Adelman coached a top 3 defensive NBA team for 4 straight years before JVG even became head coach of the Knicks.
Chemistry. That is all. If everyone gells correctly, then the Rockets can compete with any team consistently, and advance far in the playoffs.
we need a defensive pg who can guard the likes of tony parker, deron william, Nash, and terry...etc. watch our biggest hole next season will be playing against those guards. second would be a big defensive PF who can guard duncan, boozer, dirk...etc this can be if not already resolved by adding laundry and scola. need to see their actual NBA games to tell.
Why are we always looking at the perspective of what we have to do to prepare against other teams as opposed to what they have to do against us. Having MJ and Francis back there are huge upgrades over alston/head. Even if they can't cover those players completely, at least they will make them work for their points. And as they say, Star players get their numbers regardless, so its pointless trying to figure out ways to contain star players, you just have to make them beat you on their own. If Yao was playing like his normal self, no one really has an answer for him either (Bonzi also fits in that criteria to a certain extent). So the argument goes both ways. Also, Dirk got shut down in a zone, so by the same token, we can expect him to struggle in a similar fashion if we put up the same defence. We always match up well with San Antonio, so it is a pretty even matchup because TD's impact breaks even with Yao's. The Jazz beat us because of our lack of depth. Even a little help from the role players would of tipped the scale in our favor. The Suns are the only ones I'm worried about, because we have never coped well with fast paced teams.
I think that it will be very important this season that Rick A. must develop Aaron Brooks..he can bring quickness to the team...Things that we need is a big mobile blocker who can play C/PF...and a tall and quick SG who can relieve and play along TMac in the mold of Rip Hamilton or Kevin Martin..
I know everyone is just hoping that Francis comes in and becomes a good role player....but is there any possibility that Francis plays better than expected and abuses the other point guards on both ends? I remember Steve as being an athletic freak that would explode into the lane and dunk on guys, grab 6-7 rebounds and score at will on other point guards..... Is there any way that Parker, Nash, Williams, etc have to be worried about Francis and not just the other way around???? I'm also wondering what Landry can bring to the table if anything this year? Is he just a decent scorer or can he rebound and defend.....???
Yes and Yes... he can do both. I don't know what was wrong with him in the summer league, but in college he was known for his rebounding and defense. He's a hustle guy with a decent shot. I am curious to see what exactly they decide to do with him this year. But I think when he is given a chance on the court he will take advantage of it.
What we need is for guys to play to their maximum potential at the point they were playing at their highest level and for all of them to be doing it at the same time. We had Bonzi, but not the Spurs killer Bonzi. We got the "Is he even in the Toyota Center" Bonzi and the "his confidence is so shaken by being pulled so many times that he leaves because he's afraid of messing up the chemistry" Bonzi. Yes, every championship team needs to have stars to impose their will....but, they also need a resillient clutch supporting cast to step up when they need them most. They always seem to have a Robert Horry, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox or a Horace Grant, Kerr, Kukoc.... In the past 5 years, I always felt that we didn't have the talent. This year, we have the talent, it's just that I'm not sure at what level of their potential they will be playing at....whereas in the past, our additions like Stromile Swift just weren't that good to begin with. Basically, we need: Francis to be near his all-star form that we remember James to be that super-sub he was for the Pistons Bonzi to be the Spurs killer Scola to be that incredible package we've seen in FIBA play Hayes to hold the fort defensively Mutombo to be the enforcer he was the last few years and hopefully also get some pleasant surprises from any of the following: Brooks, Head, or Novak to give a spark.
The Rockets need a backup for Battier. Wells should be a full-time SG to take advantage of his strength...unless, the opposing team's SF is weak. The rotation should look like this: PG: Francis, James, Brooks SG: McGrady, Wells, Head SF: Battier, Snyder, Wells, Novak PF: Hayes, Scola, Novak C: Yao, Butler, Mutombo I think Alston, Head, Reed, Lucas, and Sura's contract are all on their way out. Looking at that rotation, I just realized that it wouldn't hurt to get a PF/C hybrid...Jeff Foster would be PERFECT for that frontline. a package involving Luther Head should be traded to get Foster. But if the Rockets went into the season with what they have now, I wouldn't be too worried.
That's good to hear. There are plenty of guys his size that have made noticeable impacts for their team. So, hopefully he can be a pleasant surprise. Depthwise, the 4 position is still the thinnest. Scola and Hayes are aggressive players....but their style lends to picking up a lot of fouls, so hopefully we have that 3rd power forward to step in and hold the fort. By the way, didn't Landry test through the roof atheltically at the pre-draft? I remember Morey saying that.
Tmac should play some of his minutes at small forward to give time for Bonzi and Head to play at shooting guard. I hope we keep Head because he was our most accurate 3 point shooter last year and we have an army of scorers but not enough 3 point snipers to spread the floor. I want Foster too. He's 6'11" and one of the best rebounders per 48 minutes. All those extra rebounds would give our scorers an extra shot at the rim.
Landry is going to surprise alot of people. He's 23 or 24yrs old and I think at some point he can contribute.
Strongest for his height and weight I believe And by far the biggest forehead -- He will need 2 headbands
