van Gundy is not going anywhere - this product is selling to the customers. I expect him to get a 3 year extension and the Rockets to be competitive at the highest level in the Western conference.
I hope you are right. I don't like JVG, and think he could do a lot better job if he would develop his bench and loosen the reigns on his players some. I also am not satisfied that with Yao in his prime and Tmac pretty close to it, the team is still only a number 5 seed. Just 2 years ago...we were a number 5 seed to Dallas, and since then...Dallas has gone to greater heights while the Rockets have been treading water.... Not good enough ! DD
I think they won at about the same percentage when he was out, right? So, even though it is a guess, you would have to say...yes. DD
Fans wanting to lose in the first round? what kind of nutty logic is that? so if and when the Rockets advance, if and when JVG gets an extension, will you all stop the whining? will you all say you were wrong about the coach that got your team out of the first round, the coach that got your team 50 wins for the first time in ten years? for the coach the guided one of the best defensive team in Rockets history? GO ROCKETS , UNDER THE WISE TUTELAGE OF JEFF VAN GUNDY PROVE THE HATERS WRONG
yao has played about half a season. tmac missed 9 games but a few more games he's not fully healthy. and we haven't added or fully integrated pieces like bonzi
Exactly! This year's Rockets is not better than 2004-05 Rockets. The Rockets has been treading water in JVG era. In WCF, there are many teams in better position to improve their roaster next season than the Rockets: the Suns, the Nuggets, the Lakers. Next season will be another season of treading water. I just dont see how could you improve the Rockets roaster drastically with a late draft pick and tight wallet.
I personally wouldn't bring up Bonzi as an example of success on Van Gundy's part. Or anyone's part, Bonzi being his own worst enemy.
The roster changes to the Rockets seperates this team from the 04-05 team. In fact, there are only four (five if counting Sura) players from the 04-05 team, Yao, T-Mac, Mutombo, Howard, and since Sura doesn't do much to the team chemistry, let's make it 4. That's 11 new players since the 04-05 season, 11 new players JVG has to intergrate into his rigorous system, he has managed to get these players to play defence. This is not the 04-05 team that JVG has been allowed to work on in the past two years, this is an entirely new team.
Tmac close to his prime? The guy is always hurt now and he has shoot a lot better in the past. He is definitely still good but way past his prime.
I'm not sure if the Rockets would be ahead of the 5th seed (as that would mean they'd have to overtake the Spurs), but I'm very confident in saying we would've had homecourt against the Jazz locked up tight if Yao had played the whole season...and I think we would've actually had a good chance of overtaking the Spurs...but I honestly think we're in a better situation at the 5th seed, like I've said many times, I'd rather play the Mavs in the second round than the Suns. (I'd also rather play the Jazz than the Lakers in the first round)
damn right i said it, if i had one wish it would be for the rox to win a championship, but if i had a chance to change something from the team, it would be JVG.
