Why can the Rockets give LA all they can handle while this team just flops?

[Plainview1981]

Did you see the lineup that Houston had on the floor?

Aaron Brooks

Ron Artest

Shane Battier

Luis Scola

Chuck Hayes

That team shouldn't beat LA, but they did today. It's amazing what a team that WANTS it can do instead of just giving it up and just letting the other team beat their brains out. I know people say it's coach Rick... But I'm not sure I buy it. That team has defended since the days of Jeff Van Gundy, and I believe they're still JVG's team in some way. But even with him gone, they still got the desire to play hard most nights.

Despite the poor coaching from Woody, that doesn't give this team the right to mail in their performances like they do. It's shameful that this team has been blowout over and over again. Either Smith or Marvin needs to hit the road. I think it's Josh.... Even the fans are starting to boo this guy. I think the fans have got past the dunks that he brings at times and now see the guy for what he is. Right now is probably the best time to trade him with the fans dogging him and he's still early in his contract and possibly there are other coaches that believe they can "change" him.

Find a good trade... Well, I'm looking.

Edited May 11, 2009 by Hotlanta1981

[Chris18]

Rockets Bench>>>>>>Our Bench

[Antmillennium]

The biggest problem with the Hawks right now is Mike Woodson. Get rid of Mike Woodson, bring in a competent coach, and then go from there.

[Plainview1981]

The biggest problem with the Hawks right now is Mike Woodson. Get rid of Mike Woodson, bring in a competent coach, and then go from there.

No doubt that you start with getting the right people in place at the top. It's a lesson this team hasn't learned in 10 years. Hiring obvious bad coaches ever since Lenny was fired.

[GameTime]

Rockets Bench>>>>>>Our Bench

Who else can you blame but Woody not developing talent? Aaron Brooks was given a chance.

[Antmillennium]

Who else can you blame but Woody not developing talent? Aaron Brooks was given a chance.

Aaron Brooks NEVER would have been given a chance with Woody. Woody even managed to kill Saalim Stoudemire's confidence, and that boy had confidence out of this world as a rookie. Mike Woodson is not cut out to be an NBA head coach. He'll have the young players afraid to shoot, but he'll let veterans get away with shooting the most asinine of shots.

[thescout5]

Who else can you blame but Woody not developing talent? Aaron Brooks was given a chance.

Half the problem is Woody the other half the players. Woody might know what is wrong but the players keep doing the same thing to lose games vs elite competition. What does the team do in practice goof off? Teach the basics of boxing out,solid defense rotating the ball to the open man.There are so many problems I am tired of seeing the same thing. The other problem is the wrong players on the team. How bad does this team want to win? They look a step slow, don't think on the court,can't hit open shots etc etc.

I think Avery johnson would be a start to getting the right coach. A vet point guard that think pass first like andre Miller or Kidd would really help the team. Poor interior defense no one challenging shots,rebounding just simply beat by better teams due to the weakness.People can say the playopffs are fixed its lebron's team but you can beat Cleveland by letting Lebron score 40 and shutting the other players down. A team effort is what it takes and the Hawks can not match up vs better teams.

I read an article that said the Hawk's are the only team in hisotry to lose in the playoffs 4 times by 20 pts or more and nearly made it 5 the other night. This team isn't making progress towards a championship its simply taking advantage of a weak conference.

Edited May 11, 2009 by thescout5

[PureGreatness]

The rockets players who know there roll. they all are not ou their looking for there shot but are out their for defense. hayes, lowry and landry know there roll which isnt to score but they still manage to get 30 points combine off of hustle plays, offensive rebound(putbacks) and fastebreaks. they got a quick penitrating PG, another guy who knows his role in battier which is to shots 3s and defend the best on the floor and controlled ron artest. we need

1.) a new coach thats knows half court offense

2.) we need to get a quick penetrating PG.

3.) Trade for i legit star, marvin, bibby and a future draft pick(s) for bosh or amare would do.

4.)hustle players

#3 should be the only one that would be difficult.

Edited May 11, 2009 by hoodstar

[Bahamut]

The biggest problem with the Hawks right now is Mike Woodson. Get rid of Mike Woodson, bring in a competent coach, and then go from there.

:beer:

[gsuteke]

Heart.

I didn't watch the game or check the box score but Ron Artest has heart. So does Lebron James.

I'm not sure the Hawks have an "Alpha Male" on their squad.

That and the Hawks don't have players like Battier. Battier may go scoreless but if he holds Kobe to 28 the Rockets have a chance to win.

Smoove could be that player but he he's too busy trying to be Tracy McGrady instead of who he is.

The biggest problem with the Hawks right now is Mike Woodson. Get rid of Mike Woodson, bring in a competent coach, and then go from there.

Short sighted and simplistic at best.

[FrankWhite]

The Rockets management go after and fill the roster with players who exhibit high basketball IQs. Read the NY Times piece on Shane Battier. They're well-coached, smart and tough. And Aaron Brooks is a future star.

[Antmillennium]

Short sighted and simplistic at best.

Actually, it's not short-sighted at all. Trying to defend Woodson, as if he is a good coach or something, is what's short-sighted and simplistic at best. Even with all of the "right" pieces, Mike Woodson is still not a coach that will bring you a championship. Mike Woodson is not a positive difference-maker on the sidelines, and he is actually retarding the growth of the young players. Therefore, there is absolutely no logic or common sense in keeping him on the sidelines and trying to find the right "combination of players" that he can win a championship with. You'll be searching for that combination of players forever, while not really knowing the true potential of the players that are already here. They need to bring in a better coach than Woodson and then see what the true potential of this team is. Once you see what the true potential of the team is, then you can make an educated decision about what moves the team needs to make. Trying to make moves to improve the team while Mike Woodson is at the helm is like peeing in the wind.

[gsuteke]

Actually, it's not short-sighted at all. Trying to defend Woodson, as if he is a good coach or something, is what's short-sighted and simplistic at best. Even with all of the "right" pieces, Mike Woodson is still not a coach that will bring you a championship. Mike Woodson is not a positive difference-maker on the sidelines, and he is actually retarding the growth of the young players. Therefore, there is absolutely no logic or common sense in keeping him on the sidelines and trying to find the right "combination of players" that he can win a championship with. You'll be searching for that combination of players forever, while not really knowing the true potential of the players that are already here. They need to bring in a better coach than Woodson and then see what the true potential of this team is. Once you see what the true potential of the team is, then you can make an educated decision about what moves the team needs to make. Trying to make moves to improve the team while Mike Woodson is at the helm is like peeing in the wind.

I've gone on record as saying a total coaching overhaul is needed.

However, I'm not sure simply changing the HC will bring on different results. If you listen to Woodrow's interviews and Woodrow Mic'd he knows the X's and O's of basketball. Translating it to the court is another issue altogether. The players don't listen to him. That may be a leadership issue but then again it may turn out to be a player issue. We won't know until a change is made.

My issue with Woody is simple. They don't even run the pick and roll. The players could be sabotaging him but damn, they don't even run the pick and roll.

I think our problem is two fold. It's not simply Woodson. If you think you can remove Woodson from the equation and the Hawks will suddenly become a Championship Caliber team you're wrong.

Edited May 11, 2009 by gsuteke

[MaceCase]

Anyone wan't to mention that the Lakers like to coast and rely simply on their talent so much so that even their own coach called them out and said they have no killer instinct ohhhh about 82 games ago? The Lakers had no business losing even a single game to the Jazz yet alone to a Yao and T-Mac less Rockets team. That is the best team the west has to offer, a team that believes they are already a lock for the title game and will win the conference just by showing up.

The Cavaliers on the other hand are on a mission. They are not looking to beat their opponents they are looking to eradicate them, poison the wells, raze the fields and then salt the earth. That is the attitude they have and there is absolutely no hope for any team in this conference. It's not even a matter of them being a good or great team, they are simply locked in when others are not and that alone is why they may win it all. They've taken on a Detroit team that gave up on their season in the first week, a Hawk team with no heart and who's next? A Boston team that despite puffing their chests is merely treading water or an Orlando team that's holding a loaded gun but has no idea where to point it? I'm not even trying to be dramatic but the Cavs right now are the one low level crook in a room full of fake thugs and pansies. They're not much but in the room they're sitting in they look like ****ing Al Capone.

[Antmillennium]

I've gone on record as saying a total coaching overhaul is needed.

However, I'm not sure simply changing the HC will bring on different results. If you listen to Woodrow's interviews and Woodrow Mic'd he knows the X's and O's of basketball. Translating it to the court is another issue altogether. The players don't listen to him. That may be a leadership issue but then again it may turn out to be a player issue. We won't know until a change is made.

My issue with Woody is simple. They don't even run the pick and roll. The players could be sabotaging him but damn, they don't even run the pick and roll.

I think our problem is two fold. It's not simply Woodson. If you think you can remove Woodson from the equation and the Hawks will suddenly become a Championship Caliber team you're wrong.

In that case, your comment of "short sighted and simplistic at best" was really misplaced. I didn't say that firing Woody would be the answer to all of our problems. I said that you should fire Woody first, AND THEN go from there. You've got to start somewhere. I have pretty much the same thoughts as you about the situation. However, I don't think you can make an absolute judgment about the team without seeing what another coach can do with the team first.

[FrankWhite]

Anyone wan't to mention that the Lakers like to coast and rely simply on their talent so much so that even their own coach called them out and said they have no killer instinct ohhhh about 82 games ago? The Lakers had no business losing even a single game to the Jazz yet alone to a Yao and T-Mac less Rockets team. That is the best team the west has to offer, a team that believes they are already a lock for the title game and will win the conference just by showing up.

The Cavaliers on the other hand are on a mission. They are not looking to beat their opponents they are looking to eradicate them, poison the wells, raze the fields and then salt the earth. That is the attitude they have and there is absolutely no hope for any team in this conference. It's not even a matter of them being a good or great team, they are simply locked in when others are not and that alone is why they may win it all. They've taken on a Detroit team that gave up on their season in the first week, a Hawk team with no heart and who's next? A Boston team that despite puffing their chests is merely treading water or an Orlando team that's holding a loaded gun but has no idea where to point it? I'm not even trying to be dramatic but the Cavs right now are the one low level crook in a room full of fake thugs and pansies. They're not much but in the room they're sitting in they look like ****ing Al Capone.

Great post.

[Colin]

Whoever just said Aaron Brooks is a future star is on crack.

I'm from Houston, and Aaron Brooks is the WORST starting PG in the NBA.

[Diesel]

I got 2 reasons for you:

1. Better coaching.

2. Players are used to playing without Yao and McGrady.

When Yao is gone, Houston becomes a uptempo, defensive team. Probably one of the hardest teams to beat. I would say this. Had it been Battier and not Yao out, Houston would have lost by alot. It's just how that team is built.

Us. We don't have the coaching. Adleman would have been a great coach for a young team like ours. Smoove wouldn't be shooting threes. Our PGs would know what to do. We would run pick and roll since we have a Pick and Roll PG!?!

[Antmillennium]

Whoever just said Aaron Brooks is a future star is on crack.

I'm from Houston, and Aaron Brooks is the WORST starting PG in the NBA.

Well, the worst starting PG in the NBA just sliced up L.A. with 35 points, and Kobe just compared the worst PG in the NBA to Tony Parker and said that he's a good player. With the way it's looking for the Hawks right now, I'd probably love to have the worst starting PG in the NBA on the Hawks. Although, Mike Woodson would probably never play him......

[Diesel]

One other thing is that let's not miss the imperfections in Houston also.

Yesterday, I watched Artest put up some frustrating 3 pters. Reminded me of Smoove. However, they knew how to go back to fundamental offense.

Our problem is that we don't go back to good fundamental offense after the first quarter.