T-MAC MVP?

[HMcCoy]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

Good stuff. Browsing through his game logs, he's also turned the ball over ALOT less in Feb/Mar. He was a turnover machine through most of the first half. Gotta give props to Skip, he seems to be thriving. Good chemistry/attitude for the Rox right now.

[chance]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

My top 5
1 Kobe
2 T-Mac
3 KG
4 CP3
5 Bron

Who I think the top 5 will be
1 Kobe
2 Bron
3 T-Mac
4 KG
5 CP3

[Pared]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

T-Mac was playing much better at the beginning of the season IMO.

It's his teammates that are stepping it up. Watch a game and you'll see EVERYONE is involved. Have you seen Mutombo? The man looks re-born!

[stephenyoungchoi]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

T-Mac was playing much better at the beginning of the season IMO.

It's his teammates that are stepping it up. Watch a game and you'll see EVERYONE is involved. Have you seen Mutombo? The man looks re-born!

They are playing amazing right now... Rockets have so much talent and it has finally all started to gel...... imagine if Yao didn't go down.... they would probably be one of the favorites to win it all.....

[23]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

T-Mac was playing much better at the beginning of the season IMO.

It's his teammates that are stepping it up. Watch a game and you'll see EVERYONE is involved. Have you seen Mutombo? The man looks re-born!

Pre injury, I totally agree, but the team was playing like crap.

Those guy are stepping up now. Deke did this same thing last year when Yao went down. The guy is a legend im my book.

Bump the star system, its always more fun watching a team win.
That said, its amazing what you can do when your PG plays like he's not cripple.

[Streets]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

It's interesting to hear the theories about the Rockets turnaround, but I think it's a couple of factors

1. Easy schedule. Beat some cake teams, and build up confidence to play above your level and beat tougher teams.

2. Rafer Alston stepped up (already discussed).

3. Adelman's system is very complex and takes along time to learn. When it works, everyone is involved, scoring is spread out, etc. Adelman had to keep the defense Gundy taught, but basically reprogram the offense. In the beginning we played Gundy-ball because it is what we knew, but slowly the guys learned the new offense, and we are seeing the results now that players are picking it up.

4. Benching Francis and James. These guys have tasted stardom and are somewhat selfish. The "team concept" that the team has now, is really important in our success and is not exactly embraced by James and Franchise.

5. T-Mac and Yao's injuries. Once the "training wheels" came off, so to speak, and the team couldn't stand around and watch the "T-Mac show", the team had to learn to play well in his absence. The early on the job training really helped the team (especially the guards) learn to play well without him. Ditto for Yao (except now the bigs are stepping up more).

6. Adelman >> JVG. I loved Jeff. Was one of his biggest fans. But I understand why Dre calls him "assistant coach". He's one of the greatest defensive teachers, but is limited offensively. Adelman, great coach that he is, has the best of both worlds, with his offense and Jeff's D. He also unlike Jeff is not afraid to use his whole roster, and spread it around instead of riding two players and having them play 2 on 5. Adelman told Steve Novak "If you pump fake, I'm pulling you... you're in there to shoot". He really instills alot of confidence in his players, and lets them play.

[23]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

This is not JVG's defense. Elston Turner spoke about the defense some time ago. You can check the Chron archives.

One difference is, they defend the perimeter much better. JVG was a more pack the lane type defense, and it always left the perimeter wide open, which is one reason why the Rockets would collapse leads in the 2nd half.

Adelman is known as an offensive coach which he is great at, but he has also sold this team on defense, something he has done in the past but doesn't get credit for. The Rockets have been holding opponents to low percentages on this streak.

[Luke4]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

This run just shows how great of a coach Rick Adelman is. Iv lived close to Sacamento my whole life and got to watch him take us from the joke of the league to contenders. I think a lot of people hailed Chris Webber as the reason for the turn around, and didn't credit Adelman for his work. I bet the Kings wish they hadn't let him go after 8 straight playoff runs...

[tehova]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

Article/and diagrams on how the Rockets go to a spread offense without Yao

http://coachingbetterbball.blogspot.com/2008/03/rockets-go-spread-without-yao.html

just realized he didn't diagram this one.......he usually diagrams

[Sheets]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

One difference is, they defend the perimeter much better. JVG was a more pack the lane type defense, and it always left the perimeter wide open, which is one reason why the Rockets would collapse leads in the 2nd half.

And if you go up against a good shooting team in the playoffs, that lax perimeter defense can get you blown out by 40 points in game 7.

Watching the Rockets this season, I think their overall defense is MUCH better than it was under Van Gundy. I give Van Gundy credit for instilling a defensive attitude in the players (the most important part of defense), but his actual tactics were fool's gold, doomed to fail in the playoffs. Under Adelman, the Rockets have been swarming teams all over the court. They don't concede anything.

[23]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

And if you go up against a good shooting team in the playoffs, that lax perimeter defense can get you blown out by 40 points in game 7.

Watching the Rockets this season, I think their overall defense is MUCH better than it was under Van Gundy. I give Van Gundy credit for instilling a defensive attitude in the players (the most important part of defense), but his actual tactics were fool's gold, doomed to fail in the playoffs. Under Adelman, the Rockets have been swarming teams all over the court. They don't concede anything.

This post is completely spot on. The Rockets always got spanked from the perimeter and one of JVG's biggest weaknesses (lack of adjustments, or unwillingness to adjust) kept them in that state.

[HMcCoy]

Re: T-MAC MVP?

I dunno...Pop and the Spurs have been pretty good using that same strategy, as are the Celts and Cavs. Your players have to have the dedication and energy to run out and challenge the perimeter while still packing the lane.

Seems to work pretty well for some teams...