I don't pay much attention to these threads. But the idea that this season is a good reason to bash Morey seems really stupid.
Condescension is your game, I see. It's all good. I'll answer your questions respectfully. Following is a list of available FAs that could've shored up our roster depth for this postseason: Kyle Lowry ($12MM per, 4 yrs @ $44MM), re-signed with Raptors Pau Gasol ($7.4MM per, 3 yrs @ $22MM), signed w/ Bulls Isaiah Thomas ($6.7MM per, 4 yrs @ $27MM), signed w/ Suns Channing Frye ($8MM per, 4 yrs @ $32MM), signed w/ Magic Jordan Hill ($9MM per, 2 yrs @ $18MM), signed w/ Lakers Spencer Hawes ($5.6MM per, 4 yrs @ $22.6MM), signed w/ Clippers Ed Davis ($1MM per, 2 yrs @ $2MM), signed w/ Lakers Patrick Patterson($6MM per, 3 yrs @ $18MM), re-signed w/ Raptors Kirk Hinrich ($2.8MM per, 2 yrs @ $5.6MM), re-signed w/ Bulls Devin Harris ($4.1MM per, 4 yrs @ $16.5MM), signed w/ Mavs Chris Kaman ($4.9MM per, 2 yrs @ $8.8MM), signed w/ Blazers Steve Blake ($2.1MM per, 2 yrs @ $4.2MM), re-signed w/ Blazers Shaun Livingston($5.5MM per, 3 yrs @ $16.6MM), signed w/ Warriors Greivis Vasquez ($6.5MM per, 2 yrs @ $13MM), re-signed w/ Raptors Obviously, none of these are stars but they're definitely better than what we have now. Also not saying they'd all agree to play in Houston. That's not the point. The point is Morey chose to pursue Melo & Bosh without considering depth and compatibility. Not sure if these are, in fact, serious questions. We're talking about legitimate head coaching replacements and you're asking about X's and O's (and don't say something like 'play harder')? Sorry, couldn't overlook the irony. Pretty funny. Let's just say the Warriors are much improved with Steve Kerr. Morey didn't contact Kerr, David Joerger (before he joined replaced Lionel Hollins), nor Lionel Hollins (before he replaced Kidd), nor Steve Clifford (before he joined Charlotte). He did, however, interview Dwayne Casey but opted instead for McHale. That's too bad. BTW, the only head coach mentioned above lacking a strong Xs and Os strategy is our current head coach. No, they are not wrong for surrounding H&H with shooters. But you can't swing from one offensive extreme to another. Last season we had ball handlers that could get to the hoop and create offense for others (Parsons, Lin). This season we have Canaan, and he can't get off the bench. Pap is capable but he has issues protecting the ball and causing TOs. Ariza seems limited to a catch-and-shoot, slash-to-the-lane-type role. We've seen him try to create off the dribble and it's a TO waiting to happen. All I'm asking for is a more balanced roster of skill sets complementing H&H. Rebounding, rim protection and consistent midrange Js would be nice from our bigs off the bench. Morey should've started there.
It's mind-boggling to me that there are still fans who can't look past "9-3" to see how deeply flawed this team is.
This so damn much. It's true that anytime we are missing one of Harden and Dwight we are basically screwed, but to be 9-3 when we have had Dwight out for 2 of those losses isn't something I'm too worried about. Do I think we may take the no midrange a little too far to the extreme? Maybe, but I think the hate this strategy gets is completely overblown. Memphis torched us with their best offensive game of the season and it was the Moreyball dream. I believe they scored 14/119 from midrange. The season is far, far from over. Moves can be made, players are still learning to play with each other and we have missed multiple starters in multiple games. Not panicking one damn bit.
Today was the day I changed my opinion, which prior to today I would've agreed with you. But we were missing 2 starters who were basically replaced with guys with a total of roughly 10 nba starts. Every team has injuries, but outside of our starting 5, we have very little depth. Yes Memphis aside, we scraped past okc and the 76's.
This is truly what bothers me. As much as I want to blame Mchale it is obvious that our roster is just inept. Unless Dwight can show he is the most dominant player in the world it needs to be a 5 man game. Two superstars nor 3 is enough to win us the rings we are looking for. Not in this league anymore. We need to load up on our roster. The man keeps thinking about the future when right now is our legitimate chance to win a ring if we get our head out of our asses. I definitely miss CD, and Steve Patterson. We talk about how quickly Morey turned around the franchise like some God, when CD got us to the Yao and Tmac era in a couple years as well. Steve Patterson gave us the basis for the Championship Roster. Morey needs to take a look at now because this team will probably lose Harden or Howard if we don't fix things right now.
Exactly! It's just a terrible decision for Morey to blindly go after that third star instead of just getting a good bench. You cannot put this on McHale though would help if he knew to draw some plays..
Glad I'm not the only one feeling this way. Even with Bosh / Melo, we would not have been top 3. Bosh would've been a good fit though, Melo most definitely not! You need depth, plain and simple. Morey seems a genius at times but a moron most of the time.
c'mon, Daryl, you're so stubborn. Or stupid. or both. Three years of having no offensive system, no play-calling, has gotten us nowhere. Admit it. Our system sucks. Get the coaches to call plays or something. You're gonna lose the fanbase this year, Daryl.
For those that don't understand why people are critical despite a 9-3 record (against a weak schedule I might add), it's because they see the fatal flaws in this team that will ultimately lead to its demise. The Rockets have one of the worst coaches in the NBA and one of the worst benches in the entire league. Maury deserves the criticism because this is the team and coaching staff he's assembled. Some of you may be happy with a good regular season while others will embrace every moral victory, but many realize that the Rockets have hardly had any post-season success in over a decade. Maybe the lack of playoff success can explain the low expectations of certain segments of the fan base. Either way, the goal is to compete for a championship and unless changes are made that's not going to happen.
Our bench is a huge problem. It's on Morey to fix that. What's this team's window? This year, next year, then it's up in the air. Will Dwight pick up his PO? Who knows. We need to do something substantial at the trade deadline, but I don't believe we have the pieces to do it.
as always, our bench players are pretty weak, we gotta establish a deeper bench if we are eager to make some noise in the west.
Forget the 9-3 record. Look at the standings cuz that's what counts in the West. We're now 5th. Remember, this team was the 4th seed last year and had home court against a young, inexperienced Portland team....and lost. Anyone think being a lower seed this season in a deeper Western Conference will improve our postseason prospects?
there shouldn't be any fans that truly believe this team as presently constructed is making it past the first round. no more Sixers games on the schedule fellas. time for reality to hit.
My sentiments exactly. It's amazing how many people just don't seem to be watching the games and seriously analyzing the ACTUAL basketball play going on... when it's all right there in front of their eyes. I know some people just watch the games as pure entertainment, and they don't pay much attention to the intricacies and details of the game. But you would think that people who go online and make comments would be more knowledgeable about the game. And that's just not the case. This Rockets team is suffering from a few MAJOR flaws: - a center in Howard who is highly overrated, who has not improved his fundamentals (footwork, positioning, touch, shot, etc.) in the 11 years since he's been playing, who is mentally weak, who doesn't play hard or give 100% effort all the time, and who is not committed to winning. - lack of a true point guard (and not a superstar point guard, just a decent point guard), Beverly is a defensive specialist who is better suited as a back up point guard, he is not a floor general who can control and direct a team. Harden is a shooting guard, and his skills are in shooting and scoring. He is not suited to be handling point guard duties all of the time. Look at how he struggles when most of the time he is receiving the ball well beyond the 3 point line, running the shot clock down, having to try to beat his defenders off the dribble, and trying desperately to make some sort of play out of nothing all the time. Harden doesn't have blow by quickness and speed, and he's not as adept at passing as CP3 or other great passers. He's a decent passer at best. Look at how he has struggled when the defenses lock in to him, and look at how poorly he handles the point guard/playmaker duties, especially against stronger teams and in the playoffs. And that's not HIS fault... he's NOT a point guard. He shouldn't be put into that role in the 1st place. The Rockets are not maximizing his potential by using him this way. They should be making it easier for him by letting him play his true position (SG) and by having a true point guard in there making the game easier for everyone on the team. Those are the 2 critical flaws on this Rockets team. By addressing the point guard position they could correct many of the problems within those two areas. Having a capable PG could make everyone else's job easier, and help the team function much better. A good PG could help everyone get better and easier shots, especially Howard... who cannot create on his own, and who needs to get easy shots in order to be effective at all. Anyhow, these things seem so obvious, and like the other person said... it's a wonder how and why so many people don't/can't see these things clearly.
Wasn't trying to be condescending. Looking for actual answers as to what they actually could have done better instead of the normal whining and complaining you get here alot of the time without any logical answers to their problems. I think you bring up alot of good points. I think the biggest botch was not overpaying slightly to get Lowry in free agency, and not just saying lets get this guy now even if it does destroy our chances to get Melo or Bosh. Lets take what we can get now. *That being said, if that was to happen I guarantee you Bosh doesn't get a max contract offer from Miami, and we look back and say, we could have had Bosh for what the first poor game that Lowry had? Also with the list you gave, the Rockets couldn't have gotten without giving up on Ariza and instead opting to match Parsons' contract. Free agency doesn't really work like that. You pick your poison from July 1st, and if that doesn't work out alot of times all of these type of role players are already off the table. That's why alot of times its more fruitful to get these type of players in trade later on rather than mess up your entire FA plans to get them early & take a chance at over-payment. IMO, I see this team as being incomplete. Morey went into the season most likely knowing this, and was willing to have a so-so first half of the season to give himself a shot at stealing players in the second half of the season through value trades, and then giving himself another shot in FA this Summer. We are definitely seeing the fact that there is no easy way to build a championship contender. The Rockets couldn't do it in time with Yao and T-Mac. I think they have plenty of time to put quality pieces around Harden.... Howard.... not so sure how much longer he has. That's why I think they need to really stock up on young bigs once again with draft picks. He needs help & depth behind him. As for the coaching situation- I actually commend McHale for doing the unthinkable and actually getting a Rockets team to buy in defensively. That isn't the problem this year. The problem now is they've become way too predictable offensively. Let's just see how they adjust their offense in the next couple games. If they are still chucking up 50 threes a game, and not getting easier looks than I'll agree with you, that this is on McHale. It's up to him to get the players easier looks in their offensive sets, and still maintain good defense. However I'm all for upgrading the coach in the offseason if there is a good option available. Not sure that there was last year unless a partially retired George Karl is your answer. I'd like to think more long term quite honestly. But I'm not all about firing a coach mid-season if that's what everyone wants 12 games into the season with a 9-3 record. That can do much more harm than good.
