Tonight was a good example of a team concept in which everyone buys into. The Kings were shorthanded , very shorthanded and still kicked the tar out of the Rockets. Its notable that the Kings are one of the top teams in the league, but what more evident is how their system is tailor made around the team instead of 1 or 2 players. The system is made even better by having good players, but its similar to what Utah has and what the triangle has been to Phil Jackson. Its like deja vu with the kings and once again they are without one of their all stars and still keep rolling. When they had J-Will they had flair and style, but no substance. They now have Bibby who is injured and enter the Jorneyman Jackson and the offense keeps rolling. Peja,Hedo and Bibby are all out, but the system is the same and the team is still rolling. Last yr Francis missed 23 games and the Rockets were 2-23. Where is this going? Give me a basic system that utilizes everyone but still recognizes and plays to the strength of a couple of real good players, and I'll give you a effecient offense no matter if Mobley or Rice is gone. This team can look at the opponet tonight and see how simple the game of basketball can be. They can run a 2 man game that is run effecient without over dribbling or turning the ball over. The Rockets run a 2 man game and the pg looks off the big man rolling to the basket to jump into arms and elbows to force up poor shots. This flashy,boring, AND1 mixtape type of hoops that the Rockets will get them nowhere without the basic fundemental type of play displayed like the kings of the worlds.
Great take, good post. I know immediately what you're talking about with those examples. How about Dallas, NJ, or SA? What do they rely on for success? Not so much a system with those, but also not and1. An interesting case is Boston - what will it take for them to play mature ball? Would love to have a system Rockets could buy into and execute.
The difference is that the Kings have signed SAVVY basketball players that KNOW the game and are willing to sacrifice for the good of the team. The Rockets on the other hand have Yao and Nachbar that are like that...the rest....Well........ DaDakota
If the Rockets are running a system, a scheme, a pattern, would someone please explain it to me. They look like they are playing in a pick-up game: hully-gully, style around, and jack up a shot basketball. Do street ball teams make it to the playoffs? This team plays uglyball even when they win? I am starting to wonder why I am following them, why I watch them. I hate the way they play. Does hope spring eternal? Will they really get better? Is this it?
As was stated earlier in this thread, the Rockets players do not have the Bball IQ it takes yet, to run a good system.
If you listen very carefully, you will hear Francis, Mobley, and Moochie say, "and one..." to the refs every time they score. Some times they say it, and then they miss the shot!
All it takes is a coach to get in their grill and stay on them about running the system. Rick Adelman , nor Don Nelson have been known to be disciplinarians, but it seems like they always have a very good offensive attack. The leadership starts from the top down and trickles.
This argument has been overused, but I do want to point out that the core of this team is younger and has less experience together than the Mavs and the Kings. I'm not discounting DaDakota's lack of "savvy" argument, nor am I absolving the team for not coming together more than they have. Steve and Cat have played together for a long time. No excuses. But I don't think a change in coaching staff is all that's keeping us from becoming the Mavs. Rudy's got a tougher job than either Nelson or Adelman, both of whom rely on smart, experienced veterans.
Remember, a "players' coach" is a motivator, only. Add the fact that Rudy is just a "nice-guy" we'll never see him becoming a disciplinarian. "Come on, guys. Golly gee-wili-kers. You can play better than that." This is what sucks about this situation.
How long ago was it when the Kings were on the outside looking in? 4yrs ago . One yr they went .500 and a first rd exit, the next yr the win 50+ games and make a 2nd rd exit, then last yr the have the best record in the league and lose to the champs in 7 games in the west. Look at their roster from the first playoff yr till this past yr. Remember Jon Barry,Corliss Williamson, Derick Martin, and Jason Williams? Well all those guys were key contributors on the first 50 win team and now they play for someone else, but the team has improved. Basketball, unlike many sports that when you have a suppose star player, its easier to add talent and become a threat than most sports. 5 yrs ago, the Kings traded 1 all star for another and the team got better. Last yr they traded away their starting pg from a 50 win season and got better. What bothers me about this team is the total lack of on court discipline and same excuse making attached to being young, but talented. Guess who was the youngest team in the league last yr, the pacers. Look at their record even with the injuries compared to the Rockets. That team has been togther less than the rockets, yet they're getting better and the Rockets are not. I'm just tired of the we're young bs.
Three of my favorite bench players during that team's time was: Corliss Williamson, Abdul-Wahad, and Lawrence Thunderburk (still with the team). Those guys were work-horses! Even in the play-offs! John Berry was bad-as*! He didn't back down from no one!
My question is: Can imposing a system over a poor-shooting, turnover prone bunch result in much of an improvement? This is the gang who couldn't shoot straight.
My question is a follow-up to DaDakota's post: Can a functional system be imposed upon players who shoot so poorly and are so turnover prone? Sacramento and perhaps the Mavs seem to have been specifically formulated for smart team players who are fundamentally sound. all we have is Boki and Yao to start with
Francis, one day will gain the bb-IQ. It's his main priority. It surely isn't flashy dunking. But, there has to be a combination of smart savvy players, with athletic defensive players. It's safe to say that ALL the Rocket players, except Francis and Yao, are expendable. I mean, if the right trades come along, you never know who we can get to complement our core players (Steve and Yao).
It is sad the state of this team. I hear them say this all of the time. AND1. Errrr I am so frustrated about this team and the head coach. What is it about them? Winning brings more to the table than all of the high flying dunks. Don't they understand this??? And people wonder why the fans don't come out to see them.
This is what the present Rockets look like: LOTTERY This is what the Rockets with a brain look like: PLAYOFFS It begins and ends with Rudy and Steve - to date, little or no progress this year Excuses about youth and mix are pretty hollow. Why is Rudy confused about who is starting or getting PT? Because thre is no apparent real plan (please memorize MacBeth post re. "solution"). Where is the motion? Where is sharing the rock? Where are the increased assists and cutters to the basket? Why aren't we running the offense thru Yao? Why don't we take advantage of a 10-11 man deep team by pressing and trapping?? We're wasting a lot of talent! Dallas Rocket
