Good idea, DD. It's certainly a topic worthy of more elaboration. Thinking about it, the Rockets are at a turning point regarding their overall offensive philosophy. Some food for thought: 1. As mentioned, this league has shifted into the cutters and slashers game now. 2. As history has shown, the 04-05 Rockets, a truely special team back then, was based primarily on gaurds play of T-Mac, Sura, James, Wesley, and Jon Barry. Yao's low post game was a complimentary weapon to that team. 3.There is another good thread in the GARM talking about the need for Yao and T-Mac to involve the teammates early on. All those hope on Yao becoming the next dominant big man and carry the Rockets to victories has three weaknesses, for one, the low post play isn't the best way to involve guards and facilitate offensive flow. The Rockets are trying the old tactic of establishing low post presence by going to Yao early, which interrupts flows. It's an old trick in new era, under JVG as well as RA. Like three point shooting, it's great when it's working, but sucks when role players can't get into a groove. Second, I think Yao's low post play isn't up to par to that of Shaq's and Hakeem's. It's not Yao's fault only. If Yao played under the old rules and gets fair treatment, he'd be an all time great legendary post player. The Rockets also must ensure to able to get the ball in Yao's hands. It hasn't happened after 5 years. As for this team, our major role players aren't typically the stand still gunners that'll make the inside-outside game work. Guys like Francis, Mike James, and Bonzi Wells aren't shooters who are content on standing still making open threes. To implement a strict inside-outside game with these guys is forcing square pegs into round holes. This team needs to dump the scrubby starters and bring out the guard penetrators and offensive pf in SF, Bonzi Wells, Mike James and Luis Scola to make it work. I advocate the 04-05 Rockets mode. SF(Bobby Sura) Mike James is still Mike James, b**** Bonzi Wells(David Wesley) Luis Scola(Juan Howard hitting that outside shot) Shane Battier(Jon Barry off the bench) With the Adlemen offense thrown in, our guards play can be better than the 04-05 Rockets. Don't get me wrong. Yao's low post game is still very important. We can still exploit this mismatchup by using Yao's low post game as plan B. If guards plays are broken in a possession, we throw it to Yao for the last shot on the shot clock. When 4th quarters come, Yao is very needed in that low post. What I'm saying is, instead of trying to establish low post first, establish the guards play first. Instead of exploiting a single player's mismatch, exploit the whole team's mismatchups first. The Rockets need an identity, they don't have it now. They are torn between different styles. Once RA establishes guards play by playing SF, MJ, Bonzi and Luis Scola more, and figures out how to incorporate Yao's low post play into the guards play, I think we would explode. Sorry for the long post.
And Adelman is wrong... just like you are. Although the difference is that I'm pretty sure Adelman knows he's wrong, and is just lying, like I told you in the other thread. It's not like he has the greatest track record with his comments about players... I remember a year or two ago, Hollinger even did a defensive breakdown of all the PGs in the NBA, and Francis was 7th in the NBA... and it wasn't exactly a very misleading list seeing as Jason Kidd was 1st. But hell, if we're gonna give Adelman the final say on this, then why stop there? Why even have this board for discussion? Next time a topic of debate comes up, we might as well just call up Adelman and ask him what he thinks! Quick and clean. He's a coach, right? He CAN'T be wrong... He only tells the national media the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
By the way, that defensive analysis was from one of the years he was with the Magic, so the results weren't just because of Adelman's system bloating his impact.
This is what gets me, why people always think the coach knows best. There are good coaches and bad ones, just like grocery clerks, there are smart coaches and dumb ones, just like posters on the BBS. Just because a coach says something does not make it true, or even right, they may be too close to the situation to actually think clearly, did anyone ever think of that? There are smart people in the world and dumb ones.....and yes, that INCLUDES coaches....heck, if an IQ test was required, most coaches would not exactly be of the Mensa variety. And before anyone gets their panties in a wad, I think JVG and Rick Adelman are both on the smarter side of coaching. JVG's failings are in his doggedness and lack of innovation. Let's hope Rick Adelman does not sink his ship in the same manner. DD
I think maybe this is not quite right. Actually Shaq and Kobe had very decent role players. Robert Horry: the best role player ever. Fisher: very good at D and his shooting was pretty good too. George: pretty good at D and shooting too. And some other guys in that team were not bad either. I know Shag + Kobe >> Yao + T-mac. But their role players >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> our role players.
see, Dada but you are missing something.. the rockets and fans on here were in manlove for shane battier just 1 week ago...since shane signs chinese shoe deals,he knows that this is a way to not be traded...shane knows that if he kisses up to the chinese he wont be traded so whats your solution? trade alston? not going to happen..there is no gm dumb enough to take on alstons contract so the next solution is to play francis? well,thats okay, but he is a horrible outside shooter, tmac is a horrible outside shooter and now battier is a horrible outside shooter and wells is a horrible outside shooter.. so play mike james? well, then that means francis wont play...but if play james and francis together they will get abused on the defensive end especially in the playoffs (youll see, this year is a waste, it will be another first round exit) the only solution is to either trade for dwight howard (someone that can score points regardless of "fronting") or trade battier for maggette..woops,the rockets didnt want to do that because the chinese love battier this team is screwed as long as it keeps holding onto players that suck just because of shoe contracts
Can't agree more...It's a penetration league.....check this out <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vn3T5yIXA5M&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vn3T5yIXA5M&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
Coming out of lurker mode of over a year and a half, and have this be your first post ever? WELL FRICKEN DONE !! Post more baby, we need more penetration and less Head. DD
RA's not gonna give them more minutes to play since they are rookies,he just cant trust them!most of coaches would do the same thing
Great coaches take the risk and at least try to play talented rookies, ala Rudy T and Sam Cassell etc. DD
Walter Sobchak: Am I wrong? The Dude: No you're not wrong. Walter Sobchak: Am I wrong? The Dude: You're not wrong Walter. You're just an *******. Walter Sobchak: All right then.
but if the BALLs do not go into the HOLEs each time u r PENETRATING, u r not SCORING!! thus no SATISFACTION only DYSFUNCTION
Hey, I would be in for giving Brooks a shot. I mean the worse that can happen is that we lose a game. I am getting used to that. If he sucks then we switch back to plan of losing the usual way.
He doesn't play defense now?? Then how did he shut down Barbosa who is one of the best scorer in the league??? Then how did he get 2 steals and 2 blocks in that game and did great defensively vs denver too?? Your "he doesn't play defense now" is an ignorant statement right now.
