Two years ago, they (the Rockets) were very good defensively. The ability and the talent is there. There needs to be a mentality where all five guys understand that it takes all five guys to get a stop, everybody’s involved and if one guy doesn’t do his job, he’s an outcast.
I’m not going to pretend as if I am an expert on Bzdelik’s philosophies, but from what I gather, he’s a highly respected and capable assistant; there is no doubt regarding Bzdelik’s competency for this job.
But the cited quotation above underscores my central concern regarding this coaching search and the current dynamics. What does it matter that Bzdelik is saying all of the right things? A man’s words hold no weight if he does not wield the power of accountability. Making James Harden an “outcast” for his lackluster effort is a great theoretical exercise. But what’s going to happen in reality? You are telling me that Mike D’Antoni is going to bench his best offensive player because he failed to get back on defense? I’ll believe that when I see it. As I’ve been writing since news of Hou…Alexander’s interest in D’Antoni first leaked, I don’t believe a strong cabinet of assistants can overcome the glaring deficiency of a head coach. It’s the head coach who dictates agenda. But I remain hopeful.
