Rick Adelman in Houston
- Thread starter Bricklayer
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In the end, people just wanted to dump this guy because he wasn't Phil Jackson. That's pretty much why the Maloofs dumped him. They figured, "We're never going to win it all with this guy."
So they dump him and figure they'll win it all with John Whisenant or Eric Musselman going by the logic that neither of them are Rick Adelman.
Along the way, Musselman somehow got tagged with the reputation as the "defensive minded" coach that Adelman wasn't, even though there was never any evidence to support that theory other than Muss's brilliant slide shows and presentations. The Maloofs of course fawned all over this thinking they were kids in a candy shop. They had found their anti-Adelman. Well I guess they did.
I'm thinking the RA&1 Award may need to be renamed. It's becoming something of a compliment. 
The difference lately is that the rafer that makes his shots has shown up a lot more lately.
What Houston has done to turn their season around is spectacular. Adelman has a lot to do this, especially considering that their team has some wild players. They did very well in the offseason to bring in Scola and Landry and it's a real shame that Yao is injured or they could have a chance to make some real noise. This way, even with the first seed, I'm not sure which team they would be a favorite against in the first round, maybe only GS.
Judging by what I saw yesterday
A) Adleman's strengths are still there: Fantastic Offensive Scheme, great player motivation, management of egos, and FG% defense all signatures, are in full display.
B) Either Adleman prefers the style without Yao or he has improved his ability to adjust on the fly with a new core group, something he lacked IMHO when CW went down.
C) He is still disappointing me with his time-out distribution, or lack there of. He waited for a 15-ish point lead to practically evaporate before calling a timeout. If I didn't already know his tendencies during playoff situations, I wouldn't be concerned, but I fear this aspect of his coaching remains unchanged, and remains a concern against the likes of Pop (slightly better in this regard), Johnson (much better in this regard) and P-Jax (on another plane of existence in this regard).
Nobody is perfect, and Pop excels with being good on only 2 of the 3 major 'great coaching' (new school) categories (Timeout distribution/play-calling/adjustments, Rotation/adjustments, Ego Management), so hopefully this will be enough for Rick to bank on with improved rotation and consistent ego management.
A) Adleman's strengths are still there: Fantastic Offensive Scheme, great player motivation, management of egos, and FG% defense all signatures, are in full display.
B) Either Adleman prefers the style without Yao or he has improved his ability to adjust on the fly with a new core group, something he lacked IMHO when CW went down.
C) He is still disappointing me with his time-out distribution, or lack there of. He waited for a 15-ish point lead to practically evaporate before calling a timeout. If I didn't already know his tendencies during playoff situations, I wouldn't be concerned, but I fear this aspect of his coaching remains unchanged, and remains a concern against the likes of Pop (slightly better in this regard), Johnson (much better in this regard) and P-Jax (on another plane of existence in this regard).
Nobody is perfect, and Pop excels with being good on only 2 of the 3 major 'great coaching' (new school) categories (Timeout distribution/play-calling/adjustments, Rotation/adjustments, Ego Management), so hopefully this will be enough for Rick to bank on with improved rotation and consistent ego management.
huh? Time-out distribution? Could you explain about the distribution more?
I didn't realized that time-out needs to be distributed correctly for you to get the best of your time out. I always thought it was a method use for organizing a plan, get the team together, stop a play, save the ball, injured player, execute a plan, stop the clock, or something like that
I didn't realized that time-out needs to be distributed correctly for you to get the best of your time out. I always thought it was a method use for organizing a plan, get the team together, stop a play, save the ball, injured player, execute a plan, stop the clock, or something like that
Um, what, you mean when the Kings were something like 43-13 without Webb that year? It's very similar, Rick knows how to win even when his star goes down (until the playoffs, of course, but you need a superstar to win there). I wouldn't be surprised if this Houston team follows a very similar trajectory as that squad.
That's not even a competent attempt to discredit Rick -- he is just about the single BEST coach in the NBA at "adjusting on the fly". While its hardly something he could have looked forward too, it made him a perfect candidate for the always injured Rockets, because his teams in Sacto were perennially injured as well and yet they rarely missed a beat. Then he lands a Ron Artest midseason in his final year, and boom, instant adjustment and big playoff run.
And yes, as noted above, when Webber went down all Adelman did was respond with the best or second best record in the NBA while he was out.
As far as what 'distribution' refers to, it was just a clever way of saying he is the type of coach (and there are a LOT of them) who waits for the last second, or perhaps after it is too late, to call a time out during a momentum shift. There are only 2 or 3 coaches who I have seen who use timeouts to counter this in the NBA. Not all of them have won titles, either.
I don't judge a coach on how many titles they have won (example, I can't stand Pat Reily, yet I respect what P-Jax has done. I liked Carlisle, but loath watching Jerry Slone, etc.)
The adjustment on the fly had nothing to do with the next season after CW went down. I was talking about that Dallas series itself.
In this situation, the Rox were dominating, Yao went down (a very different player than Deke or the bench guys) they adjusted and continued the streak. I find this akin to a 7 game playoff series. I felt that even w/o CW, the Kings were still good enough to get past Dallas, and while it is certainly a huge blow, physically and psychologically, do doubt, IMHO Rick was capable of winning that series with the talent he had left. The momentum was on the Kings' side.
I don't believe I ever said Rick was a bad coach. I just don't think he is as good as his record implies, and things like waiting to call time outs to make those adjustments that were never made, or not made in a timely fashion, is why he hasn't won with the talent he has had. And I make sure to give him credit where credit is due: He is no worse an ego manager than P-Jax. His schemes on O are phenomenal, and fairly decent on D. But I feel, watching games he coaches, that in the crunch, he looks like a deer in the headlights. I am yelling at my TV for him to call a time out that never comes, or comes too late. I don't do that with P-Jax, as he usually calls one before I get to that point. Same went for Carlisle. That is why I loved his coaching style.
I don't judge a coach on how many titles they have won (example, I can't stand Pat Reily, yet I respect what P-Jax has done. I liked Carlisle, but loath watching Jerry Slone, etc.)
The adjustment on the fly had nothing to do with the next season after CW went down. I was talking about that Dallas series itself.
In this situation, the Rox were dominating, Yao went down (a very different player than Deke or the bench guys) they adjusted and continued the streak. I find this akin to a 7 game playoff series. I felt that even w/o CW, the Kings were still good enough to get past Dallas, and while it is certainly a huge blow, physically and psychologically, do doubt, IMHO Rick was capable of winning that series with the talent he had left. The momentum was on the Kings' side.
I don't believe I ever said Rick was a bad coach. I just don't think he is as good as his record implies, and things like waiting to call time outs to make those adjustments that were never made, or not made in a timely fashion, is why he hasn't won with the talent he has had. And I make sure to give him credit where credit is due: He is no worse an ego manager than P-Jax. His schemes on O are phenomenal, and fairly decent on D. But I feel, watching games he coaches, that in the crunch, he looks like a deer in the headlights. I am yelling at my TV for him to call a time out that never comes, or comes too late. I don't do that with P-Jax, as he usually calls one before I get to that point. Same went for Carlisle. That is why I loved his coaching style.
Oh, hog pickles.
As far as winning the series against Dallas after Webber collapsed to the floor, the team and the coaches did the best they could. Their entire strategy of play went out the window that evening, however, and I defy you to name ANY other team that could have done any better if their franchise player was prone on the court.
You (as a Pistons fan, IIRC) can say you thought Adelman should have been able to win with the talent he had left, but that's delusional. Given more time, sure. Perhaps it could have been different. But that was already the playoffs. We couldn't possibly regroup in time.
As far as winning the series against Dallas after Webber collapsed to the floor, the team and the coaches did the best they could. Their entire strategy of play went out the window that evening, however, and I defy you to name ANY other team that could have done any better if their franchise player was prone on the court.
You (as a Pistons fan, IIRC) can say you thought Adelman should have been able to win with the talent he had left, but that's delusional. Given more time, sure. Perhaps it could have been different. But that was already the playoffs. We couldn't possibly regroup in time.
Its called a momentum stopper
Back to the RA bad time out distribution.
I'm assuming you used the Lakers-Houston game that got them to 22 as an example of how bad RA used his time out. I didn't watched the game but I did went back and checked the PBP.
The longest streak that the Lakers got was at the beginning of the third quarter. They started out 44-59 Houston and the Lakers caught up to them 56-59 before Houston could made a shot. The time out was called when the Lakers made it 54-59 (10 points not 15 points). Damn that sounds bad, 10 points before a time out was called. But have you checked the time it took for them to get that 10 points? Of the 10 points, the order it was done; a basket, 2 FT, 1FT, a basket then a 3pnter in 4.5 minutes. Houston time out.
What was wrong with the time out called after the Lakers 10 points?
That time out wasn't even necessary (IMO). Maybe to reorganize the team and get their head out of their you know what because they weren't making shot. But hell, they just got out of a half time break.
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First of all, Rafer Alston impressed the hell out of me against the Lakers. That's a player who's turned the corner. He's been playing out of his mind long enough now that I think it's fair to start giving him a little bit of credit for stepping up his game. I haven't seen any one player embarrass the Lakers that completely since Mike Bibby. When he pulled out the And1 moves against Vujacic at the end I was practically on the floor.
Secondly, how about Shane Battier for most under appreciated player in the league? He shut down Kobe almost single-handily. 11 for 33 and every single one of those shots came with Shane's hand all over his face. I don't think I even knew what good defense was until I saw that game. He contested every shot--dunks, layups, three-pointers--and he did it without fouling. And then on offense he contributed in all the right moments to keep his team ahead. If there were such a thing as a Doug Christie award, I would give it to Shane.
I'm so proud of what Rick has done in Houston. I see the ball movement and team chemistry there that made Sacramento so tough to beat, and he's done it in half a season. No doubt about it, he's got to be coach of the year. Doc Rivers has KG, Abdul-Jabar and Rambis get half the credit for Bynum's emergence, and Chris Paul has transformed from an All-Star to a hall-of-famer this season. Great teams, but the best coaching job is Houston.
Secondly, how about Shane Battier for most under appreciated player in the league? He shut down Kobe almost single-handily. 11 for 33 and every single one of those shots came with Shane's hand all over his face. I don't think I even knew what good defense was until I saw that game. He contested every shot--dunks, layups, three-pointers--and he did it without fouling. And then on offense he contributed in all the right moments to keep his team ahead. If there were such a thing as a Doug Christie award, I would give it to Shane.
I'm so proud of what Rick has done in Houston. I see the ball movement and team chemistry there that made Sacramento so tough to beat, and he's done it in half a season. No doubt about it, he's got to be coach of the year. Doc Rivers has KG, Abdul-Jabar and Rambis get half the credit for Bynum's emergence, and Chris Paul has transformed from an All-Star to a hall-of-famer this season. Great teams, but the best coaching job is Houston.
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He's been awesome but maybe I'm just a jaded Rockets fan who's had to endure him for a few years now, but he's always been capable of these types of performances and then the next day he stinks it up. You guys never had a chance to see the two games before the lakers game, he was flat out trash in both of those. He's been getting more consistent but he still will come up with an egg every now and then. He has been better this season no doubt.
He's nowhere near the physical defender Christie was. Christie flat out shut down his opponents. Battier unfortunately isn't that great with very physical opponents (which is why I think Paul Pierce will do better tonight) but he's probably the smartest defender I've ever seen. The guy's help defense is quite possibly the best you'll ever see in the NBA and his instincts are unmatched. Put Battier's brain into a guy like Bowen or Christie and you have the greatest defender ever in the NBA.
He should be COY in my opinion with all the turmoil and injuries. And Daryl Morey should be GM of the year after all the little moves he's done to make this team better.
He's nowhere near the physical defender Christie was. Christie flat out shut down his opponents. Battier unfortunately isn't that great with very physical opponents (which is why I think Paul Pierce will do better tonight) but he's probably the smartest defender I've ever seen. The guy's help defense is quite possibly the best you'll ever see in the NBA and his instincts are unmatched. Put Battier's brain into a guy like Bowen or Christie and you have the greatest defender ever in the NBA.
He should be COY in my opinion with all the turmoil and injuries. And Daryl Morey should be GM of the year after all the little moves he's done to make this team better.
The thing that I think really helped Rick is that Houston roster is full of hustle players. For a few last years Rick was here questions about team effort arose from time to time. After all those debates I think it's clear with Rick coaching players must have self-motivation. Kings were more talented back then than Houston now but they never had this kind of desire and concentration.
