I understand that the players is still trying to mesh. Everyone still trying to get rusts out still. I think everyone performed pretty well so far with the excepts of 3 players. Deke - His age just really caught up to him. Bonzi - get in shape, even if he's not in shape i still think he can make a difference on the floor. TMac - Big disappointment so far for someone ready to get the season started. I notice that he still has that gingery look when he gets bumped (like he hurt). He settles on jumpers more often. I do not think he took any steps forward from last year. I really hope his not regressing.
Has anyone mentioned JVG needs time to experiment with the different combinations of players and substitution patterns and timing of substitutions? It's a cool problem to have (figuring out PT for all these talented players) but JVG'll need to tinker with the roster in terms of who plays with who until he finds players that fit well as cohesive units without certain players in these groupings being defensive and/or offensive liabilities). The timing of JVG's substitutions will have to be learned by sometimes making untimely substitutions (foul trouble issues, fatigue, or allowing players to play through mistake prone periods of time or yank someone immediately for an unthinkablebly stupid mistake or oversight like lack of clock awareness). It's a learning process for even the coach who doesn't know the tendencies of many of these new players over a period of time (fatigue, foul tendancies and their attention spans and focus periods varying)
I would like to raise a possible conspiracy: Maybe rockets were supposed to lost at New Orlands. Stern was there and it was their home opener. Stern wanted to give New Orlanders a break and possibly pick up some ticket sales there. So rockets lost one game. No big deal for us but maybe a huge push for New Orland. Don't bash me for this theory. I had it before the game.
It's obvious to me that JVG is still experimenting with lineup combinations and hasn't set on anything yet. Makes you wonder why we even play preseason really if it is going to take 2 months into the season for him to settle on a rotation.
The key is for Yao to stay out of foul trouble. He was in foul trouble early in both losses. If he can avoid that, the rockets will be fine. Also, once bonzi gets in the flow of things and Tmac regains his greatness, we will be unstoppable.
I could not say it any better myself. JVG is NO freakin scientist to be experimenting. He's a coach, he needs to coach. It's basketball. IMO, Experimenting is for people who does not know what he's doing.
Agree that Van Gundy should have had at least an idea of a rotation in place BEFORE game 1. He's guessing. Normal or not, it sucks. Not liking how the officials are controlling the games. Game 1 (tight) game 2 (loose) game 3 (tight) Tmac needs to shoot 100 free-throws at the end of every practice, like Bird did. He's pathetic out there on that stripe. wtf? Ever notice how when he scews up BAD, he always yells at somebody else for something? Food for thought. Kinda makes me mad. Like I kinda wanna hate his guts, if he wasn't supposedly our best guy. Those are my main beefs at this point. On the bright side, I like the scrappy play of Snyder. Alston is surprising the crap out of me, though I don't expect it to last. Yao has looked great except for the foul issue. Battier is awesome. Second best player on the team. Also, I never really knew how much I liked NOT seeing Juwon get into a game.
Elminate turnovers, play some D consistently, make a shot...Shall I go on...It's early, but like everyone else, I'm PO about being 1-2...It's a long season, so let's not press the panic button just yet...
I would like to think you are goofy about this..... However, just ask Mark Cuban about games being fixed by Stern! Refs always seem to have a big effect on games and momentum. Now if I were a betting man.....
It's still early in the season. The rockets did beat Mavs convincingly. This team still needs some time. It has only been two games since the Rockets had their entire squad. I believe we will be seeing a more consistent team in the upcoming weeks.
I've very happy with the Rockets thus far. Yao is clearly a level higher then he was a year ago. THat's the best news. Plus, both T-mac and Yao look healthy - big concerns for us. On top of that - Battier has played excellent, Head is starting off great...Alston's play is dramatically better....and Bonzi has started to get involved. The big plus has to be the play of synder - he's really an athletic player! Throw in Chuck Hayes workmanlike ethic and really you can see how deep this team is. Even Juwon howard looks inspired out there. The energy and effort is there...so I'm happy with everything - no complaints. Enjoy this folks - we're lucky to have this team. THey may not win all the games you want them too - but this is going to be a fun season.
I have a feeling Rafer will sustain some solid improvement over last year. Yao is shaking off rust from being injured. Chuck Hayes is dealing with playing more minutes. Battier and Wells are adjusting to our system. All of the above players should be improving within a month's time. As for T-Mac, I haven't watched any games yet so I don't know if he is gimpy or if its just a mental funk. Even if T-Mac can come back and play like he did last year, I think we will still be playoff bound because of the overall better team.
if the Ref let them play, we are better off. I hate the idea that the Ref decide the outcome of the game.
