The Rockets' MVP: Rick Adelman

It's time to give Rockets coach Rick Adelman some credit before it's too late. After all, who knows what's going to happen Sunday? But it must be noted that he's doing quite the job on the bench this postseason, like he's done time and time before.

The mere fact that Adelman has been able to guide the Rockets to two victories over the L.A. Lakers since Yao Ming went down makes Houston's coach the MVP of this series right now.

It was one thing to shock the Lakers in Game 4 on Sunday, the first game without Yao. It's quite another to handle the Lakers again in Game 6 on Thursday -- by a score of 95-80 -- to force an anything-can-happen Game 7 back in L.A.

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Somehow Adelman has managed to win 860 NBA games as a coach and go to the playoffs 16 times in 18 years and yet still not get the credit he deserves. And he certainly deserves credit for what he's done this season, and these playoffs, with the Rockets.

Adelman guided the Rockets to 53 wins despite losing Tracy McGrady in February and dealing with other injuries to Shane Battier and Ron Artest. Adelman's starting point guard, Rafer Alston, was traded at the deadline.

The Rockets went into the series against the Blazers as an underdog but won it in six games. They weren't given much of a chance against the Lakers, either, yet Adelman has his team one win from pulling off the stunner of the 2009 postseason.

The first thing you notice if you've been watching the Rockets is how hard they're playing and how much they're scrapping and competing. That's not something that was borne out of Yao's injury.

Fact is, Houston's been playing hard the whole series against the Lakers, and they played hard the entire series against Portland. While we're at it, ditto for the regular season. The point is that the Rockets' tenacity is a direct reflection of Adelman.

You don't play as hard as the Rockets do unless you have a certain amount of respect for your head coach.

Adelman has refused to allow his team to give into the injury excuse, even though they have every right to use it. It bears repeating that players such as Aaron Brooks, Carl Landry, Chuck Hayes and Von Wafer are giving the Lakers all they can handle.

Getting role players to play hard is one thing. But Adelman always has had a way of getting his best players to commit to him. Whether we're talking about Buck Williams and Clyde Drexler in Portland or Chris Webber and Vlade Divac in Sacramento or Ron Artest and Yao in Houston, Adelman has gotten it done everywhere he's coached.

Well, except for Golden State, but that certainly says more about the Warriors than Adelman. His only two non-playoff years were when he coached the Warriors in 1995-96 and 1996-97.

I covered Adelman during his two years with the Warriors, and if there was one thing that stuck out about him it was this: He treated players like grown-ups. As a rule, the NBA players who were adults thrived under Adelman; those who were immature and/or selfish didn't.

He's not a yeller or screamer, he's not into drama and he doesn't play games. You ask him a question, and he'll answer it. If he wants you to do something, he'll tell you what he wants you to do.

Adelman has no ego, and he never feels the need to take credit for a win. It's just not his style. It's probably the old point guard in him, making sure others get involved before he takes care of himself.

One of the criticisms you sometimes hear about Adelman is that he's not a master tactician or strategist, and that he can be a coach who "just rolls the ball out there and let's his guys play."

Not really. It's just that Adelman is comfortable giving his players decision-making responsibilities. He's not an obsessive play-caller like some coaches. He gives his players a basic framework with which to work in, and they're free to go from there.

Apparently, Adelman's better with the X's and O's than most fans think. Kobe Bryant made a point after Game 3 to talk about how Adelman is very good at making adjustments. Bryant said he knew that because Adelman used to make a lot of good ones back during the Kings-Lakers rivalry.

I remember once having a long conversation with former point guard Rod Strickland, who played under Adelman in Portland. Strickland had a reputation as a player who was difficult to coach, but interestingly, he never had a problem with Adelman.

"Rick's good people," Strickland told me. "He talks to you like a man and treats you like a man."

Adelman was the runner-up in the Coach of the Year voting this year, finishing second to Cleveland's Mike Brown. It was the fourth time in his career Adelman had finished second in that voting.

Doesn't matter. ESPN analyst and former coach Jeff Van Gundy said it very simply midway through the fourth quarter of Thursday's Game 6. "Rick Adelman," Van Gundy said, "is a Hall of Fame coach."

Yes, he is. Even if he doesn't get the respect he deserves.