At least that seems to be what the Rockets think this year... Last year's team relied on 3 pt shooting a lot. This year's team suck at 3 pt shooting and bomb less from the outside, but they go after the boards. Rebounding is the better way to go because even good shooting teams can get cold and jump shot % drop when opponents contest. Rebounding, through effort, size, and what not, can be kept up more consistently. Thus, rebounding >>>>>>>> shooting. See the logic in this argument?
What exactly is the point of this thread? Are you saying we should go get some rebounders before the deadline? And not Mike Miller?
I see the logic but if I am not mistaken, Jeff Van Gundy was a fan of this so-called rebound. He was also a fan of effort, intensity, and preparation. This years team is playing better because it has more talent or more efficiently used talent.
Everyone likes rebounds and everyone likes shooting... but the question is how much do you each of it when you have to choose one or another. Last year, the Rockets often opted to sub in Head and play him for a long stretch. This year, they are sticking with their PFs (Scola, Landry Hayes) or a good rebounding wing in Wells. Perhaps it was just the roster. Wells wasn't in shape and Scola and Landry aren't on the team, but it seems that when the choice between on or another, range shooting was favored last year. This year, the Rockets have often gone with a lineup in which Rafer Alston (gasp!) is arguable their best 3 pt shooter (when it's Rafer+Tracy+Bonzi+ 2 bigs).
Van Gundy was king of the defensive boards mixed with transition D. Adelman instituted an offensive rebounding aggressiveness. One of the few things he did early that I welcomed.
I like the fact that the Rockets are able to go for more offensive boards without sacrificing too much transition D. Although to be fair, we don't have any shooters this year. Alston's hot and cold. Battier's kind of losing his shot. Brooks isn't very good at 3 point shooting. Head's not playing much.
At the end of the Sacramento game the Kings realized the Rockets had gone cold and decided to give the Rockets the three point shot. The result was that the Rockets got plenty of open looks and fired away, completely neglecting the inside part of the inside/out game. Shane Battier was the only Rocket to realize what was going on. After taking a three he drove to the basket for a layup, but missed both that and the tip in attempt.
It is always good to grab a lot of rebounds but I would also like to them make shots consistently when they are open. Any good NBA team like Phoenix, SAS and Dallas will nail any open shots with very high percentage whether it's from the arc, mid range or at the paint if their players are open. Rockets must also do the same when they are open. However, I always find the Rockets consistently missing open shots in a lot of games and it's just painful to watch. When they do made their shots, the game is just fantastic and great to watch (reminded me of the 50pts win against 76ers last time).
I love the hustle for rebounds, but points are still given for putting the ball in the hole, and the Rockets struggle mightily from time to time doing just that. This team needs a shooter/scorer, bad.
