Well im glad that you and your basketball knowledge are not even on the same planet as our rockets front office. lol...ok. So do you watch basketball? Howard is the best finisher off the pick in roll in the nba. That alone changes our team. Right now Harden and Lin who are both top ten in the NBA at the pick in roll...with ASIK (AKA BUTTER FINGERS). Defenses routinely sag off and trap harden off the pick. Making Harden have to create his own shot from a tough situation. If Howard was the one rolling to the basket they would not be able to do that. That would make life much easier on harden...hed be lined up for an easy J or a drive (and 1?) ... or dish off to Howard who would finish at an extremely high rate. This gives us a better half court offense in crunch time, and takes pressure off the whole team. Transition offense with Harden and Lin running the break with two elite finishers in Howard and Smith would be all but impossible to stop. Morey himself said that was are weakest area on offense...not having a big that can finish in transition. Smith is as fast and athletic of a full court finisher as there is in the nba. Would be marvelous addition and make our high pace offense even more elite. Also would provide floor spacing with his shooting habits and ability to take other 4s off the dribble. (SF is not his position...he will eat 4s up on def) ON DEFENSE.... Howard is the best shot blocker and rem protector at the center position. Smith is the best weakside shot blocker in the nba, and is also and extremely good on the ball the defender. Both are great rebounders. Not only would their presence on the court improve our defense immensely as upgrades. But these guys in particular would make lin, harden, and parsons better defenders. All three of our wings play high risk defense. Playing the passing lanes, and attempting more steals on the ball. This creates easy offense for other teams when the defense fails...because we do not have ANY weakside shot blocking, and only average rem protection after they get past the wings. Smith/Howard combo would allow us to play defense to the style our wings prefer and not be burned for it... (SHOT BLOCKING ABILITY) Just having that threat would change how teams play us. And Howard and Smith would be the best possible combo for transition defense that you could put on the floor outside of ibaka. So yes I think this would be exceptionally great for us if we were to accquire both of these guys.
That's a good point that the people around him consulting him need to consider. If he re-ups in LA, there is a good chance that as soon as next year he could be the only real all-star level player on that team. Kobe will be injured most of the season. Gasol could be dealt or possibly amnestied. Nash might even retire for all we know, and MWP.... yeah. If he re-signs in LA, he's seriously banking on them being able to lure free agents there in 2014... which is a very risky proposition.
Yah I am not sure honestly. I thought the number given was suspicious as well. Regardless I think playing with Lin and Harden (a real marketable character) and winning would only help his endorsements. From either addias or chinese company.
This is josh smith's shot chart. He is being played out of position in atlanta as a SF. Which is why he is taking so many spot up 3s from the top...and at a low percentage. He actually has a strong mid range shot as you see 33.3% from the right side of the basket and 40% from the left side out of the paint, and that was his most taken "shot". Notice his fewest shots were taken from the corner 3. (which is where we would put him) If he were to play the 4 for us, and spread the floor. He would be taking a lot more set 3s from the shortest part of the court for a 3. This would be right around his range and where he is hitting 33-40 percent on. I really think he could be a stretch 4 if used right. Him playing the 3 and shooting 3s on the move at the top are not in his strengths...and would most definitely not be something we ask him to do. This is in large part is the reason his 3pt% looks so terrible. Him shooting over 160 shots from the top of the three arch is not good.
Nice find. Thank you. Don't like him shooting 3s so much. I think under our system, his mid-range should be from the sides and not so much from the shoulder (like ppat). I like his percentages in the paint, shows he can finish. Looks like a decent fit for the rockets.
Yah just think if you make him the 3rd option. Eliminate 90% of his long range jumpers. If he adapts to our offensive philosophy of "take shots in the paint or corner 3" only. This should greatly improve his efficiency and fit in the strengths he is currently showing.
I will say I hate his shot selection...geez no consistency. He is better from the corner 3 on the left but worse just a few steps up then on the right side. Just reaks of a man trying to do too much and playing out of position. I think you would see great improvement with a defined role on the offense with less pressure to create his own shot.
Let me point out the difference between not winning a championship and having a chance to win a championship ----> NOT A DAMN THING.... Every year there are only two championship contenders and those are the two teams that make it to the finals and everyone else is just pretenders. We have a great young star player in Harden and a solid center WITH HEART AND A TERRIFIC WORK ETHIC in Asik. The Rockets are not in a position that they have to take a risk on a player with back issues, maturity issues, and has quit on Orlando and SVG and considering about quitting on L.A. and you guys think he's goint to change if he gets to Houston... I got magic beans for sale people. Two for one special... Lol...
In Atlanta, they have primarily used Josh Smith running a lot of pick and roll with Horford with Smith being the ball handler. Hence you see that huge array of long 2 shots which is the most inefficient shot in basketball. While the PnR play with Horford is great when Horford gets free underneath and Smith does a great job of throwing him the ball, way too often the defense sags on Horford leaving Smith open to heave up those garbage 2s. Those garbage 2s would be mostly eliminated in our offense. If Josh Smith were playing here, he would be coming down and setting up the pick for PnR then he would be diving to the rim, then cutting out to the corner. He would not be handling the ball as the primary handle on that PnR action up top. Our offense discourages that action. If Smith comes here it will be with the understanding we ain't running that nonsense and he's gonna be at the rim or in the corner for his shots because if he isn't he's gonna get a seat on the bench. These shot charts illustrate what I'm talking about. If you eliminate 80% of those crappy long 2's, and translate those shots into rim finishes and 3-ball corner shots...all of a sudden Smith's efficiency jumps considerably...and that is based on him being a very, very pedestrian 3-pt shooter. 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The good news is that Clutch hasnt closed this Thread, therefore makes me believe that Cyberx is Real.. no Fake... Hope Cyberx has an update for us soon.. Being a while since hes posted
good stuff that makes a lot of sense, and explains the odd shot selection. I think if left corner 3s and shots in the paint were his designated offensive assignments...we would see improved efficiencies of say: 48-50% FG% and 34-38% 3pt %
Now Josh Smith is the best big name free agent for this team with the style they play. I think McHale could work with him well on his crazy shot selection. But he is a very good low post defender and he's one of if not the best perimeter defender in the game. He's excellent in transition and he gives our guards someone to throw lob passes to... For the RIGHT price I would be happy with Smith. But no way would I want Howard in Smith on the same team. One head case on a team is enough _ two is asking for trouble.
Why in da hell do you think people who don't agree with you don't watch basketball... Smh... You keep dreaming that you can pick and roll your way to a championship. Ask the clippers how did that work for them... Teams that win championships with pick and roll big men have big men that can also pick and pop away from the basket (like Duncan and KG)... Can Howard do that...???
Bwahahahaha....!!! But I don't mean Smith is a head case as in a knuckle head, just on the court he can be a head case at times... I just think he needs to get out of Atlanta, but I also think a team out there may offer him more than what Houston is willing to pay...
