AB is our best player, he is this team's alpha dog, it is HIS team..... The Rockets will need AB to be at his best to play well this year. He is, the closest thing this team has to a mismatch every single night. DD
I doubt it. I never seen anyone is hated more than AB on this BBS. AB starting over Lowry must have really upset someone, especially Chinese YOFs, that the threads of "trade AB", "bench AB", "must take the ball out of AB's hands", "Does AB contribute to winning? ", "when AB cannot shoot..", "if Lowry can shoot..", came out once a week. as bad as Rafer, he got a billion fans saying that he was on par with Fisher and Rondo. but AB? If one day AB is traded, benched or injured, I expect a parade here on this best BBS in the world. AB got no fans here, but haters, MIP and 20 PPG.
I think the silent majority know that AB is the best option, every thread that asks the question about who should start is about 75% in AB's favor. I can only conclude that 25% do not know basketball. DD
He usually stays in front of his man and almost always gets a hand up on a shot, but he seems to close out late for such a quick guard when coming back from helping and, more importantly, doesn't aggravate his opponents anywhere near as much as Lowry. Kyle is always pressuring, reaching, and keeping contact whereas AB has to stay back. Sure, he deters some drives by staying between his man and the basket, but he doesn't have the size to take a bump and keep his composure. For all of his leaping ability and wingspan advantage over Kyle, AB also seems to fare worse against post-ups in general. That could be due to AB playing against more skilled starting PG's, of course, but it is worth mentioning. Not to say I'm not a fan of Brooks, but he is certainly less of a defensive presence when compared to Lowry.
Why did you have to post that? I simply disagree. Sans Yao, this has been the team of no particular player. With Yao's return, which we all hope for, this with either be his team, or the team of no particular player. You are wrong, DD. You've posted that before and you are still wrong.
Well, you can disagree, it is what I believe, this will be AB's team, he is the guy that will make the entire ship go, the ball will be in his hands early, and late. Yao is coming off injury, I doubt they ever go back to a Yao centric offense AB is the man..... DD
Actually im not. I was using that game as an example of what I was talking about. There have been many instances of this happening with AB. Look, I like the guy, im not choosing one player over the other because I think we need them both, but my point was if AB is not making 3s or his jumpers, he is not doing much else out there besides getting the ball up the court to set the offense in motion. Maybe he develops those other things, but last season I never saw him stealing balls in the passing lane, drawing fouls using his speed, or penetrating and finding the open shooter on the wing. I did see him make a few bad decisions late in close games that we lost. Lowry is a work in progress on his jumper. That has never been his game. He is a penetrating guard. Has always been. That is why Morey wanted him. He is a guy that gets in the paint and if nothing else draws a lot of contact and gets to the FT line.
Nope, Yao's ship sailed a couple of years ago, and the big fella is just too limited to lead, he is too easily compensated for... The lead dog needs to be someone that controls the ball, IMO....the only one the Rockets have is AB..... DD
Your missing the point,Yao has been here longer than anyone. If you were to ask AB who the leader of the team is,he would say Yao. Just because you have the ball in your hands more than anyone else, does not make you the leader.
Different era, today's rules and zones have changed everything.......the lead dog should be someone on the perimeter....IMO. You can not lead when you are always on the bench......and Yao has not taken the reigns in years, what makes anyone think he will suddenly burst into a leader? DD
Duncan and Shaq were part of the current era and played with today's rules and zones. I think you really underestimate how integral the center position is to the game. There's a reason that bigs with potential are picked early in the draft.
Well, I guess if we had a player that was as good as them, I might change my mind...but, we don't. And Parker and Ginobli have taken over for Duncan...and Shaq...well......Wade was the lead dog in that last championship. DD
You keep saying Brooks is "the lead dog" and that "this is his team." "Lead dog," to me, implies that he is the team's best player and, when needed, puts the team on his back and brings them to victory, more often than not. When did Brooks become that player? You could have made the argument that without Yao, Brooks is the team's best player. Not everyone would agree, but you can certainly make that argument. As usual, however, you have to go too far. AB is a weapon in Adelman's quiver, but lead dog? No, that he is not.
If AB is our lead dog, then that explains why DM is working so hard to get a true superstar. AB would be great as a 2nd option. IMO.
