The Rockets appear to be in Limbo-land; not good enough for the playoffs, not bad enough for a good lotto position. They appear unable to contend, but also unable to get better through the draft. What to do? But wait, while they may be the best of the rest, they may not be the least of the best as their record of 2-12 against playoff teams in the West would indicate. The game last night against the Thunder and their several other close games against playoff teams may be an indication of where they are. How many times this season have the Rockets been "blown out," humiliated, run out of the stadium? Not many. Well then, where are they in the grand scheme of things. Are they a player or two away, a juggle of the lineup away, an in game adjustment or two away, are they a "right bounce" or two away, a few "calls" away, and, yes, a coaching change away? The Rockets have several promising young players including Aaron Brooks. Are they a "pre-contender", a year or two out, or a floundering bunch of moderately talented players really going nowhere? I'm not certain, no one is. Some days it seems like "A," and some days like "B." It is ultimately up to those in charge of the team and the real potential and development of Hill, Patterson, C-Bud and the other young players AND the way they are coached and "put together." I don't know, after the Thunder game, I just have a slight feeling that maybe we are closer than we think. Maybe. Maybe not.
I think we are a player or two away, problem is that they are lacking in the two most important spots on a team. They lack a legit center and an alpha dog, which is killing them right now. The comeback last night was great but remember is was a 13 point game late, so it wasn't like the Rockets had them and let it slip away. They are losing to teams with winning records at an alarming rate and it is constantly the same thing, no defense and no go-to guy. Until they find players that can provide them with those two ingredients, we are a below average unit.
I don't think their chemistry is a bit off, I think all they need is a closer down the stretch and some defense.
Easier said then done. These days landing a two way player is like finding a way to eat great BBQ by hand without getting any under your fingernails.
Yeah, that is part of chemistry, right now their best closer is Aaron Brooks who has been out. They could use another one....and it is amazing what a defensive minded shot blocking big does to the overall defense. Just one guy is 20% of the lineup, and can make a huge difference....we NEED a guy at the rim... DD
All they need is a center. If we had someone like Dalembert for this season we'd be like 10 games over .500 right now.
All we need is a magic potion that can heal Yao instantly and keep him from ever injured again. That, and the Knicks crumble into lotto land and get the #2 pick this summer for us.
We are a legit team with a good center, but then again so is any other team. Look at the Milwaukee Bucks for example, good center low mid level talent surrounding him. Orlando Magic, best center in the league plus three point threats surrounding him. But they are even more legit now with Gilbert and Hedo Portland, Indiana,
Just for grins (and this is a total fantasy that is not going to happen) let's plug in vintage, top of his game Yao from a few years ago. How good is this team now? I am thinking serious contender, 55-60 game winner. Suddenly, Martin becomes a unmolested marksman from the outside, Brooks runs people around screens with surgical precision, and Scola is hooking and scooping. When the opponents release the double and triple teams on Yao he feasts on the inside. This team was made for him, but he is gone, probably forever. Who takes his place?
Good answer. I think they're both not a very good team and, at the same time, a couple of players away from being a very good team. It's just a matter of filling the holes correct smartly. Trading Brooks and getting a defensive center and small forward with skills on both sides of the ball could vault the team back into contention.
I'd say the top "Best of the Least" team right now is Portland, but we're in the top 3. We're two players away from being a contending team, but those two players would have to be better than anyone currently on the roster. I love this team, but we're not going anywhere if Brooks, Martin and Scola are the best players.
Maybe for the last 2 or 3 seasons, we could have been either But this season, we are hovering somewhere in the mid-range of the least
To me, or offense looks fine. Sure, we have some offensive dry spots from time to time, but for the most part we can score 100+ on anyone. What we can not do, is play defense. We need two things: more hustle from everyone, a shot blocking center, capable of at least making it difficult inside for the other team. We give away way too many layups off cuts, need someone like deke to throw that ish back! Are there any solid centers available? Petro? No thanks, we can do better than that.
I dunno, the Patterson pick is at least appearing to be a solid piece in our rotation. Next year he will probably in the top 8 and may be a Landry type player for key stretches. More picks like Patterson please. :grin:
...seems like this team needs to be able to protect a lead in the 4th and have a go to scorer there as well. Not sure where they are going to find that though. If I could change one piece of our starting lineup it would be at the 3 spot - too much one dimensional production there. Maybe Iggy as our new starting 3? Granger? Would either of those guys be able to provide 4th quarter offensive potency as well as be able to do what Shane does? Could we acquire one of those guys and still keep a decent core of players? As for a center - that's something we are probably just going to have to draft as acquiring one will be tough if you use your assets to get an offensive/defensive 3. A Ibaka type would be ideal but a Perkins type guy would also be acceptable. Patterson was a great pickup and may develop to partially fill that hole. We don't have to swing for the fences here though - just need a guy who can rebound and play some help defense and isn't a liability on offense...oh, and isn't shorter than 6'10"(sorry, Chuck). Problem is there just aren't many players out there that fit this role. I could see them drafting a 6'10" PF and just going with Patterson and said draft pick in the future. There are so few good 7fters in the league that you really don't need more than a 6'10" guy as long as they are athletic. I could see Nene becoming available after the Melo trade but it would certainly be at the expense of talent that we likely would have traded away to get in the upgrade at the 3 scenario I mentioned and IF that never happened, why trade for Nene anyway if your still missing a key piece? He's more of a "win now" patch at Center.
They are alot of things. Talented and young in some aspects. -Here is the list that hinders them anyways -Yao their Superstar out -Despite that around 500 -Young guys not playing under Rick Adelman no matter how talented they are -Rick Adelman is bad with rotations of large rosters -Daryl Morey gives him a vast roster that Rick has to rotate in order for success properly -injuries Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks -new faces given time to play finally Jordan Hill and Patrick Patterson during the season instead of at the begining or during preseason -Adelmans coaching when teams go on runs against us. He lets the runs play themselves out until they completely come back and take the lead on us. -Veteran loyalty to the point of unreasonable insanity -bad performce allowed until rotation minutes are up instead of immediate benching -trade rumors constantly for distraction but no action -Yaos leg and other off court distractions -Still a good team with alot of young guys who never play or hardly do even after they prove themselves. Jordan Hill(thats changing), Terence Williams, Patrick Patterson. -No closer or superstar..... -No 7 footer -two defensive weaknesses when Brooks and Martin are on the floor together -Chuck Hayes 6 ft 6 when he comes back is our best defender that we have to give significant minutes too Yet despite all of that? Still players are good enough to be ahead of half the teams in the league. With no center, short front line, imbalance in offense defense, bad rotations, and bad rookie to young player minutes and development. We have one of the most talented teams barring those weaknesses. Good enough to cover up what would be catastrophic weaknesses for any other team with the same problems. Roster needs trimming not just to make the team better but to help Rick Adelman out with his worst weakness as a coach. Roster rotations of a large group of players. Veterans he has to be loyal to and rookies he wont play unless some of those veterans are gone.
