"Washed up" Chris Paul is the best clutch player in the NBA and will be in All-Star Game this year

I feel like Luc/Trevor were huge reasons for the 65 win season.

 

Yeah, Luc turned into a minor offensive juggernaut, never seen before in his career while still slowing down opponents.

Trevor was a pure shooter in the regular season.

 

So in other words one player is efficient and the other isn’t. Thanks we know that

 

They were a big part of it.

We knew that the defense would be good.

We could win games while only shooting 30-33% from 3. A year earlier we lost those games. So the variability of shooting so many 3's did not matter as much.

Neither of them were fantastic offensive players. Ariza and Mbah Moute both only shot like 35-36% from 3 and didn't put the ball on the floor. It didn't matter, they shot well enough to keep the lane clear and they made a big difference defensively.

It is unacceptable that we have not found at least another similar player.

 

One player is a much better rebounder, pace setter, and brings more energy while one is more efficient, a better defender, and a long injury history since we are still butt hurt.

Do you have any idea of how many more possessions per game we have now?

 

Russell Westbrook can do well for the Rockets but they need to have the right type of players around him.

He is a player of extremes and the key is limit the negative and accentuate the positives.

He has made a huge difference on the boards and pushing the pace. He also is capable of carrying a large load.

The problems are that he is a mediocre defender, an inefficient shooter and is turning the ball over too often.

Bringing in a 3/4 that defends well, gets out in transition and hits 35% of his 3's would make a huge difference as the turnovers would go down, the defense would tighten and Westbrook would get more high percentage shots.

 

I wish those more possessions per game came with better efficiency and less bone headed plays. That merely adds more extreme volatility to the rockets.

 

Everything has pros and cons. WB has the better chance of being healthy for those possessions, albeit with less efficiency.

 

I think we got lucky with both Ariza and Luc, as finding those switchy, long, above average from 3 wings is no easy task. Especially lucky with Luc.

 

That remains to be seen since wb isn’t as healthy as people thought

 

Fair enough since Russ is on a program for back to backs. Likewise CP3 has been healthier than history has shown so far.

We haven’t even talked about contracts here, another pro and con.

CP3 is gone and WB is here. Go rockets

 

Shot selection is part of what makes a player efficient. One of Westbrook's biggest problem is his shot selection.

 

You’re right he’s gone and people want to continue to slander him as if he wasn’t great here and the team enjoyed its best run since the ship days with a guy that wanted to be here and take down a dynasty together. Especially When nobody else did

 

Yep and now the CP3 run is over. CP3 was good, we almost won it all had he not been consistently injured when it mattered most.

I think CP3 wouldn’t be so slandered if the CP3 supporters would do the same for Russ.... I’m perfectly fine giving CP3 his props and due while supporting WB and what he can bring...

 

Well we were ahead of the curve and that obviously makes it easier.

Long wings are in demand, but there are a fair number of them out there as well.

They can be developed and we really haven't developed any of them.

In fairness to Morey and MDA, we have only had two #1 picks since 2012.

 

I'm only slightly hesitant to say that my previous statement is a foregone conclusion, solely because I've seen how good he looks and I know his diet and rehab change are part of that. But come on, you know D'Antoni loves to run his guards into the ground. There's a really good chance Chris, as a Rocket, doesn't survive this season without injury, even with the changes he's made. He would need to be heavily load managed. Something the Rox organization never afforded Chris for some ungodly reason.

 

Why does this matter if the other team gets the same number of possessions?

 

Is that the case though?

 

Yes. Each team gets the same number of possessions, other than 2 for 1 situations at the end of quarters. Playing at a faster pace doesn't give you more possessions than the other team, it gives both teams more possessions.

 

I don't know the statistics, but it makes sense to assume that if you up your pace to get more possessions, it makes for a faster game and your opponent would get the same number of possessions as well, save for 2-for-1 scenarios.