By using the same start five last night, a chance to beat the Jazz is not very high. It is much more difficult to catch up with the Jazz than the Lakers.
Rafer and Chuck both spent time in the D-league. Just to make the point though.. there are 44 D-League players on NBA rosters as of yesterday. Of those 44 players.. they aren't the only two starters. http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/nba_rosters_0708.html
I agree it will take time for it to be "time," but the "new" Rockets looked a great deal like the "old" Rockets. The offense had that "constipated" look about it for a good part of the game. Every year, I am convinced more and more that the preseason is largely a waste of time. It seems like the real work begins when the season starts.
Our starters led the league as a group, so there's no reason to change them yet. Our problem last year was our bench and depth. That has changed dramatically, which I hope makes a big difference this year. I expect it will take the next few months to get really sharp, but hope they improve steadily, and by the playoffs, are instinctive with the new offense. I also expect for Hayes and Rafer to be replaced, but for now, they are most comfortable with the team and existing defense, so it makes sense to be patient with the transition. Francis is my biggest disappointment, of course. I'm really hoping that Adelman get's through to him, and that he decides to do what it takes to get in shape, like Bonzi did in the off-season, if it's not because he got old. If its due to age, then I hope he gets the help he needs to adjust his game, so he brings value. But, it's looking more and more like he won't be our solution at PG. Who knows, maybe Brooks will take over later in the year. But, even if Rafer isn't replaced, he will have way more support behind him with James, Francis and Brooks, which will make a significant difference, I think.
i disagree with you and clutch that the rockets looked a great deal like the old rockets. first of all, yao slamming it home coming through the lane was new, seeing james coming in for rafer was new, the cuts were new, bonzi looking hyped up was new, last nights game was clearly not a jvg team. of course there are going to be moments when the rockets act like a jvg team, most of the players were under his system. it was clearly not slow it down type of half court offense on every possession.
I thought the offense look alright...you don't want to change too much because mainly you still want Yao in the post and Tmac doing his thing!! I still don't think they post Yao enough inside. I like to see Yao 70% inside and 30% shooting outside.
I don't think its a waste of time, It gives coaches real game time to experiment with different lineups. But you are right about the real work begins when the season starts. This team looks just as sloppy as last years team, the question is are they going to get comfortable with a motion offense or is the team going to abandon it and go back to Van Gundy Ball.
Where did I say I miss JVG? Maybe you should put your glasses on old man and read the post. Or you can just look like an idiot.
I'm still waiting for the Yao Ming fast break behind the back dribble slam it home play of old. RA may need to see video of that if he hasn't already.
I for one would not mind the Rockets hampering parts of their game against other teams, if only that they would BLOW OUT Utah everytime we played. If we game-planned our entire season around destroying them, I couldn't be happier. That is how much I hate Utah.
I pointed out the lack of athleticm and players that can get their on shots before the start of the 2006-2007 season...I predicted the loss to Utah in the playoffs for the same reason...I screamed it again before VG was fired and I'm going to mention it one more time... If any 2 of 3 of Battier, Hayes and Alston are the starters, the 2007-08 Rockets are another first round exit. Adelman is a basketball coach not a miracle worker. Battier will likely log 35-40 minutes against the Jazz. If either Hayes or Alston approaches 28 minutes, Thursday game is the playoffs Part II.
This year's Rockets team is not a totally new team. I think it (is and will be) variation of last year's team. Defense is the key, but the offense isn't too far behind. Most of analysts last night even pointed it out, that team hasn't lost its defense swagger and fundamentals. Outside of the 1st quarter and the last few minutes with Kobe, we pretty much shut the Lakers down, Kobe only shot 40% last night and the rest of the team was just as bad. If we did lose last night, it would've been more about us losing the game than them winning it, because TOs and fouls (some were a result of questionable calls). Whoever thinks or believes the Lakers anywhere near the Rockets. Are sort of out of their mind. Let's be honest the Lakers occasionally win or lose close games with teams, like the Mavs, Spurs, or Suns. But realistically, when push comes to shove in a 7 game series. They'd be dispatched in matter 4 or 5 games. That team is a 7 seed at best. But with Kobe that will give a few teams a headache. Houston is already top 5 or 7 team in league, even if they kept JVG and didn't make any moves in offeseason. I think that this is biggest misconception about Adelman, is that he will make our defense worse or almost simply average. Because of his offensive gameplan. Not necessarily, the offensive gameplan from the judge of last night is a work in progress, but is going in the right direction. Even announcer last night notice a few differences in the Houston offense, people attacking basket more, taking riskier 3 pointers, and not waiting for everyone to get down the court. The offensive mentality of team is slowly changing with adding better players should be something to look for to. It's great change from last year. But let's be honest there are going to be times in the game where it seems like it's T-Mac and Yao vs. the other team. They're just that talented, most of the players with Adelman's Kings where not really good beat off the dribble or consistently takes players on one on one. T-Mac and Yao are probably tops in the league at it, after Kobe, Lebron, and Wade. Players that you have to double team or creating their own shots and drawing fouls. Especially when our shots aren't falling or when we face a tough defense, like the Spurs or Pistons. And they are superstars, they need their shots, again especially when others are not playing too good. The motion offense will work in Houston, once the players get familar with it. I don't think Battier would've taken a shot, like that last night, usually. It would been try to get the ball to Tracy and let him create. Simply, because the players are expected to play more loose and even aggressive on offense.
I don't think our starting lineup is bad as you make out to be. Sure it's not as sexy as the Suns, Mavs or Spurs, but it doesn't need to be with Yao and Tmac in the lineup. The problem with our team was our lack of depth, bench play and stagnant offense. You won't be winning many playoff games when your bench scores 12 points a game, especially against a Utah team that went to the conference finals. With Bonzi, Mike James and hopefully Scola, the bench brigade has significantly been upgraded over last years. If the going gets tough, we have more options other then playing rafer and hayes significant minutes. Come playoff time hopefully the rockets will have found their comfort zone in a motion offense and create easy buckets. Thats my biggest concern right there, the fluidity of the offense. If we keep having games where we have a lot of turnovers late in the season, I don't see us going far in the playoffs. Sure it would be nice to have some better starters, but we dont and they are the best options at this time.
I don't know about yall, but how many times last year when we we're up by two or three and JVG never fouled the shooter and let them shoot and it pissed me off every time. I love how RA made them foul so Kobe didn't hit a three. Another funny thing from last year I remember in the playoff JVG was commentating on ESPN and they asked him what he would do in that circumstance and he said he'd foul, I just remember laughing b/c he never did that.
Talk about our starting lineup, I'd have loved to bring Juwan back. But then again we have Carl Landry. Maybe he will play himself into rotation at some point. He is a much bigger threat offensively compared to Hayes.
Sorry, meant to say having Scola and Juwan give us starter and backup who can both score, unlike Hayes. Love Hayes' playing hard, but he is a scoring liability.
You're forgetting that JHO is a finesse player while Hayes is a blue collar player that wil get alot of loose balls, tip rebounds, and hustle point that JHO won't get. Scola is a better version of JHo, while Hayes is the lunch pail guy that all teams should have.
I distinctly remember a game last year, vs the lakers in fact, where we were up by 3, they inbounded to kwame brown, and we fouled him. he missed the first free throw, and the second one, but kobe got the rebound and made the game tying 3 pointer. how could you forget that?
wow how wrong are you. first off look at my above post. we DID foul kwame brown last season when we were up by 3, but kobe got the rebound and tied it with a 3 pointer. secondly, it's much harder to foul someone when the offensive player is facing you up. battier was lucky that kobe's back was turned when he fouled him.
