On the off chance that the Houston Rockets win the NBA championship, once promising 7 footers will wander the earth purposeless and aimlessly. They will be hired only to wash the roofs of luxury SUV’s and clean gutters without assistance. They will be no longer randomly asked if they play basketball, because as the game is shocked into evolution by D’Antoniism they will march alongside footless soccer players as the forgotten ones in the quest for a sports dream that runs abstract to their physical structure. ‘The Legion of Tall’ will gather yearly to burn Houston Rockets’ paraphernalia and hold voo-doo ceremonies to desecrate P.J. Tucker bobble heads. Beards will not be worn in the The Legion, because, according to them, they only serve to remind them of the General who led his troops to their untimely and unpredictable demise. The names Covington, Westbrook and Gordon will be stricken from the data base of names for The Legion, with all Roberts, Russells and Erics being tolerated only as profanities. “Die, you effing Eric!” will be shouted as their long legged woman migrate to the more equally yoked 6’7 and under. Their bitterness will cause them to be shunned by society. Big and Tall clothiers will crumble under the scrutiny, the size 13 shoe will be the largest shoe available and eventually they will walk among us, angry and ashamed, donning only fig leaves and undersized flip flops. However, a hero will emerge. Like Carradine in the 70’s or Miyagi to Daniel-son, he will reveal to them the ancient art of fancy footwork, baseline jumpers and finally, their nirvana, the Dream Shake. Their Savior will be known as The One. The Elijah One. Certainly now they are watching, hoping and praying that D’Antoniism is but another short lived movement in the world according to Naismith, however they are keeping a watchful eye towards the emerging possibility of dominance... thus, signaling extinction to them all.
Morey and MDA next evolution will be to cull the most skilled 7 footers of all the castaways and shock the league again. Not about height, it's about skill. The One will be found by the Rockets. It is known.
I was thinking about this -- small ball could become the norm with teams full of long athletic 6' 5" - 6' 9" players. It's been heading that direction anyway and a strong Rocket run will expedite the change. There will always be the unicorn mobile athletic 7'+ player but the days of the classic big center are just about over.
It's nicely written. Now try to picture Samuel L. Jackson narrating it. Insert certain filler words where appropriate.
Small ball and MDA is really an indictment of the current level of play of today's big men. Bigs of today are just too unskilled, uncoordinated, or unmotivated. We're just exposing that fact, especially so by letting go of Clint in favor of the more spry, more cerebral Covington. Instead of the conversation turning on every alarm and overreacting as if some style is going to replace another style, it really should be about putting the onus on each individual big and training them to become alphas instead of betas (Exhibit A: Dwight; Exhibit B: Embiid). Just compare the level of activity of Dwight in his prime to what he was even when he was on the Rockets. Bigs used to play quicker and more decisive. It's not about style / position when it comes to expecting all your players to play with decisiveness and determination.
Keep in mind, though - if the Rockets win the title, it'll have been smallball, yes... ...but with a superathletic former MVP, a perennial CoY candidate and surefire HoF coach, and one of the (if not the) greatest offensive player to ever play the game. GMs might try to emulate the formula, but the collection of players has to be perfect and all the factors have to be there. Conversely, if the Rockets lose this postseason, smallball might not be a thing for a while.
funny i was just thinking this but not as eloquently as op lebron and ad are hard to care about when hitting all these 3s. rocks launching from distance doesnt even look like basketball...BUT as rockets fan I will take it. long time no see op
