I agree with you(I'm shocked) that defense is still the most vital thing against GS but you do need to be able to match their fire power on the other end. I dont think Morey is content luckily so another move should be brewing. One thing I will say is Durant and/or Green would be able to rest defensively next season so that should be useful. Hopefully shots fall to make it interesting.
@Nook, so what you are saying is we need to prepare for Melo to join Harden & Tucker during their pre-game fashion show?
At the least he will be better then he was with the Thunder, the fit there was just not good. How well he can play for the Rockets is to be seen, but it will be great if it works out very well.
Efficiency and Effort will be the keys. If he's hitting shots and staying engaged defensively and on the glass then everything else should work itself out. If he gives you guys 17 points and 7 rebounds on good efficiency with good defense he'll change the entire narrative and you'll win 65+ games again probably. But if he tries to prove he still has it then you still might win a lot of games but his narrative won't change at all. Its in his hands
if you're not in the elite tier, i couldn't really careless if its pretty good. that's not good enough to beat GS which at the end of the day is the only thing that matters
Na like my man htown melo said the separation from 10th to 6th is minut..like the separation from Westbrook averaging a triple dub n harden being what 2 rebounds away from it. Like i said basketball is a pie. U can take ppint away from one area n increase in overs n still be ok. I repeat o dont think gsw are as unbeatable as u think they are. They will have more competition next year the league is caught up with them. U looking at the wtong things. Against them bpth teams on gonna play maybe 8 guys. Im cool with what we gonna have with another minor couple pieces. My take is our offense will be vastly better, compensating for our .66 drop and I'll defensive rating the separates us from 10th
there's actually a significant difference there but of course #newmath has taken over. your post doesnt really say anything other than more hopes and assumptions
Lol. Melo is trash. He got no speed left in it. If we start him against GSW, they will be us 4-0. Yes, Melo is that bad.
because I don’t want to see any drop off defensively when defense is the major key to beating GS How much of an offensive boost are u expecting from a soon to be 35 yo Melo in the WCF against GS? Melo better get in supreme shape because this isn’t NY or OKC where your season is done in April. He’ll need to give his all defensively. U don’t think that will affect his offensive productivity?
Reeko do you think it’s a matter of Melo being capable to be a good defender and just not giving his all or him just not having the tools at all but he tries?
Melo has always been capable of being better than he usually is defensively, but he is 34 now and lacks lateral quickness so my expectations are low How many guys his age are even good defenders to begin with? How many will turn out to not be liabilities defensively heading into their 16th season when they’ve typically not been that good on that end of the floor throughout their career?
Good points. I think a lot of is going to come down to how bad he wants it. I think he’ll have lapses of course, everyone does but when it matters most I think he’ll lock in but as you said at his age will he physically be able to make that difference.
I expect him to locked in defensively a lot more than he’s usually been throughout his career, but yeah, with his age, him never being in the best shape possible, and the inevitable physical decline that comes with playing so many seasons in the NBA, I expect him to grade out as a below average defender...if he manages to be just average I will take it and run if he’s trying and is still below average defensively then it is what it is, what can he really do to change that...if he’s being lazy and making a bunch of mental errors, then that’s when I’ll be mad
Rockets get a 16pts per game player with just minimum money, and some fans are still not happy? WTF. You guys deserve to watch NBDL instead of NBA.
My thing is that its more about matchups, its one more guy who can attack. He can attack curry. Now u have 3 guys that can attack him.. plus kd cant rest like he did on ariza. Making maybe some of those shots he takes tires out his legs. That a real thing. U only have so much energy
Kidding me... if we have Melo, Harden, Paul, Eg, Capella... I expect 130pt games every night. Melo just better be ready to run/Sprint! I agree on him needing to pick his spots, but with 4 guys who are paid assasins on the offensive, with an insane pace, and paul/Harden getting him the ball, he definitely should get his shot attempts ! Houston did a 50 pt quarter last year against a thibs team. I want to see complete annihilation of opposing teams. I want to see other teams mentally drained in fear knowing they have to face our team.