Ok, the Rockets are 5th in the West and exceeding our expectations. Also, we should have FVV and Jabari back after the ASB, so what should they do moving forward? 1) Staying pat is never a good idea! I think they should try and pickup TJ Warren or an equivalent player. He has been killing it in the G-League. He has previous NBA experience, good size and he brings elite scoring. Rockets need another scorer off the bench! 2) Give A. Holiday and J. Landale more playing time. Ime needs to expand his bench. You can't expect players to give MAX EFFORT and at some point not get tired (SEE THE NEW YORK KNICKS). Holiday is gritty, plus he can hit the 3pt shot, same for Landale on the interior. Landale can provide spacing, rebounding and Block shots. 3) Put Brooks on the bench and start Thompson. Thompson has been too good to return to the bench and we see the need for Jabari. Plus, a lineup of Jabari, Thompson and hopefully a fresh Green will increase the pace of the offense.
If it was me, I’d move Brooks to the bench. This worries me a little bit because I really think he’s played this year well and he’s been a consistent shooter, but this is an eye on the future. Jabari should come back and essentially replace the three-point percentage. Green has had stretches where he looks fine, initiating some offense, and then there have been stretches where he is god-awful and sloppy. Same for Amen. I think with FVV and Smith back both will look better on ball. We overachieved the first half the season, but we also saw a regression to the mean over the last 10 games or so. we have to figure out a way to be a better shooting team and it is clear that we should build around Thompson. and it’s not like we can address it now, but I am wondering if at some point in his career Sengun ends up more as a power forward next to a spacing type of center. I thought some of the two big lineups with Adams worked and Adams can’t shoot. I would like Sengun continue to step into the three and take it.
FOURTH IN THE WEST. Get it right. Once the starters come back its a entirely different team. The team we have running out there is awful on offense but Fred's playmaking and Jabari's shoot making will fix those issues. Our defense will go back to top 5 (fell to around 11th) and our offense is going to be good. I don't think we need to make any moves, this roster is already stacked with talent as it is. FVV / Holiday / Sheppard Green / Cam Amen / Brooks Jabari / Tari / Tate Sengun / Adams We are only going to run a 7-9 man rotation in the playoffs anyways. Adding additional pieces this late will only take away from the development of our players. This is a young core and we need this to be a developmental year to build experience.
Sure, give players spot days rest *Play Jeff Green. Jock, Holiday more *Stop playing Reed Sheppard. He needs the off-season to master, "getting in shooting motion while receiving the ball." I've seen Reed do it once about two weeks ago from the right corner. Missed the shot though. *Lose in the first round to a team that plays small-ball. *Team learns, what many of us have been saying, not enough good 3-pt shooters, 1) teams make us a jump shooting team by playing forms of zone defense. 2) teams reduce our offensive rebounds (2nd chance shots)....box out better (BoB) 3) teams take away our fast break points. Force half court battle. 4) Bounced from playoffs in gentleman's sweep. 5) Rockets learn lessons that Apache said could've been avoided. Like telling kids not to do drugs.....and the kids say how else am I suppose to experience downside of drugs?
