I see lots of you argue about starting position at SF position so I decided to put it here,cause lots of good threads are ruined cause of that. So some of you think that Bonzi or even Steve Francis should start at SG position and move T-Mac to SF? And lots of you think that T-Mac should be regular SG and Battier SF like last season? We just now that Yao and Mac are starters! I'm for Battier at SF! T-Mac aS SG!
Shane Battier at small forward, Tmac at shooting guard. Battier is an important part of the team, a glue guy that is required to help Tmac and Yao play to their best. SF3 and Bonzi will probably come off the bench if SF3 doesn't start at the point guard position but I wouldn't move Tmac to the small forward position just to have SF3 or Bonzi starting.
I see Tracy starting at Small Forward!! Remember Battier is considered as a defensive player and will also play Small Forward but mostly on the second team, depending what the competetion is.
If Bonzi is motivated, I'd love to start Bonzi......... for now, Battier should be start for his IQ and glue. but Adelman is no JVG, not sure.
I think Battier at SF and Mac at SG. But Battier will guard shooting guards and Mac will guard SF's. I think Bonzi comes off the bench as SF and MJ at SG and SF3 as starting point gaurd IMO.
I think it will be Shane starting at SF and Tracy at SG, with Bonzi coming off the bench. I can also see Bonzi getting lots of minutes if he's effective and making a moot point of who the starter is. It will be about matchups and when the other team has someone Bonzi can abuse, he will get the chance to. When the other team has a very good offensive player, advantage Shane. If the other team has a small/quick SG, MJ or SF can slide in.
It does not matter There are no positions like SG and SF in modern Basketball... Both Mac and Battier will play on the wing, both can also operate in the post...Mac can also handle some PG duties... The question only question are the defensive assignments, but I think Battier will definitely guard the better wing player of the opposing team.
People say we need Battier to start for his contributions on defense and I agree to an extent. Battier's our best defensive player, but people forget that Yao and Tmac are also top notch. Tmac, especially, is underrated defensively by many people on this board. When Tmac went down with injury in 05/06, I honestly think we missed his defense just as much as his offense. Don't forget, we were one of the better defensive teams in the league for years before Battier ever got here. If MJ can return to his former status of pesky defender, I wouldn't mind seeing a starting lineup of MJ/Bonzi/Tmac/Scola/Yao. We'd still have three good defenders on the floor, along with scoring and plenty of rebounding. I love Shane, but he doesn't necessarily have to start.
A lot of people forget that Battier was a pretty dynamic offensive player before JVG got his hands on him. Last year was probably his worst year offensively since his first. Let's see what Adelman makes of him before we ask ourselves if there are better options.
Starting lineup: Yao-Scola-Battier-McGrady-Francis Smallball lineup: Yao (Scola, Butler) - Battier (Hayes) - McGrady (Wells, Snyder) - James (Francis) - Francis (Brooks, Alston) Just my assumption. I think we'll see a lot of 3 guard lineups. Evan
i like Yao/Battier/T-Mac/Head/Alston lineup while bring Scola/Hayes or Mutombo/Wells/Francis/James off the bench Alston/Head in 1st and 3rd quarter Francis/James in 2nd and 4th quarter
Battier hasn't been a dynamic offensive player since college. Don't pretend that JVG ruined him on offense. He put up a consistent 10ppg in Memphis and he put that up here. There he had the occasional post-up and the mid-range, here he's got the 3. He has no business being called dynamic when he's only got two moves, none of which include the drive.
Tmac or Battier at SF? that's an easy call, it's obviously Battier... did you forget that McGrady is our POINT FORWARD from this point-forward?
I do not undersnatd this thread a little bit but ok Well there is no other question than: Shane Battier. For me no other option for the startin' five. If you put McGrady at SF will you put Francis at SG or who else? Tracy is a SG and no questions about that. When you have a player like Shane Battier and you do not have a superstat at this position you just have to put him in the startin' lineup. We all know our team will focus on the offensive end but you cannot argue that defense is important too (of course I'm glad with Adelman and his tactics). So Battier would add that 3-pointers on the offensive end but primarily he'll keep our defense "defendin'" and he'll be the guy to make the life tougher for the opponents' best scorer.
Offensively and defensively, TMac is the best 3 the Rockets have. TMac can play either the 2 or the 3, but the 2 may be the harder of the two to defend. I say give TMac a break and let him play the 3. Battier is not a 1-1 great defensive player. He is a great hussle player, but that alone does not make a great defensive player. Battier's hussle make him a perfect energy guy off the bench.
I cannot agree with you Of course T-Mac can play 3 and he's the best offensive player on that position but I think our startin' five just needs that hustle and great energy which Battier used to give
