With all the speculation about acquiring Odom, Lewis, Marion etc., or drafting Q. Woods, Butler, or Dunleavy, one factor keeps being alluded to, but never fully discussed....How Rudy has always used 3's...Let's review.. Robert Horry...Comes into the league as a very versatile player, whose primary offensive weapon was attacking the basket. Is viewed by many as a potential Pippen-like player, a defensive stopper who can do it all, and bigger too. Under Rudy's tutelage, really develops his outside shot which, until then, had been seen as his weakest point. Sky seems the limit....except, as time goes by, his offense seems more and more to be limited to parking outside and chucking up 3-pointers, something he does better and better over time, especially at clutch time, but seemingly at the expense of everything else he used to bring to the team offensively. When the aborted trade breaks, speculation runs rampant that the Rox are unhappy with Horry's outside-only game, and he plays with a bit more fire afterward, and we win...but more and more he becomes a 3-point shooter who plays D...Not bad, but where did the rest go? Scottie Pippen...The Rockets make a big move to bring in THE multi-dimensional small forward of his day, Scottie Pippen. Gone will be the days of static shooters around Dream's whirling post game, we fans say. Now we'll have movement, passing, slashing to the hoop...Rather than have a potential Pippen who falls in love with the 3-point shot, we get the original....Except, it doesn't work out that way. Shortly into his inaugral season with Houston we see a different Pippen...A stand-still shooter looking to launch 3's...Where did the slashing/passing/take-it-to-the-hoop Jordan sidekick go? And, what is more, rumours begin to float that Scottie is unhappy...about his role in the offense. Seems he feels that all Rudy wants him to do is be a Glen Rice like outside guy, a sniper rather than the all-around soldier that he'd been throughout his career...Then the bickering within the Big Three gets worse and worse, and eventually the Pippen experiment is ended, and the search for the elusive 3 continues... Shandon Anderson....Great News! The Rockets have signed yet another slashing/attacking/defending 3...and this one hurts the Jazz to boot. Well schooled in the disciplined Utah offense, Anderson's greatest attribute, it is said, is his knowledge of HOW to play the game...it's all about movement...purists dry their eyes while discussing how Anderson's play without the ball is exactly what the Rockets need, that his cutting to the hoop and around picks will be a breath of fresh air to a team which had been to star-heavy in recent years...Except it doesn't work out that way. It quickly becomes apparent that Anderson's role will be, surprise!, outside shooter. Again, rumours circulate that our current small forward feels constrained by the offense, being shoved into a cookie-cutter Glen Rice type role, which seems to take little or no account of what skills the man in question actually posseses. After a brief, largely uneventfull tenure, Anderson is shippped off to New York. Glen Rice....Everyone knows how I feel about getting Rice, but I will say that it would have been the perfect fit...5 years earlier. It does seem to me, though, that Rudy's constant quest for a Glen Rice type culminated in his greatest folly. Yes, it was silly trying to turn apples into oranges, especially when some of those apples were pretty damn good apples, but the most sophomoric move was taking on a bloated contract because you get the kind of guy you always wanted...but too late. Better to have stuck with Air Bullard, at a lesser price. He's a pure Rudy type player, just not all that great. Of course, the same can be now said of Rice, but with a hefty price tag added in... So that brings us to the present...And look at what's happening now...Is it just a coincidence that the greatest complaint we have about Griffin's rookie campaign is that he seemed parked outside all the time? I know we have all made the connection to Rudy, but really, really look at this. If anything is apparent about Rudy's system, it is how he wants to use the 3. Whether it has been forced onto established all arounders like Pippen or Anderson, or has been taught to seemingly multi-talented players like Horry ( and, God forbid, Eddie), or most demonstrated in the legions of tall, shoot only players we have brought in to fill the role, Rudy's concept of the small forward within his offense stands just outside the 3-point line on one wing or the other, and awaits the outlet pass out of the post double, or, now, penetration double...period. That's it, all she wrote, say goodnight, Gracie. You could envision few, if any problems, were we to have a small forward with a restraining order making it illegal for him to venture to within 20 feet of the basket. So, with that it mind, let's look at the options being considered this off season... Odom...Multi-talented, playmaker at 6-10. Will help take pressure of Stevie, etc...right? Wrong...he'll be unhappy/wasted as a sniper, unless Rudy leaves/has a religious experience wherein some Deity tells him that his time on earth is short, and he needs to reform his offense. Marion...Monster inside player, attacks the bucket with abandon, great all around game....just not here. Would last about 3 weeks before demanding a trade. Lewis....Okay, this is more like it. Seems very suited to Rudy's O, and would be a good fit. Of course, he would have to lose his occassionally immature ventures into the paint, but we've all got to grow up, right? Woods...See Odom. Butler...See Marion. Dunleavy...See Lewis. Again, I'm NOT talking about what kind of player I would LIKE us to have...I wish we had an Odom/Marion/Woods type, who can do it all, and make this team something to watch. I'm talking about what kind of player will actually fit, based on a LOT of history, into the very narrow slot they will be given. Of course, things could change...but is there anything in Rudy's history with small forwards to suggest that it's likely? Why should we waste a valuable commodity, be it our pick(s), Mobley, etc. to try another apples-to-oranges conversion? I say, if Rudy's still here, get Lewis, or draft Dunleavy, and be done with it.
Walt is a good example of how a 3 should play in Rudy T's system. Walt does a lot more than just spot up and shoot 3's. When Walt is in the game Rudy allows the offense to run thru him a lot of the time. Walt will attack the basket and is the Rockets best passer. Don't over look those things just because he takes so many threes. When Walt is on his game the Rockets are usually a much better team. Unfortunately Walt is not always on and he tends to go into long dry spells. I think if you can watch any games where Walt was playing really well you will see how Rudy really envisions the 3 position to be played. Yes there are a lot of 3 point shot attempts from that position but there is also a lot more.
Horry may have been called the next Pip, but he was never close. Did not have the ball-handling skills or the same athleticism. We needed shooters at the time for the inside-outside game to work, so Horry developed good range. He also learned how to coast through the regular season and never really developed an inside game or handles. Wow Pip didn't do jack for us. Guess what? He didn't really do jack for Portland either. We got whiny damaged goods and were lucky to dump his contract. Shandon Anderson was overrated and never lived up to the hype. For a shooting guard, he never really could shoot or dribble up to par. His defense was average considering it was supposed to be his strength. And he really lit it up in NY eh? Rice again damaged goods. Maybe he'll come back healthy, maybe not. If not, at least his contract will end in a couple of years unlike Shandy's ugly contract. Griffin is a freakin 19 year old rook. He had a decent 3 point stroke early on and people were leaving him open, so he took it. The guy is just not ready to take it inside right now and was forced to play more than he should have due to injuries. Give him time before you label him as strictly a 3 point shooter. You're evaluation of how Rudy will use players like Odom and Marion is pure speculation and unfair, imo.
1) It can't ALWAYS be the other guy's fault...You can accept that several guys all had various problems in convenient conjunction with their introduction to Rudy's system, or you can look at the system. Additionally, a few of these guys have mentioned being restricted in their roles... 2) Horry's limitations don't explain his abandonment of any attacking game, something which he did well early on. 3) Pippen's lack of production doesn't explain why, in our offense, he didn't do anything but shoot from the outside. 4) Anderson being overrated doesn't explain why he did nothing here but get the occassional outside shot off, especially if, as you maintain, that was a weakness. 5) Don't want to start the Rice argument again, but we had no obligation to sign EITHER Rice or Anderson to bloated deals. 6) Didn't label Griffin anything, just looking at patterns, and feeling a sense of foreboding... 7) Unfair? Wow...to me, there seems to be a LOT of evidence from which to infer how Rudy uses 3's...And that's in addition to his love for Matt Bullard/Dan Langhi/Walt Williams type shooters as role players... As I said, you can look at the pattern and say, yeah, there may be 6 or 7 examples of the same thing, but in this case it was the other guy, in that case it was the weather, in the 3rd case it was a magic bullet, etc., or you can say, hmmm...what do these guys have in common?
JAG-I believe that the 3 will play according to his own style, and is probably the most flexible of positions in Rudy's system. Case in point: Cuttino Mobley-We go to a 3 guard almost exclusively in the 4th quarter. Mobley is considered the "3" when we go small-and is probably our best 4th quarter player. ESPN doesn't have their splits by quarter any more, but I remember he was once averaging around 10 points in the 4th quarter- as the 3. Glen Rice-Acquiring him was a poor move, but when he played: he was taking open 3s, just missing. He was NOT standing on the perimeter. Of course he wouldn't handle the ball much, or take people off the dribble, that's not his strength. He DID get low post opportunities, and got more and more as the season went on. Kenny Thomas-His SF experiment was what, 10 games? His change in style of play was negligible in that time. Did he attempt any 3s? The reason Shandon, and Pippen failed (though Pip is putting up practically the same #s when he left), is because neither are aggressive players, but both want the ball like they are. Pippen was a supreme sidekick, to a fellow perimeter player. It turned out he wasn't happy being Hakeem's sidekick. Shandon was only playing SF because Mobley so clearly beat him for SG. He couldn't hit a jumper to save his life-why would any defense play him to shoot that at ALL? If his defender isn't honoring his shot, he won't be able to get around him-he's not some supreme athlete. So, that's why he's now sitting on the bench for a team slightly better (if you factor in conference, maybe not) and had hardly any injuries. The offense now and 9 years when Horry played SF are different. Back then, the ball went in to Hakeem or maybe Thorpe, and if you were open, you got a 3 point attempt.
This is the most informative thread, post for post, that I have read in a long, long time. Thanks for the insight one and all.
1) by the same token, it can't ALWAYS be Rudy's fault either. And all the sfs you mentioned did not play in the same system. And hmm, the guys that complained ... Pippen the notorious whiner who doesn't want himself at fault. And Shandy, who doesn't want to admit he's a scrub(also whined in NY). 2) Actually the limitations of not being able to dribble or post up would explain why he doesn't really attack offensively. You didn't really see him doing that after he left Houston either. 3) We got a Pippen that was a shadow of his former self. He can't not shoot or finish even now, and everbody knows to leave him open. The best he can do is handle the ball in spot pg duty. Who knew his game would deteriorate so quickly after winning the championship the year before? 4) well if he can't shoot it he should drive it no? But he could never move with the freaking ball. People played off of him and he never made them pay for it. He turned into bench fodder without Stockton to baby feed him layups. 5) Anderson was going to get his deal, with us or through us. There was obviously some under the table deal going on there as compensation for him signing for less than he was worth(well at the time neway). Just like Dunleavy will probably go high in the draft to some team who promised him they would take him, despite other players being on the board who may be a better prospect than he is. 6) okay. I understand. I think he should be more of a post up threat as well, but he just isn't ready. I don't mind him taking 3s, as long as he makes a good percentage of them. Having Sheed type range would be nice out of a stud pf. 7) Matt Bullard was a good player. Rudy obviously did not love Lanky as he did not get any playing time, and Wiz was far from just a spot up shooter(tho he was too inconsistant to be effective at anything). What do they all have in common? Let's see ... they all appear to be roleplayers who can't create for themselves and to blame Rudy for their lack of ability is ridiculous.
I think the way SF's have fared during Rudy's tenure is more a reflection on their individual abilities than on the system. Horry could never really be an effective slasher to the basket, because he doesn't handle the ball well, and is not a great finisher around the basket. I loved having Horry as much as anyone, but he didn't have ball handling skills when he was a rookie, and hasn't developed them since. That's why he's primarily used at the 4 position now. I'll also note that Horry has played longer now away from the Rockets than the four years he spent here, and still plays the same type of inside defender/outside shooter game he had when he was in Houston. Mario Elie, when he played the 3 position, was fairly effective at being both a slasher and shooter, which reflected his athletic and handling ability. Scottie Pippen played exactly 1 year here, and has not exactly torn up the league in Portland, since then. If his offensive game was bad here solely because of Rudy Tomjanovich, how come his scoring was down to 10.6 ppg on .411 shooting this last year in Portland? Griffin doesn't have the post game or size yet to play inside. When he ventured inside the three-point line, he often got his shots blocked. I don't think we have to worry about young Griffin just yet. Griffin used his jumper to disguise the fact that he has not yet developed other parts of his offensive game. I bet if Kwame Brown could shoot the three, he wouldn't have been stuck on Washington's bench all year.
LOL!!! I can't believe people still use Shandon as an argument for anything, yet want Van Gundy. Van Gundy said in black and white that his bench sucks, specifically referring to games where Eisley and Shandon lost huge leads. I wonder why two players come out of Utah as HOT commodities and suck it up sooo bad.
After watching that whole season I can say wholeheartedly that Pippe did anything but jack up threes from teh outside continually. He was often found with the ball in his hands trying to create. The reason that season was a failure was because Pippen refused to adjust so much, and cried and cried so much, tht Rudy went too far out of his way to adjust the offense around him. I feel like I;ve made this argument about Rudy not misusing Pippen multiple times, so, I'll just re-post it. Perhaps a cheap way to get a post, but I think it helps prove my point (especially when you notice that, perhaps surprising to some here but not if you actually watched the team religiously that season, in his three previous years in Chicago Pippen took more 3 point attempts per minute than he did once he got to Houston. Anyway, here is what I've argued before: This Pippen crap is just r****ded. He was used very effectively in Houston. Everyone just expected his numbers to skyrocket. That was unrealistic as Pippen wasn't the same player anymore and certainly wasnt the same without MJ/Phil/Triangle offense. Let's try and at least look at some facts. 97-98 CHI 5.20 rpg 5.8apg 1.80spg .98bpg 19.1ppg 98-99 HOU 6.50rpg 5.9apg 1.96spg .74bpg 14.5ppg 99-00 POR 6.30rpg 5.0apg 1.43spg .50bpg 12.5ppg 00-01 POR 5.20rpg 4.6apg 1.47spg .55bpg 11.3ppg 01-02 POR 5.30rpg 5.9apg 1.80spg .61bpg 11.0ppg The most obvious thing that stands out is a downward trend in his ppg since leaving Chicago. 14.5 ppg was at leasat respectable, his current average makes him out to be a Robert Horry type player. But, we don't know how he got those points. Nevertheless, in Rudy's inability to use him, he still averaged as high a number of rpg and apg and the highest spg as he had in his past 3 championship years in Chicago and all more than he has since. Playing solely as a spot-up shooter, apparantly, he managed to dish out almost as many assists on an average night as our current PG, Francis does. I remember wathcing that Pippen season closely and I remembered him doing many more things than spot up shooting. His numbers, at a rudimentary glance, seem to back that up. Don't get mad at Rudy because Scottie isn't the player we all thought he was going to be. to even further back up my argument with more statistical evidence, here are his 3pters taken/minutes played both for the entire season 95-96 CHI .142 96-97 CHI .137 97-98 CHI .116 98-99 HOU .105 99-00 POR .096 Surprise, surprise, Pippen was actually shotting three pointers more often when he was with the Bulls than when he moved to the Rockets. The Bulls must have sucked by misusing him in that way It was Pippen who failed to do any adjusting, not Rudy. It was Pippen who cried when he expected everything to come his way, who made an ass of himself when he left and genearlly dissapointed the whole season, yet still managed to match his stats over the previous three years (except in the scoring category - and it didnt matter with both Barkley and Olajuwon playing) and hasnt returned to those levels since, and still had one of the better SF seasons from any Rocket player in a long while. I think if a player shows Rudy they deserve to be on the floor and can make positive things happen while they're out there, he'll adjust his system to incorporate that player and all his skills, as he did with Pippen, and as he would do with a Rashard Lewis or Lamar Odom, etc, to the extent deemed necessary.
If the Rockets organization is looking into acquiring Odom, as Clutch posted (not a revelation, really, especially after the Rockets' looking into Odom's availability at the trade deadline and probably being rebuffed until the draft), then that might give us a glimpse of the direction Rudy and CD want to take the team. Maybe Rudy realizes (or had pointed out to him) that his team constantly gets scorched at the 3, and the offense is no longer dump-it-down kick-it-out oriented, so totem-pole shooters need not apply. It can't be too tough to coach these games and figure out something isn't working. Poor ball movement on this team was due in part to the players who had to step up last year, and those that were out, leaving rookies and scrubs on the floor rather than on the bench. The players that had to step up usually need the ball to be effective. That's why KT may very likely be in another uniform next year (that, and he'll want a contract extension, and he'll want playing time, which might not be available for him). As far as the other ball-hogs, Cat's probably here to stay anyway. Steve is obviously going nowhere, but he'll play a better point when he has someone worth passing the ball to. Moochie (aka "Mr Dribble") might have some interest around the league, but will he be traded, considering he's overpaid and the team probably wants to keep its experienced players around? Rashard Lewis we can count out. He wants too much money and isn't worth it...yet. Anyway, we'd have to give up too much to acquire him. Odom might not have the outside shot, but Eddie does, so those two guys could spread the floor real well: Eddie shooting from outside, and occasionally inside, as his game/frame develops, and Odom playing virtually anywhere on the floor. The one thing about Lamar Odom is Rudy and CD should know what they're getting in him, and why. Certainly Cat has talked him up to the organization (and a good reason why I don't think Cat's on the block, but you never know). Anyway, sorry for rambling.
I've seen this post many times (usually in response to a kidrock8 post, I think), and I have to say it's pretty convincing. Furthermore, has ANY Houston SF improved their numbers by going to a different team? Pippen is now a role player. Horry is a bench player. Shandon is buried on the bench. Elie, I don't know if he played better with the Spurs or not. The last guy I can remember that did play better after leaving was Craig Ehlo.
. 1) Sure, it can. Look, in order to support your premise, you have to assume that there are several different reasons which each explain why Player X became a shoot-only type while playing for Rudy...AND you have to also accept that many of these guys then decided to complain about the same thing, their role in the offense, to excuse themselves of their responsibility. To accept my premise you need only accept one reason, that Rudy has a very narrow role in mind for small forwards in his offense, and that would also happen to happily coincide with what these guys have complained about. If there is a consistent and similar problem with AB, AC, AD, AE, AF, AG, etc., it's not too much of a leap in logic to deduce that A might be the problem. I would also remind you that the kind of player Rudy seems to want these guys to become might well be described as a Rudy Tomjanovic type... 2) But he WAS that type of player early on...His ventures to the hoop were VERY effectice and consistent his first year or so...I agree that he has been that type of player ever since, and I agree that he coasts...but I suggest they coincide...He was taught to be an idle sniper, and has remained so... 3) Again, this could be true IF you assume that there was no connection between his "deterioration" and his role...Agreed, he was older, and would start to decline at some point. I would argue that his role in Portland explains his numbers just as it did here. There he is one of many many offensive players, and, as such, his fga's are lower than before. Add that to injuries, and what have you got? Here, as you said, he was just coming off of a Championship, and suddenly...and, also, look at the game, not just the numbers. I'm not calling into question the effectiveness of Rudy's use of the 3, just the consistency of the role. Pippen came here, acknowledged as one of the best all-around players in the game, though aging, but still at an All-Star level, and quickly became the exact kind of 3 EVERY OTHER SMALL FORWARD RUDY HAS HAD HAS BEEN...You can believe that in each and every case there is another cause, and the result is just a coincidence that has nothing to do with Rudy, or the system, but it just seems like a stretch to me. 4) Again, your conclusion is founded on the assumption that the system is irrelevant. Suppose Anderson were in a system which afforded him the opportunity to do more than hit the outside jumper or drive past iso, suppose there were cuts, and rolls, etc. involved, like he had in Utah, then would those same limitations have the same repercussions? And, I mean, we knew what the man could do when we got him, but we still put him inot the same ill-fitting role as the others... 5) I have never understood this reasoning...Okay, IF you assume that there was an under the table agreement, AND you conclude that we just traded one bad deal for another, the result is still the same...we made a bad deal. I don't assume the first part, but either way, trading someone else's bad deal for yours doesn't absolve you of the fact that you are left with a bad deal beacause you made a bad deal. 6) ditto. Except, I hope Rudy doesn't overlook the power part of a power forward's development. 7) I meant ALL of them, not just the role players..What do they ALL have in common? All of our 3's have been predominantly relegated to the role of outside shooter, irrespective of their ablities. That's my point...
Well said, but I feel you overlook a couple of points... A) I actually don't have the answer to this, but maybe you could find out...what were his shot attempts per game as a Bull vs. as a Rocket, and, more importantly, what % of his shots taken were 3's as a Bull, vs. as a Rocket..If he took a lot fewer shots as a Rocket, obviously he would take fewer 3's as well. B) By far the most obvious single abberation in his downward trend were between 97-98 and 98-99, a dfference of 4.6 pts/game...That is dramatic. Following that, it decreases by 2.0, 1.2, and 0.3, which is a much more natural regression for an player in decline. But a drop of almost 5 pts./game to an All-Star level player NOT natural, and Pippen's complaints may hold water when you consider that they coincide with this drop. In addition, if you were to just look at the Pippen situation in isolation, I would probably even agree with you...But when you look at it in context with what has happened with every other 3 Rudy has had, in terms of role, and it seems to be a pretty clear pattern to me.
Rox..I wish/hope you were right, but then you have to ask why now? I mean, wouldn't you have said the same thing when they acquired Pippen? Obviously that meant they were redefining roles, right? And it was said ad nauseam when we got Anderson, that it was an indication that Rudy was going away from the shooter 3, as everyone and their brother saw that that wouldn't suit him...but nothing changed, and I see no reason to conclude that THIS time will be different.
JAG-Anderson was acquired to be the shooting guard. He was acquired BEFORE Pippen was traded. There was a time when the Rockets projected to start Hakeem-Barkley-Pippen-Anderson-Francis Also, outside of Pippen, what stud 3 have we acquired? An aging Rice? Our 3s historically have been roleplayers-coming in, Pippy was the greatest roleplayer of all time. Maybe his PPG went down because he was on a time with 2 other stars (Dream, CB4) whereas he used to be option #2. As for the numbers 97/98 CHI 192 3PA, 702 FGA 27% 98/99 HOU 212 3PA, 604 FGA 35% 99/00 POR 263 3PA, 860 FGA 31% 00/01 POR 186 3PA, 596 FGA 31% 01/02 POR 177 3PA, 599 FGA 30% His 3 pointers did rise in Houston, but remember several factors: 1.) His 3P% (34%) was the 2nd highest of the 5 years (00/01 POR 34.4%) 2.) He was playing in a system with 2 dominant post and kick big men (Dream/CB4) as opposed to none (Chicago) or 1 (Wallace). 3.) It was the strike shortened season-Less time to prep. for the season. Rudy probably could have used another 30 games to find a balance, and Pippen to find his niche.
NS...he took more 3 pts despite taking over a hundred fewer shots, and his % of shots which were 3s rose from just over a quarter of shots taken ( pretty standard) to over a third ( entering specialist area)...I'd say that those numbers support my contention and Pippen's complaint about his role. However, about your points... 1) His % being higher is A) only known after the fact, and Pippen was complaining about his role earlier, and B) Often guys will shoot better from the outside when they are getting more opportunities. I'm not saying Rudy doesn't do a good job of making guys into shooters, just that that's all he wants them to do,and it limits them and their value. 2) Agreed, and that is a factor. I will even argue that having a 3 as a shooter is a very good way to go if you have a dominant inside presence. My argument, again, isn't about whether Rudy's system is an effective one, but that he tries to force guys into the role that don't fit, hence wasting their talents. His use of small forwards has not changed since we became a guard/penetration oriented team, and in fact, seems to be spreading to the 4 spot as well. 3) That strikes me as an apologist argument. Firstly, if you are lacking in prep time, you err on the side of having the new player do what he's been successful with, not on the side of fitting the square peg into the round hole, especially with the degree of success we were talking about with Pippen. Secondly, nothing in Rudy's history suggests that he would do otherwise with anybody else, so what difference would 30 games make? Also, I'm not sure what your point was about "stud" 3s vs. otherwise...My point is that he forces guys into a predetermined, very limited role irrespective of whether it suits their talents. This rigidity in offensive thinking is actually best demonstrated with Anderson, as he was least suited to being a standstill outside shooter, as A) He wasn't a good shooter, and B) His game was all based on movement. Pippen being the most talented just means his was the most talent wasted.
My comment about no stud 3s means they were limited players. 30 games would have made a difference. I'd compare Pippen to Hakeem 1.5 years ago-he was out of his niche, as a low post, back to the basket player, playing on a team centered around 2 high scoring guards, and to a lesser extent, shooting PF. We found the right mix eventually, and put together that huge rally, to win 45 games, salvaging what would have been a terrible season into a decent one. Rudy was also expecting more than a 1 year window-a 50 game season at that...then Pippen whines, The Praying Mantis pokes CB4 with a knee, and Hakeem breaks down. As for erring on the side of fitting to Pippen, that makes little sense: -You have 3 star players -2 of them prefer a low post game -those same 2 have longer tenure with the team, one of which has been with the city for over 15 years. No way can Hakeem and CB4 be molded to play run n gun. I still think Rudy plays to the strengths of the team. In the Pippen Year, Hakeem dropped 19-9, and Barkley 16-12. The Rockets did not have the team to play the style that Pippen was effective at. In Chicago, they had MJ to bring up the ball....compared to a rookie Cuttino Mobley playing point guard? In summary, they were playing a strike shortened year, with 2 post players already in place, and the only other 2 players really able to play Pippen's style were in the starting backcourt...in their first season. It couldn't be expected they'd put it all together that first year, probably even if they had a full team. The Rockets WERE making a transition to a team where Pip could be effective before he hit the eject button. Fast forward to today. We need more consistent ball movement. While I agree a Shawn Marion type isn't the answer (though a damn good SF), I wouldn't rule out a Lamar Odom type just because he isn't a spot up shooter. In the 4th quarter, the Rockets used 3 guys bringing it up-CM, SF, MN. I don't doubt that Rudy would allow Odom to become a ball handler, and let him run the offense, moving Steve to 2 at times....think Moochie Norris, with less dribbling, 8 inches taller, and talent. As for the PF shooting the 3, it's still all about the player. How many 3s did KT take this year? Like 8? Compare that to previous years. Rudy plays players now how he thinks they'll best help the team for the moment. KT improved his quickness, and scoring inside became his forte moreso than the 3 point line. Similarly, as EG adds strength, experience, and moves, he'll play more and more inside.
