Evidence That Howard & Asik Should Be Able To Play Together

At the end of last season, Kevin McHale inserted Greg Smith in the starting line-up after the Rockets took consecutive ass whoopings in the post from Indiana and Memphis. The Clippers were coming to town and Blake Griffin had destroyed the Rockets in the previous games.


The Greg Smith Experiment

Up until that point Greg Smith had played pretty much exclusively as a back-up 5 to Asik, but this game Kevin McHale inserted him into the starting line-up for the first time as a power forward playing next to Omer Asik. Greg Smith does not have an outside game, like Asik his offense is limited to within 10 feet of the basket and that’s being generous.

Greg has some low post game and some power so how did the Rockets open up the game? By dumping the ball into the post for Greg to go one on one with Blake Griffin. From that point on the Rockets absolutely controlled the paint. Lob city never happened and Blake Griffin had by far his worst game of against the Rockets as a complete non-factor. At one point Blake’s frustration was more than evident. The Rockets dominated the boards, controlled the paint and won the game by 17 points without the use of James Harden.

Greg Smith remained the starter at Power Forward for the remainder of the season.

The Rockets started out the same way against Orlando in the same game, absolutely dominating the Magic in the 1st quarter. Greg had 10 points and 2 rebounds in the first quarter and Omer had 10 points and 5 rebounds in that same quarter. The Rockets dominated the paint once again and just destroyed the Magic.

Greg’s problem at Power Forward was that he could not stay out of foul trouble. He was rendered useless after the 1st quarter of the Magic game because of foul problems. He finished with five fouls in that game.

When Smith was on his game the Rockets also destroyed the Trailblazers in Portland behind a 19 point 5 rebound effort from Smith and 9 points and 11 rebounds from Asik. And just to prove that two low post players do not effect James Hardens game, he still had 33 points and took 8 foul shots.

The problem with Smith and Asik in the lineup was always Greg’s consistency and his foul problems. Put Greg was not a stretch 4 or a finesse 4, he is a traditional back to the basket POWER Forward. Greg’s offensive game does not extend out of the post. If Greg and Omer can be effective then there is no doubt in my mind that Omer and Dwight would be just absolutely dominate.


Omer Asik and Dwight Howard Would Be Great Together

- Dwight Howard does everything Greg does but a 100 times better, plus a ton of stuff Greg doesn’t do.
- Dwight Howard is not going to be a foul machine like Greg.
- Dwight Howard is going to be consistently good every night (as will Omer).

The Clippers are an example of a team that starts two low post players in DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griifin. I’ll take a combo of Omer and Dwight over those two any day of the week. Dwight is just as good as or better offensively than Blake and Omer is better on offense than DeAndre (who contributes zero on offense outside of the dunk). Offense is where the comparison between these two groups of players end. Dwight and Omer are superior rebounders and there is just no comparison to defense. Both Dwight and Omer are superior to either Blake or DeAndre on defense and it’s not even close.

Obviously there are teams with stretch 4’s that could cause the Rockets issues with Asik and Dwight in the starting line-up for extended periods such as the Pacers, Heat, Mavs and Grizzlies. Certainly the Rockets can stagger Dwight and Omer’s minutes and use guys like TJones or Parsons to guard the stretch fours.


Remembering Ralph and Akeem

Everyone likes to talk about how Ralph moved to Power Forward when the Rockets drafted Dream but what a lot of people don’t remember is that Ralph played a ton of center after the Rockets drafted Dream. Bill Fitch did not like to have both big men on the bench at the same time. When ever Dream went to the bench Ralph moved over to the center spot and Jim Peterson came in as the Power Forward.

I’m guessing that Kevin McHale would use this philosophy. At no time (unless there is an injury or foul trouble issue) would both Asik and Dwight be on the bench. The real question in my opinion is who will be the backup Power Forward?

With Asik and Howard manning the paint the post would be closed for the other team.

 

What about them?

 

That's what you say, but Kevin McHale makes that decision not you or me.

I'm just pointing out evidence that they can coexist together on the court at the same time. I do think there is a very good chance that McHale is going to try them out together to see if it will work. If DeAnde and Blake can start and play together then there is no reason at all that Omer and Dwight can't.

 

You can not leave Asik alone in the post. Period. He is not great at creating his own shot but if you leave him he will catch the ball and dunk it on your ass. Didn't you watch the Rockets play last season?

Greg Smith and Asik did not clog the lanes for Harden last season so why should I think Dwight and Asik will?

Yes Gasol and Zebo are one of the combos that would give Asik and Dwight issues... Didn't you read my post? I said that. Maybe you just read the title of the thread and didn't read the post.

 

Thanks

 

Obvioiusly the situation might dictate that they don't spend lots of time of the floor together like playing against Indy or Memphis just because of the type of Power Forwards they have.

I think Greg is actually better against other big power forwards such as Blake Griffin. I think the ones that give him trouble are the ones that pull him out of the post.

Greg did have 5 fouls in that Orlando game though.

 

I think a couple of things about Asik is that he is very smart and a very underrated passer. I think it can work out very well.