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Could someone wiser than me explain exactly what the problem is with this Rockets team?

I don't want to hear anything about overachieving last year. I don't think that is the case at all. Last year we saw a team that fought tooth & nail and overcame tremendous injury concerns to succeed. This year the team is supposed to be better (on paper), but they don't come close to resembling the fantastic Rockets team from last season.

Is it coaching? Is it Harden? Is it just early in the season?

That last one is what I'm hoping is the answer, but we all know that there is no margin for error in the Western Conference. What is it going to take to right this ship?

I think it has to do with the coaching, tbh. McHale has never been a great X's and O's guy but at least he was able to motivate his players for the past couple of seasons. That doesn't seem to be working right now. I think we need a great motivator AND a good/great X's and O's guy.

Thibs or Scott Brooks, anyone?

Lazy Faizy wrote:I think it has to do with the coaching, tbh. McHale has never been a great X's and O's guy but at least he was able to motivate his players for the past couple of seasons. That doesn't seem to be working right now. I think we need a great motivator AND a good/great X's and O's guy.

Thibs or Scott Brooks, anyone?

To me it seems teams have figured out how the Rockets play. Coaching is the problem here. It's were it all starts. I'm all up for Thibs, I think this team needs an experienced coach with a good track record. Someone that will get after his players when their being lazy (Harden). H to the E to the double hockey sticks NO to Scott Brooks. He's another Kevin McHale. I want a REAL coach, not a motivational coach!

It Is I Folks wrote:

Lazy Faizy wrote:I think it has to do with the coaching, tbh. McHale has never been a great X's and O's guy but at least he was able to motivate his players for the past couple of seasons. That doesn't seem to be working right now. I think we need a great motivator AND a good/great X's and O's guy.

Thibs or Scott Brooks, anyone?

To me it seems teams have figured out how the Rockets play. Coaching is the problem here. It's were it all starts. I'm all up for Thibs, I think this team needs an experienced coach with a good track record. Someone that will get after his players when their being lazy (Harden). H to the E to the double hockey sticks NO to Scott Brooks. He's another Kevin McHale. I want a REAL coach, not a motivational coach!

Harden actually really likes Thibs, said he was part of the reason he had so much success last year so I think it's a good idea. I don't think anything McHale is doing is bad he has just lost control of this team and it seems they no longer want to play hard for him


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They had a players only meeting earlier today. I hope they were able to air out whatever issues they have and get their **** together because the way they've been playing is pathetic:

"We brought everything up in the meeting, everything turned out well," Lawson said. "We got open feelings and communication. I feel like we're on the same page now."

...

"It was a good talk for us," Harden said. "We hadn't had an opportunity to communicate like that since the season had been going. It was good for us to communicate and each guy basically said what their role was and every single night they're going to contribute to that role. After the talk we had a really good practice, guys communicated we worked hard and now it's about carrying it over. It's about doing it on the floor."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14155482/houston-rockets-hold-players-only-meeting-amid-four-game-losing-streak

K_chile22 wrote:

It Is I Folks wrote:

Lazy Faizy wrote:I think it has to do with the coaching, tbh. McHale has never been a great X's and O's guy but at least he was able to motivate his players for the past couple of seasons. That doesn't seem to be working right now. I think we need a great motivator AND a good/great X's and O's guy.

Thibs or Scott Brooks, anyone?

To me it seems teams have figured out how the Rockets play. Coaching is the problem here. It's were it all starts. I'm all up for Thibs, I think this team needs an experienced coach with a good track record. Someone that will get after his players when their being lazy (Harden). H to the E to the double hockey sticks NO to Scott Brooks. He's another Kevin McHale. I want a REAL coach, not a motivational coach!

Harden actually really likes Thibs, said he was part of the reason he had so much success last year so I think it's a good idea. I don't think anything McHale is doing is bad he has just lost control of this team and it seems they no longer want to play hard for him


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Thibs would obviously be incredible but I'm willing to see if the players meeting does something.


I blame Khloe.

Remember the easy baskets Adelman's offense got us?

after a thorough and intricate analysis, i discovered that since the team relied heavily on harden last season, by cutting off harden's balls, khloe also in retrospect cut off the whole team's balls. thats the only thing that makes sense to me.

Guess they decided it was McHale?

I think its a lot simpler than that myself. Harden was likely the 2nd best player in the league last year after Steph and just carried the team. He's gotten off to a slow start and the team remains totally dependent on him offensively. I had thought Lawson would have eased some of that burden but he hadn't gotten really adjusted to the Rockets system yet. Will be interesting to see if the coaching change maybe helps jump start his game?

I hope that the mentality is not that a coaching change is all that was needed. The players have a lot to prove now.

I'm a bulls fan but after seeing the Houston Rockets come from a 1-3 deficit to the clippers in the playoffs and come back and get into the wcf was very impressive, much respect to you guys. I think letting go of Josh Smith and signing Lawson was a bad move. Josh Smith was a really good fit in Houston and tbh it benefited both the Rockets and Josh Smith. Lawson is on the down slope right now with alcohol and other off the court issues and distractions. I think Rondo would have been a better fit, but good luck the rest of the season guys hope things turn around for the Rockets.

I think this is really unfortunate. Team meeting, players only, and then McHale is fired. Looks to me like the team lays blame on coach and went running to Morey about it. I wonder if they brought up Harden's lack of everything up in the meeting.

Hope for the sake of the Rocket fans that this team gets their act together. That said a team led by Howard and Harden is not going to win a ring.

the magical basketball gods effect when you have a coach who's not a hof'er for too long. the players lose interest, and no matter how many wide open threes they get, they cant make any. some completey forget how to play defense, or become blind and forget they have a 6'11 freak of nature waiting to abuse teams in the paint. even if you traded for an all star caliber player, he'll lose his powers under this long standing coach. its dark magic, and it must be dispelled by hiring a new coach. IT IS THE ONLY WAY!

LET THE BRICKFEST CONTINUE!

My best guess is Khloe. Nothing else makes sense.
I could see losing some defense. Our offense should be vastly improved. Nothing else makes sense.

moofs wrote:My best guess is Khloe. Nothing else makes sense.
I could see losing some defense. Our offense should be vastly improved. Nothing else makes sense.

That doesn't even make sense. Harden started the season just as bad from the field last year. Nothing makes sense. This team is just missing open jumpers and getting demoralized watching every shot brick off the rim


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EmperorLocky wrote:I think this is really unfortunate. Team meeting, players only, and then McHale is fired. Looks to me like the team lays blame on coach and went running to Morey about it. I wonder if they brought up Harden's lack of everything up in the meeting.

Hope for the sake of the Rocket fans that this team gets their act together. That said a team led by Howard and Harden is not going to win a ring.

No, because I don't think that his teammates have the same irrational hatred of him that many fans seem to do.

It's still early and I feel some players think, it's just gonna come on. While some are still resting on last season's accomplishments. Harden thinks he can do the same and get the same results, and he is sadly mistaken. Every team has gotten better, even OKC now, so you have to improve, and no one on this team has. We're playing the same this year, like we did last year, and sure you can say the shots aren't falling, but other teams are improved. Westbrook's shot is improved, Warriors def is better and more of their bench players are stepping up, Spurs got LA. So far, it looks like the rockets partied all summer.

We won't make the playoffs. I just don't see us improving in the season, when other teams have been improving all summer. Hard to overcome that head start.

PocketRockets wrote:It's still early and I feel some players think, it's just gonna come on. While some are still resting on last season's accomplishments. Harden thinks he can do the same and get the same results, and he is sadly mistaken. Every team has gotten better, even OKC now, so you have to improve, and no one on this team has. We're playing the same this year, like we did last year, and sure you can say the shots aren't falling, but other teams are improved. Westbrook's shot is improved, Warriors def is better and more of their bench players are stepping up, Spurs got LA. So far, it looks like the rockets partied all summer.

We won't make the playoffs. I just don't see us improving in the season, when other teams have been improving all summer. Hard to overcome that head start.

I think this team can forget being a top seed and now focus on just getting in as a 6 seed or something. This team is better as a dog anyhow so I think they can get that done.

Hope is not lost. JB is doing some encouraging things already and losing to a good Memphis team in their gym isn't anything to be ashamed about.

jetlife_ wrote:

EmperorLocky wrote:I think this is really unfortunate. Team meeting, players only, and then McHale is fired. Looks to me like the team lays blame on coach and went running to Morey about it. I wonder if they brought up Harden's lack of everything up in the meeting.

Hope for the sake of the Rocket fans that this team gets their act together. That said a team led by Howard and Harden is not going to win a ring.

No, because I don't think that his teammates have the same irrational hatred of him that many fans seem to do.

Oh oh, someone hates someone because they have criticised them. Damn 21st century and all their progressive and easily offended people. Do you really think Harden has been playing effectively for the team as their star player and leader?

told you McHale isn't the problem
unfortunately head coach usually take the blame when some thing doesn't go right