Identity - that is the issue

issue?

Health+time together

that's a start.

 

Yao is limited playing with guy's that don't know their roles. Guy's like tracy who's ego thinks he's the same mcgrady in orlando who won the scoring title. Guy's like ron artest who thinks offensively he's better than what he thinks. Ron is known for his defense but he hasn't shown any since his ME mission to show he's just as good offensively as kobe or lebron.



Yao was growing into a leader while Yao and tracy were out. We beat boston in boston without tracy with ron on the bench. In that game ron gave us what we needed from him and that was toughness. But since all this in and out stuff ron has adopted tracy's SUPER STAR attitude that he doesn't have to play defense or play hard he can coast and worry about shooting three point shots. Yao needs guy's around him who know their roles and play within their strenghts.




Yao was very good leading a brent barry von rafer and rafer alston, just think if we can get other super type of role players to play along with yao. Think if we could get a billups,mike miller,rip hamilton Yao would be even better.

 

Its a poorly constructed team and I've been saying it from day 1. When tracy and ron was out, the team was winning, but was giving up easy points and a high fg %. The identity left when VanGundy left. To me, Adelman is like flip saunders when he went to detroit. He changed the offense, but the defense wasn't the same and hasn't been the same. I think when you have a team without a id, the coach has to be the identity. The rox are lost because none of their best players or coach wants to put the poles in the ground and stake claim.

 

Our identity used to be a lock down defensive team.

If things went wrong, if the shooting was off, if the team was trailing, if the opposing team was gaining momentum, etc...They knew what to do. Play hard nosed defense and make good things happen, force mistakes, grind it out.

They always had defense to lean on...plan B if you will...but now if the screws come loose it falls apart. They do nothing differently except become more hesitant.

While it would be nice to have a superstar identity to push them (ie Kobe, LBJ, Wade), it's not necessary. And I don't know if Yao is assertive enough to do it. The Spurs, Pistons, and Celtics have won championships w/ a committee/community mentality.

 

Screw identity, I want them to figure out better ways to put the ball in the basket and prevent the other team from doing so.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKluFlWxi40&feature=related

what happened to this guy???

this was less that a year ago to gods sake!

 

I'm right a lot, people don't want to admit it cause it stings. I agree with u a lot, there is enough blame to go around. I'm really starting to question adelman right now. He can't be that blind to see what happens when Yao goes out. I think if they don't make it to the finals, they need to drop the bomb on the squad.

 

There are two opposing ideas here, which I think are both important.

On one hand, a team needs to have an identity. I believe that. What is this team's defensive philosophy? What are they trying to do on offense? It's not clear to me that all the player's are on the same page in that regard. That's a problem.

On the other hand, I get what Adelman is trying to achieve. He doesn't want our offense to be fixated on specific set plays. It needs to be more adaptive to game situations. The Rockets are struggling to understand that, and they end up looking kind of aimless out there.

There's a balance that needs to be struck here. On one hand, you can't be too rigid in defining roles and offensive strategy (JVG), but you can't leave it all open ended either.

 

Great post. The panick button has been hit way to early for some people here in the garm.

 

We have been waiting all season to see what this team can be capable of and now is the time to start making those assesments. We shouldn't hit the panic button yet. However if we come out of Feb playing .500 ball it's time to start. Many want to trade before the deadline and shake this thing up now to save the season but I think the smart thing to do is wait this year out before we make a reactionary trade like Dallas did with JKidd.

 

You should write Morey a letter.

 

I think this is true ad its probably most effective, but just like buying a house, it has to have "good bones." The foundation and core principles upon which the team can lean on. I can also see Adelman working on combinations offensively and he's never been a play calling type of coach. I just don't think this team is good enough offensively to be this poor defensively. Offensively, its square pegs into round holes surrounded by fools gold. Rafer looks good handling the ball and doing his thing, but how often does he shoot like he has lately? Yao needs to get established early, but can't recognize cutters and slashers. Tracy wants to control the ball, but now that eliminates rafer. Scola plays the best inside the offense, but can't hold me. Shane whether he's injured or not does nothing needed in the offense. Brooks is in a shooting slump. Landry, see Scola with more athleticism. Hayes poses no threat with or without the ball. Barry can operate within the offense, but can't defend. Artest is trying to do too much and is hurt. Wafer plays well in the offense but is a little young. The common thread is none of those guys who can do it offensively are poor defensively. Its just poor team construction if you ask me.

 

LOL - shut up, there's no getting out of this one. Your posts about JVG the dictator mishandling things by forcing his identity on the team are so many that it crashes the search function. And now you are saying what the team needs is a good dose of old fashioned discipline from above. Just like you did in the waning days of Rudy...it's cool.

 

You can have one jerk on a team but not two, they'll breed.

JvG had one jerk, T-Mac. Adelman's got to deal with two, T-Mac and Artest. Different situation.

 

lol, interesting analysis. what is your definition of a jerk? Anyways, I think it should be Yao's team. It's up to Yao if he wants it. People want an inside/outside game, then people want more of a motion offense. You can't have both. Its either the more traditional inside/outside game, or its the motion offense. I feel the inside/out game works best with our roster. We need to take more advantage of Yao down low.

 

It's not my quote, so I was forced to use the word "jerk". As it relates to the Rockets neither Artest nor McGrady have shown the discipline required to put the team first and run the offense consistently. I don't think that really makes them "jerks".

Also I'd say the Rockets did a pretty good job of moving the ball when McGrady sat, even when Yao was playing.

 

Agreed, identity is no where near a top concern for this team. Chemistry is paramount right now, and that's 99% due to lack of health, and ultimately, consistency in our lineups.