I really don't know about the Mavs. I like to think that the Rockets will be able to at least hold their own against them, but I'm not sure. The Rockets will have serious trouble against the Suns. The way the teams are set up, the Suns have a ton of match up advantages. When you have a quick, explosive PF playing center, a tall PG playing PF, one of the best scoring/defensive SF's in the game, and a great (albeit over-rated) playmaker, you can force some serious mismatches. And while the Rockets have definitely gotten better, they haven't gotten quicker. The only hope is that the Rockets don't face the Suns in the playoffs. The Suns can definitely become the Sonics of this generation.
Too many variables to be accounted for before Nov., but as it stands now, the Rocket's matchup problems are largely the same as what they were before the offseason. Our guards will be eaten alive by the Mavs, Suns, and Heat. Our guards aren't great shooters or defenders, still a big problem. Snyder "might" help, might not. Missing on James, really hurts.
oohhh ohhh ohhh, I wanna play. Tmac >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Boris Diaw Yao Ming >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Amare Stoudemire Cool. The Rockets got more ">" so we win.
Not sure about that one, chief. If anything, they both give the same production but in different ways. Anyway, we're nowhere near either team. Both teams have established identities and really know how to take advantage of their strengths. We don't. Not only that, we don't have the depth to compete with either team. Snyder and Head being the first 2 options off our bench doesnt excite me. We're a lot worse off. when compared to those two clubs, now than we were two years ago when we had a healthy and efficient team.
Look at their head-to-head matchups. Yao consistently DESTROYED Amare two years ago. This year, Yao is primed to breakout and Amare will be rusty. Advantage: Yao.
Phoenix's bench (Barbosa, Tim Thomas, James Jones, Eddie House) is much better than ours plus they have a lot of multifunctional players like Thomas, Marion & Diaw who can play multiple spots.
All true, but I think we are MUCH closer to the upper echelon than we were at the end of last year, agree? DD
Well Tim Thomas left. And it seems like House is going to be on the move as well. And they lost out on Salmons. So they've got a bit of work to do to fill out that bench. Course it seems like anyone they pick up automatically pans out and has a career year.
I assume you mean SF's. And statistically, yes, Battier is the best SF. Objectively, he's one of the top five. But as much as Battier's defensive statistics are helped by playing in Memphis, Marion's are hurt by playing in Phoenix. Marion is a great man-to-man defender.
We will have a lot of fast break points next year. Rafer ALWAYS pushes the ball. and Tmac uhh... always finishes.
All I know about him is what I have read on this board. Unfortunately, much of that information has been conflicting. I have read he has a good mid-range shot, then others have said that he is not a good shooter. The info that is consistent: he apparently plays hard, drives well to the basket, and has good size and strength. Is he ready for the NBA, more conflicting information? I have read that CD is high on him, and JVG has doubts. What's your take? Also, neither of us have been very high on our "crack" management team. Do you see any way out of the mess they have created? They got lucky with Gay and then "gave" him away. I like Battier, but Gay was a rare talent.
