[Chicago Tribune] Van Gundy bad for Rockets, Yao

Who cares what Chicagoans think and screw Phil. Why should he inherit a good team that is already destined to win championships so he can steal all the glory.

 

"Trader" Sam Smith is a yellow journalist to be kind, and predominately writes about rumors he himself is creating. Rarely does he talk about anything that has a source or fact behind it. When I see the Tribune as the citation, I grab a few grains of salt.

Evan

 

Ridiculous and when did Jvg admire Jackson they hate eachother and cussed eachother out in game 3 last year.

 

He did make an observation that coincided with my observations of how Yao is used under JVG:

All season long, I have watched and railed at how JVG has Yao setting all of those high screens and then struggling to get back on defense down low when it's obvious that he's simply not quick enough to do this effectively. With the hole at PF, this opens up a big gap in their interior defense allowing opposing players to attack the hoop. Yao then gets caught being the point of last defense trying to defend against the slasher (often a smaller quicker player) thereby getting called for the foul. He gets called for fouls trying to take the charge, trying NOT to take the charge, trying to block the shot, trying not to block the shot and so on. This doesn't happen to Shaq because he's used in a such a way as to maximize his strengths and is not being asked to do things he's physically incapable of doing.

In the Dallas series, Yao's play took off when he was allowed to setup down low, stay there and work the pick-and-roll with TMac. Down on the blocks, the Mavs had no answer for his size but the Rockets were unable to exploit this advantage consistently in the Dallas series. While the offseason talk in Houston will inevidently center around getting better players around Yao & TMac, I also believe that a serious look needs to be taken at how Yao is being used and what can be done to maximize his effectiveness.

 

I want JVG to stay. This team is steadily improving.

PJ needs to stay away.

 

Let's see :

1) We just took a team we had no reason to be running with to 7 games.
2) We just had the opposing coach say that we're one of the most prepared teams we've played all year.
3) JVG's players are constantly saying that he pepares them for every game.
4) His superstar player says that he's the best coach he's ever played for and has improved his defense. He's learning more about basketball and not just playing basketball.
5) His former players speak highly of him.
6) He took a superstar, a star, and some at-best scrubs to good players from other teams to the first round of the playoffs. All this while still making major roster changes and revamping the team during the season.
7) We had no PF and played against a team that had a great one (depending on where he played during the series) - and effectively made him an "ok" player for the series at best.
8) Although we didn't have great individual defenders at most positions, we had the 2nd best FG% defense in the league.
9) Regarding the quote about JVG would rather blame others. Give me a break : JVG rarely blames others. He often blames himself and his team.
10) As for why Yao runs out of energy late in games -- duh? -- he was running out of energy much earlier in games when Rudy was coaching. It's conditioning Sammy. It's why JVG and Co. put him on a conditioning program with Anthony Falsone during the off-season.
11) "You have to feel sorry for Tracy McGrady, who finally is playing like Jordan in his early years." That's funny since TMac has openly said that JVG is the best coach he's played for and he's learning more under this system. So I guess TMac must be not be feeling too sorry for himself, Sam.


And... I'm supposed to believe Sam "I'm in Chicago, I love Phil Jackson" Smith? I swear I can be a reporter if all it takes is some opinionated crap with not much backing it up. Yes, I could be a Sam Smith.

 

Very good points and backed up with facts. But I do believe that you don't want to be Sam Smith

 

I suppose it's a compliment that the Rockets are seen as the best team for Phil Jackson to do some coat-tail-riding to his next championship. But, Moochie and Baker are all the freeloaders this team needs. I'm not crazy about Van Gundy, but to say he's been bad for the Rockets is idiotic. And, if I thought getting used to having JVG was hard, I can't imagine what having to see PJ on our sidelines would be like.

 

When the Rockets were winning, the articles around the country trumpeted how JVG was the first to get TMac to play hard and commit to winning and how he had taken a team consisting of two good players and a raft of cast-offs and role players to 51 wins and a possible playoff success. After a couple of losses, the articles now read what a terribly over-rated and, ultimately, horrible coach JVG is.

The people that call themselves "sports journalists" (the very definition of an oxymoron) are nothing more than sports fans who got lucky and found a job writing about the game. Their articles read more like Monday-morning quarterbacking than any true analysis and prognostication.

Therefore, it's hardly worth getting upset with regards to what any of them have to say or write.

 

Actually you easily could be. It only takes a couple of breaks and the right connections.

 

He's clearly biased against JVG, but that doesn't mean he can't make a valid point.

JVG hasn't maximized Yao's talents. Lack of high post offense, Chase and recover on PNR defense, the list goes on...

We should all hope to see those changes next year.

 

Yao played great all series (except Game 6). Do you really think you really know better than his coaches the best way to use him?

 

What, don't we all?

Hey, I'm not indicting JVG. I was screaming the JVG chants as loud as anyone in Game 6. As far as the Mavs series goes, the Rockets used Yao the same way they've used him most of the year - as a glorified finisher on offense and a chase and recover guy on the PNR.

I want JVG as our coach. He showed flexibility this year going perimeter with this team. I just hope next year he will make some changes in Yao's role that coincide with his improvement - Specifically as an initiator of the offense and a sag into the paint 7'6" beast on defense.

TMac can't carry the load alone.

 

So now JVG is the scapegoat of the media.

Look, they have to find someone to blame for the Rockets' loss, never mind the fact that they were (sort of) in a rebuilding mode this year and had a bunch of over-the-hill veterans and lost their only capable PF for the playoffs and took a team that was deeper and more talented to seven games. Obviously you can't blame TMac because he's had one of the greatest series by any player in recent years. Before game 7 people were flaming on Yao for being "weak". All of a sudden he had a good game and they had to lay off on him also.

So who else is left? You can't blame guys like Bob Sura, Jon Barry, and Mike James because honestly they are what they are--role players. Blaming them don't sell papers.

Hey, blame the coach, you know, that little bald guy who just made national headlines by calling out King David. It's a no-lose situation. The NBA hates him. And the rest of world will hate him if we say so.

Tiz bad, vary bad.

 

Crap, I dont want to hear this Jackson talk. This is not fair to JVG.

 

Yeah, JVG has his faults as well as merits. Aside from playing the ref game with Stern and getting burned, improper defensive schemes and arrangements on Yao and others, the most glaring hole is the lack of guts to tell the guards do what's obvious regarding maximizing Yao's impact- pick and roll, commitment on entry pass and lob pass.

On offense the Rockets failed to consistently get Yao the ball. They become too guards play happy and ignored Yao to some extent. They need to find a reason based on high standard to get Yao the ball - perfect position, being open for longer than 3 seconds, continually hitting the shots, or when down 10 points etc. It's like Yao needs to pass their game by game evaluation to get the ball. The guards play can get by in the regular season, but in the playoffs it's another matter. Not only our guards aren't that talented with real skills, they are also old and slow. Dallas chose to shut down the guards in the last game and it worked. So the hapless guards were forced to turn to Yao for the first time 100%. It's only when their season was on the line did it dawn on them that there is Yao. Entry pass made, lob pass made, and Yao answered. They waited to do what should be done a long time ago when it's only too late.

On dedense Yao has a very taxing load to handle for someone of his size and speed. It reduces his stamina, gives him more fouls and reduces playing time. The guards also rely too much on Yao and Deke to cover up for their mistakes at times.

Basically, Yao is sacrificing his stats here by sticking to JVG's game plan, without the appreciation of fans. If JVG builds the team around Yao and maximizes his potential as well as minimizes his deficiency, he would average 24/10 already. Some pick and rolls, more touches in the post, some open jumpers as well as longer playing time with less defensive tasks will guarantee that. The good news is the Rockets still have a mine to exploit named Yao.

Don't get me wrong, in no way I'm saying JVG sucks and should be fired. Or he's the main culprit of our loss. The two teams were very good and every mistake could be critical. The blame goes to the whole team. I appreciate the good things Jeff brings to the table. Although it's admirable of JVG to stand up to Stern and the refs, he was not in a position to do it, nor at the proper time. So let's calm down and don't make JVG as a hero that's untouchable. The man is human and has to err.

 

funny.

the rockets win the first two games and the media gushes how JVG outcoached AJ.

one week later ...

 

At first I hated JVG and wanted him gone. As the year played out, we acquired players that better suit his system and things started clicking. I think JVG is a good coach when he has the right players, and he'll be great for the Rockets as long as we keep getting the right pieces to fit the mold. I don't mind having him here as long as this happens. From the last couple of years, my opinion is that he's a VERY capable and knowledgeable coach. X's and O's are his strength, and he works hard to make sure his players are prepared and know what to expect. He knows the game so well and goes to great lengths to educate his players.

However, I think where JVG falls short is in his ability to emotionally prepare players. This is where Rudy was at his best. No matter how much knowledge a team has, if it doesn't play with heart and emotion, it will only get so far. The extra piece in the formula is often the emotion and chemistry a team plays with.

This is where I believe PJ has the edge on JVG. He takes basketball to another level, another dimension. It's not just X's and O's with that guy, it's X's, O's, lifestyle, diet, posture, attitude, spirituality, etc. JVG talks about how players need to get tougher, more composed, smarter, grittier but isn't willing to let those things develop during the game. PJ's players end up smart, composed, and gritty because he's willing to let them play on when they've been outscored 10-0 and the situation calls for them to dig deep and bail themselves out. In the short run teams will collapse and fold a few times, but as time goes on and they've experienced it more and more, his method will pay off.

I'd be perfectly happy if JVG continued as our coach, but if we got PJ i'd be even happier. It's like upgrading from a Mercedes to a Bently.

 

You people are unbelievable. JVG stuck his neck out for us and you are calling Jackson to be your coach. Did we have petition to support JVG 3 days ago. With the talents we have it's amazing that we could even take Dallas to game 7 and had shots at them.

 

I don't get why people keep saying this. The Rockets had at the very least 2 of the 3 best players in the series. Considering Dirk shot 35 percent for the series, you could say they had the two best players. For all the talk of that great Dallas depth, Jerry Stackhouse is the only guy on their bench that did anything in the series. Their depth really amounts to one guy. In the playoffs, rotations are usually shortened anyway, so depth is less important. Add to this that a big topic going into the series and through the first two games was how inexperienced Avery Johnson was, how he didn't know how to coach in the playoffs, and how JVG was going to take him to school. If all that is supposed to be true, that's another advantage to the Rockets - now you have a team with better talent at the top, where I contend it's most important, and a superior coach. I don't get how people can now say that the Rockets were supposedly so overmatched in this series.

I probably shouldn't have put this here b/c it looks like I'm jumping in with JVG criticism, but that's not the case. I've never been a fan of Phyllis and don't think JVG should be removed. I do have questions about Yao being stationed up top defensively so much, but am willing to listen to rationale as to why that's a sound strategy.