Rudy ball has got to go, hey hey, ho ho

Rudy T is holding the Rockets back. I fully appreciate everything he has done for the team but he hasn't shown the ability to evolve as the game changes. Now that he has an illness to blame it on we should use his health as an excuse to let him go without disgrace.

It makes me sick to watch our offense in play.

We don't pass, we don't run, we don't move without the ball, we don't even move to help out a player who is being double teamed. For awhile I thought we just lacked the talent to be an effective, consistant offense but that clearly isn't the case. Maybe the players were too young? But after yet another season watching iso ball its clear that the offense isn't designed to win. The players aren't allowed to even help eachother in our offense. There is no sense of teamwork out there. Hell the And1Tour players pass more than we do.

There is no movement in our offense, no one moves to catch the pass, they don't move to help out a player being double teamed, they don't move to rebound, they don't even move to help on defense. Is it any wonder that our rebounding and assists are so weak? The players look as frustrated by the offense as the fans. Its not that they can't play, its that they aren't allowed to.

So what to do about it?

Well a lot of fans posting here seem to think we need a new pg and power forward, at the expense of Mobley, Griffen, Taylor, Rice, Cato and maybe a couple other players off the bench.
Fine, so long as you get players that want to play Rudy's brand of basketball, which isn't likely. Who wouldn't want to bring Elton Brand and a furious defensive present like Payton into the fold? But do we have room for two more stars only to have them stand around waiting for something to happen?

Others have recommended that a strong change in offensive philosophy, Kings, Spurs, 76ers, etc. I wouldn't mind seeing a Utah philosophy with pleny of pick and rolls, moving without the ball to create passing lines. Regardless of what we recommend Rudy isn't that kind of coach and neither is the coaching staff so its not going to happen.

We need to seriously look at bringing in some fresh talent.. on the coaching staff. Bring in a philosophy that gives the players a chance to play and have some fun, is it just me or do they looked as bored as we are? AskRobert Horry who's offense he likes better, Rudy's or Phil's? Roll players actually have a roll in other offenses, in Rudy's they're just there to occupy defenders.

I love you Rudy, I wrote several articles defending your style and draft selection back on the CluchCity.com before they shut down web, but its time to go. Don't go away mad.. just go away.

 

Yeah, I thought i'd be original and start a new thread saying the exact same thing everybody else does

Basically my point is that the players aren't the problem, its the system. And since Rudy has said that the system isn't going to change then he's got to go.

If Rudy would just take a look around the league he'd see that the zone defense has made his offense obsolete. He doesn't need to make big changes, we're close to being good. A little more work in the two man game would get us to the playoffs. Some solid defense would even win a series.

Trades would be nice but wouldn't accomplish anything, so moving SF to the 2 and bringing in an expensive pg, while intriguing, isn't the answer. Neither is moving EG to another team when what he needs is some positive coaching, discipline and a chance to be effective in the offense. Mobley.. well i'd like to see him play in another system, he's a ball hog but with this offense what difference does it make.

 

enough about the rolls, they were yeast rolls, baked to a golden brown, they filled them with honey and butter and ate themselves out of the playoffs... I know its ROLE players, i was thinking faster than I type. My humble appologies, forgive me oh mighty gods of grammer, may Strunk and White grind me beneath their feet.

My main complaint is this:
The Rockets have a lot of talent that they aren't even trying to use.
Instead they throw everything on SF's shoulders and tell him to go win the game.
My positional analisys behind this belief breaks down like this:

Franchise: is an awesome point who is expected to do it all without any help from anybody else. He doesn't need to move to the two spot, he just needs someone to share the burden.

Mobley: shots too much but since he's not expected to pass why wouldn't he? He's got the shot making ability but needs to learn to pass to the open man when double-teamed. I think he plays defense against Kobe as well as anybody, just wish he'd give that kind of effort against everybody else.

Posey: provides enough scoring to keep openents honest and plays solid defense. Keeper

Griffen/Taylor: Griffen can be an imposing shot blocker and with some muscle could be a better rebounder. He's got the offensive skills to be a star but he's not strong enough to post up yet. Taylor is a scorer, he can come off the bench and tear up an opposing team, but his on defense he'd rather foul than move his feet. I'm not sure that starting Taylor and letting Griffen be the focus off the bench wouldn't be a better way to go.

Yao: its all there for him once he puts on a little more muscle so opposing teams can't push him out of the paint. Now that he's seen the best the NBA has to offer he'll gain in confidence. He can make some beautiful passes and he and Franchise work really well together.

Bench:
Rice is overpaid for what we get from him.
Cato showed that he is a better bench player than a starter, only problem i've got with him is that he's paid like an all-star, if he didn't cost so much i'd love to keep him, but he does so please, please trade him.
Nachbar could be the Rick Fox type player we need coming off the bench, but again, he'll never get enough touches to develop here.
Moochie, he's finally got the money, now he's relaxed. He's the kind of guy that needs to be signed to a one year contract for the rest of his life.
The rest are a waste of time and money. We need depth, not starters. Bring in a few veterans near the end of their career to show the young guns how its suppossed to be done.

 

I'm not Swindle, I wrote a few articles for Frank though.