I get so tired if the "if Chris Paul hadn't gotten hurt" talk. If Andre Igoudala doesn't miss games, GSW win in 5 games, at the most.True, ha. They are terrible. I was laughed at when right before the season started I stated that they would struggle to make the playoffs.
I get so tired if the "if Chris Paul hadn't gotten hurt" talk. If Andre Igoudala doesn't miss games, GSW win in 5 games, at the most.
Yeah, but, them intangibles, though.“Gary Clark's a player. He’s a player. His defense, his rebounding, smart, right position, shoots the ball, I mean, he’s a player." Mike D’Antoni, 11/11/18
Gary Clark: 19 games, 17.6 mpg, 3.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 31 % FG, 28% 3P FG%
Yeah, heck of a Melo replacement right there.
Houston has been without CP3
I get so tired if the "if Chris Paul hadn't gotten hurt" talk. If Andre Igoudala doesn't miss games, GSW win in 5 games, at the most.
For what it's worth, Chris Paul is 6th in NBA history in career Player Efficiency Rating, and Iguodala isn't anywhere in the Top 250.
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The fact Russell Westbrook is ahead of Harden and Curry in PER tells me it’s a flawed stat.
I mean, Westbrook has higher career averages in points, rebounds, assists and steals than the other two players. He's obviously not anywhere near as efficient a shooter as Curry, but comparable to Harden in that sense.
And it's not just D'Antoni. Jeff Bzdelik "retires" right before training camp. Then he agrees to come back around the same time Melo stops playing. Both of those clowns hold grudges against Melo.No doubt the media ganged up on him. D’Antoni is a charlatan.
And it's not just D'Antoni. Jeff Bzdelik "retires" right before training camp. Then he agrees to come back around the same time Melo stops playing. Both of those clowns hold grudges against Melo.
I'm thinking Melo has about as much chance or getting a phone call as I do - certainly no contender is going to sign him and a weak team is better off losing with a younger player
Next thing you know, we'll find out Phil Jackson is on the Rockets payroll as a consultant.And it's not just D'Antoni. Jeff Bzdelik "retires" right before training camp. Then he agrees to come back around the same time Melo stops playing. Both of those clowns hold grudges against Melo.
What does that have to do with D'Antoni and Bzdelik holding grudges?Well to be fair Melo at this stage of his career is a horrible defender. It’s hard to watch and it’s been like that for awhile. That’s just a fact. Put on any old game. But, HOU in general now and most D’Antoni teams historically are pretty porous defensively.
Add Karl to that list. Three coaches who 'hold grudges' against a player pretty much signifies the player is at fault. Melo's D has been "a rumor" for a long time. Coaches don't appreciate losing when there isn't a stronger commitment to 'the other side of the court.'And it's not just D'Antoni. Jeff Bzdelik "retires" right before training camp. Then he agrees to come back around the same time Melo stops playing. Both of those clowns hold grudges against Melo.
I mean he did look bad with the exception of a couple games but far from the sole reason for their struggles. They are a mess.
Karl doesn’t work for the Rockets. But he managed to have success in Denver after Bzdelik was fired. And the Knicks were still a playoff team without D’Antoni. All of those guys are just bitter because they were fired. And Karl holds a record number of grudges, so that says more about him.Add Karl to that list. Three coaches who 'hold grudges' against a player pretty much signifies the player is at fault. Melo's D has been "a rumor" for a long time. Coaches don't appreciate losing when there isn't a stronger commitment to 'the other side of the court.'
The 'add Karl' comment had nothing to do with the Rockets. I'm as much of a Melo fan as anyone (my Avatar, from my first/only Knicks floor seat experience), but we ought to be honest. On one hand, he took an almost-never-in-the-playoffs Denver team to a bunch of playoffs, and Denver hasn't been relevant since he left. But, when you leave three NBA head coaches spitting and muttering your name in anger, it's hard to fault all three of those coaches and ignore the player. Once is nothing. Two's a coincidence. Three sounds like a problem. Melo's defense is woeful, and in recent seasons, his plus/minus and efficiency ratings are pretty bad. He's now a many-time all star and scoring champion without a home even at a minimum exception. Houston may still suck, but Melo also has a stink on him. Couldn't make hay with his buddy Chris Paul, and his buddy Lebron doesn't want him. It's going to be interesting. As i keep saying, i hope he finds a way to salvage his legacy outside of our orange bubble. The rest of the world doesn't see him the way we do.Karl doesn’t work for the Rockets. But he managed to have success in Denver after Bzdelik was fired. And the Knicks were still a playoff team without D’Antoni. All of those guys are just bitter because they were fired. And Karl holds a record number of grudges, so that says more about him.
Bottom line, Melo wasn’t Houston’s problem. They’re still bad. And I look forward to D’Antoni and Bzdelik getting fired again.
Both Karl and D'Antoni have been fired multiple times and Bzdelik isn't a good coach, so I don't know, maybe it's still on them and we need to take whatever they say about former players with a grain of salt. Melo was there for ten games. That's way too small of a sample size to determine anything and the team hasn't improved since his departure. And now D'Antoni is complaining about the lack of depth. Whose fault is that? Both he and Karl need to look in the mirror. Both of them run into these issues at every stop. Melo is only one of several players they're all too willing to throw under the bus.The 'add Karl' comment had nothing to do with the Rockets. I'm as much of a Melo fan as anyone (my Avatar, from my first/only Knicks floor seat experience), but we ought to be honest. On one hand, he took an almost-never-in-the-playoffs Denver team to a bunch of playoffs, and Denver hasn't been relevant since he left. But, when you leave three NBA head coaches spitting and muttering your name in anger, it's hard to fault all three of those coaches and ignore the player. Once is nothing. Two's a coincidence. Three sounds like a problem. Melo's defense is woeful, and in recent seasons, his plus/minus and efficiency ratings are pretty bad. He's now a many-time all star and scoring champion without a home even at a minimum exception. Houston may still suck, but Melo also has a stink on him. Couldn't make hay with his buddy Chris Paul, and his buddy Lebron doesn't want him. It's going to be interesting. As i keep saying, i hope he finds a way to salvage his legacy outside of our orange bubble. The rest of the world doesn't see him the way we do.
The 'add Karl' comment had nothing to do with the Rockets. I'm as much of a Melo fan as anyone (my Avatar, from my first/only Knicks floor seat experience), but we ought to be honest. On one hand, he took an almost-never-in-the-playoffs Denver team to a bunch of playoffs, and Denver hasn't been relevant since he left. But, when you leave three NBA head coaches spitting and muttering your name in anger, it's hard to fault all three of those coaches and ignore the player. Once is nothing. Two's a coincidence. Three sounds like a problem. Melo's defense is woeful, and in recent seasons, his plus/minus and efficiency ratings are pretty bad. He's now a many-time all star and scoring champion without a home even at a minimum exception. Houston may still suck, but Melo also has a stink on him. Couldn't make hay with his buddy Chris Paul, and his buddy Lebron doesn't want him. It's going to be interesting. As i keep saying, i hope he finds a way to salvage his legacy outside of our orange bubble. The rest of the world doesn't see him the way we do.
That’s a great point. Not lost on me. I said earlier/other Melo thread(?) that the worst part of his career was coming in with wade and LeBron in the same year. I didn’t realize they’re the only guys left. Makes LeBron even more amazing.You gotta realize though...Melo is in his 17th season! He’s having a pretty normal career arc for his age/length of time in the league/minutes played. Those legs go.
Only guys in his draft class still playing are LeBron and Wade, I believe.
I agree with you. I always thought Karl was an overrated POS, and Bzdelik was a nothingburger. I discount karl’s Revisionist history and didn’t know about bzdelik’s grudge. Still... three out of three in normal nba situations isn’t good.Both Karl and D'Antoni have been fired multiple times and Bzdelik isn't a good coach, so I don't know, maybe it's still on them and we need to take whatever they say about former players with a grain of salt. Melo was there for ten games. That's way too small of a sample size to determine anything and the team hasn't improved since his departure. And now D'Antoni is complaining about the lack of depth. Whose fault is that? Both he and Karl need to look in the mirror. Both of them run into these issues at every stop. Melo is only one of several players they're all too willing to throw under the bus.
My guess is D'Antoni only went along with signing Melo to appease Chris Paul. Had it worked out, great. But they got off to a bad start, so D'Antoni predictably put the blame on the player he never liked or wanted in the first place. Well, eventually he's going to run out of scapegoats.
The funny thing is, they could use Melo right now. Given how he was willing to do whatever was asked of him like taking a reduced role and coming off the bench, I doubt he would have any issues with suiting up. But the two stubborn coaches would never do that and risk looking like even bigger fools than they already are.