Kapitel 33: Chapter 33: Opportunity to become head coach
Van Gundy stubbornly refused Andrew's suggestion, sticking to his belief that defense was the foundation of victory and the Rockets' best shot at winning a championship.
He reminisced about how the Pistons had secured the title two years prior, relying heavily on their defense.
Two days after their game against the Heat, the Rockets hosted the Mavericks, who were riding their own five-game winning streak. Despite the Rockets' new offensive system improving their performance, they found themselves in a tough battle. The game started strong, but when the bench came in, led by Stackhouse, the Mavericks quickly pulled ahead. The Rockets struggled to keep up.
Despite Yao Ming and McGrady scoring a combined 50 points, the Rockets fell 90-106, suffering their first defeat of the season.
Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of their troubles.
In their next game, a back-to-back against the Chicago Bulls, the Rockets faced an unexpected challenge. Tyrus Thomas, who had been shut down by Andrew in the preseason, dominated Howard, putting up 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks. The Rockets lost by a single point, 101-102.
The team's form was faltering. Though they managed to scrape a victory against the Memphis Grizzlies, the game was a rollercoaster of ups and downs. The starters built a ten-point lead, only for the bench to blow it time and again. McGrady's late-game heroics were the only thing that saved them.
Despite ending the losing streak, tension filled the locker room. Steve Novak, who had played a crucial role in the victory, hadn't been given another opportunity, and Spanoris, the "European Kobe" they recruited in the summer, hadn't seen the floor since the start of the season.
After a brief reprieve, the Rockets faced off against the Utah Jazz, one of their main Western Conference rivals. Once again, they fell short.
From five straight wins to losing three out of their last four games, the momentum the Rockets once had was nowhere to be found. Dark clouds loomed over Houston, and trouble was brewing.
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General Manager's Office
Dawson sat at his desk, brow furrowed. The Rockets' early five-game winning streak had brought him joy, especially after their thrilling victory over the defending champions, the Heat. He had hoped it was a sign of great things to come for this Rockets team. But now, with three losses in four games, that hope was quickly fading.
Yes, they had faced strong opponents, but losing so consistently raised serious doubts. How could they even dream of a championship if they couldn't win these key games?
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," Dawson said, pulling himself from his reverie.
The door opened, and Jaylen Rose, the assistant coach responsible for the team's shooting drills, entered. Dawson had arranged for Rose to act as an "insider," providing updates on the team's internal workings.
"What's going on?" Dawson asked, gesturing for Rose to close the door behind him.
"It's about a suggestion Andrew made during last week's coaching meeting," Rose began.
Dawson perked up. He had a good impression of Andrew, especially after hearing that Andrew had been responsible for the strategic play that led to their victory over the Heat. His respect for the young assistant had grown since then.
Rose recounted the events of the coaching meeting, detailing how Andrew had offered suggestions to improve the team's rotation, and how Van Gundy had quickly shot them down.
Dawson sat in silence after Rose finished. The losses they had suffered were concerning, especially considering the rotation issues Andrew had flagged before they became apparent. Could the Rockets have been on a nine-game winning streak if Van Gundy had listened?
A nine-game winning streak—something the Rockets had never achieved in their history.
Yet Van Gundy had dismissed Andrew's foresight. Dawson clenched his jaw in frustration.
"Alright, thanks, Jaylen. You can go now," Dawson finally said, dismissing Rose.
As Rose left, Dawson's mind swirled with conflicting thoughts. Van Gundy was an experienced coach, one who had led the Knicks to the NBA Finals. That experience had been the main reason the Rockets had chosen him as Rudy Tomjanovich's successor. But after 17 years in the league, Van Gundy was proving to be too rigid, too stuck in his ways.
Basketball was evolving. The league was changing, becoming faster, more offensive-minded. A coach needed to adapt, not cling to outdated strategies. Dawson had been with the Rockets for nearly 30 years—he wasn't blind to this.
He didn't want to make waves just as he was approaching retirement, but it was his job as general manager to steer the ship in the right direction. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the phone and called Van Gundy to come to his office.
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Five minutes later, Van Gundy knocked on the door and entered, a stern expression on his face.
"Sit," Dawson said, motioning to the chair in front of his desk.
"Mr. Dawson, I take full responsibility for the recent losing streak," Van Gundy began, sitting down.
Dawson felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe Van Gundy was starting to realize his own stubbornness had contributed to the team's struggles.
But that hope quickly dissipated with Van Gundy's next words.
"I failed to push the team hard enough on defense. That's why we've been losing. It's my fault."
Dawson sighed. "Jeff, I heard about Andrew's suggestions during the coaching meeting," he said, cutting to the chase.
Van Gundy looked up, slightly puzzled but not surprised. It was only natural for the general manager to be informed about what happened during those meetings.
"I've been watching the games, and the rotation is clearly an issue. Andrew's suggestions were constructive. It wouldn't hurt to try them," Dawson said, keeping his tone as calm as possible.
Van Gundy's expression hardened immediately. His displeasure was evident.
He had already relinquished offensive control at Dawson's request. Now Dawson was telling him to take advice from Andrew about rotations? What was the point of him being head coach if his authority was constantly undermined? His pride felt bruised.
"If the Rockets think I'm no longer suitable as head coach, I can resign right now," Van Gundy said, his voice cold and resolute.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein