For the last several years, the Rockets role players have been overly dependent on having a go to guy offensively. They have been sound defensively ever since the JVG era. Their offense, however, has been lackluster outside of Yao and McGrady. The Rockets have one month to learn how to score without a primary option offensively. If everyone learns how to play off of each other, they can expect to score efficiently when Tracy returns. The problem arises when everyone expects to score off of T-Mac. It makes our offense too predictable.
Yes, and if we lose a lot of games T-Mac will be back sooner. It's gonna be fun to see how we end up at the end of the season. Either a high draft pick or the playoffs.
Injuries have always been somewhat of a blessing in disguise for us, it's how Brooks came out, Landry, and i think scola's confidence really blew up too because of them.
Best case, the team learns how to score effectively without T-Mac and Yao. They are several games under 500 until Tracy's return. Yao returns in March guaranteeing a playoff spot. With Yao, T-Mac, and great role players who can score they have no trouble beating the Lakers. Worst case, T-Mac continues to suck, and the Rockets barely miss the playoffs. The later seems more probable, and it's not so bad. Next season we can finally stop saying next season.
Too many players in the starting lineup don't have the tools to score the ball consistently. Battier or Ariza needs to go to the bench. Either start Budinger or even Lowry at SG. We can't have both wing players unable to create their own shot or get to the rim. Ariza appears to have pulled a Kelvin Cato on Morey.
Ariza just needs to stop trying so hard. All he needs to do to earn his dough is play defense, hit threes, and make the occasional cuts. I'd say Battier has been worth his contract all these years...Ariza just needs to keep it simple like Battier. Budinger only missed three shots early on, but he was playing terrible. I hope it's jitters, because he looked lost on offense and defense.
