In Hollywood, you get style points. In the NBA, you don't, unless you're playing for ESPN highlights.
This is just it, I don't think Steve could change. Steve maybe the best 1 on 1, or 2 on 2, player in the world, but his lack of seeing the whole floor and lack of a sense for where they other 9 guys are (and their weaknesses) is just a killer for a team trying to utilize everybody in the offense. I really don't think it is Steve's fault. And I think he would be better off on a team where he is the only, or at least clearly the best, offensive option (he would make a huge difference on the Clips, Knicks, Heat, Hwaks, etc) and I think the Rockets would be off with a comparable value overall player who is maybe a little less gifted of a scorer and a little better in all other phases of the game. No hard feelings, I just see Steve and the Rockets both benifiting from a split. To me the writing is on the wall it will just take some longer than others to accept it.
You can say pretty much the same thing about last season and just replace "JVG" with "Rudy" and it would still be true.
Actually, I think Williams does play smarter in Memphis, not by doing more smart things, but by doing fewer stupid things. You can't make a stupid person smarter. But you can make him do fewer stupid things. But if the stupid person is too stupid to understand that he is stupid, then it is very difficult to make him do fewer stupid things.
This sums it up. I guess seeing Marbury and Davis turn out how they did, I was hoping Steve would come around, but it's looking less and less likely. He needs to go to a crappy eastern conference team and put up his stats and make the playoffs. We need to get a role playing PG and another 15+ scorer at either SF or PF. Cat should stay. I doubt you could find as good a player for his salary.
from Easy: I agree with all of this completely. But regardles of what side you're on in the Steve arguements or Cat arguments I think Van Gundy knows he's not likely to get equal value for either one of these guys. IMHO there are some coaches in this league would only take either one in a fire sale. What JVG is going to decide is whether he agrees with the ongoing debate whether we become a better team without one of them. I'm of the opinion that they do increase scutiny on themselves and bog down the offense by being on the floor together - even when one of them's hot. But even having said that I don't buy that less would be greater than more because I don't think we'd get equal value and I believe we'd see more of Mooch. Our options are so limited that patience is required. But I don't believe there's any patience left in Alexander or most fans. Our future looked bright 14 months ago and now we're really forced to just hope or blindly have faith. Right or wrong it's a bitter pill to swallow.
Second that. You've been paying too much attention to tennis and not enough to the board. Stop in to smell the coffee more often. Yours is one of the voices the board has missed.
Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!!! Steve is a great basketball player, but what he does best is not what the Rockets most need and his weakness cause us a lot of problems. All parties I think would benifit from an equitable trade. Neither JW nor Steve are stupid persons. But stupid is as stupid does, and there is too much "does" when Steve is running the break or an offense. JW has cut down on his "does" but I think the issue is different than with Steve. JW always saw the floor real well and had a sense of his teammates strengths, it was more a matter of discipline. I think Steve is relatively disciplined, he just doesn't see the floor real well and I doubt he or anyone else can change that.
There are a lot of truth to this! Watching Steve last night against Utah confirms what we talked about for a long time. 1st play of the game, Steve played PnR with Cato. Steve dribbled around the pick, never showed any inclination to go for his own shot. He simply passed the ball right to Cato, 20 ft out from the basket !! Steve is willing but he just does not know how to play to it. During the game, he repeatly missed and not see wide open teammates. His first assist came at the 9 minutes mark in the 3rd. In the later part of the game, he did not even bother to look for anyone else but simply went for his own shots, a lot of them were of the highest degree of difficulty. At the same time, the whole Jazz team took nothing but wide open shots or layups. We are way more talented than them but we surely did not make it easy on ourselves.
Hey Almu, What did Les Alexander call last year's team?? One of the "greatest assembled" or something like that?? Doesn't appear to me that HE is buying your "we are SOOOO young" excuse. If he did, then why in the world did Rudy get canned? Why not give him a lifetime pass as Rockets coach?? See, I understand where you are coming from, but as others have said, we have players who have been in the league too long who are still trying to learn how to run a fast break or throw an entry pass to the post, etc. You know...the fundamental things that all good teams know how to do. And I am sure fans of the Warriors, Clippers, Grizzlies, and other perennial lottery bound teams would agree with you that the reason why their teams don't make the playoffs is that because they are SOOOOO young, too. Well, I am tired of my team being in the lottery and I am tired of my team being lumped in with those lottery teams. When Van Gundy was hired, I thought that was an obvious sign and message that it is time for put up or shut up this season.
IRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROC it! Thanks for the words, thumbs. Guys, maybe EXTREMELY YOUNG is strong. But my main point is that overall the age of this team and where it started...hell there is still lots of time. The West is getting stronger. Absolutely. But I still think that when Yao stops messing around in China and getting worn down over the summer and dedicates himself to the ROCKETS and the NBA, I think he will turn into 22/12/4 on a game by game basis. As for Steve, listen, I am frustrated with this guy. But if anyone can bash his brain in and teach him how to play the point, its JVG. In addition, whats the big deal about this year? I know its been damn near 5 years since the playoffs, but if Steve don't get it, trade him. Get Cuttino out also. But Yao is STILL 23. Thats it!! Unless you have Micheal Jordan, you win rings with big men. Period. And we possibly have the next great big man after Shaq. Lets say Yao develops 3 years from now...at 26...is a force. Lets say 22/12/4 daily. Now, if Steve shapes up, we gonna have the rings. Put Cuttino in there also. If they don't, they will be long gone and at 26, still have a dominant center who has the people around him if we trade Francis and Cuttino properly. Maybe the Freak was right. Maybe we won't see another championship in the forseeable future. But guess what? I am willing to bet that with Yao, a trained Francis, and a discipline Cuttino, people will fear this team. And I love Jackson. If not, funk it. Trade everyone but Yao. But my main point is that Yao just got here. JVG just got here. Francis is still young. Can we wait ONE year before we trade everyone and their mom? Especially on Dec 4th? I agree to trade whomever. But I will wait to see if Gundy can work with this group. IRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROC it!
“Francis - 4 full years in league Cat - 5 full years JJ - 11 full years Cato - 6 full years MoT - 6 full years Pike - 9 full years Sorry, the "we're still young" excuse doesn't hold water anymore” The young label doesn’t hold water if you are talking about individuals. But as a group the Rockets are young. Or better said, they lack a group of core players with two or three years experience playing within the same team philosophy/system. Injuries, major player additions/subtractions, coaching changes, all have hindered the development of team chemistry and flow. If you don’t have the chemistry and flow, you get turnovers. In my opinion the turnovers have been the Rockets biggest problem. So, I’ll be patient for a while longer and give the Rockets a chance to gel as a team under JVG system, HOWEVER, I like to see signs the gelling is taking place. Right now, even after defeating the Jazz, I’m not sure I see it.
LOL - I, the fan, will enjoy it immensely if that nets A-Rod Back on topic, I'll have to agree to disagree with you on Francis being "young". When I see "young" with an NBA player, I think of someone like Lebron James or Carmelo Anthony or several years back Leon Smith (bust) or Jermaine O'Neal (supposed bust that turned out good). In other words, guys who have 3 or less years of experience and are under the age of 22. And I hate being pessimistic, but I don't see Francis getting it with Van Gundy in charge, at least not at the position he is playing now in the 1. You have to have a feel to be a solid 1 and Francis doesn't have it. He knows how to score and do 1-on-1 stuff, but that is more suited for a SG spot. Unfortunately, with his size, he is ill-suited to be guarding opposing 2s. If we could just find a 6'5" or 6'6" guy who is a ballhandler and only interested in setting his teammates up, we would be in better shape. Francis could concentrate on what he does best which is score and not worry about being the playmaker AND he could guard the opposing PG. I used to be vehemently opposed to Lamar Odom, but the more I think about it, the more I think he would be perfect to fill the role I described above.
I think that Steve has to be moved to 2. I just bothers me to see that Cat and Steve, or Moochie blows off 2-on-1 or 3-on-2 break with a TO or a blocked shot 80% of the time. Our big men runs the fast break better than the guards!
