I want to share some optimism about our team: When two teams (as a team) are playing well and playing inspired the outcome of the game (especially playoffs) usually comes down to execution, stepping up to the challenge, making keys plays and avoiding key mistakes. In this playoff series we have made some key plays, but not enough. We have not been able to avoid enough key errors. We should be up 3-1. We have executed well and stepped up our game. No problem. We need to learn to make key plays at crunch time. We have to avoid key errors. Some mistakes come at very inopportune times. They dramatically affect the outcome. Jim Jackson, Yao Ming and Steve Francis have played great all series, but they have also made key mistakes to really dictate the outcome of the game. We can improve in this area. We are learning in this series what it takes to improve. Cato has avoided key mistakes. I like Cato and Taylor at the PF. They are good role players. We don't need any more pieces to the puzzle if we can learn how to make key plays and avoid key mistakes. That is all that separates us from dominating the Lakers in this series.
I agree. But the Lakers (maybe other than the Nuggest) are the only team in the WC that we match up with well. If we had played anyone else in the first round... we would have lost 4 - 0. Our current team (or maybe the rotation that gets to play) is not enough to get us beyond the first round. Despite my past rants against Stevie... he could take us to the next level but not by himself. We need another low post threat... a star power foward to take load off of Yao. Without someone to do that. We are nothing more than a perimeter shooting team that doesn't shoot that well or move without the ball.
I agree. The Lakers make the Rockets look better than they really are. Even at that we are still down 3-1. Bottomline: Rox need significant changes in the offseason to contend.
True we match up well with the Lakers (better than anyone else in the west) But we also showed this year this team CAN spank the TWolves, and play with Dallas (something I doubted). We played SAC and the Spurs close. I think it still comes down to making plays. Now we may need to bring in another player or 2. Not against that. But what would help us more than anything is becoming more consistant in crunch time. Getting good looks in the 4th quarter. And making key plays.. Avoiding those crazy, studip errors that shoot us in the foot. How in the world do we lose that last game... We beat ourselves. The way we have been playing the Lakers for the most part would translate pretty well against most of the other teams. We really struggle when team frustrate Yao with fronting, out rebond us and beat us in transition, and when we go ice cold on the outside shots. Yes if we had another tough inside player we would be helped alot. But we often negate our good with a bad. That is an area we may improve in by next year.
The Rockets would be able to stand up to the Spurs and Kings b/c Yao would have his way against them since Duncan doesn't guard him most of the time. In the regular season we played well and kept it close against those two teams with the exception of the 1st blow out in SAC. We played them close with Steve not shooting the ball well and not playing with the confidence he is displaying now. Imagine this Steve in the regular season along with the Yao we saw for a 30-something game stretch where he put up double doubles night in and night out, the ROckets could easily have been a 3 or 4 seed. Peace.
I disagree with the notion that we're better off playing the Lakers than other teams. I think we'd play competitively against any match-up. And, we'll be better next year, as everyone gets some experience and Yao becomes more mature and Boki has a breakout year. But that doesn't mean we stand pat. We want to always improve. It is a long way from being a 7th seed 1st-round ouster to being a championship contender. Maturation is key, but so is personnel. Besides, we have a big trade exception and a short bench; we should do what we can to use one to help the other. It may well be possible to add a power forward without giving away one of our 7 rotation guys. Then Cato can be a full-time back-up center and Mo a full-time back-up PF.
I said this was about optimism... Something I like about Van Gundy (and Rudy had the same gift) They can seem to bring the whole package together at playoff time. It is obvious to me that our chemistry is there when we need it. Again, we have made critical crunch time mistakes and .... Hey, if Steve drives the lane at the end of game one with the mentality he has shown lately he pulls up and takes a jumper, he stops and pops, and we win. If Yao recognizes not to switch off Malone and leaving him open (plus the foul), if Steve doesn't dribble out of bounds, if JJ doesn't throw a difficult bounce pass that Kobe picks off. if if if if Key mistakes kill us. Let's improve.
I dont think we can stand pat and contend. Clearly this team will rise and fall as Yao improves or stays stagnent. It all revolves around him. The closer he gets to being able to start to take over a game the better this team will be regardless of who else we have on the floor. However, we still need more parts. At MINIMUM we need a solid back up PG. We need a starting quality PF that can shoot the medium range jumper and play average to above average defense. We also need more depth on the bench. All we have right now is Taylor. Nachbar's improvement could be huge in this department. As mentioned above a backup PG would be nice and perhaps another swingman such as Eric Williams who is a FA.
Juan, I agree. We played better in the play off because we are an excellent defense team with two real stars that cause match up problems to opponent teams. If we don't face Lakers and probaly Spurs, we had great opportunities to do some damages in first round.
I don't think anybody is going to "stay pat." We have a nice trade exception to use by the middle of the summer and I think we will probably use it to get a better fit at the 4 spot. Personally, I would not let go of any of the big 3, nor would I let go of Nachbar or JJ. However, Cato, MoT, and the others might be able to draw some interest, especially considering the trade exception. I don't think we should stand pat, but I don't think we need a major overhaul either. A season with a better fit at 4 and a reduction in turnovers and stupid mistakes lifts us to the 4 or 5 spot and into the second round or better next year.
I agree, my point is I am seeing some light at the end of the tunnel do to our performance against the Lakers. And maybe we don't need to panic and make a major over haul or trade Steve, Yao, or Cat, or Cato or JJ or MoT If we could just cut down on the stupid game killing mistakes. Then tweak and improve our depth. And play like we are right now. Hold this chemistry I see emerging during the series. Now if we can't avoid game deciding turnovers in crunch time. Or those stupid mistakes that change momentum in a game or allow another team to get away from us. Then we are back to the horrible place of doubting this current team can get us any farther.
I think we need to add one more role player. An upgrade to Weatherspoon. The loss of Griffin really sucked...I see now more than ever. With him MoT, Yao and Cato we could match up in size and quickness w/ virtually anybody. That being said, if we can pick up TMAC w/out losing Yao, that sure is a nice thought. I don't think you trade to dump Steve...but if you can honestly upgrade...you gotta go for it.
We could stand pat, but thats wouldn't be the smart thing to do. There are some obvious holes with our team right now. The Rox need to add more depth, a lot more depth. Looking at our bench, w/o MoT, there is basically no bench. If the Rox want to really CONTEND for a championship, an all-around PF must be added and a backup PG. SF/Cat/JJ are all awsome athletes, but playing 40+ minutes a game isn't the best thing for them.
Like the way they backed into the playoffs losing every game in sight down the stretch? They only compete if they get themselves a top-tier head coach.
Only Losers "stand pat," Winners reload. Absolutely not. We need some better ballhandlers and some outside shooters.
If we were playing the Kings, Mavs, or Spurs we'd have been swept by now. By staying pat, we would have to assume that Francis uses a few of his 10-15 brain cells. That is a bet I am not willing to risk. The lack of mobility at PF kills us against the top West teams who are loaded at PF/C. Cato is the only guy we have who can effectively guard a star player, and that is Shaq. Against KG, Dirk, Webber, etc. we would be toast with Mo and Cato trying to defend them out in the perimeter. We don't need a star at PF, but someone who can guard his man effectively.
blame the coach, that's the ticket they backed into the playoffs because their #1 option was "Fatigued" or whatever else you wanna call it. He disapeared down the stretch. When he played great the team played great. When he played like crap we played like crap.
Yaopao, I disagree. That is not true, we have a real chance against teams such as Mavs and Kings in playoff.
