[ClutchFans] Four Knee-Jerk Reactions From Houston’s Preseason Opener

I'd say D-Mo is our third best creator; he should get the touches this year. Then, there are situations: TJ should be able to take some stiff guarding him off the dribble... Canaan/Johnson have the speed to penetrate and finish, if not the track record...

But Clutch is right. I like JLin, and he can still become a star one day, but the fact is that last year the team wasted a lot of possessions through him... These will now fall on other players, and I don't think there will be much of a drop-off. D-Mo in particular may be a very efficient offensive option.

 

No that's proof of what I'm talking about you think the whole flexibility thing is just to get Paul Millsapp? I think Morey is still looking for a superstar. I hope not.

 

I'm firmly in the D-West side as he is both good/goof fit for this team and gettable. Milsap? Ditto the above except for the gettable. Why would he now be available to the Rox when Asik couldn't bring him? Horrors screams that he is a F-O-U-R!!! and still Milsap stayed.

The Hawks will be sold, then what? But until then???

 

LOL, WTH?

 

Pretty impossible to see what this team's bench is going to look like until jet plays. He's clearly here to be a bench shot creator, at least until he is traded (unless his veteran leadership and court vision are more valuable than what he would bring in a trade). Don't really expect Smith or Canaan to get minutes this season. NJ is on the fringe, but I expect a lot of DNP's for him this year, too. Hopefully spending a year watching and practicing with JH and jet will aid him in learning how to find shots for himself and for others.

Harden is almost definitely going to have a career year, but D12 is likely to have 2 consecutive seasons (going in to his next contract option) where he will look, at worst, pretty damn close to the 2009-2011 Dwight that dominated the league.

 

Autocorrect gets you every time

It will be hard to get Millsap and even harder to get West.

 

• 
  I thought the very first play was telling. We dropped the ball down to Dwight, but Dwight made his move right as Pat Bev was drawing his defender in, spinning to the same side no less. There seems to be a lack of intricacies in post play options to utilize passing out of the post.

• I thought Pat Bev looked great as well and looks to have real confidence in his shot. Him and Ariza in the same lineup is going to be fun to watch.

• 
  They made a good point on the telecast regarding Dmo commiting to hard on defense for a guy at his height and slow recovery. Still an issue.

 

I thought the bench did a great job (60 pts on .468% shooting) with all our starters (except Ariza) dealing with foul trouble, especially Motiejunas (18 pts on .636% shooting, 3 rebs, 2 asts, 2 stls) and Adrien (11 points on .625% shooting, 4 rebs, 1 ast, 2 tovs, 1 stl, 1 blk), against one of the best benches in the league last season, albeit a preseason game. I think our bench will be a lot more productive overall than last season which should not be too difficult. (29th in minutes per game and 26th in scoring last year)

 

plenty of reasons for optimism...plenty of reasons for concern...

If players like TJones, Pap and Nick Johnson can step up - we'll be in great shape!

If we have to rely on players like TJones, Pap and Nick Johnson - we're in trouble!

I've said it all along - we need a pf! TJones is not starting caliber on a championship team... I wish he was - but he just ain't....

 

My guess is that Morey refuses to put the NOP pick on the table for Millsap. The offer is probably TJones and a bunch of 2nds.

 

Why would anyone do that though? Wouldn't they have to get something of value besides some 2nd round picks for Millsap?

 

I'm betting DM would dish that NOP pick for Milsap in a heartbeat...

I think the game he's playing is to acquire the players needed (pf/pg) that are on small enough expiring contracts that we can then blow the cap to resign them in the offseason... basically the same plan as acquiring Bosh and then blowing the cap to resign CP (but the 1st didn't happen - so screw the second part...)

For example,

Trade for Rubio, sign fa Milsap, then resign Rubio over the cap...

Trade for Milsap, sign Goran, then resign Milsap over the cap...

1st domino falls at trade deadline and 2nd one in offseason... then Les pays a crapload of luxury tax.... I hope something happens soon... but I gotta think that's the plan...

 

All these years you think Morey will stay idle? Whether we trade or not, he will always be working 24x7 to try and improve the team.

 

The Rockets would be fortunate get "average play," or even 40th percentile NBA player play, out of one of the bench guards at this point. Good job saving Les Alexander that balloon payment at the cost of a 1st round pick, though.

I like Nick Johnson but he is a rookie. Terry can shoot but is old. Not holding out hope on Canaan turning into something like Aaron Brooks.

I am sure they spent the cash on something good. Like 5 or 6 minimum wage guys and acquiring some 2nd round picks for eating Jason Terry's salary.

 

It got me good this time, oh swell.

West is gettable IMO; Milsap isn't. West is better, and an even better fit here.

 

Watch it, now.

 

TJones may be a greater casualty of losing Parsons than we thought. TJones last year scored a ton off Parsons' playmaking.

Now with Parsons gone, he can't create his own shot except in transition and offensive rebounding. He will have to find other ways.

 

LOL, it was one preseason game. Well I guess since this thread has the word knee jerk in the title you stated this in the right place so nevermind carry on.

 

No but if he wants to stay flexible we won't be getting what some of you are suggesting.

 

I would love Horford. Probably more than any other PF.

Just think about it. Harden. Horford. Howard. The "H"-Town slogan would be even stronger!

...but seriously. He would be a great fit, and I'm sure that he would love to be able to move back to PF to play alongside a legitimate center.

But I just don't see Atlanta having any desire to move Horford. Even if they did, I'm not sure if we have the pieces to make it work.

David West or Paul Millsap, while IMO aren't as good, seem to have at least some amount of a chance of being possible.