A fan watching the Rockets from last year to this year would notice that Chuck Hayes and Jordan Hill have each improved on the offensive end. Hayes added a few post-up moves and, once in a while, may beat his man off the dribble for a layup. Hayes is still not a priority on the offensive end, but his improvement has shown that he is not a liabilty that people used to claim he was. Jordan Hill has developed a hook shot, a few post-ups, a jump shot, and is showing an increased ability to finish putbacks. One of the knocks about Chuck Hayes game was that he couldn't be in the frontcourt with another limitted offensive player, which in the past prevented Hayes from playing with Deke despite the potential defensive nightmare for the opposing teams. Similiarly, I think that Adelman plays Scola/Hayes, Miller/Hayes, Miller/Hill, Miller/Scola and Hill/Scola lineups and not Hayes/Hills lineups because of fear of not enough offense being generated. I was thinking that with the improved offensive games of both Hayes and especially Hill, it would be great to play both guys together for certain stretches of the game, such as those stretches where the other team features a solid offensive PF/C. Playing Hayes with a weak defensive and/or weak rebounding man, would allow the opposing PF/C to shoot over Hayes, grab the offensive board and then score over him because of a lack of another defensive and rebounding presence in the paint. Miller and Scola just don't cut it as the intimidating defensive type of guys and playing them together is even worse for the defense. Jordan Hill on the other hand is more intimidating because he will block and alter shots around the basket with his leaping ability, which Scola and Miller lack. I do not believe that Hill/Hayes should start, but rather they should play more together.
I would love to see more Hayes/Hill combos, as long as brooks/Martin and Battier are out. That would be a fearsome 5 imo.
