Although signings still need to be made, it appears the Rockets have at least received the message that you can't contend with a team that doesn't defend, gives up offensive rebounds, and turns the ball over. This has been a brutal offseason, but I'm hopeful with the Ariza and Dorsey signings that the Rockets will be setting a new tone. If you aren't a star, you'd better be able to defend and rebound. If you are a role player on the wing, you'd better be able to defend and hit 3s to create space for our stars. I hope this defense first message carries over into the preparation and mentality of the team itself. If the Rockets keep moving in this direction, could they have a top 5 defensive team next season?
I like seeing team building over mercenary acquisition. I think Morey is tooling up for contention -- I happen to think that the Howard and Harden combo is enough to contend with. I just don't have confidence in McHale to make the whole greater than the sums of its parts.
YES!!! I think this is what Morey is moneyballing for. Flexibility, cap-allocation, and all that is about paying for the skills they need at the 4. The right guy there will put this team over the top. And that is true of damn near every team, though.
This message is fine, however when Harden struggles with his shot (and he will) this team will have to find perimeter scoring from creating their own shot. The good defensive teams will take away our 3 pt line. We need someone to step up in that regard.
I feel like in 1 short offseason Morey has changed the makeup of the team from trying to out score you, to actually playing defense. Still has to bd done though
How is Adrien's defense? Because he's a great rebounding 4 and he was a solid rotational player for Milwaukee last season. I could see him cracking the rotation if Houston doesn't add any more PFs this offseason.
Do we know that Beverley isn't that guy? In my opinion, at least, he hasn't had that opportunity as of yet.
We still need another facilitator. After Harden, it was Lin & Parson. We don't want sticky ball with Harden, so we need someone else to take it out of his hands when he is in that mode or when he rests.
Except the scoring aspect of the team really hasn't changed. The only real loss is Lin. And he's a 12 ppg guy.
That's unfair to ask of Bev at this point of his career because his main objectives are to play the best perimeter defense on the roster, lead the team in assists, and keep obsessed Lin fans off his back. We need a spark plug off the bench ( Nick Johnson looks good again it's Summer League).
I hope that's the case. I can't stand seeing a player like Omer or Dwight not being utilized to get yourself one of the best defenses in the NBA. Nice thread.
I agree. As I said in another thread, Bev/Ariza/Howard/Gee/Adrien/Johnson/Dorsey all have something in common. I'm personally not mad at what looks like a new focus.
We really only give up .6 assist per game if you look at Ariza career assists vs Parsons. And who's to say it's more of a system thing than a Parsons thing. Ariza can swing the ball just as good.
