Agreed the coaching exceeds the roster. Wish I had more faith in Stone to get the roster sorted but it’s kind of hard when the guy gives extensions to players like KPJ and Jalen Green. I think they missed on our #2 and #3 picks in consecutive yrs and they seem to get a pass on that. I still maintain Ime is the biggest difference maker in our success. Stone still has to prove he can build a good roster. Without shooters we won’t be a true contending team. We need to actually evaluate our talent and make some real roster decisions this offseason instead of kicking the can. It’s time.
I agree with most of what is here. It's the shooting. Also love the comparison to the 2015 Astros. I've been thinking the same thing. But I also think we've gotten to where we are because we have just flat out-hustled the other teams. It's that simple. We don't win when we don't make the hustle plays. Because we can't shoot we have to hustle. And hustling is exhausting. The season is a marathon and we run it like wind sprints. I really hope we don't fade too much down the stretch. That said, I'm putting some of the last two games on Ime. Wouldn't trade him for the world, but I do wish he would go deeper on the bench earlier when he sees the hustle isn't there. More Cam, uncle Jeff, Aaron, and Reed. Maybe even more of our Australians. Not likely to win much but if hustle is how we do it then let's do it all the way.
First entry: Second entry: Third entry: Wow. The lack of backbone on this guy... Way to put it in reverse and speed away, man.
28th in Assists and 30th in Assist % - This is because our offense isn't connected. Our point guards aren't assessing matchups correctly. And there's nobody really creating shots for others. Poor shooting contributes, but it's much bigger than that. Some flaws can be masked, but this is not one of them, it's essential to get clean looks during the game, and even more importantly in the final 2 minutes. Closers: Sengun gets the highest usage on the team at 35%, but he ranks 135th in offensive rating down the stretch. He's our best, but he isn't that good compared to the rest of the league. Green and Amen have the athleticism to close, but they don't end up at the line and they aren't finishing in the paint. Amen is likely the long term answer.
This is real basketball talk. You must of played pg at some point in your life because many just don’t get this detail about the game. Its bigger than just missing shots.
Deja Vu. I feel like I read this post before about a decade ago in the Astros forum when Luhnow was kicking the can, hoarding young talent a lot of whom busted, and messing up No. 1 picks in back to back years. I doubt the Rockets have as much success as the Astros, but the use of "kicking the can" as a derogerotory towards a GM has not held up well on Clutchfans.
I don’t think you can compare MLB draft picks with NBA draft picks. My point was that I think our GM holds onto players too long as opposed to recouping value and moving forward. It felt that way with a number of players. We’ll see what we get for Tate but I suspect it won’t be as much as we could have gotten last year.
The 2018 team with two of the best playmakers in league history was 26th in assists per game and 22nd in assist%.
For a GM that is bad at recouping value and moving forward as well as having 2 high draft pick busts, the Rockets sure have a lot more young talent than most of their peers as well as sitting on three choice unprotected FRPs. Maybe Stone isn't able to get roster to fit, but the Rockets are in a very good position considering how little value besides for Harden that the Rockets had when he took over.
I just think we’d be in a better spot if we hit on one of our highest draft picks or at least if Jalen was heading into RFA. But I’m certainly excited by the young talent on the roster.
YOU ALL WANT TO KNOW THE REAL FLAW? Its our small guards! Our back court. We have 4 small guards; 1) Jalen is 6'4 but he's slight of build 2) FVV is under 6ft 3) Holiday is under 6ft 4) Reed is under 6ft Jalen still needs to add muscle, he was bouncing off players in the last game. FVV gets isolated on the defensive end and can't get rebounds, same for Holiday. Reed needs help to get his shot off, can't shoot and he is a deficiency on the defensive end, as well. I watched Boston vs Mil last night and Boston picked on Dame Lillard all night. They put Brown on him and it lead me to think about our back court. One of the main reasons I didn't want Reed Sheppard in the draft. If you want to be a defensive team, you need size, especially on the perimeter and in the paint. The shooting will come and go.
You just say things. Defense and rebounding are the least of this team's problems. They are at the top of the league at both.
You MISSED what I'm saying. If you are building your team as a DEFENSIVE team, you need those type of players. Atl, for example, has totally restructured their team around Trae. He is the only small guard they have. He's now surrounded by players 6'6 or taller. You can't identify yourself as a defensive team and your guards are letting people blow past them and getting isolated.
We are not trying to identify ourselves as a defensive team, we are a defensive team. It's not a goal, it's the reality. What this team lacks is reliable shooters and a consistent perimeter creator. All the other stuff is the reason we are 15-8.
YOU are missing the point too. I never said they were not a defensive team. I said they are identifying themselves as a defensive team, meaning that's who they WANT to be but you still need the pieces. You can't have small guards and expect to defend and rebound consistently. That's why I wanted Clingan in the draft, we did not need another small guard who can't get his own shot and at this point can't shoot.
