i think even without melo we will still be a very good team( with yao healthy of course) but the one thing we need to actually compete with the lakers and other top teams is defense! i know yao will help out alot but do u think we have the players to get back to the top of the league defensively?
Yao should help drastically, but it could negatively affect our running offense. People say Yao can be our Kareem with the outlet passes, but Yao isn't as fluid as Kareem.
Not if our starting backcourt is Martin and Brooks. Yao is only going to play 30 minutes, max, and our backup centers aren't exactly known for their shotblocking. Our veteran power forwards don't intimidate anybody with their length either.
that's why I prefer Iggy over Melo. with that kind of money (Melo's $21million/yr. extention + maybe another contract Denver wants to dump: Nene/Chris Anderson/JR Smith) we can afford Iggy + maybe Josh Smith or other defensive minded star. i think we have enough offense power in Yao/Scola/Martin/Brooks/Miller/C-Bud. Battier has lost a step or two so if we want to upgrade the 3 spot and get a star player i prefer a good defender like Iggy or Josh Smith..... or both Battier + Hill + our own 2012 1st pick should be enough for Iggy and Jefferies' expireing + Scola OR Jefferies + Patterson + TE (goes to 3rd team for a player the Hawks likes) can get us Josh Smith Yao Ming, Miller, Hayes J. Smith, Scola/Patterson Igudala, Budinger Martin, Lee, Taylor Brooks, Lowry, Smith Yao+Smith+Iggy is probably the best defensive frontline, and Lee/Lowry will provide D in the backcourt off bench..... and we still got 5~6 guys that can gives you 20+ points any given night. I don't believe a Yao/Scola/Melo/Martin/Brooks lineup can be successful in the playoffs; not enough defense and not enough ball for the offense
Team defense is rarely reflected by the makeup of the players. Do you think Webber, Divac, Peja, Christie, and Bibby a top defensive lineup? Well, they were consistently top 5-10 defenses during the Adelman era. This is what the coaching staff is paid to do. If Yao can play 30mpg when it matter(like during the stretch run and the playoffs), we have more than enough talent to play top 10 defense. That's enough.
Agreed, if Yao only does 24 minutes a game at first, that is still 6 minutes a quarter where they have a huge presence at the rim. DD
This. And I am surprised by some who say that our offense will slow down with Yao. How many players does it take to run the fastbreak? It only takes two or three at a time, I think, so why all the fuss about Yao slowing down the offense.
I think the Rockets are a better team without Melo. If we trade for him, we won't be a deep team anymore. It will be a team similar to what we had during the early years of the McGrady and Yao combo.
No way...did you see the crap that was on the team? Clarence Freakin Weatherspoon? Juwanna Howard? Ryan BOWEN? Scott Padgett? Jake Tsakalidis? Dude, seriously our best back up for 2 years was LUTHER HEAD. Now we are 2 deep at each position.
What about teams like the Celtics and Heat?? I have a feeling if we get Melo this year we can sign and trade brooks next year for CP3.
While I tend to agree with your assessment on the Melo vs. Iggy argument, I don't think we can get Iggy with just Battier, Hill and a 2012 pick (that is just ludicrous). Also I do not see us netting Smith in a package where we only give up Jeffries, Patterson and a TPE. However, with that said I think you take whichever deal is better and on the table. Iggy has said he wants to remain a sixer and the sixers want to dump Brand if they trade Iggy. Carmelo, on the other hand, has yet to sign an extension and could be had without any baggage. I see it more as Melo is more available and if there is a good deal on the table to get Melo we can use try and use our TPE to acquire Chris Andersen, which definitely help on the defensive end of the floor.
^^^this and i'd say even without yao we would be a better defensive team then last year's squad, especially after the trade when everyone was trying to develop chemistry again. now we have Lee (known for his defence) and martin, hill and jeffries have had more time to work out with their new team and as much as everyone likes to talk about RA's offensive system, his defensive sets are not bad at all
Having Yao in the lineup will make a big difference. I don't think we'll be a Top 5 defensive team but I'm sure (or hope) that it'll be a lot better than last year's
It's always good when you can go deep, but it's really what you do with it. Atleast, that's what she said.
The level of defense would really depend on the rotation. We have players like Hill, Hayes, Battier, Patterson, Lowry that play above average defense.
