This year: Regular Season, Playoffs -- Points: 27.1, 20.3 Rebounds: 11.1, 10.3 FG % : 48%, 35% Assists: 4.2, 2.5 TO: 2.8, 3.8 FT % : 70%, 62% Career: Regular Season, Playoffs -- Points: 21.8, 18.6 Rebounds: 10.2, 9.3 FG % : 50%, 43% Assists: 4.3, 4.7 TO: 2.9, 3.4 FT % : 61%, 58%
The Freak - Kobe's 00-01 playoff stats are down from his 00-01 season, too. And Duncan's shooting is down 3%. IMHO, a good bit of this is the apples and oranges syndrome. There are no Vancouvers or Golden States in the playoffs ------------------ Let's get Raef 2001-2002!! [This message has been edited by GATER (edited May 03, 2001).]
TheFreak, what do you suggest the Rockets do this offseason if you don't want them to get Webber? I'm also kind of worried in picking up Webber because he seems like a choker to me, but what other options do we have? Mo Taylor This year: Regular Season, Playoffs -- Points: 13.0, 0 Rebounds: 11.1, 0 Assists: 1.5, 0 TO: 1.8, 0 Career: Regular Season, Playoffs -- Points: 14.3, 0 Rebounds: 5.3, 0 Assists: 1.3, 0 TO: 2.1, 0 ------------------
TheFreak: Considering the outcome of our last major free agent acquistion, you have every right to be skeptical about Webber. In previous posts you have stated that you feel that the team with the best player in the league always wins the championship. You have followed that up by saying you feel Steve Francis is capable of becoming the best player in the league. Considering the fact that Payton was the Western Conference's best player in 96', I agree with you to some extent. Now, if Steve is to be that dominant in the playoffs, why do we need Webber to put up 30 and 15 a game in the playoffs? Maybe you don't think he is worth the $100 million he will cost? Is the 25/11/2, along with the athleticism and interior toughness he will bring over an 82 game season not worth the max? What is then? You have already established that Francis can take over for us in the playoffs... I know that you will also bring up chemistry again. Let me tell you Freak, I could go down to the local 'Y' and pick up 4 guys and spend 10 years with them developing beautiful chemistry. Guess what? We'd still suck. You can't have the chemistry when you don't have talent. Right now our frontcourt situation is a joke, and I literally mean a complete joke. KT is a good backup that tries hard, but he will never intimidate anyone or play tough D. Mo is only suited to start for teams who have either Dikembe Mutombo or Dream (in his prime) at the '5'. Championship caliber teams can't have their power forward backed down in the post by 6'5 Ruben Patterson. Kelvin Cato and Jason Collier are...well, I won't go there. Dream is on his last legs and we can't continue to depend on him. We need Webber. Of course this is all moot because CWebb ain't comin' here but it's fun to think about...
Stats can be deceiving. If you look at every other team that has made deep playoff runs they had another dominant scorer, or a dominant supporting cast that is mentally tough. Sacramento has neither, their supporting cast is good, but their mental toughness is questioned. Thus everybody zeroes in on Chris Webber. Plus this year he is battling injuries. I think that's his problem. ------------------ See the three, be the three.
I thought from the thread title this would be about Webbers playoff W-L record, which, obviously, is the most important stat. I know the last three years thus far have been 2-3 2-3 3-1 for a total of 7-7 pretty good considering the talent in the West and their team the previous two years. ------------------ I hope, when they die, cartoon characters have to answer for their sins.
I think the Freak's point is a real one...Webber is unproven as a guy who can carry you in the playoffs and it's not like he's famous for having a great head on his shoulders, last few years notwithstanding. However...he won't have to carry the Rockets, we have other guys. I think he's a perfect fit here...just not a sure thing! ------------------ "Considering Mobley for His First Son's Name"
If we were already a legitimate championship contendor I would worry more about chemistry, but we are at least one good player away from competing. For all the questions you ask about Webber I ask you who on our roster is proven in the playoffs (outside of Dream who may not even be here next year). We need a big body to compete witht the other great PF in the West and a proven low post scorer. C-webb can be both of these. But I don't honestly think he'll be here. I just hear too much about NY with Spree and both Florida teams have the same tax benifit (no state taxes) as Texas. ------------------
I'm not against signing Webber. There are just some things to think about that most people don't seem to want to bring up. In my opinion, this is the best season he will ever have. It's all downhill from here. After all, it is his 8th season, and you can't get much better than the season he had. That may not be a bad thing, but just something to think about. This is the first time he's ever made it out of the first round of the playoffs in 8 years. There are a lot of good players that haven't made it out of the first round--Kevin Garnett is another--but it would be nice to have a guy that you know is going to step up his game when it counts if he is going to make the max. Webber has not done that. The very best in the game raise their level of play in the playoffs. This is what separates Webber from guys like Tim Duncan and Shaq in my opinion. The age thing is another. It is his 8th season, if we sign him, it'll be his 9th. Francis will be in his 3rd. Francis will probably be hitting his peak when Webber is in his 11th or 12th season. How good will Webber be at that point? Who knows. Are we good enough to win a championship NEXT year or the year after if we sign Webber? With guys like Tim Duncan and Shaq out there playing great? If not, keep in mind that Webber's level of play will be dropping from here on out. Again, just something to think about. Francis may very well be so good at that point that it doesn't matter. My hope is he will be. The last issue I have with signing Webber, and the main one, is selfish. If the core of our team had already been here 5-6 years and we just needed Webber to get over the hump, I probably wouldn't care as much. But now, if the Rockets are successful with Webber, will it even be the Rockets? I mean think about it -- if Hakeem is gone, our starting 5 will be Francis, Mobley, Anderson (or someone else nobody knows yet), Webber, and either Cato or some rookie or some free agent. If that team goes deep into the playoffs, nobody other than Mobley in the rotation will have been with the team prior to the '99-'00 season. It'll be like we just got some NFL expansion team and they went to the Finals in 2 years. Don't get me wrong, that's a huge testament to Rudy and Co., but as a fan, it's just not as fun that way. I know I'm being greedy now in a completely strange way, but I guess I've been spoiled by the Rockets' championships, and how we as fans could totally get behind them because they had been with us and we had toiled with them for so long. If I was the GM of the Rockets, though, I'd definitely go after Webber with everything I had. Since I'm only a fan, though, I'm not as gung ho on getting him.
TheFreak, So would you rather resign Mo Taylor who is younger and hasn't reached his peak yet as opposed to Webber? Also, on Webber, do you think people overrate the inside defensive presence he would be able to bring to the Rockets? I do. People talk about how he's worth the max because of his offense and defense, but he's not in the same league defensively as a Garnett or even to close to it. Still, with the guards on this team, maybe Webber doesn't have to be in his prime later on to still be a low post force. ------------------ [This message has been edited by tacoma park legend (edited May 04, 2001).]
Freak, you bring up a lot of valid points that I have though about as well. I see Webber's success in Sactown(wins, making it to the playoffs, and pushing good teams to the brink) and I think, hey, I would like my team to have him. But his play in Sacramento won't necessarily translate to here. Maybe Sacramento is the perfect fit for him? Maybe he is planning to party a little too much? Maybe by the time the team actually meshes the window of opportunity to be a real title contender will be over. I am a little leary of handing the franchise and capspace over to another player, esp after the Pippen debacle. But I see the things Webber is capable of, and I see what he is surrounded by, and I think we could give him a much better supporting cast. Yes we would still have trouble matching up against San Antonio, everyone does. Shaq would still give us problems. Garnett may still have good games against Webber, but I don't think the pups would be good enough to compete with Webber AND Francis. And as far as the team not being there from the begining... I had to cope with that when Hakeem, and Barkley went down last season. I've learned to adjust and like the new guys quicker than I thought I would. I probably would again. I like Webber's defense. I think he has been gimpy this year, but I've seen him change games with his shot-blocking ability. He has a defensive toughness Mo does not, and he could definitely erase mistakes made by Francis and Mobes. ------------------ snap crackle pop [This message has been edited by CriscoKidd (edited May 04, 2001).]
No question he's a better defender than Mo, but if the Rockets do sign him, his defense wouldn't be a big reason why. I think his wingspan is very impressive though which is nice. ------------------
TheFreak: You bring up very good points. The way I see it, Webber would give us reasonable hope for contention for the next 2 years while he is still in his peak. Going into that 3rd year, Webber will be 31, Francis 27, and Mobley 30. When you say his prime is now, you sound like at age 31, he will completely lose all basketball ability, similar to Clyde Drexler's demise his last year in Houston. Keep in mind that Dream was the best player in the NBA at age 32. A player with Webber's hands and size will still be a dominant force until age 35. I figure he will average atleast 19 and 10. I believe Mobley and Francis will be so good by that time that we won't need much more from Webber.
Rocks Millenium hit the nail on the head IMO.Webber is playing hurt. Chris's tentative movements and lack of mobility are but a couple of indicators he's playing in plenty of pain on that bum ankle.He's settling for the jumpshot all the time and has no lateral quickness right now.I would bet that Webber's taking a shot before each game right now.The guy has major heart....not a word do we hear about it from CW. ------------------ If I had my life to live over,I would have liked to have ended up as a sportswriter - Richard M. Nixon,1969 [This message has been edited by hardwood (edited May 06, 2001).] [This message has been edited by hardwood (edited May 06, 2001).]
