ducks
05-07-2005, 06:51 PM
DALLAS, May 6 - Jeff Van Gundy kept the Texas shootout alive on the eve of Game 7 in a series that has been swirling with controversy and thrills by the Rockets and the Mavericks.
Van Gundy, the Rockets' coach, apologized again for comments he made last Sunday about what he said he perceived as bias in the officiating of center Yao Ming. He also shot back at Mavericks Coach Avery Johnson.
Van Gundy had asserted that an N.B.A. official had called him with information that the league was singling out Yao for fouls.
"I would be the first one to admit I made mistakes," Van Gundy said Friday. "I apologized the other day. I am truly sorry for using the word bias, for bringing another person into it, for not thinking enough about the ramifications or implications of the word bias and how it could affect the integrity of the league. I couldn't be more contrite for those things."
After the Rockets drilled the Mavericks, 101-83, in Game 6, Johnson spoke emotionally from the interview room, but never used Van Gundy's name. "Maybe I should go crazy and then you talk about how the coach went crazy; that's what this series is about," Johnson said sarcastically.
But that is what this series has been about.
"He can feel free to use my name; he doesn't have to speak around it," Van Gundy. "My only point was don't speak around it, speak to it. If you want to come after me, I understand it. No one knows I screwed up more than I did. No one has to tell me.
"Well," he added with a laugh, "they have."
Van Gundy also criticized Johnson, who took over for Don Nelson on March 19, for what Van Gundy said was Johnson's hypocrisy. After Game 1, Johnson berated the referee Joey Crawford, running after him and confronting him. Johnson was later fined $10,000.
"I would have just expected more from a coach who, after he did what he did, I tried to support," Van Gundy said.
At the Mavericks' practice on Friday, Johnson shrugged off the remarks he made after Game 6, saying he was his normal self and joking that he was "disappointed nobody offered to pay my $10,000 fine. I've been in Texas longer than Jeff."
Over two exhaustive weeks of postgame rants, 20-0 and 19-0 runs and scintillating fourth-quarter finishes, there has been one calm constant: Tracy McGrady. The Rockets' small forward has been an unstoppable force; no one else has scored more than 25 points each game, and McGrady has averaged 31.3.
McGrady has deflated Dirk Nowitzki, turning him into a frustrated shadow. He has also played cheerleader to Yao, who had a dismal Game 6. McGrady is also averaging 7.5 rebounds and 6.7 assists.
Can he get any better?
"I had several people ask me that," McGrady said. "Like, what's going on with you? Are you getting better?' You know what? I think I can."
That is bad news for the Mavericks, who squandered their lead in a series that has been anything but predictable.
"How do you defend Michael Jordan? It's the same thing, like with Kobe and Shaq. He's that type of player," Johnson said of McGrady. "He's going to get his 30 against anybody, no matter what you do. The more he feels like he has to do everything himself and not have as much help, the better it is for us."
In Game 6, the Rockets reserve guards Mike James (22 points) and Jon Barry (12 points in the fourth quarter) provided the support that McGrady had not received for most of the series.
The Mavericks were there own worst enemy, missing 17 consecutive shots in the fourth quarter during the Rockets' 19-0 run. Nowitzki missed 17 of 22 shots in the game.
McGrady steered away from making the prediction that his teammate Dikembe Mutombo made before Game 6, saying he would do his finger-wag in Phoenix, after advancing to the second round.
McGrady no longer makes predictions after the one he made in 2003 when his Magic had a 3-1 lead and ultimately lost to Detroit in seven games.
This time, McGrady is prepared for Game 7.
"This is the game," he said.
But it was not the only game in town on Friday. Van Gundy still had plenty to say.
"I never meant to impugn the integrity of the N.B.A.," Van Gundy said, repeating the words used by the Rockets' owner, Les Alexander. "No one has benefited more in life from the N.B.A. I was coaching at McQuaid Jesuit High School and Rutgers as a part-time assistant. I've tried to be a positive reflection. I think I have and at times, I've made mistakes."
Van Gundy alluded to his running onto the court in 1998 and grabbing Alonzo Mourning's leg during a melee between the Knicks and the Heat.
Van Gundy said his actions looked worse upon reflection.
"Sometimes when you see what you said or see what you do, running on the court tackling people," he said. "You hope the totality of your career is viewed in totality, not in sound bites or 4 or 5 seconds of temporary insanity loss."
Commissioner David Stern seemed to indicate that Van Gundy's job would be in jeopardy if he did not reveal the name of the referee.
Was Van Gundy worried?
"I don't think right now is the time to think about anything like that," he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/07/s...html?oref=login
Van Gundy, the Rockets' coach, apologized again for comments he made last Sunday about what he said he perceived as bias in the officiating of center Yao Ming. He also shot back at Mavericks Coach Avery Johnson.
Van Gundy had asserted that an N.B.A. official had called him with information that the league was singling out Yao for fouls.
"I would be the first one to admit I made mistakes," Van Gundy said Friday. "I apologized the other day. I am truly sorry for using the word bias, for bringing another person into it, for not thinking enough about the ramifications or implications of the word bias and how it could affect the integrity of the league. I couldn't be more contrite for those things."
After the Rockets drilled the Mavericks, 101-83, in Game 6, Johnson spoke emotionally from the interview room, but never used Van Gundy's name. "Maybe I should go crazy and then you talk about how the coach went crazy; that's what this series is about," Johnson said sarcastically.
But that is what this series has been about.
"He can feel free to use my name; he doesn't have to speak around it," Van Gundy. "My only point was don't speak around it, speak to it. If you want to come after me, I understand it. No one knows I screwed up more than I did. No one has to tell me.
"Well," he added with a laugh, "they have."
Van Gundy also criticized Johnson, who took over for Don Nelson on March 19, for what Van Gundy said was Johnson's hypocrisy. After Game 1, Johnson berated the referee Joey Crawford, running after him and confronting him. Johnson was later fined $10,000.
"I would have just expected more from a coach who, after he did what he did, I tried to support," Van Gundy said.
At the Mavericks' practice on Friday, Johnson shrugged off the remarks he made after Game 6, saying he was his normal self and joking that he was "disappointed nobody offered to pay my $10,000 fine. I've been in Texas longer than Jeff."
Over two exhaustive weeks of postgame rants, 20-0 and 19-0 runs and scintillating fourth-quarter finishes, there has been one calm constant: Tracy McGrady. The Rockets' small forward has been an unstoppable force; no one else has scored more than 25 points each game, and McGrady has averaged 31.3.
McGrady has deflated Dirk Nowitzki, turning him into a frustrated shadow. He has also played cheerleader to Yao, who had a dismal Game 6. McGrady is also averaging 7.5 rebounds and 6.7 assists.
Can he get any better?
"I had several people ask me that," McGrady said. "Like, what's going on with you? Are you getting better?' You know what? I think I can."
That is bad news for the Mavericks, who squandered their lead in a series that has been anything but predictable.
"How do you defend Michael Jordan? It's the same thing, like with Kobe and Shaq. He's that type of player," Johnson said of McGrady. "He's going to get his 30 against anybody, no matter what you do. The more he feels like he has to do everything himself and not have as much help, the better it is for us."
In Game 6, the Rockets reserve guards Mike James (22 points) and Jon Barry (12 points in the fourth quarter) provided the support that McGrady had not received for most of the series.
The Mavericks were there own worst enemy, missing 17 consecutive shots in the fourth quarter during the Rockets' 19-0 run. Nowitzki missed 17 of 22 shots in the game.
McGrady steered away from making the prediction that his teammate Dikembe Mutombo made before Game 6, saying he would do his finger-wag in Phoenix, after advancing to the second round.
McGrady no longer makes predictions after the one he made in 2003 when his Magic had a 3-1 lead and ultimately lost to Detroit in seven games.
This time, McGrady is prepared for Game 7.
"This is the game," he said.
But it was not the only game in town on Friday. Van Gundy still had plenty to say.
"I never meant to impugn the integrity of the N.B.A.," Van Gundy said, repeating the words used by the Rockets' owner, Les Alexander. "No one has benefited more in life from the N.B.A. I was coaching at McQuaid Jesuit High School and Rutgers as a part-time assistant. I've tried to be a positive reflection. I think I have and at times, I've made mistakes."
Van Gundy alluded to his running onto the court in 1998 and grabbing Alonzo Mourning's leg during a melee between the Knicks and the Heat.
Van Gundy said his actions looked worse upon reflection.
"Sometimes when you see what you said or see what you do, running on the court tackling people," he said. "You hope the totality of your career is viewed in totality, not in sound bites or 4 or 5 seconds of temporary insanity loss."
Commissioner David Stern seemed to indicate that Van Gundy's job would be in jeopardy if he did not reveal the name of the referee.
Was Van Gundy worried?
"I don't think right now is the time to think about anything like that," he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/07/s...html?oref=login