It's obvious after ten games that this team is not what we expected when the season began, and that the weaknesses that were so glaring after game seven last year, still have not been fixed. So, heading into last year's season ending scene of the crime, which still remains the Rocket's biggest problem, and how would you address it?
It's discouraging to see that these weaknesses are the exact same ones we had last season. Right now, since Tracy is still out...I'd go with option #2
If nothing else this club has been pretty good of late about cleaning up their own messes. Since Les has been around and especially since he let Rudy go, they have a pretty good record of making changes when they need to be done. I would like to wait a month to see if things click. If not, I think we will see some changes by the trade deadline. Of course last year they had wholesale changes before New Years, so maybe we will not have to wait so long. Most have been excited about Anderson and Swift coming onboard but they both have the rep of being talented and athletic but also being underachievers. Let's see if VG can get then to buy into his coaching. He is good at making players better. Keep the faith.
A good thread nonetheless. Most of the Rockets fans (YOFs+YOHs+TOFs) had been all excited at the new acquisitions before the season started. Unfortunately the reality sets in. To me, the most glaring weakness remains at the power forward position. A cocky, confident point guard doesn't mesh well with T-Mac, not necessarily the personalities, but the playing styles. Needless to say we don't need another swing man since we have one of the best in the business. A strong power forward who can rebound and play tough defense suits best with this team. It alleviates the significant amount of burden on Yao, thus saving for the big fella much need energy on offense. It also gives piece of mind to our guards so they can shoot less tentatively, knowing full well some teammate is going all out any time to try to grab offensive rebounds for them. So the choice is C, a no brainer for me.
T-Mac is the engine that drives our team. He sets up much of the offense, bails out guards, and is the one that creates the open shots for most of our players. The defense on him allows Yao to have more freedom in his area and not be double/triple teamed as much. McGrady's penetration also forces Yao's man to focused there too. Losing a top five player in the NBA is going to hurt your team. Remember Kobe trying to carry the Lakers w/o shaq?? He had a string of high point games, but most were in losses. This is a deep league and we need Yao and McGrady. So lets be patient and allow his back to heal and then we'll be fine. We've lost (not by much) to the Finals teams (SA and Detroit) and then a close one in Indiana (a contender) without our best player. I don't think anything is dramatically wrong and we just must be patient and bide our time w/o our best player. Yao Mutombo Howard Swift Bowen T-Mac Anderson Head Barry Alston Wesley I think this lineup will soon begin to mold together and we will see the fruits of CD's summer.
Once our guys start hitting their shots, and they will, we'll start winning again. Time heals all wounds. We've done enough trading / cutting, we need to win with the team we have, and we will. It's hard to watch right now, but it will get much better in the next 30 days.
the sad part is that even if you combine the best qualities of J-Ho and Stro-Ho, you still don't get a complete package. Where do you find a big man like that now, or is there one on the bench?
The problem is the best qualities of JH and Sto have been displayed far and between. I am not completely giving up on Sto. While athleticism can't be taught, I believe mentality can be trained. JH is a little over the hill. I hope JVG and his crew can instill something into Sto's head so he will be developing into the kind of tough guy power forward we've been longing for.
I think we need an Oakley type PF, who can rebound, defend and shoot the mid-range jumper. But there isn't such a guy available now. With a healthy TMac, once the shooting touch is back for our guards (RA + DA), I don't have problem with a Cato type. But basso was right, that even JH + SS is no Cato, both are lacking of defense and rebound we desprately needed last year.
i think our PF's are fine. the end of last year we were starting bowen and bringing in padgett off the bench. jho and stro are a great improvement. james and sura provided much more defense than alston and head, but the passing has greatly improved. i would still like a better PG but it's not the most critical area. SG is our worst position. DA and wesley are fine bench players but shouldn't be logging 30+ minutes. JB is another great bench player but not a starter. we need a starting 2. on top of that, none of our guards can play defense. we NEED perimeter defense because right now we have none.
Spree was never a shooter. I want a shooter a-la michael Redd or Ray Allen without all the other stuff they bring to the table. I just want a guy who, when wide open, refuses to miss.
I think what critics like you need to do is to stop complaining about our weaknesses or how we aren't what we expected when the season began. I mean yes JVG should've foreseen that players get injured and that old players can shoot inconsistently but all this whining just does is embolden our enemies and hurting the troops er players in the field.
We are getting killed on the offensive boards and T-Mac definitely helps there. Bob Sura is definitely missed for his ability to do that, I wonder if we would not have been a better team if we had signed Cat rather than SS. After watching him for 10 games now, what did every one see about his game that made him so irrestible, he is not physical, nor a great rebounder and isn't that why we got a PF to cover Yao's limitations.
#23 LaMarcus Aldridge Birthdate: 7/19/85 NBA Position: Power Forward College: Texas Class: Sophomore Ht: 6-11 Wt: 245
Our power forward situation isn't perfect, but IMO it's dwarfed by the play of our guards. I voted point guard, but really we just need better guards, period. Well, notsomuch better as more consistent.
Where's all of the above option? We need a couple of guys who can hit the Three when they are wide open. Whether it be the PG or SG.
