I would like to see Patterson Start in Hayes place at center. They both have the same type of game so it won't affect the chemistry much. I think Hill is more effective off the bench. That's just my 2 cents.
I said the same thing only in smaller type. I just think that he is the best big at rotating on defense, other than Jeffries, but Patterson adds more to the team overall. While he can't replace Chuck, he could do better than Hill because Hill and Scola is not working very well, and it would allow Jordan to go back to playing with CBud and Miller whom he thrives with.... Rick said that Patterson was the best big at understanding where to be on defense, maybe he should get a few starts until Chuck is back? DD
Wow, thank you for blowing up the font size on your post. I usually have a hard time reading the regular font size, but your message must be special. Thank you so much, your **** must smell a lot better than everyone else here.
I don't really like him at center and feel PF is his natural position. But with Patterson and Scola together our rebounding would probably be good, and he is a better shot-blocker than Hayes, but Hill is a little better in that area. It might work, it might be a horrible idea, I don't know. But I think it might be worth a look a few times to see how we fare. (Maybe Hill would work out better as strictly the back PF with Miller at center?)
What needs to happen is we need to get a actual legit Center instead of trotting out these PFs (Some of them undersized at 4) and expecting them to play Center. Until then we will always be disappointed with the production at that spot. Hayes is fools gold, he's good and all but he still doesn't protect the paint.
Yes this is Morey's biggest failure to date......he knows it, and went after cheap alternatives but has yet to pony up the doh ray me to get a legitimate center. They tried for Dampier, and sort of tried for Fosenko, but instead they have stockpiled every other position, and left the team very thin at Center.... They could have drafted one this year, Whiteside was drafted in the 2nd round and he led the nation in blocked shots last year....very raw, but at least he has athleticism and length. There are a lot of young centers in the league, but for some reason, the Rockets just don't believe in drafting one. DD
I'm pretty OK with them drafting Patterson instead of Whiteside. Rockets like to draft "best player available" (a lot of teams say it, but the Rockets mean it) and look for guys who they think will fit into how they like to play. Right now, that's up-tempo, athletic, they prefer bigs that are versatile, they like players who can play and defend multiple positions. The Rockets don't plan to be in the lottery very often, so they put a lot of value in those picks. They're not going to use it on a project that every other team in the first round decided to pass over. They want someone who they have high confidence will turn out to be a good player.
Yep, and to make things worse it feels like every other team has a legit center or two on their roster. The Mavs have so many they can barely get Haywood minutes. If the Rockets fail to acquire a legit Center by the deadline I'll begin to think they just don't value size that much and if so that will be Morey's biggest fault as a GM.
A Center won't fix the defense, unless it's Dwight. We need significant defensive upgrades, everywhere.
I agree with this. We need to be selecting the BPA, not looking for need in these drafts. Patterson looks damn good.. I'm surprised he's not getting more love. I'm on board with starting him.. he could be a fixture in our long term plans. I've never been high on Jordan Hill and he's just proving why by squandering this opportunity. I'm not sure Jordan Hill sees the floor after Chuck comes back.
This is the first couple years basketball is a full time job for this kid who is 6'10" and starting to hit his shots under 10 feet better. Sure, he had a bad game tonight, but that's growing pains. I look at the improvement from last year vs. comparing him to established young centers in the league. He has time to grow into his frame and if he keeps working the improvement will continue. Give me a guy with good character who is 6'10" and willing to work and I will wait before I say he is "squandering his opportunity". Kid STILL has upside, he is constantly a few missed layups & putbacks away from 15 pts on a nightly basis with inconsistent minutes. The only reason he wouldn't see the floor is if Patterson and Chuck play amazingly well on the offensive end as well (I doubt this). Adelman doesn't change the lineup up as much as other coaches, but if he did, there would be no way he wouldn't see the floor. You can tell the organization is still waiting to see what Hill can become.... a good backup and future starting center or trade fodder. The organization probably prefers the former because the kid hasn't stopped working since he got here. The only thing that worries me is how he couldn't guard Aldridge.... if you can't match up with most of the centers in the league then there is a GM/Coach issue because I don't believe in calling him a center if he can't guard centers.... Morey said they brought him in to be a center and that most center were in his height range justifying it.... when Scola is switching two nights in a row to the 5 defensively... I have a problem.
I would more or less agree with what you said in terms of the units, Hill would probably play better with the second unit. But that's similar to my position on our PG situation... I think Brooks > Lowry, but I think Lowry plays better with Martin than AB as well as AB playing better with Miller than Lowry does means you keep AB in the second unit even when he is 100%. But when Hayes gets back do you shove Patterson into the second unit again like he is now and forget about Hill? I don't think so because Hill was playing very well with Miller so PatPat goes back to the bench...
The problem is that he has regressed this year. He is rebounding less, shooting a lower %, scoring less points per 36. Not sure that you can say he has progressed at all. His rebounding figures are a worry, since that is his primary responsibility.
Even if Hill proves unready to start, I don't think it changes the team's opinion of him much. After all, they expected him to be the third-string center after Yao and Miller this season. He's a long-term project in their eyes.
