Chron Article(Accroding Jon Barry-2 to 3 years for offense..

If this is true, then it is too bad. Yao and Tracy will be past their prime by then although it is scary to think they are in their prime and all they can achieve is disappointment.

 

Yao and Tracy are the biggest problems on the court, they play soft, and lack that killer win at all costs mentality.

It is a shame that two incredibly gifted players are so soft.

DD

 

No. The SHAME is that someone thought mono-dimensional role players including standstill spot up shooters was all that was needed. Fatigue makes everyone soft...McGrady and Yao have to shoulder too much of the load the compensate for the lack of scorers and athletes.

Obviously (to me), the NBA is favoring athletes who can get their own shots and who could probably learn Adelman's system quicker and play it better.

 

Honestly, basketball is still basketball. We can still win games with the way we are playing. Our old system with a pinch of Adelmen's new stuff can get it done. It just comes down to the players that have to put the ball in the hoop and defend. This year, we have the talent to help Yao/T-Mac. Before was not the case. Our success will depend on how far Yao and T-Mac will take us. Not what offensive scheme we bring out there.

 

Nothing is going to happen. Repeat...nothing.

If the Rockets go back to winning, it will be because Yao and McGrady score enough points with Adelman's offensive tweaks to mask the offensive inabilities of Hayes, Alston and Battier.

If the Rockets continue losing, Adleman will be forced to find players that can produce in his system. But it's going to take lots of iterations as Adelman is VERY slow to change rotations. During this likely scenarion, the chants/threads to fire Adelman and that McGrady and Yao have no "heart" or are "soft" will be deafening.

But the bottomline for nothing happening...no one in the Rockets' entire organization believes there is a problem. Now, before you pass my off as a knee-jerk whacko...I've been making the same fundamental criticisms as far back as when they drafted an under-sized Head over David Lee and I've repeated it through what I consider to be a debacle in passing over Rudy Gay. Nothing is going to happen because they just don't recognize the problem or more specifically, the degree of the problem. They are still too one-dimensional and non-athletic.

 

One dimensional - you are 100% right here, but there are options on the bench that can change that.

Non - Athletic - no, I can't agree with you there, they are plenty athletic, I just don't believe they are mentally tough.

DD

 

DaDa-

Repeating myself...fatigue makes cowards out of everyone.

Secondly, 95% of this board is a Chuck Hayes and Shane Battier fan. THEY were both on the floor during the final 5 minute cave-in to the Mavs. Are you telling their legions that Chuck Hayes and Shane Battier aren't mentally tough?

Lastly, who are these athletes you speak of and when are they ALL on the floor together at the same time? So far...almost never. Seldom is there a lineup in which Hayes, Alston, Head and Battier aren't part of it. Here's a shocker for you...the 16th best...that's 16th best 5 man lineup at MINUS 6 is the starting lineup. The lineup that basically finished the Mavs game and has dominated PT.

I'm not sure I agree that Rockets are athletic enough. But if they are and those guys aren't on the floor then...as I've stated multiple times in multiple threads...Adelman is trying to win with Van Gundy's players.

 

Our two stars are creampuffs on the court aside from the occasional outburst where just have a fiery presence about them. I'm not saying they need to be loudmouth trash talkers that puff their chest out at every opportunity, but just constant offensive pressure against the other team. I want to see Yao pull a Barkley the next time gets called for a blatant flop that was issued a charge and barrell all his power into his opponent shoulder first and make them regret it. I want elbows to be thrown. I want fear.

Yao and Shaq will never be the same type of player, but back in Shaq's dominant days he took a beating. He didn't play fair and take the asswhoopings he'd take every night. He dished it back out. And while his opponents could handle him for 3 quarters, they would be flat out exhausted come the 4th quarter. The Lakers would have the other team in foul trouble, would be shooting FTs 8 minutes into the 4th quarter all because Shaq and Kobe attacked the basket relentlessly.

I know driving to the paint and attacking the basket pays a toll on our stars bodies, but it does the same to our opponents, if not more so. Aggressive play results in more freethrows, more foul trouble for the other team, more fatigue for the other team, less 4th quarter collapses, and better open looks for our spot up shooters. It's a big reason why the Rockets could use a decent PG that is a legit threat for drive and dish penetration. Instead our two stars are settling for jumpers. And I'm glad Yao is making those 18 footers, but I cringe watching him shoot them thinking back on his dominant stints before his injury. He was scary last year when he was healthy. Now its a 7'6 guy playing at the top shooting 20 footers. It's frustrating, and its not helping the stigma that Yao is a soft player.

 

This is what Francis and Brooks do best.

 

If we could only trade Rafer and Head...This would force Rick to use our available assets..Francis and Brooks..I think they would be ok but we must get a penetrating bigger SG...

 

No, Dirk is soft, KG is even soft, but the teams are doing fine. You need another players to solve their soft problems, right now whole team is soft, specially for Rick A.

 

Five guys on the floor that can all score and get their own shot:

Francis
McGrady
Bonzi
Yao
Scola

 

wow....2-3 years.

 

to the best newspaper in town:



how ironicle...

 

With Rafer, forrrreverrr.

 

ROFLMAO. Sweet! So we should be ready to go in 2009-2010? Hell, I'm not so much worried about the Rockets, but Adelman is getting up in age. The dude is old and overweight...that's just an operation waiting to happen

 

Well, I don't know about that. After next season, Rafer will be easier to trade away if the Rockets wanted to because he would enter the following season with an expiring contract. The Rockets could also possibly buy out the final year of his contract if they wanted to as well for when that time rolls around. Will Aaron Brooks be good enough by that time to make Rafer expendable?

As far as the players mastering RA's motion offense, it would be nice if they could overnight, and then the team would have an offense that is difficult for opposing teams to defend. If they just can't, then they'll have to play the kind of offense that is predictable and much easier for opposing teams to defend, and thus, the team will continue to struggle to score, which would then mean no better than a first round playoff exit at season's end.

I would sure like to know where this Rocket team ranks in the league in fast break points. RA intended for this team to play more of an uptempo game.

 

Three years from now, Yao and T-mac are just average players. The Rockets will have ZERO chance winning the championship.

The Rockets should tell Yao that he needs to step up and carries the team on his back. He needs to score and only passes out if other teams are double teaming immediately after he gets the ball. Alston should never shoot in the 4th quarter. If he misses a 3's, his arse goes to the bench ASAP.

T-mac: no 3's for you. Wait for Yao to set you a nice screen before you pull up for a long j's.