That stat means our starting 5 are very productive. It also means the weak bench is what killed us last year. Here is another stat. Dallas won the most games last year. The lost in the first round also. Should the Rox not aim for best record this year?
Sammy, if you took the liberty of equating "when" with "whenvver" [sic] Rafer is playing, and cherry-picked Rafer's bad moments, you should expect similar stunt done on Mike James from somebody else. Rafer's 3rd-quarter stint didn't end at 9:07 mark. He wasn't pulled out of the game and replaced by Mike James right after the Jazz made its 8-0 run to cut the Rockets' lead to 2. Rafer continued to played until 2.5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter with the Rockets up by 10. Overall the Rockets was +2 in Rafer's 9.5-min stint, which was an important stretch of the game. Objective fans would agree maintaining (in fact slightly upping) a significant lead in a long stretch during the second half was more crucial to the outcome of the game than creating a lead in much earlier part of the game, during which Rafer sucked. LOL ... speaking as a truly frustrated man yourself, Sammy. Mike James was metaphorically worse than VSpan-in-Houston in his Minnesota stint last season. He couldn't deliver even playing along side with one of the most dominant stud Kevin Garnett, and was a malcontent who was eventually relieved his starting role by his coach in favor of a rookie. What do you expect a Rockets fan like me to root for guys like MJ, especially in games when Rafer outperformed him? Were/Are you a Rockets fan or MJ-only-fan? Oh yeah Yao sucked in the Utah game, but Yao's suckiness overall can hardly attributed to by Rafer alone. I sure felt bitter both as a Yao fan and a Rockets fan. Did you not? Did you get a kick out of it because Yao is from China? How in the world wnes' ethnicity come into playing in the midst of a Rafer debate? Does wnes' Chinaman (don't be afraid to use the C-word, Sammy, it's not censored here) background make him prone to pro-Rafer (I can't even believe I put myself in this camp, but just for the sake of argument I am a member of Rafer fan club to entertain you)? Is being critical of MJ for whatever reason a characteristic of a Chinaman? You know what Sammy, you are one of the remaining few posters in GARM who habitually incite racial flames in discussions that have zilch to do with Rockets basketball. In the past year or so, I've seen only three other posters pulled similar stuff: NewYorker (who is banned), TheHangover (a card-carrying racist and YOH), and blazer_ben (who idiotically flames everyone critical of TMac as Chinese YOF). Quite an elite group, isn't it? In fact, you were called out by one of the mods (Jeff) for making racially bigoted remarks in your post several months ago. Were you raised in a racist environment or what? How difficult is it for you not to spew ethnic stereotypes and/or racial bigotries when you are posting in GARM? Methinks you owe your "I am with Sam" liberal buddies an explanation. Talking about losing face, LOL
While Scola may be better than Hayes and James is way better than Alston, for right now, I like them both coming off the bench and playing longer minutes as it gives us such a really, really strong bench!
Definitely both of them (and Bonzi) coming off the bench. That would be two perimeter players and one inside player capable of scoring. James and Bonzi can take the perimeter (James to handle the 3 shooting, Bonzi to overpower the opposing SG) while Scola can take on the post work and under the basket moves. If you really want to compare, imagine a 2nd unit lineup of: Rafer Bonzi Shane Hayes Dikembe Gosh... how many offensive options do we have there compared to: James Bonzi Shane Scola Dikembe/Hayes Much better 2nd unit, don't you think?
I'll respond to Bleder because I really liked the post. I completely agree. It is way too soon to make moves on shooting %, otherwise Shane is out as the least efficient player. Right now I say keep Alston starting, but have James play at least 50% of the PG minutes. For now the worse Alston plays, just stilt James minutes more say 28 (James) to 20 (Rafer) I don't agree here. IF Alston loses his job, it will clearly be to James. Francis or Brooks might take on James role as explosive change up, because I have some doubt if Alston loses his starting job, he/the team will not adjust well to him as the backup. James is more of a PG--more secure with the ball and better decision maker-- than Francis, so Francis starting over him, particularly the more we find out about Francis current state as a player, is not an likely option. Brooks also is young and small, I'd love to see him as a chance of pace ace shooter and up tempo leader for 15 MPG--but little chance for him to start. So right now I'd like to continue to see Alston start for 20-24 minutes (pull him earlier and earlier unless he finds shooting rythum), and have James finishes both haves and plays for 24-28 minutes. If the move is made, James starts and plays about 32 minutes, and we need to figure who can provide the best midway break in each half for about 15 minutes among Rafer, Brooks, Head or Francis (with the latter two on the floor Tmac has to do more ball handling/decision making though). I agree here. Along with #1 Hayes actually playing really solid, #2 Scola foulling a lot (probably worse against starters), #3 Scola right now is equally important as a back-up center as a power forward. Spelling Yao with a fresh Scola now worried abotu fouls is a good way to keep the offense rolling and go to an uptempo second unit. For now save Deke for the playoffs and when we really need him versus bodies when Yao needs a break, like to play the Duncan or Shaq or Big Z or Howard or Dampier, etc. So I see Deke's minutes staying low and Scola is the guy to help out at back-up C. I don't think so. I think right now he feels it is the best utilization of his guys. But Rafer better pick up his shooting to at least medicre, near 40% from the field, 35% from 3, or this will eventually change. Personally most of this been pleasant. All you folks around here saying Hayes will be a bit player--why bother to sign him, saying without a doubt Scola was going to start over him--with myself among the minority around here saying I am not too sure about this. I am glad to see Adelman consider the defense and rebounding impact Hayes brings (and probably saving Yao from fouls and so more difficult assingments that having Scola there could lead to). Alston I think is on a much shorter lease than Chuck Hayes because what Hayes brings is utterly consistent even with some major limits.
