Almost Too Painful to Watch

It is painful to watch but at least there was some real hustle out there tonight and against the Pacers. I can take losing as long as they're giving it everything they've got, which I don't think they were doing a few games ago.

Props to Kenny Thomas for his performance tonight. That guy's got talent AND a work ethic!!!

 

Good job Jeff

 

It is really painfull and I think the record of 15 straight loses will be broken. Just check out our next games. I guess we the fans have to wait till next season, because there is no change of the Rockets making the playoffs this season.

Next Four Games:
Blazers
Laker
Bucks
Suns

 

Nice article. I like the last bit.

 

We're dead before the opening whistle

 

I've bashed KT in the past, but this year he's living up to his full potential. He'll never be a perrenial all-star, but the guy hustles, rebounds, and can score.

Now, if only he could be more consistent...

 

Once again Jeff is trying to preempt any criticism of Rudy, by stating how depleted Rockets are, thus implying all these losses, even though depressing, are not Rudy's fault. I will bet that if Rockects were coached by people like Doc Rivers or Byron Scott, 13-game losing streak will never happen with this depleted roster.

 

I agree with you Caveman. Seriously, Rudy T is a great guy I think. But the system is now to old, its very playground **** that will never win you a championship. Learn a new system or get the **** out?! I would love to see Rudy still coach but not the rockets.

You know when they say its time for a change sometimes, well this is that time.

 

Im not calling for Rudys head yet. I am waiting until he has his full lineup, and still fails to win any games. I want Rudys firing to go without any controversy. If he fails to do anything next year with a healthy Taylor, and more a developed Griffin,Torres, combined with Francis and Cat, then no one other than Rudy and Jeff will be heartbroken. If something positive happens, then its all the better.

I agree his coaching is ****, placing players in situations that are above their own abilities. These guys are compromised of more athletes than shooters.

 

Rudy ain't the problem,...it's lack of personnel with talent. plain and simp.

 

who was the guy that said we'd lose 15 in a row here recently??? the guy is a prophet!! ask him about the mid east!! ask him how long till we find bin laden!!!

 

Well, bin Laden might be easier to find than our starters. Where are they?

Oh yeah, they're all lined up in nice suits on the sideline, and I'm sure every one of them has a little Rockets emblem sewn into his lapel...

No Steve makes the tax collectors of fate come.

Glen Rice we can do without, but... Until Steve trades a suit for pinstripes, we're looking at an armful of Black Tuesdays...

Aren't a couple of other guys injured, too? Can't shake the feeling that even Cat is working on hobbled ankles...

 

Injuries, one-dimensional play or even one-dimensional coaching will not be an excuse come next year. Mark my words.

When it comes down to it, you fill the seats by having a competitive product on the floor. If the Rockets don't have a competitive product come next year, I'd bet everyone not Les Alexander becomes expendable.

 

The "we're missing our whole starting lineup" excuse is misleading. The only player that the Rockets are really missing is Steve Francis. Mobley is playing hurt but he's basically putting up the same numbers as when he he wasn't. The other three players starting (Torres, Thomas, and Willis), in my opinion, are a better trio then the three starters they replaced (Rice, Taylor, and Cato).

Cato and Rice did crap for this team anyway so they are not missed at all. Willis and Torres have outplayed them this whole season. Kenny Thomas has produced about the same numbers Taylor did last year, plus he's a better rebounder (although Taylor does have more upside). Plus at the beginning of the season the Rockets were winning plenty of games without needing Taylor.

Do the Rockets have a lot of injured players this season? Yes.

Are any of the injured players (with the exeption of Francis) that integral that they would cause the team to become one of the worst teams in the league? No.

 

I think the point, New Jack, is that these injured players destroy our bench. Instead of having capable players (Oscar, Willis, Wiz, etc) coming off the bench, we're forced to start them and then have to sub highly inexperienced players (EG, Tmo, Tierre, etc) into the game to play major minutes.

Now I know Tierre, Tmo, and EG could end up being very good players, the point is they aren't that now. They are all lost on the offensive side of the ball which does somewhat force Moochie to dribble the hell out of the ball waiting for them to get into position.

A team needs a solid bench to be any good in this league...and we have no bench at the moment.

 

Thanx Billy.

 

Do not kid yourself, CD and Rudy T. are at least 50% responsible for the Rox demise to date. The reasons for the Rox demise are obvious 1) Personnel with Talent or lack thereof 2) Injuries 3) Bad Luck 4) Offensive strategy not suited for the current talent.

#2 and #3, RT and CD do not really have control and have to work with what is dealt.

#1 and #4 is a controllable situations and Rudy T and CD are directly responsible in this area. The current offensive strategy, though lame, does provide the Rockets with scoring opportunities (statisically more than many other teams), but the court talent is not suited for these opportunities (specifically knocking down 5-23 ft. jump shoots). The injuries have highlighted the offensive strategy/talent issue, but, the bench is not effective night in and night out against our opponent's benches.

As an example, Kenny Thomas, though valiant in his effort and really positive for this team, is not suited to hit jumpshots, night in and night out. He is inconsistent. This is why he sometimes will score in the low single digits when his jumpshots are not clicking. He is a pure slasher/hustle player. But, he gets a lot of open looks on the perimeter. Mo Taylor is better suited this type of offense and for these perimeter opportunities and knocks them down with high efficiency. Who is to blame in this case? Is it bad luck, maybe! Mo goes down with a major, but Kenny does not fit the majority offensive scheme. He is too inconsistent against the majority of the league. IMHO, it is really a partly bad luck and bad offensive strategy issues.

An example of player personnel issues is at the 5 . Cato has been playing well of late, but lets face it teams dominate us with inside game and we have none to match. Since we cannot hit open jumpers consistently, we need easy buckets and we cannot manufacture these. we could stick jason collier in there right now and he could provide the same level of inside play (even with splints). Granted, the Mark Jackson deal blew up, but where is the backup plan or why not try a sign and trade for Jackson prior to the mess? The problem is not Cato and his lack of talent, the problem is a) poor talent evaluation by the org b) poor dollar valuation by the org. CD and RT have complete control of this.


I know some may say, " there are plenty of good things Rudy and CD have done." True and this is not to say they have not, but even the great Torres and Thomas are not leading us to victory right now. Even as backups, our overall talent is weak for this offensive scheme and the only way to change it is by having an inside prescence. Our bench is way to inconsistent compared to other teams. Our starters are weak sans, Stevie and Cat. Our Center position is so glaringly weak and will be the reason we do not break the 7th or 8th spot, even in good years and unless we draft or trade for a better post man. Our offensive scheme is not suited for a team with no pure shooters.

I think RT and CD should be given one more year of leash, since they have earned it, but if this team does not make the 8th spot next year, it is time for change, regardless of injuries.