DMo confidence went down when Jones came back. Not sure why he can't produce when they both play. He seemed fine next to Smith. I think Jones>dmo. Dmo should run 5 next to Smith off bench when Howard returns, if not Dorsey.
So true. No idea what happened to the big guy. Funny thing is that he shot a LOT better when Jones got back, but everything else vanished.
The only problem with that is if D-mo comes off the bench, Howard is going to take those post ups with the first unit. While that can work given the right matchup, it could also backfire horribly. Howard in the post is really either feast or famine because he loses the ball so often while D-mo just misses the shot when he plays bad.
Is not confidence is that now he is force to play center and he is not one, he get in foul trouble way too quick.
I think Donatas is a center naturally on the offensive end. However you have to accommodate his match-up at the 4 spot defensively, and especially on the boards. Terrence Jones is just a bad match-up for D-Mo RIGHT NOW. I think those two together are the future front line for this team, but defense in the NBA just takes time. Jones has been putting up good rebounding numbers, and he does come from the weak-side to block shots well, but the guy is not the paint protector you'd like him to be to make up for D-Mo's weaknesses on the defensive end, and especially on the glass. I think for the meantime, its a good idea for McHale to go ahead and split up D-Mo/Jones again. Go back to the D-Mo/Dorsey & Smith/Jones lineups that did very well together until Dwight comes back. I like the D-Mo/Dorsey matchup alot better right now. However... this Summer those two guys need to be attached at the hip in the gym and get much, much better at protecting the paint, and rebounding. If Capela still isn't NBA ready you probably need to bring in another veteran upgrade over Dorsey to supplement some paint protection in spot minutes as Dwight insurance. Those two guys NEED TO be the future. I don't know if they are or not even though they are both good solid young players, but for this team to have a major step forward in building a core around James Harden for the next 5 years, those two guys have to take that step forward TOGETHER.
You simply don't know basketball well enough to be in this conversation. It's pretty clear that you don't know what you are seeing when you watch the game. Of course, that's fine, there is a place for all sorts of fans but it gets pretty annoying when the ignorant are arrogant as well.
With the way Jones has been playing would you really want him out of the game or the lineup for to long. I could be wrong but I don't see McHale accommodating DMO at the cost of pulling out his best and most consistent big at the moment.
I totally agree that DMo and Jones don't fit well together. But here's the thing. Offensively, Jones can get his as the garbage man no matter who he plays with. DMo doesn't have the athleticism to be a garbage man. He needs a system to get the ball where he is effective. So in that sense, at least on offense, Jones can fit anywhere but DMo has to play with the right teammates. This is why Jones is doing fine but DMo struggles. On defense, DMo is more reliable in rotation and in post defense. But he is not a shot blocker. He needs a guy like Howard for rim protection. Jones's only defensive strength is shot blocking from the weak side. But he is not an intimidator like Howard. In fact, I'd say DMo alters more shots than Jones. So defensively, both guys need an anchor, neither can cover each other's weaknesses.
Not sure why you bench Jones though, he's giving you more from the PF spot as a starter than DMo was even when he was starting with Dorsey.
Being able to hit back-to-the basket hook shots is a rare skill, yet it's a tough fit for the current Rockets personnel set and he's a passable man defender but a disaster on the boards, one of the very weakest around for his size, and offers no shotblocking as a C which is what the Rockets defense is somewhat styled around. He's more valuable to another team than the Rockets righ now - should have sold high on him earlier in the year.
If T-Jones is coming off the bench, you are basically guaranteed 40+ points from the bench every night. He is also a good fit next to Smoove.
Agree. During the time when you had people in here that wouldn't even trade DMO for Lamarcus Aldridge and spewing that he was elite, untouchable ect., that was the perfect time to get the most for him LOL. DMO isn't as good as some people think and he's not as bad some people think. He's definetly got some great post moves, passes the ball well, knows his spots and has a pretty decent BBall IQ, but like most players he's not perfect. Everything that DMO has done this season has been gravy for the rockets and most of us (me included) never expected much from him this season and he's really turned it around. He needs to get stronger down low this off season and work a bit on his mid range game.
yeah right. Then how come you can't address questions asked about basketball related matters, and instead resort to personal insults? What evidence do you have to refute the points I made earlier? Jones is a better basketball player than Motiejunas (right now). And I'm saying that as someone who wants them both to succeed. Why would it be a bad idea to keep the more productive PF as the starter? To keep the one on the court who enables the offence to score at a better clip? To keep the guy who opens the court for Harden to drive? To keep the guy who defends in a far superior fashion?
He is just mad at me because I outed another one of his aliases. jpotmac = bballholic = bobbythegreat
Why people talk here like Dmo's best performances is the past? I have no doubt he'll be much better next season because he can still get much more stronger. His frame will allow him to be very hardly stoppable in the paint when he'll have another summer (or two) in the gym. Also he needs to improve his stamina, to learn where to save energy. IMO, he will still surprise people. Dmo still needs to get bigger, stronger and more egoisting in offence. And he'll get there, IMO. As for Jones. I like him. Sometimes his ability to score is ridiculously good (he does it so easy at times), but I noticed Rockets nicest basketball was when Dmo played big and had a good connection with harden. With Jones being aggressive all the team is playing more ISO basketball and team ball kinda gets out of hand. I think what people underrate at the moment - Dmos ability to move the ball, to move without basketball. The offence looks so much more fundametal when he's invloved. But now he surely gassed. When he's working against those big starting centers, he doesn't have enough freshness and aggressiveness for the offence.