Would be alright this year if.... Someone could teach them how to freaking rotate on D. And if Rudy could hire someone to draw up plays. Just about every play is, dump it in, or clear out. Otherwise... Francis is looking alright considering the Knicks are doubling every chance they get up top. Anderson is pure hustle on D. Love his style, just needs to get some plays called for him on Offense. I think that Rudy doesnt have alot of plays that don't include post up-Kick out to the 3, which Anderson isn't a 3 point threat. Or Iso's, which Anderson isn't a beat his guy off the dribble player either. Kenny Thomas just needs to grow. Makes some bad decisions, and can get sloppy but love his hustle. Cato. Just needs to work on his jump hook and slide to the lane. Carlos. I think he's one of the one Rockets that is truely a good role player. Does what he should just about on every play. You can tell he wants to be on the floor.
Rudy despite our injuries has been a major enigma to me all season.He's been horrible.Time to move up to GM.
I second the notion. Look at his damn subbing rotation. Carlos looked good tonight, but saw very little action after the early going. [This message has been edited by BoyhoodDream (edited December 14, 1999).]
What to do different on O? Don't turn Francis loose? Don't light up the threes, don't curse the team for giving the f-ing game away. As far as the rotation- it is an entirely new team twice this quarter season thus far. A new team w/ the quitten trade,and the 2NBA top 50s going down. Shandon has been lost at times, Carlos is erratic and out of control at times, Bryce needs to keep it going, etc. One certain individual is not holding back this team, he is helping. Three weeks. Dream will return in 2000 and the Rockets will make the playoffs. GO ROCKS! ------------------ We would like to get rookie Francis on the break for some easy scoops in the first quarter...
I just want the Rockets to quit double teaming the ball on Defense. Just play straight up man to man. DaDakota
I haven't been watching this game but we continue to use the dumpt-it-in system with the players we have, then are serious questions to be answered. I mean, no disrespect to our big men, but who do we have there that can draw the double-team? Cato, Hamilton, Thomas nor Rogers. Its not even a case of which system would be better for the team, because we really don't have a choice right now. Azim da Dream ------------------ "Change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress undeniably requires change." - Motto of the Houston Rockets
Positives : we are young and athletic There is talent on the team The team plays hard Steve Francis is a very impressive player (duh) negatives : We are young The team doesn't seem to have a very hihg basketball iq ; i.e., we don't rotate well on defense, there isnt alot of heady play yet. Lots of concentration lapses. ------------------ "Don't they get cable in Canada ?" Keith olbermann, after watching hakeem block terry catledge's shot 5 times.
I'm glad he started Cat and moved Shandon to the 3.I can't believe I'm starting to feel this way about Rudy,but from day 1 he hasn't been on the ball....Ever since we did all that running at camp,watched Francis be the #1 option setting Cato up for alley oops and getting him involved in preseason,it's been down hill ever since.They were turning the corner with Stevie in the preseason and then that damn dump it in made it's appearance once the season started.The substitution patterns have been awful.There have been no plays implemented to take advantage of SA's post up abilities or his incredible ability to move without the ball.Cat should have been starting alongside Stevie with SA at the 3 long before now,despite the loss.I know losing breeds discontent and I am venting like a mother right now.I'll say it again.I love Rudy,but as a fan I'm not going to sit by and be quiet and make believe everything's O.K. when it's obvious we have a developing problem that not many seem to want to acknowledge.GODDDDDD!I wish there was some way to handle this with kid gloves but there is not.I can't believe how sacreligious I sound and I probably should be ashamed of myself......screw it though! Hardwood Hammer One more thing,Why the hell is Stevie not going to the line 10-15 times a game?...................O.K. I'll be good...it's out of my system for the moment. [This message has been edited by Hardwood Hammer (edited December 14, 1999).]
Good points Gr-8!The future is bright but the present is a b**** to deal with right now. Not Cheaney,you make some good points too. [This message has been edited by Hardwood Hammer (edited December 14, 1999).]
Rudy is fine. We are just young and inexperienced. I would be willing to bet, that if you had a player that won 2 NBA championshiops almost by himself, that you would be a bit hesitant to change as well. I think what Rudy wanted to do was a great idea, ease the team over to Francis. I say ease, because clearly he is not yet up to taking the burden of carrying a team just yet. Unfortunately, Barkley's career ended, and Hakeem had a hernia, now you have a bunch of real young players trying to learn how to win. I got news for you, it ain't going to happen overnight. Unless we add some veterans or Hakeem comes back with fire in his eyes, it is going to be a long 3-5 years for this franchise. DaDakota
DaDakota If we miss the playoffs this year I don't think we will be lotto for the next 3-5. I would say in 2 years we maybe in the race. I think that we need to just keep trimming the fat and adding the muscles. Fat being WALT Muscle being Francis. I have no doubts in RT's eye for talent. Though I have some doubts of his Coaching sometimes [ rotation, plays, etc] I WANT THE MAN TO MAN myself. I think we have a team that can run that type of defense. If someone is gonna torch us .. then let them and drown out the other folx. I hate to say it but george Karl would have this team Pressing and Stressing other teams. Rocket River
Last time the Philly played us they used full court press and trapping the bll all the time, they forced several TOs that way. It was until the second half the Rockets started to realize they should pass the ball instead of dribbling to bring the ball up. Why can't the Rocks play that kind of defense too? They got young legs to do that. I mean they don't have a real star, a go to guy. What else can they do except hustling?
I just watched a tape of the Rockets vs Knicks game 7 NBA final. You know what I saw? MOVEMENT on the offense, the pick and roll, cutters to the hole. The DIT offense is not exactly what I thought. It works and gets everyone involved, when run correctly by players who know their respective roles. Otis Thorpe and Hakeem setting a High screen and then rolling. Hakeem posting and passing to Horry as he cuts down the lane. Cassell ( A ROOKIE ) with his array of moves and mid range jumper. Mad Max being..well Mad Max. Kenny Smith hitting clutch 3's....MAN, do I miss that team. At least we got 2 more championships then Utah. DaDakota
The main thing thats killing us right now is that we are not entirely "positionated." By looking at our roster you will know what I mean... C-Thomas Hamilton/ Kelvin Cato PF-Carlos Rogers/Kenny Thomas/Matt Bullard SF-Shandon Anderson/Walt Williams SG-Mobley/? PG-Francis/Drew Although Hamilton is exceeding all our expectations, he just doesn't play well enough to start. Carlos Rogers has playing really good, but not too sure if hes good enough to start on a contending team. Also, Williams has been playing so terribly lately that we need to sign Mack and have him back up Shandon. Also, Mobley needs a backup.
I think Rudy is doing just fine. Rudy shook up the lineup and showed me that he's not fuc**ing around. I think this matchup stuff explaining the lineup is crap. Rudy doesn't want to air his disgust of these guys publicly. Rudyball is gonna be back in effect. We have 3 guys who can iso well (shandon, Cat, Stevie) We have a really athletic team, and Rudy is gonna drive D into these people. He used to be called Rudy D for Christ's sake. I love some of these players. I really hope that Hakeem comes back with a fire up his ass, but I am skeptical. We'll see what happens but I think that I will definitely be in for a lot more suffering. But I have 1 saving grace...it can't get any worse.
Guys: Rudy will not be fired for one reason, he is coaching the next Olympic Team. For this reason only he will stay on board. This could be a great recruiting tool if there are any potential free agents on the team. Other than that let's look at the season from my point of view: Preseason & w/ Chuck & Dream- Total caos, team was trying to do one thing, but Chuck & Dream were on another page. We looked bad. Dream injury- Offense starts to run. Charles figures out his role. Win 3 straight. Post Charles- Return to losing. No post up game. Only 2 offensive players (Cuttino & Francis) look like twins. They both have the same game. Until one of these 2 adjust their games I think our O is in trouble. Besides that they are surrounded by very young post players who can't yet create their own shots. I honestly don't think there is anything rudy can do now. I think he should have talked to Dream & Chuck in the early part of the season & clearly communicated what we wanted to do, but he didn't. At this point, w/o Dream we have a very young, untalented (or should i say unproven) team. I like Francis & Mobley's games, but they are twins and I don't think they will flourish together, unless one adjusts.
