Why does Chuck Hayes continue to start?

I do feel bad for Chuck, he is clearly feeling the pressure, you can see that he is trying too hard, but the reality is that unless he develops a marginal offensive game he will not be a rotational player for much longer.

DD

 

Durvasa, I could really envision Chuck coming off the bench in a fast type of lineup or in needed defensive situations. To have a defensive specialist coming off the bench like Chuck is a huge advantage, he could really be a game changer especially in the playoffs. I do agree with you about him being a better player while in the game with Yao and T-Mac.

 

His offensive game was perfectly adequate post All-star break last season (granted, in the playoffs almost everyone's offense turned to poo outside of the Yao and McGrady). He was scoring at about 3 times the rate as he has so far this season, shooting well over 60%, and doing all the other things he does so well. The difference this year is he's used more away from the basket in the high post, he hasn't played as often with McGrady, and McGrady hasn't been used as much as a creator to open up easy shots for Chuck around the basket. I thought Chuck would be crafty enough to find a way to contribute scoring-wise regardless, but it's been a struggle for him.

 

true, especially Tmac.. I think Chuck is basically value-less without Tmac on the court... like I said before, 90% of Chuck's contribution come from pick and rolls with Tmac.. he is by far our best roller to the basket AND he has the best hands on this team to catch a McGrady bullet pass and finish effectively..

I think once Tmac moves to the starting lineup, Chuck will come around, now if Tmac keeps coming off the bench, I am all for starting Landry and bringing in Chuck when Tmac comes in..

 

So just because he is "our best defender out of the 3 PF's" he should start? I can't disagree more because that is a formula for one thing: digging out of a hole from the get go in most every game, which is exactly what we've had to do alot in recent games. We need a complete lineup at the beginning of games. We aren't good enough to overlook the offense from one position.

Here is a good thread discussing Chuck Hayes vs. Winning I particularly like post #67 by aelliott.

I do believe that Hayes has a place in the rotation on this team, but I think those minutes should be off the bench in relief of Yao, Scola and now Landry, while T-Mac is on the floor running the offense. He has skills like physical defense, pounding the boards, cutting to the basket and all out hustle that should be utilized, especially when we have a good lead. Still I maintain my stance that began back in late November that Hayes should not be a starter in this league.

 

This is what our lineup should be:

Starters and Finishers:

Brooks, McGrady, Battier, Yao, Landry

Bench Rotation:

Rafer, Head, Bonzi, Scola, Chuck


Then you use your bigs according to matchups. If some PF like Boozer is toasting us in the paint, then you've got to bring Chuckie in. if some big is throwing a bunch of 3s on us, then you adjust with Landry/Scola on him.

Against Utah, it may be in our best interest to literally flipflop Yao and McGrady roles. Let McGrady start and let Yao come off the bench with Rafer dumping the ball into him on the block when Boozer is out.

This is what I like about Adelman. All options are on the table. JVG kept trying to make Yao defend Booz. I will be shocked if Adelman does that. Chuckie's value will show up against the Jazz when Boozer gets 3 fouls on Landry in about 5 minutes.

 

And as long as Boozer and Okur on on the court, Yao will be guarding Boozer almost exclusively (a zone defense is a remote possibility, on occasion Yao might get stuck on Okur in transition). I will be shocked if it happens otherwise.

 

you might think I'm crazy, but I think the only way to stop the jazz is to bring Yao off the bench.. We should start Chuck and Landry, Chuck on Boozer, Landry on Okur, or the reverse, doesn't matter.. sub in Scola for Chuck and put him on Okur and move Landry to Boozer.. now, when either Boozer or Okur go to the bench, bring in Yao, and play him as long as one of these 2 is on the bench.. this is guaranteed to work because Yao wouldn't have to guard neither Okur or Boozer (since one of them is out, we put Landry/Chuck on the other, and Yao plays on the r****ded scrub, whoever that is).. This guarantees Yao about 25-30 minutes of PT (the time that Okur & Boozer are both on the bench or one of them is), and it translates into a great offensive game for Yao since the quick physical Broozer and Memo Flopur aren't defending him..

 

I'm a huge Hayes supporter. I think he does a lot of things on the court that a lot of people miss (especially if you're watching on TV and not at the game) but I agree that he needs to be on the court with Tmac AND Yao in order to be minimize his deficiencies. I really don't think starting or not starting means much but having him on the court without surrounding him with scorers is hurting this team.

Having said that, I think his spot in the rotation is very secure as he is the best defender on the team. Period. He stops a lot of penetration and keeps his man out of the deep post. He also saves Yao from having to meet a lot of people at the rim thus saving the Big Wall from cheap fouls.

I know we are all infatuated with Scola and Landry but if I hear "Landry is Hayes with an offensive game" one more time I'm going be sick. Landry is a hell of a player and I think he deserves everything he is getting and more but the kid has no defense right now. He is actually quite the opposite of Chuck but that is a good thing IMO. Hayes gives this team it's defensive identity while Scola and Landry drop 12-14 points on the other team before they even check the scouting report to see who these guys are.

 

I disagree with those who think Hayes should play when McGrady is on the court. You can tell that Tracy really likes playing with Carl. When Landry quits getting called for a foul when he sneezes, we'll see him playing a lot more (obviously). Hayes had the same treatment for a long time... he was called for fouls at the drop of a hat. To give Chuck credit, he's worked on it and worked on getting the respect of the refs, so his fouls are down.

Landry and Scola are going to give Chuck a lot of pine. It's just a matter of time.

 

The NBA is evolving. Players with multiple skills are in demand; unidimensional players are going the way of the dodo bird.

Chuck Dodo Hayes: You'd better get some sort of an offensive game; otherwise, your career in the NBA will not last much longer.

 

Because coaches don't change starters easily and for good reason. You have to show faith in players otherwise EVERYONE will start to worry about thier position and play tight.

Coach has to have faith in his guys - and Hayes earned a starting spot by hard work - can't just take it away from him by rookies who have been around for a half a season.

 

What's the point of playing 4-5 on offense when such arrangement can't make you make 6-5 on defense? There's no point in annointing Hayes as a starter, he simply isn't on the defensive level of making us playing 6-5 on defense. He's a stop gap measure. I'd go with defensive players of the year in the starting lineup, but Hayes is simply far from that level. Call me when Hayes become defensive player of the year, oh wait, call me when he gets consideration for that.

We played excellent defense with a bad kneed Sura, an undersized Wesley, a flower forward J.Howard, and man on wheel chair Jon Barry. It's not like the Rockets cannot play D without a defensive specialist in the starting lineup.

Rick's offense is not about T-mac breastfeeding Hayes, it's about multiple players being scoring threat. While pretty much everybody in the L can be breastfed by superstars, that's not called a system. Guys like Hayes does not fit in a multi scoring threat system of Adleman's. His days as a starter is numbered.

 

Chuck Hayes is a great guy and always gives 100%, but he's limited as a bball player. He's just not that good. Chuck should not be starting for any team in the NBA. Fortunately for the Rockets, I believe his days as a starter are numbered. Scola looks poised to take the starting job away from Hayes and Landry is on a mission to ensure that Chuck is buried deep on the bench, which is probably where he belongs. Chuck Hayes is good insurance though if something were to happen to Scola or Landry and he could even see spot mins if need be. I don't care if Hayes's or anyone else's feelings are hurt. I want what's best for the Rockets.

 

No mention of how we wouldn't even be in this game if Chuck had not made Boozer a non-factor offensively?