I didn't see them having a problem getting open shots this entire series... but they don't have the dead-eye-type shooters that other team's have that MAKE at least half of the WIDE OPEN shots. If you make half of your WIDE OPEN shots, you win. This team has two players that get doubled enough to get the team a ton of wide open shots, regardless of the offensive set. The only player who hit his share was Battier. Alston and Head were constantly being left open for help defense. Snyder wouldn't have fared better with shot-making.
then it does not matter what styles we play, if we can shoot 3s like the suns does, even with this team coached by jvg, we can beat any1.
– To play like the Suns you also have to have a competent one ala Nash, Kidd, Ford and Davis. It’s either hello luxury tax or good friggin luck.
I predict Van Gundy steps down. I think he is going to take some time off and live on his money for a couple years- at least one season. He will return to the broadcast booth and chill.
I agree wholeheartedly. Yao is more in the mold of Kareem than Shaq by far. You can run an uptempo team around Yao as long as you have a good backup center that can log 15-20 minutes a night. Yao's conditioning should be able to handle 35 minutes of uptempo ball.
You still need a PG. Name one successful uptempo team that doesn't have an above average, let alone MVP-calibur PG. You can't just play uptempo for the sake of playing uptempo. You have to play a style that best suits the type of players you have. T-Mac can probably adapt to either style. Yao is a half-court player. The rest of the players are so talentless, they really have no stand-out style that seems to suit anybody (probably because even at their best, they're still all below average).
I will be very disappointed if Les chases the latest fad in basketball like some fat lady going for the newest diet plans. Rockets need to have its own character and style. Mimicking others will never get you to the top, you will at best be the second.
QUESTION: are the above average because of the style and coach or becuase of natural ability? Rocket River
There must be a lost in translation because you're reading that very wrong. Trade Yao? Yao is a marketing machine for the Rockets. Alexander's wanting a faster pace game does not correlate in any way with trading Yao. Wouldn't you want to see a better executing, fast break team? Of course. But would you want to trade away not only the best center in the NBA (Duncan's a power forward) but also a marketable player just to get that fast team? I highly doubt it.
Who says he didn't attempt to emulate the 90's Knicks, and current Spurs teams when he hired JVG in the first place? The problem then, was the same problem he'll have now... the team he gave to JVG wasn't a half-court execution, stellar defensive team... just like the team he'll give to an "uptempo" coach won't be one that's ready to run-and-gun. QUESTION: Are you willing to sacrafice another year of trading/building to possibly end up like a hot Golden St. team this year (but still a #8 seed), or are you willing to tweak a team that still won 52 games, but needs more talent in very important areas (namely PG).
Its always both... but player's ability, in terms of hitting open shots, cutting down turnovers, are exposed in any system. You think Rafer will be some dead-eye shooter who always makes the right passes in an uptempo system? Hell, the slow-it-down system is supposed to be EASIER to accomplish that sort of execution. Nash was pretty damn good in Dallas... and B. Davis was a beast in some playoff series for the Hornets. Both of those guys will obviously thrive in an uptempo system more than a slow-it-down one... but they'd be a helluva lot better than Rafer on this type of team regardless.
Moving on from JVG is okay - he is what we expected 4 years ago. Good regular seasons, great defense, stubborn, won't bring us a title. The big big big question is whether we can upgrade. Leadership will be crucial - we don't get much at all from within the roster. These guys are followers, not leaders. Get a non-motivator that doesn't rally the troops and we'll pay dearly. Paul Silas is a guy I liked before we brought in JVG, and I would of course like to take a second look. Carlisle would be intriguing, but I doubt we'd bring in Jeff's twin. SVG would likewise be an unlikely candidate. Evan
I like Adelman. If Yao can swing High/Low, it opens the lane for cutters. Tmac and Battier should be able to cut or shoot. Hayes can be more effective playing low. Alston Howard Head can all go, but will be hard to move. Bring in Mike James for Sura. Yao Hayes Battier Tmac ? (james?) We still need a better 4, but ... probably don't have assets to get it. We have to get more from the bench. Easy points are going to have to come from ball movement and transition, more cutting and slashing.
I have been saying that since day 1, but some here thought I just didn't like Le$. But there is a reason why I have the $ sign in his name. He's all about making money, and the only moves he's interested in are ones that make a 'splash', garner media attention and whip his fans into a frenzy, ultimately leading to increased sales and more revenue coming in. I wish we had Cuban...
Agreed but you act as though there are no possible trade or draft scenarios the Rockets could make this offseason.
Let's see what most of the remaining teams in the playoffs have: 1) Billups - way above average 2) D. Williams - way above average 3) Nash - way above average 4) Parker - way above average 5) B.Davis - way above average 6) Kidd - way above average 7) Hinrich - above average 8) Hughes (doesn't he start at PG for Cavs? Not sure) - above average/Snow - average. So yup, the Rockets are one of the worst in league history at the PG position. No wonder we can't get past the first round when every single other team that's any good has an at least above-average PG, while in fact most have all-star caliber PGs to work with. Conclusion: we're at a serious talent deficit. Sadly, I don't see how we will improve anything at all for the next season without somehow magically convincing free agents to take a huge paycut or convincing them to take on our garbage for their talented players AND willingness to swallow big contracts in return (e.g. Bibby, Lewis). I don't like our chances for next year. We have to somehow, some way hit the jackpot in the lottery/free agent market and keep our fingers crossed that none of them will come to camp fat and out of shape. Otherwise? I think we will end up with a non-improved roster for next season, or will make very minor moves here and there that at the end of the day won't amount to much.
