It is good to see that Ariza, D-Mo, T-Jones, J-Smooth, and Brewer are able to step up on any given night to take the pressure off of Harden. I think you keep this core group together! Forget about searching for a third star. We have J. Smooth/ T-Jones/ D-Mo who are all showing they can be a formidable group. Imagine this team with a healthy Howard and a Lull, and the team is going to be arguably better next season. Heck the Rockets are one of the favorites to win the title this season. 2015/2016: Howard / D-Mo / Capella / Dorsey T Jones / J Smooth Ariza / Brewer Harden / ? Lull / ? But let us not get ahead of the season. Because, the Rockets should have a well rested Howard. Right now the biggest weakness seems to be the PG combo of Terry/Prigioni. But I think they can overcome that and challenge for the 2014/2015 title.
This isn't true at all. A stronger argument is that the ONLY way the Rockets go far in the playoffs (they are not winning a title this year) is if Jones takes the next step and emerges in the playoffs and provides the Rockets another player that has to be accounted for. Jones, like Donatas has some major warts and I am not sure mentally he has his head on straight... but he has the physical ability to be a major influence, especially in a playoff series. Jones is a very good shot blocker, a good rebounder, cuts to the basket very well and finishes inside... in a certain match up and with a hot streak, Jones could be a terror..... then again he could also lose interest and not be a factor. At this point that is what Jones is....... but to say if he is the Rockets third best player, the Rockets lose is just not true.
I don't know. I think relying on Ariza as our 3rd scoring option is a scary thought. He is very streaky. Josh is streaky too. If you say DMo, if the stage isn't too big for him, I hope he can step up to the plate. He has been steady most of the year offensively. Steady in the playoffs would be great. They will have plenty of opportunity to be that guy. Ariza will get as many wide open 3 pointers as he can handle and DMo gets good shots in the paint and at the arc as well. He just needs to convert. TJ can score without plays being run so he just needs to clean up the misses and be available. Brewer is a wild card and hustles nonstop. Honestly, I don't think scoring is going to really be an issue. We need to see an improved level of defense over what they put out there last post season.
Yo vator, here's an absolute for you. Nook is absolutely certain we won't win a championship this year. While I am not absolutely sure we will or won't. I think we've got a chance to win one if certain things happen. How about that vator? Nook, you and I are on 2 different basketball planets.
I don't see the Rockets have scoring obvious options after Harden. Howard and DMo get some post-up plays so you might call them scoring options. Other than that, they always find the next open guy and fire away. They don't have many set plays anyway. That's why the Rockets have so many players averaging 10+ per game.
Big time. Usually when it's the morning show on 790 doing the interviews, it's terrible because the hosts clearly don't watch basketball (outside of Adam, but he's too much of a beta to stand up to Lance). The questions are contrived, Morey doesn't want to be there because it's like discussing astrophysics with a 1st grader, and the whole segment just feels forced because both sides just want to get off the phone as quickly as possible.
Cuz imma keep it G-real. I dont *** with you Cuhz. You disrepected me. You disrepect my hood. You lucky on that day I was acting cool cuhz, i told you i aint had time for dat niqqa but today I got time CUHZ!
THINGS WE CAN RELY ON IN THE PLAYOFFS: 1. If Dwight is healthy he will dominate the defensive paint and the glass. 2. Because of Dwight's presence and the makeup of the rest of this roster weighted significantly in favor of defense we can rely on them to perform well. We have a good defensive system and the horses to run it as long as we don't suffer significant injuries. 3. James Harden to be the focal point offensively. After all he's an MVP candidate. THINGS WE DON'T KNOW: 1. If anybody will step up offensively. Somebody has to emerge as the clear second best offensive player that the opposing defense has to account for. If they don't, then defenses will totally key on Harden and eventually wear him and his offensive efficiency down. 2. If somebody steps forward who exactly it will be. This player, if they emerge will be the third best player on this team and we will have a chance to win a championship. If nobody emerges as the clear second best offensive playmaker/scorer on this team but one of Terrence/Smoove/Brewer is the 3rd best player by default then we won't win a championship. For us to win a championship someone has to emerge as a clear efficient second option offensively, a guy that can score efficiently and create for others to the degree that he poses a problem for the opponent defense to scheme for, as well as hold up his end on defense.
How about if any one of DMO, TJones, Brewer or Smith steps up game to game or series to series? They're all quality players. None of them are your clear 3rd, but they're darn good and the chances of 2 of them playing well every given night is pretty decent.
It may be 3rd by committee, but I really believe DMo has this ability. Lets play a hypothetical. e play Dallas in the first round, which seems somewhat likely at this point. Tyson stays glued to Dwight, so what happens to Dirk? DMo would destroy Dirk in the post. It would be something we tell our children about. Next round we play Memphis. We've already seen Randolph struggle to hold down DMo. He's even humbled Gasol. I do believe DMo has (or had) lower back pain, but I think this extended break is because the Rockets know they need him at top form come playoff time. As a PF, he's a player that not many teams have an answer for.
Possible. But unlikely. 7-game series are about matchups. It is unlikely that 4 different players are going to step up individually in 4 different games for 4 different series. You need that second guy that can go off and consistently dominate his matchup if your #1 option is smothered.
Things we know; things we can rely on in the p/os: NO B2Bs, and that, coupled with extra 1st round rest, will help both the ailing members of the team and the legit MVP candidate's need for rest. Everything else is going to be tough as there will be no easy outs in the West.
04/09/2015 - Daryl Morey on 790 just now. Just a recap as per what I heard. Nothing major perse. 790: A rough night at the office on and off the floor. Do you want to tackle the game or the roster first, Daryl? We were kind of shocked when it was 7-10 days and then out for the year DM: It looked like something that was going to be minor and improve and it never improved as expected. When he went to the speak to the doctors again, it seemed like they told him this would be a longer wait. 790: Tough situation but not many teams have DH, TJ and Smith upfront but no more leeway for injuries with Bev and Dmo out. DM: Yeah two of our starters all season. To your point, if TJ, Josh and DH all step up and play to their level, we can make the damage we hope to make. TK had a rough night last night but he needs to step up. 790: Defensively, it has not been the strong suit off late. What's going on there? DM: With Dwight we have been solid and also to your point with him out we have been solid. Against a good team, like the Spurs they can make you look bad and curve you up with no margin for error if you don't pay close attention. 790: Any idea to the thought of giving someone other than Dorsey the back up minutes? DM: COaches going to play who he thinks is best of to win. Dorsey has given as solid minutes so has CLint and we can circle the 3 big rotation as well. 790: Something off the court was the stabbing of Copeland nad his wife at a club outside NY. I bring that up because how worried are you on a day by day basis on your players being involved in something like this off the court? DM: Obviously they are targets for many many people. We have a lot of security to help those guys. We bring in players who are better in those off the court things. We have a solid group of guys who will stay away from the news. Sometimes random things happen and knock on wood but our guys are solid guys. We invest a lot in security, doesn't protect you 100% but we feel very good. 790: Any insight on the minutes increase for DH starting tomorrow night? DM: I haven't gotten any update but I haven't heard anything regarding setbacks. Things look to be on track and smooth sailing. One of the positives from last night was Dwight and Dwight being healthy and us winning the minutes he was there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another lame interview by the 790 folks. I'm pretty sure they just do it because of certain obligations.
What's the point of protecting Dwight if not for the playoffs? He's being paid 21M this year; it's time to unleash him. Come Game 1 I hope he plays 30-35 minutes.
We are protecting Dwight, because it is not game 1 yet. I imagine he will be playing a lot in the play offs barring foul trouble.
