He finishes well, but he still has to develop a better post up game and mid range shot to be an effective starter.
Here's a random thought: what if DMo plays at the 4 and Smith at the 5? It makes me grin because the 5 would be shorter than the 4, but Smith is more developed defensively than DMo. Not sure they would start, it's just an interesting idea to me.
I think with a full year as a starter, and working with the training staff on his hands, Asik can fix his problems in regards to catching the ball. There are drills specifically made to improve that, a full summer of working on it should improve his catching ability tremendously On a side note, Houston is in the top 2 or 3 in ppg, because of the ability to get out and run the floor. Consider it's not just Asik's rebounding ability that allows us to do that, its aka blocked shots or when he alters them. By altering shots even when he's in the general area, it allows for more rebounding opportunities which in turn allows us to begin the fast break. Asik should start. He's a hell of value per his numbers in regards to the salary he's paid.
With Morey saying that Asik played through a bad illness just makes me You mean he can play better just by being healthy? Holy crap. Omer is a beast and absolutely deserves to start. I wouldn't mind reducing his minutes a bit and increasing Smith's though. 28 and 20 would be a nice split.
What about playing the both at the same time with Smith playing PF? Would that work? A lineup of Asik-Smith-Parsons-Harden-Lin could be interesting.
I think our offense with Asik in the game really needs a PF who can at least hit a mid-range jumper, if not the three ball. I think Smith and Asik fill the same role on offense and that doesn't work out too well. Smith is better at it, but Asik is a better rebounder and defender and affects the game in more ways.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>.@<a href="https://twitter.com/ju_smith4">ju_smith4</a> leads NBA in FG%-63%. 4players w/poss usage>=17%. No surprise: had highest FG% ever in NBADL (67% 185/276,>100 FGA). 22 yrs old!</p>— Daryl Morey (@dmorey) <a href="https://twitter.com/dmorey/status/281643521482575872" data-datetime="2012-12-20T06:13:42+00:00">December 20, 2012</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Keep both and run both. Smith can go hard for 20 mins and can change the game much more if he doesn't have to save up his energy.
Greg Smith is looking like a rookie Carl Landry. Has that same explosiveness around the basket, and enough shooting touch to become a good jump shooter later on. And he's YOUNGER than a rookie Landry, which is even scarier if you think about it. Definitely shows you how the DLeague can be a farm system with proper utilization.
i'd like to see morey get another solid backup 4/5 that way smith can sometimes play the 4 for more interior defense. smith moves VERY well. and he may actually posses some shooting skills. anyone remember his baseline j in that spurs game? havent actually seen him shoot the ball so who knows. anyways, this notion that 3pt shooters are a better fit. i dont buy it. they can run high pnr with asik and have smith screen weak side or post low. that little hook looks damn good these past few games. and remember he's not dunking everything so his 63% fg% is legit (not like tyson chandler who dunks everything). alot of his shots are close layups and post hooks. this dude can ball. and isnt he making league minimum?
Smith is at his best around the basket. Asik can only play around the basket. The offense is predicated on penetration towards the basket. It would be cold day in hell before the Rockets staff decide to put them together in a game, except maybe for specific defensive purposes.
