This Rockets team as assembled right now does not have the guard play capable of winning a championship, if you think so you are only fooling yourself. They made some nice additions in the offseason with the bench, but the guard play is below average. It has been for years now. We lost the Jazz series because Deron abused Rafer and nothing's chaned. Parker was quiet all night then decided to just take over. He along with Ginobli just dominated the game. I know the naysayers will say yea we didn't have TMAC, but he won't change the inability of guards to defend or play heads up basketball. I'm not asking for a superstar, I'm asking for a guard that makes smart decisions, puts the offense in the best situations, makes HEADS UP entry passes into Yao, and can flat knock down the open jumper when they sag down on Yao. Ask yourself can Head, James or Rafer do any of those? This is a guard oriented league now, they control the flow of games. If you take a look at the teams with the top records it comes from guard play. New Orleans is simply feeding off their star Chris Paul. I've got to be honest in my assessment of the Rockets, they lost to the Jazz last year and nothing's changed. Are we a better than average team? Absolutely, and we will still win 50 plus games. The point though is to win a championship and the guard play in Houston won't cut it. Too many games are decided in the NBA late with the ball in a guards hand. Rafer, Head and James are not good decision makers, nor above average defenders. I look at the last 3 minutes of a close game in the NBA as the 12th round of a heavyweight fight, and more times than not our guards can knocked down until this changes, I do not see this team winning an NBA championship. TMAC and YAO will only get this team so far.
although they defeated the defending champs, and then lost to the defending champs by a very close margin without their star player, i see rafer alstons minutes climbing with each game. baw?
WTF is wrong with some of you people?? TMac's out and we made a good game of it against the Spurs even though they're playing in top form? ridiculous
i always thought Rafer is the weakest link since he can't play and can't attack the hoop. His size doesn't scare anybody.
so u dont want a superstar, so who do you want? give us some names, you act like there's a ton of PG's that can do what you just listed
McGrady not being in the lineup was kind of a major factor in this game. I have no doubt that we would've won if he was healthy.
We had no choice but to have guards play by committee at the 1. We simply couldn't get anything better.43 minutes by Rafer will never cut it. He is what he is.A below average starter. James can help to an extent. Steve does need to get ready to play ASAP. Unfortunately he seems to be a better player as a backup 2 than as a 1. It's possible he might be able to score when we go on droughts. As bad as our guards are Yao needs to step up in T-Mac's absence. Otherwise we won't win anything.
I'm sure some of these guys could tell you who burned Alston last time they played NBA Live, that's who.
last night i was watching the Mavericks vs. the Spurs and there is a feeling that i dont have for the Rockets everytime Jason Terry and Josh Howard had a set shot, i had the feeling that it will go in... i would say to my friend "oh ****, another 3 points for the Mavs" before it actually goes in... i just dont have the confidence for our guards to knock down wide open just shots
Seriously. The defending champs just shot 49% against us, including 56% from three. We were without out main scorer, and our next two options struggled. WE LOST BY SIX POINTS! This is not a time to freak out. As for guard play -- Mike James, Rafer Alston, and Luther Head were ALL in the game EVERY time we made a run. Took the lead even. Against the defending champs, shooting 49%. Chill out people. It's a long season and its just getting started.
Again let me make myself clear. I think the Rockets have a very good team, maybe even a top 5 or 6 team in the league. The point though is to win a championship, it's not to be competetive and lose. I'm not an excuse maker, it's great people can say hey we played close and we didn't have TMAC. Yea we also had an opportunity to win the game, but lost in my opinion largely becasue the guard play is below average. If you ask me can we beat the elite teams in a 7 game series in the West with our guard play and my heart tells me we can't. Not with these guards. I'm just a realistic fan, I'll watch every Rockets game and I'll root them on just like I did tonight. I just see a 50 win team that doesn't have the guard play to get to the next level. You ask who those guards are? I coudn't tell you, but they are not on our roster. I'd just assume have a guy LIKE Derek Fisher who is just simple. Plays hard, hits the open jumper and for the most part plays a very solid floor game. He's just not going to beat you or his team, by making mistakes. Rafter can't hit an open jumper to save his life, it affects the rest of his team, it's like playing 4 on 5 rec ball with the kid you know that can't shoot or dribble. You pay him no mind for the most part and sag down on the other teams best player. It's just an honest evaluation, I'm not trying to break people's hearts, it's just what I see.
Let's be honest...this is a lame thread. I am sure there are as many idiots following other teams, but the moron (moran) ratio in GARM is off the charts these days.
I absolutely agree with you. It is a honest observation. Not try to deny that we have a very good team this year. Not try to deny that we played our heart out and put up a great fight with the defending champion without TMac. But when things get tough, it usually showed you where the problems are. They are not going to go away just because you do not want to see them. And one of our problems is our guard plays, especially the decision making at the critical moment. I said similar things in another thread, without good guard plays, we are not going very deep in the west conference.
Let me get this straight. Rafer played 43 minutes today against the Spurs. He had "negative value", according to you. Yao and Bonzi had awful games, by their standards. And yet, we still had a very good chance of winning in San Antonio and without Tracy McGrady. Can you explain how that adds up? You really think Luther Head, Luis Scola, Shane Battier, Mike James, and Chuck Hayes were so amazing that they made up for the poor play of everyone else? Please.
We really need to make a trade..how about for Watson + Szczerbiak or Tyron Lue + Childress or Blake + La Frentz...damn! getting depressed ryt now
This team will not get past the second round of the playoffs and maybe the first round with Rafer Alston playing significant mins.
