3-2 is pretty remarkable considering that besides losing their top three scorers to suspension, two starters are out injured (Jeff Foster and Reggie Miller), several of their better bench players are out injured (Bender, Anthony Johnson, Pollard has been in and out). They are playing with: PG: One starter and only top 8 player (Tinsley), SG: the only other guy who was protected in the expansion draft (Fred Jones), PF: a 10th man that they couldn't give away (Croshere), SF: a late second round pick from a year ago who didn't make the playoff roster last year (James Jones) C: a 1st rounder that was the LAST pick (Harrison) and a bench consisting of Pollard, vagabond Eddie Gill, and free agent scraps. Carlisle is a coaching God. They have players whose main attribute is knowing what is a good shot and what is not a good shot, and are willing to make passes to get the good shots. It will be a major accomplishment to stay near 0.500 with this gang, and they may just do it. The lineup was SUPPOSED to be: C Foster PF O'Neal SF Artest SG Reggie PG ----------Tinsley---------- 6th man S Jackson 7th man Bender 8th man Anthony Johnson 9th man -------Freddie Jones------- 10th man -------Austin Croshere------ Take away 7 of the top 8 players on any team in the NBA and try to win games.
put it this way, suppose that the Rockets had the injuries and suspensions the Pacer have had: Yao suspended (like Jermaine O'Neal) McGrady suspended (like Ron Artest) Mo Taylor suspended (like Steven Jackson) Juwan Howard injured (like Jeff Foster) Mutombo injured (like Pollard) Charlie Ward injured/suspended (like Anthony Johnson) Jim Jackson injured (like Reggie Miller) Bob Sura injured (like Jonathan Bender) This would be your lineup: PG Lue SG Nachbar SF some free agent from the NBADL PF Padgett C some free agent from the NBADL 6th man: Weatherspoon
Indiana's doing this good simply because they're backed into a corner. That's when anyone is most dangerous. Plus for a lot of these guys this is the only chance they get to be in the spotlight. Like Fred Jones. Most people knew the guy had potential, and this is his chance to show everyone that he's capable of reaching it.
Carlisle has done a wonderful coaching job. I only wish he were doing it here in Houston. I remember the summer Rudy was fired, Carlisle was available and the Rockets didn't even give him an interview.
Well, at that time the Pacers also turned him down in favor of Isiah Thomas. Word was that as an Indiana assistant, he worked the players pretty hard and wasn't a player favorite. Of course he went to Detroit and won 50+ with crap while Isiah was not the answer in Indy. Considering how late he was hired (August 2003) the team winning 61 games should have got him more COY props than he did LAST YEAR, though Sloan and Hubie were also worthy.
Bingo. It amazes me that so many people on this board don't see what is wrong with the Rockets. The Rockets may not be a complete team, but they have better players than their record indicates. The Rockets were ready to give up Saturday before Sura came in the game. The Rockets have one problem, they don't play hard.
steve, cat, cato, and mo played together for 5 years. they had love for eachother. thats where the chest bumps, and high fives come from. also, steve and cat play with heart and pride. not one player has that for us now.
