Well, the Rockets put the final nail in Jeff Van Gundy's coffin today, firing him after four seasons. Let's face it, Jeff wasn't fitting owner Les Alexander's mold. I'm sure he realized what Van Gundy would bring to the table when he hired the defensive minded coach. Yes, defense does win championships, but you also have to score points. (I reliaze Van Gundy can't score points for the players) Four guys scoring in a playoff game never makes an owner happy. Overall, I thought Van Gundy did a fantastic job. With your two star players out multiple games over the course of two seasons, I don't think any other coach could've done any better.
Van Gundy's inbility to trust his younger players hurt the team. "Billy" Spanoulis is one guy who should've played more. We all know about the turmoil the Greek star went through in his rookie season. I belive the kid is a smaller version of Manu "Obi Wan" Ginobili. The Rockets needed a spark off the bench, a guy willing to drive to the basket and not worry about the outcome. "Billy" did light up Team U.S.A for 22 points in the FIBA Championships.
So who do the Rocket's pick now? You know my thoughts on Rick Adelman. I think Larry Brown would be a poor choice, too. What I don't want to hear is rumors of Clyde coaching the Rockets...let me remind you of the job he did at U of H.
Michael Penix
Catch more of Michael Penix on the Houston Sports Blog at abc13.com!
