Rafer's shot selection is not horrible. He just needs to know when to chill out when he's not feeling it, and just drive it to the hole to draw contact instead of putting up those floaters. He just doesn't know how to get himself into rhythm... through free throws.
i totally agree. it's obvious that jvg is a big factor in rafer shooting 15 times a game. still, as a jvg and rafer supporter, i think that both of them could do a better job in that area. rafer needs a better shot selection and jvg has to be on the same page about that. i'd rather have battier jack up some contested and maybe even bad shots here and there than rafer jacking up a couple of them every night.
Couldn't agree more with you guys. Most players, will shoot out of a slump, but will also take less shots and pass off more. It is this point where I agree with the "Rafer-haters." He should take down his shots per game a little, and pass off and create more until his shot is more dependable.
I don't think we're a contender even with T-mac and Yao at full health, and even with Wells clicking and in shape. First of all, Yao and T-mac have yet to prove anything other then they are indeed very talented. THey haven't won a playoff series...and they haven't lead a team to a dominating season like the Suns or Mavs. Now, is that a lack of leadership or a lack of supporting cast? Well - that's up for debate. But a contender? While playoff basketball is different, the league isn't the same either anymore. The era of Big D might just be over. Detroit and Miami and San Antonio aren't the best teams in the league anymore - it's Dallas and Phoenix. I'm not sure if SA is a contender to be honest. Right now, there's two teams that are so complete at every position, filled with deep rosters, balanced scoring - and at least a high degree of quickness and athleticism to make up for not the best D (although Phoenix ranks 7th in D and Dallas even higher). These teams are BLOWING the rest of the league away, and are the only teams that are contenders right now. Hey, maybe the Rockets would have been contenders a few years ago - but in today's NBA - with these two jugganauts that are causing match-up problems for everyone, I say no. HOpefully - I'm wrong. I'd be very happy if I'm proven as such. But for now, my opinion is we just don't have enough. We will probably go past the first round, and maybe even make it to the WCF. But no finals this year - I'm sad to say.
While that might be true for the first 40 games of this regular season, Dallas and Phoenix haven't proven that their style can win championships either. You mention that Detroit, Miami, and San Antonio are in the past. But those three teams have a combined 5 championships to the 0 owned by Phoenix and Dallas. if Dallas or Phoenix win it all this year, I will agree that Defense may no longer the single most important attribute of a championship team. Until that happens, Dallas and Phoenix are simply great regular season teams.
okay the rockets are still a 500 team but we are lacking at power forward. its the rockets own fault for not getting anybody up front with yao, thats worth a damn.
If the regular season meant that much I would've chosen the Pacers and T'Wolves to be in the 04 finals. Look at the potential match-ups. Say Dallas and Denver meet in the first round, there is no guarantee that Dirk won't be eating some popcorn and watching TNT in May.
okay look at the potential we have compared those other two teams you mentioned that i have in bold. we are easily better on paper.
umm, not to split hairs here, but the Rockets are actually 9 games over .500 right now. Give a little credit, eh.
I HATE UNPREPARED OPTIMISM! EVERYONE is guilty of perpetually repeating the- "when yao and tmac are healthy"... FACE IT! What are the odds that Yao AND TMac will be healthy in the playoffs? we need to be great without one of them to win the championship. TMac has had maybe 5 or 6 games where he shined out of 40 this year. Sure, Yao is fantastic, but who knows his health past-injury. And, even at 100%, and Tmac the way he has always been, WE NEED MORE! There may be hidden tallent amongst Bonzi, etc... but JVG is not invigorating it. If he remains steadfast, WE NEED A TRADE! sorry to bust your bubble, i am ready to be flamed... but, think about it... (i love the rockets- just want to be prepared to go into the playoffs without one of our stars)
PREACH! Folks always want to say that running an up tempo offense is the answer to everything. Wrong. Defense wins championships.
Blasphemy! If the Rockets aren't a contender no one is. The only team that scares me is Phoenix because they score just so damn quick. If we can avoid them in the playoffs, then I think the Rockets have a great shot at going all the way. I see the Rockets finishing 5th and playing the 4th seeded Jazz. After winning there, they have a real tough series against the MavBricks, but they can definitely beat them. If they're playing at a level good enough to beat the Mavs at that point, then clearly they'll be on their way to the title.
with Yao back alston can't even fire half as many shots as he did of late so his damage to the team would be lowered
Don't blame Alston for everything he does because it must be JVg telling him to take all the shots when he feels he is open and ready to shoot. Considering this matter means that JVG has watched this go on game in and game out, but JVG never insists on Alston making any changes or adjustments- I blame JVG. Les because JVG is his coach. If this is not the case and Alston is just out of control doing just what he considers fit- then matters are even worst because JVg lets it go on game in and game out!
Wrong. Winning wins championships. If defense won championships a head coach who shall remain nameless that is monomaniacal about defense would have more than ZERO championships after roughly a million years in the NBA.
Please, if the Rockets are healthy come May, they are one of the few teams who can win it all this season. The league is still predicated on mismatches/forcing double teams. And the Rockets have two of the biggest ones in the league in Yao/Tracy. Factor in Battier, and Bonzi Wells and yes, the talent is there to win a ring this season. This is the first season we have seen both Yao and Tracy at peak performance. When they played Dallas two years ago Yao was not playing at the MVP level he was pre injury this year. The rockets built 15 point leads on dallas and phoenix in the past week but without yao/tracy they faded down the stretch. That won't be the case if healthy in may. And bonzi is still playing his way back into his peak performance. By may he should be posting up all the smaller guards in the West and eating them for lunch. A juwan/hayes combo at the 4 bothers me a lot less than rafer alston at the point. Because those guys don't try and do too much and play within themselves most nights. If a trade for a pg who can play D, hit the open jumper at a good clip and protect the ball is found by the deadline, the chances for a title increase exponentially. But I completely disagree with the notion that this team at peak health/performance cannot win the championship this season.
To answer the question of the original post. We need an allstar center who can score, rebound and block shots. I don't know, call Morey and see what he has up his sleeves.
