The only way Bev (and Ariza) will get his 3-point stroke back is if we get the interior offense of this team figured out again. Smith has to go out. Teams are shading Bev and Ariza and forcing them to hurry their shot or get it blocked. Everybody is doing the same thing to us. Bev and Ariza are not good enough shooters that they can be effective if they have to speed up their release. But Canaan.......on the other hand....his release is naturally quicker than all of them. And he's miles ahead of anybody else we got on the perimeter other than Harden at taking advantage of the overplay and getting to the rack. All our opponents are happy to overplay Bev and Ariza (and Terry) and force them to put the ball on the deck. Because everybody knows when those guys dribble the basketball all the steam goes out of our offense. It's as plain as the nose on your face. Gotta get a guy with a trigger than can fire it. That guy is Canaan right now. If they don't play him....THIS IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE....unless we trade for another playmaker that can take over the starting 1 role.
Good points, all. Smith wrecks our spacing when he plays and Dwight is so ineffective/turnover prone in the post that the only times our shooters get good looks are when Harden dribble-penetrates. Which is also partly your point: Canaan needs to be in there because he's one of our only players (maybe the only other one besides JH) who can create off the dribble. I don't disagree -- he never should have been benched after getting hurt. (Sadly, he also appears to have slipped behind Nick Johnson on the depth chart, too.) But PB is also missing open looks right now. Soon, he'll start making them again, and when he does, he and the team will look much better even if they're the exact same in every other way. He's not a bad player or bad fit -- he's just in a small slump.
When did he say this? Not being contentious, just hadn't heard it directly from Morey. Anyway, he has no business starting. I initially thought he'd be better off in the starting lineup because I was afraid he'd have more freedom to be reckless coming off the bench. Also thought DMo would be the focal point of the offense in the second unit. But uh... naw. Helen Keller can see Josh is about a million times more comfortable w/ the 2nd unit at this point. I personally wouldn't mind Canaan/DMo/Brewer in the starting lineup for a change of pace, though I know it won't happen. Whatever defensive drop-off there might be from Bev/Ariza to Canaan/Brewer is worth injecting some offense into that starting lineup, IMO.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Check out Josh Smith's numbers as a <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets">@HoustonRockets</a> starter this season: <a href="http://t.co/w6n8aJ6qqG">pic.twitter.com/w6n8aJ6qqG</a></p>— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/551218633478008832">January 3, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I forgot to add in the OP... if you picked any other option than 0 you need to post justification. Unless you are just trolling in which case
Yep. Pretty much a disaster. Look, it was a gamble the Rockets had to take. But let's not let this experiment drag on any longer. It's a failure. Everyone knows it. Even McHale has practically given up on the dude at this point given how often he's been benched since moving into the starting lineup.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>.<a href="https://twitter.com/DetroitPistons">@DetroitPistons</a> since waiving Josh Smith: 4-0 .<a href="https://twitter.com/DetroitPistons">@DetroitPistons</a> with Josh Smith this season: 5-23</p>— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/551207953366532098">January 3, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
They need to practice more. They have t get to know each other better I am patient but don't shoot us out of the playoffs Rocket River
The Rockets were playing like trash anyway once the schedule got tougher. We probably should just move the whole team to the D-League and tank.
Really though, what does this say to the guys who have been busting ass in the offseason, in practice, etc. trying to earn a starting spot, only to see Smith come in and have the starting PF job handed to him after 1 game... idk, but it seems to me that your sending mixed messages to the players. At least make him earn it, for pete's sake. smh
No they were not, they were beating teams with their 2nd units.... They only started playing like trash when the starting lineup got nerfed... DD
This is just not true. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Rockets are 6-6 in past dozen games and needed double-digit comebacks in four of those wins, three in overtime.</p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/551229982627098624">January 3, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> ETA: Even Harden himself talked about the team developing a habit of digging itself into a big hole and then having to scrap back over the course of the past 9-10 games.
Basically he's saying, "Guys it doesn't matter who starts or how hard you work, we all get paid a lot of money and it won't matter." -Fast forward to playoffs, and first round exit for the Rockets.
