Chronic: Rockets appear ready to launch from 3-point range

Not necessarily. The "first team" sometimes has non-starters on it, especially when starters are injured. My guess as to the first team from this article (given injuries):

PG: Rafer Alston
SG: Kirk Synder or Luther Head
SF: Tracy McGrady
PF: Shane Battier
C: Dikembe Mutombo

Please correct me with if anyone knows who is actually running with the first team right now (remember, Bonzi and Yao are injured).

 

I guarantee you not one person will be thinking Mike James this season. Consider his stupidity a blessing on our part. It only allowed us to sign Wells.

Wells>>>>>>>>>>>>>>James.

By a longshot.

 

What does actually mean? Is Howard the 'emergency' 5? Is Howard going to be the 'match up' 5?

 

the point is that we desperately need three point shooters. Many people hate saying that Mike James is good for this team, and some even say we are lucky to not have him now that it turns out Bonzi joined us. The truth is that Mike James fits well in our system and that he is a really good three point shooter. IMO, Mike is a better fit with us than Bonzi, who plays the same position as T-Mac and Battier.

Now, what we need to look ahead in the exhibition games is which players can replicate our 2005 model that brings the same type of accurate shooting that get us winning. I personally am interested in how Jacobsen will do on our team. I've seen him play and I think that he can bring the kind of shooting that replicates what jon barry did. Hopefully he'll have some of the IQ and hustle of jon.

 

TMac and Battier are true SFs. Bonzi is a true SG. ..they don't play the same position.

Mike James 3pt shot would certainly be good on this team. But at 6'2" James is a tweener. Having Rafer at PG and James at SG is a defensive liability against taller teams.

Bonzi is JUST as athletic as James and much taller.
Bonzi has more NBA experience and definately more playoff experience.
Bonzi is a PROVEN third scorer whereas James so far is a one-hit-wonder.

There are pros and cons for each and its hard to say for sure until we see Bonzi in action and to see if James has another 20ppg season. I wish Bonzi was a better 3pt shooter but after what James pulled, addios. Cya. Don't let the door hit ya.

 

Had mj signed with Rox then what would have been their other options? Would they have been able to sign LittleLuke? Obviously no Bonzi. Who might have rounded out the roster?

Had the putative drafting of Roy eventuated then what moves would have ensued? No Battier, obviously.

The off season kept on its serpentine path until we reached this point.

Now, back to my earlier question:

Quote:

Suddenly, Juwan Howard felt as if he could fly.

He looked around him as his second-team unit was rolling against the Rockets' first team. He played the power forward-center position so in vogue. He marveled at the marksmanship and quick triggers around him. He watched John Lucas, Casey Jacobsen, Steve Novak and Scott Padgett fire 3s when he happily got the Suns in his eyes.

"We kind of dominated the white team," Howard said. "I told the guys, 'You know what, I feel like Amare Stoudemire out there.' "

Howard did clarify that he is not quite as "explosive" as Stoudemire.

"I don't have the 45-inch vertical," Howard said. "I'm working on that."

The Rockets would not mind if he masters that, but for now...



What does actually mean? Is Howard the 'emergency' 5? Is Howard going to be the 'match up' 5?

 

James has been a more productive scorer the past two seasons and a more efficient scorer the past three. James is a much more proven scorer with the Rockets than Bonzi. I doubt he'll be able to put up 20 ppg with a good team, but it is very impressive that he was able to do so with so few shots. Most people, that have inflated scoring numbers on bad teams, do so with horrible percentages.

I'm not too excited about Bonzi's scoring since he hasn't been as effective lately (not counting playoffs 2006) as he was in Portland. It is nice to have someone that can create for themselves, but what I like most is that Bonzi will help out on the boards a lot. He'll give the Rockets a second post player. He really solidifies the SG position in case Snyder reverts back to his rookie season performance.

While I'm upset James dissed the Rockets, I'm also upset the Rockets didn't already have him locked up.

PS. If Bonzi plays like he did in Portland or the playoffs last year....the Rockets will be feared.

 

I doubt Howard is the emergency 5. I expect he'll be the backup 5 because I don't see Hayes or Padgett being it. Deke is best in small doses.

I don't know if Howard will be the primary backup at the 4 as well. Hayes and Padgett both will be fighting for PT if they make the team.

 

Rafer worked on his shot over the summer.

We all miss having Mike James on our bench, but if Rafer really can be a 40%+ shooter like he plans to, then I wont' miss him one bit.

 

You got the picture. Don't be surprised if Hayes is paired with Juwan at the 4 while Juwan plays 5 with the 2nd unit. Juwan will be standing outside to throw up that jump shots off the pass outs from Bonzi, while Lil Chuckie goes to the glass.

 

I think against teams like Phoenix who don't have a real 5. Howard will play 5 sometime.

 

Talking about Mike James vs. Bonzi Wells

We don't have M. James....let's move on. k


I can't believe VanGrumpy called JL3 one of these..........................

 

According to JVG, I too am a midget...

 

i don't care as long as the midget can shoot lights out.

 

Van Gundy calls any player who is short for his position a midget...


which has caused great offense among the little people community and caused many long time little people season ticket holders to cancel their subscription.

 

i love that quote too; it just struck me as funnier than the usual JVG humor. if anything, that means Battier's starting!

this has already been argued ad nauseum on other threads. which big PFs can't he defend? name 10, since that's a good portion of starting PFs. of those 10, how many will the Rockets likely face in the playoffs? and of those remaining PFs, who else can defend them? i'll tell you right now, i can only think of 2, and no one else can defend them either.

the bigger "issue" is: do you want Battier to play PF when his defense at the wing alongside T-Mac may be considered even more important than post defense alongside Yao? but that's not a Battier issue. it's a team issue, since Battier can't play two positions at the same time. i think that wing defense can be more than adequately played by Wells or Snyder.

 

than Van Gundy must be a midget among midgets.

 

Jho, Luther and Bonzi off the bench as our other 3, with Novak and JL3 and Vspan hopefully getting minutes.

But I know that Padgett will play, so who knows?

Put whoever is hitting the 3 (Snyder, Head) in to start at the 2. We need that player and Battier to stretch the D. Rafer hits some shots, and puts the ball in the right place and we start out strong. Tmac can guard the 3rd or 4 option.

Use Bonzi and Luther and Jho and get them shots when they are on. Mix and match, just hit the open jumpers, they will be there.

And please, run the P and Roll more with Yao and McGrady.

 

Haha... seriously. Maybe we should start the scrubs and Tmac and Yao can come off the bench. If that did happen - I bet TMAC or YAO will win the best sixth man. lol

But really the starter got killed by the scrubs? How??? Yao and Bozni wasn't playing right?