My first live game of the year. I am soooooo ready. I am in midseason shape. I am suffering a little from a hip flex pointer I got in preseasoning with heyschweetie, but I'll be ready for Atlanta!! I still have my stamina. <h3>Things to watch for tonight</h3> <b>How open is Walt and later Mr. unbelievable quick release Glen Rice</b> First game with Francis and Mobley. Watch the small forward position to see how open Walt is without that last SG we had. Also, watch as the defense on Kenny should subside tonight. With Mr Overrated on NY's bench now, we should see more open shots for the SF. In fact, I'd go so far to say this is the most important thing to watch. <b>Watch K9's speed</b> He blocked 5 shots last game and word on the street is he blocked Grant Hill face up!!!! His speed is the key. There are confirmed rumors from Doc and Clutch that Mo' was told to be prepared for slimming down to SF if we pursue Webber. One has to believe that Kenny was giving the same commands, and sure enough, at 8% body fat, our soon to be most underrated player got the message. Who is to say that Thomas is NOT our Rick Fox for long term. He is faster....Rudy says his stroke is getting smoother like Fox and he had 5 blocked shots last game. Watch Kenny's speed and defense positioning. The guy is a smart warrior....don't underestimate him based on size, nor assume he cannot play a Rick Fox style small forward game. Also, watch his shot. Has he removed the hitch! <b>Watch Francis and Mobley's penetration</b> This is an obvious one. Reports to me say that weakside D will creep into the lane for the drives. The key to seeing the effect on us is to see whether there is a man in charging position when Stevie and Cat are in the air at the rim. This rarely happened to Cat last year, so he is the better measure for the defensive changes. Cat could have problems with a man in charging position, as his patented move was based on long strides. Long strides are difficult to manuever off of versus the jump steps that Francis loves to do. Long strides get Cat to the rim quicker than Francis, but with zones, this may hurt him maneuver in the lane. Watch to see if Cat commits to the air while a defender has charging position. If so, did Cat pass it. <b>Fastbreaks</b> Our best chance to increase scoring, imo....don't bother looking for long outlets, those are few and far between for any team. The true measure of an attacking transition offense is in how quickly they can get a shot off after the defense stopped the initial fastbreak. Look to see if Mobley and Francis will find trailers who take low post or 3-point position for a quick strike. Look to see if a trailer actually is waved off but circles around weak-side for a pass (Walt/Rice or Oscar would be ideal candidates). Look to see if Mobley or Francis are not primary dribblers but found weakside and then drive quickly to the basket before the lame zones can organize. <b>Our defense</b> I have nothing here to offer except crossed fingers that Cato is not injured this year. We are dead meat if Cato goes down for a month this year. <b>BTW</b> I was just in New Orlean's for a week. I heard from an Almu-esque type source at the Funky Butt that St. Jean's and CD tried to work a trade before we actually signed the offer sheet on Tuesday. St. Jean's was trying get us to take one of their centers with the exception to purge some salary but not Jackson, while threatening to make us eat the offer sheet for the full 15-days to screw our exception if we used it on an offer sheet. CD obviously called his bluff and lost. The guy I met was a basketball freak VP from Sonic Communications...Cohan's company. Take it for what it is. This is not an oeilpere type contact...but it does jive with the trade talks he mentioned on the weekend prior to us signing the offer sheet with Marc.
Nice post Crispee. Thanx for the scoop. I think really most of us dont care what Francis, Mobley or Willams does. People just want to see Eddie Griffin play. Give me a hell yea if you agree? In my opinion, I think if the rockets dont find an inside game this year. If the rockets dont have any post up game this year, we will be back to the lottery. Kenny Thomas doesnt scare anyone when he takes his 6'6 fat ass inside. I wish we had Mo.... I dont know if i can watch kenny play all year at the 4.
Great post crisp! I like the details regarding scheme, etc. I must say that I have been calling for Thomas to be used more at the 3, given 1. his shots being regularly block by bigger people; 2. his ability to dominate in the post against 3's; and 3. his improved physique and conditioning. However, since Jax is no longer coming, we will not have the luxury for using him regularly at the 3.
Nice post HP, I'll be looking for your post game evaluation since I won't be able to see the game in Dallas tonight.
Great analysis crispee- I dont get to watch any of the games, but it seems to me that you feel the most important aspects to get working on all cylinders center around the 1,2, and 3 postions. Most sports analysts, on the other hand, say the key to our season will be the 4,5. Are you of the opinion that if we can get our backcourt (including small foward) working so well that even a mediocre frontcourt of Cato/KT should propel the Rockets to a 6-8 seed? Or does Cato's absence from this game and this being EG first appearance mean that there just isnt anything to analyze tonight in that dept?
I agree. Collier may be good at throwing his body at Shaq, but when it comes to team defense....Cato is the keystone. Hopefully, the keystone doesn't crumble.
How would Shandon leaving create more shots for the SF? Shandon was the SF last year...if anything, there should be less shots available for the SF this year, because I would think defenses left Shandon open more last year than they will Rice/Walt this year. Oh, and why disrespect ex-Rockets? Rick Fox's game is all about perimeter defense and outside shooting...two things Kenny Thomas can't do. Plus Rick Fox doesn't block shots, so I don't see how that's relevant to a comparison with Fox. When has Cato proven to be a good defender?
Fox came in as a small forward, not a converted one like corliss and guys like that. Speed is fine, but , well we'll see. I don't want Juan to jump on me for bashing Kenny, so i guess we'll just have to see how he does against Duncan and Robinson.
good post crispee. you trying to get me pumped or what? - interesting about what your rumor dude says. Still, I don't think I would have wanted Damp or Foyle. I think CD played it right. We could probly still deal for one of them if we wanted. We wont. - I agree about the Cato thing, unless Griffin really becomes dominant right off the bat - can't wait to see our shooters make the d pay for collapsing and the penetrators make the d pay for not collapsing - I'd compare Kenny more to Rodney "don't get no respect" Rodgers rather than that greasy punk Fox.
So, Duncan didn't play much....but boy did Rudy show some new ball. 3-2 baby!!! Kenny at the high post, which was supposed to be Mo', but still, they both are designed for this. There were NO!!! I mean NO! guard ISOs. Moochie did play with Francis and Mobley, and that appeared to be some 4 out 1 and some funky zipper bizness with 2 high posts...I saw the two high posts twice. note though, that Rudy does throw new stuff out to not show it again until midseason...but no bout a doubt it....the ISOs are gone! Francis is not going baseline and Mobley is not waiting to watch the defense. well done on offense. On defense...I never once saw us play zone. That makes sense, I guess, since we are small and fast.
I'm sorry I didn't log on and catch this thread before the game. Not having the knowledge or skills for analysis, I can't comment on these aspects of the Rockets' play, but I was surprised and pleased to see how much the Rockets pushed the ball up the court and just hustled all around. It was really good to see Cato come in early in the game and capitalize on opportunities close to the basket from the guards. I also noticed Griffin playing a lot at the 5. He looks really young out there, but boy, does he have speed. Like Jeff said in the other thread, talk about a small-ball lineup of Mooch, Steve, Cuttino, Terence and Eddie. I don't think any team in the league could put a lineup to keep up with them. I'd love to see people tick off their thoughts on the points brought up in this thread, now that the game's over.
JayZ750, I didn't see your question last night. I guess I was too hyper about the game. Do you really not get to see many games? That sux. Anytime you're in from out of town, I guess you go with poopy, 'eh. If not, I'll take ya. as for your question...I don't read much about the Rockets except from Feigen. What pundits are actually saying that the 4 and 5 are the keys to our success?? I don't understand that line of thinking at all. Our worst positions this year are the key to our success??? I guess the PG position is the key to the Lakers?! Weak positions might help or hurt, but the keys are what the offense/defense is built around. In our case, since our defense in a weakness, our key is to build an extreme offense....one with a lot of speed, athleticism and shooters. 4 and 5 might be our X-factor position, where we either suck or surprise, but the key to our success is the continued improvement from out perimeter game. With 3 perimeter players who can shoot lights out on the court most all the time, they should be able to help our 4 and 5 get easy baskets. I also look for Walt and Rice to be more wide open than we have seen from the 3 spot the last two years. This is because without a weak link on the perimeter offense, the defenses will have more trouble with rotation than when Shandn allowed them to slack off him. That is why I say the key to our offensive improvement will be seen in how many more open shots the SF gets this year now that we can spread the defense and even flatten it for some serious penetration. btw: Francis openned it up last night with some very simple and controlled drives into the seems and used the midrange ala Calvin Murphy. Most damage was done when SA went to man. Francis also had some excellent drives early in the shot clock before the defense set....he is looking to attack. Walt had at least 3 squared up shots at around 18-20 off of penetration passes. When is the last time we've seen Walt that wide open? last thing....boy does Torres like to shoot!!
For the most part I agree with you. Its just these guys over at CBS and/or Fox, etc, commenting on how without Hakeem and Mo we are going ot be in trouble this year, picking the Grizzlies and Clippers event o finish ahead of us. I still see the Rockets being able to win 50-55 games and definitely making the playoffs. At some point, though, we will definitely have to improve in the area of big men. I go to school outside of Houston, but when I'm in town I have the opportunity to go to most games (and of course see them all). Ill be returning to Houston permanently (at least for a few years) in a couple of months. Thanks anyway
