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Houston Rockets: The latest theorem of the Jeff Bzdelik situation

By Brian K. Patterson

GREENSBORO, NC - MARCH 10: Head coach Jeff Bzdelik of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons communicates with the team while playing against the Boston College Eagles during the first round of the 2011 ACC men's basketball tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on March 10, 2011 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
GREENSBORO, NC - MARCH 10: Head coach Jeff Bzdelik of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons communicates with the team while playing against the Boston College Eagles during the first round of the 2011 ACC men's basketball tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on March 10, 2011 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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The Houston Rockets are set to re-hire Jeff Bzdelik back to the bench to shore up their defensive inadequacies. What could’ve triggered his return? Look.

The Houston Rockets have won three games straight after sputtering 1-5 start out of the gate.  That start for the team was unexpected as they were projected to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference this season.  I still stand by that assessment but for a moment there, the Houston Rockets had lost their identity as well as their swagger.

This was the type of swagger that had this team go into games last season and profusely blow their opponents out of the water, no matter what night it was. I figured how could something so routine last season be such a difficult task this season?

It’s quite simple.  The Houston Rockets looked lost on defense and they didn’t have long-time assistant coach Jeff Bzdelik on the bench to coach their defense.  Shortly before the season started, he made the decision to retire and the Houston Rockets were without their top strategist on the other side of the ball.

Mike D’Antoni is an offensive wizard but there’s no question that coaching defense is not one of his strong suits and is not motivated to coach it whatsoever.  We’ve certainly even heard make that notion with his usual tongue-in-cheek humor at press conferences.

But the reality is that the team had gone from being ranked 6th in defensive efficiency in 2017-18, giving up 103.8 points per 100 possessions to 22nd in that rough patch that the Houston Rockets encountered just a few weeks ago.

Over this three game win streak, they’ve elevated themselves back to the middle of the pack — ranked 16th, allowing 107.7 points per 100 — while holding the Indiana Pacers in check to just 94 points, their best mark of the season.

A lot of that is knowing that Bzdelik will be returning back to the bench after the Thanksgiving holidays.  He can start communicating with the team immediately and this will help the Houston Rockets hold up the fort until he returns.  Like the classic hit “Ain’t Nothing like the Real Thing” crooned by the late legendary artists Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, this rings true when he’s back on the bench yelling back at players to keep them line.

Now try this theory on for size…

It’s unclear whether if Bzdelik had enough or if it was the family issues that prompted him to retire so quickly but whatever it was, it has been worked out.

I honestly think that BZD wanted to return but the Houston Rockets wouldn’t give him a raise so

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he declared mutiny and decided to retire.  I’m sure D’Antoni went to bat for his long-time friend to ensure that he gets compensated for the hard work that he’s done.  Unfortunately, the start of the Houston Rockets season had to be the sacrificial lamb to demonstrate to Daryl Morey, Tilman Fertitta and the rest of the brass in regard to how important that he is to this team.

It’s also unclear if Bzdelik was able to get the terms he wanted on a new contract but I’m sure it’s obvious that he did, considering the awful start to the season that this team had.

With Carmelo Anthony coming into the fold with as great of an offensive talent he is, he’s never been an elite defender and coaching that should deserve a premium by the Houston Rockets.  I think Melo can definitely buy into what he’s selling this time around after tumultuous relationship the two had when Jeff had a brief stint as head coach of the Denver Nuggets from 2002-04.

This defense requires a lot of switching to remain sound and Melo noticeably is a bit slower to react on those switches.  BZD will be able to take Melo’s strengths and maximize those so that he won’t become a defensive liability.

I truly thought that assistants Roy Rogers and Brett Gunning were going to step up to the plate but in reality, I’m sure they wanted their fellow brethren back on the bench.

Could this mutiny have been deliberately engineered to get BZD back to the bench?  It’s an interesting idea to float but likely that’s not the case as the success of the team with what you have in front of you is more important.

But it’s certainly food for thought.

Next. Daryl Morey's latest offer for Jimmy Butler is a reach. dark

We’ll have to see how things get shored up after the holidays in a few weeks but one thing’s for sure, these Houston Rockets are READY TO ROLL.

Let’s do this, let’s save this season.

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