I am as disappointed as the next guy about the way the team played tonight. However, I saw Steve and Cat score at will and the team still lost. I think this provides a great opportunity for Rudy to tell them that it takes getting everyone involved to win in the NBA. Also, I think Rudy could point out how it would be nice to show some intensity on the defensive end as well. The Rocks are a work in progress, and I think you will see some games where they revert to their comfort level of one on one playground style (Most of those will probably be loses) and others where they will work the ball around and people will be getting easy layups off set plays. It is human nature in pressure situations to go to whatever is most comfortable to each player. The Rockets clearly have a one on one mentality by players who dominate the ball. Once they have a couple of games where working the ball around gets them easy wins, it will sink in.... Don't be too disheartened by one game....yes, it was ugly and, yes, the defense stunk.......but there are still 81 more games to go......and they can only get better. DaDakota
according to the reaction by the majority there is none, all hope is lost, we can't improve, 0 and 82 is ours, i am going to kill myself the Rockets are that bad
Well I was a little dissappointed in the offense, but with missing 3 key players...and another key player getting into his first NBA game I had a feeling the "O" was going to struggle. What most dissappointed me was a lack of defensive intensity, and a hunger for the ball on rebounds. I love the way Artest plays the game, and I wish our leaders would play with that much intensity on both ends of the floor. Defense wins championships......and that is what is the biggest weakness on the Rockets right now. DD
I'm not that impressed by the scoring outburst by our backcourt - as I've posted elsewhere, their starting backcourt is out. We outscored their second string backcourt. Also, Austin Croshere (injured) would play PF and Jermaine would play center. That could change things up as well. On the other hand, Cato had the flu...
I thought Steve's offense was somewhat improved over last year. He worked his way through a couple of picks but overall I agree that our defense needs work. I think our whole team didn't play with too much fire or desire out there tonight.
On the bright side, at least we scored over 80 points. Many times last year we struggled to break 70.
Reggie Miller SG and Jamaal Tinsley PG. Ron Mercer is not their starter at any postion. Even though he had an off season, Croshere was the starter last year but is injured.
DD that was an excellent post. i see the same thing, the iso is the security blanket when they're "scared" to run the new plays. once it sinks in that it takes the team to win, they'll be good to go.
Croshere hasn't started since the first few games after the NBA Finals(two years ago, mind you). He Cato'd the Pacers. Reggie Miller is done, not even Isiah is silly enough to start him on a consistent basis. Tinsley was out, weren't the Pacers trying to trade this guy? Anyways, they started their backup point guard, so did we.
Preach it brother! I'm wondering how much playing time Terrence Morris will get when he returns? I know that he struggles on the offensive end at times, but his long body would've been useful to plant on Artest or Harrington - or even O'Neil!
I also thought one of the most disappointing things was the lack of intensity on the defensive end. Kenny and Terrence will help in that department, and hopefully Hawkins, who looked pretty good on defense at timees, will become a key backup. One of these players needs to take the team on its shoulders when it comes to defense. Someone needs to start throwing themselves on the ground for loose balls, and wreaking some general havoc. Other than a severe need for some fire and intensity, maybe even a little nastiness, I think this game showed that EG isn't a starter yet. We all know he can play, but tonight showed that he can cost us the game. If Eddie shot 40-50% tonight, we would have been right there. If he would have thrown in a fraction of his seven-block-per-game efforts recently, then we could have won. He should definetly be a backup for now. On the topic of a Silver Lining: it doesn't get any worse than this. I can't remember a time that I was hoping so much to see a good game, and was so disappointed. I really wanted this season to start off like a new one, and not a continuation of the last.
hmm, well their backup guards were strickland and artest/mercer. they're starting guards are miller and tinsley. which of the 2 groups features better defense? i don't think tinsley was gonna hold steve to 15 points on 5 of 20 shooting do you? on top of that strickland scored 16 points while mercer and artest were both on fire. they more than made up for the other guys' absence. edit: doctor robert i agree, however based on just one game i'm not ready to take eddie out of the starting lineup. i've seen way too much improvement from him during the preseason. a fair time period will be the 5 games mo is out. if he doesn't produce than taylor slides right in.
I think it will help in the long run for Rudy to be able to point out examples of where our guards played well but we lost. I agree that is also shows that EG is not yet ready to assume the starters role. We were woefully thin on the front court..and TMO, KT, MoT will help a lot. DaDakota
If MT, KT, TMo and Rice are available the game changes dramatically. Rice and MT open up the inside game and MT, KT helps stop 18 offensive rebounds. We don't start three guards. Since EG was cold, KT and MT may have been hot and used more. Instead of blaming EG or Steve, blame MT for doing something stupid last year. His presence and 15 points would have been huge...
Thank you DaDa, if there's anything to complain about it's the defense. Granted the team had to play with 3 guards but the defense was horrid in the 4th quarter. The rebounding was atrocious at times to. That will improve with health, the reboundng, but the defense has to pick it up.
Come on, DaDa. Go ahead and bash Steve. You know you want to. Forget objective criticism. EVERY player on the court last night could have played better. This team needs a kick in the crotch to wake it up!
Am I reading the box score wrong, or did Ca-d'oh seriously board last night. I'm sorry but you don't loaf and get more than 15 boards. Or did all of Griff's bricks land in Ca-d'oh's hands?
Cato looked good last night....he was the only Rocket that played inspired defense. Cato played like his job is on the line....... DD
