Thoughts for Les: aren't we similar to the pre-championship Lakers?

why do people look for similarities between us and championship teams who just needed to get over the hump. We have much more problems to fix than those Lakers.

Rileydog,

The Lakers won 61 games in 1998 with the team you described.

Lakers won 53 games in 1996
Lakers won 56 games in 1997
Lakers were 31-19 in the 50-game season, but West made the huge mistake of signing Dennis Rodman that year.

That's 4 consecutive years of home court seeding. You can't compare the problems of a team who has never made the playoffs to them.

The Lakers did not go through drastic changes to become a contender. They *already* were a 61-game winner contender, and everyone and his mom was blaming the leadership of Shaquille for their early exits.

When you see a dominant center with a 1-22 record in elimination series over his career, across two teams, you point to him...not his teammates.

 

I swear. Only a Rockets fan would say the improvement of HOF-potential players rests on the trade of Mobley.

Trading Mobley can certainly work out good for us, but the notion that he just "has to go" (presumably for anyone), otherwise Yao and Francis will never improve is an excuse for Francis, at best.

Mobley shots went down by 3, this year, and he shot only 12/gm over the final two months. He shot more in February, but he also shot 47% that month. I have great confidence in Rudy not trading him for just "best available" and waiting for the right time. I also have great confidence in Rudy's ability to tell Mobley to control himself, and even make him a 28 mpg bench player who doesn't see the court much with Francis. The problem is Francis and Mobley on the court together. Mobley off the bench is not a problem. It's better than trading him for just anybody when we don't yet know what kind of players Francis and Yao can be.

Mobes is not a stud pure shooter, but he shot 40% 3s last year, and shot 39% over the last 3 months this year. He can be a fine 6th man, if you can't find a better use for him in a trade.

 

That's not quite the way I look at it. I don't necessarily think in terms of trading Mobley for a guard. I also look at the problem with Griffin's apparently inability to play PF. I'm more inclined to trade EG, and rely on Rudy to continue ringing in Mobes (he's down to 12/gm over the past 2 months). The problem with trading EG, is that that leaves a need to get a PF.

If you get rid of EG, then one of EG or Mobley must be used to beef up the frontcourt, imo. I'm most inclined to shop EG/Mobley in a package deal for a PF. But I would not pull the trigger on that for just "best available."

EG/Mobley are our last trade assets likely for a long time. I'm looking to tweak the team via FAncy first, while waiting patiently for the right trade that uses our big bait.

does that make sense.

 

hehe....that was funny.

Seriously, I don't mean to sound like I'm avoiding the issue, rather I am conflicted here. If moving SF to the 2 is the answer, I honestly believe it is a waste to spend Mobley on a PG. I think you can get a suitable PG with an MLE, then saving Mobley/EG for frontcourt help.

The main difference between me and the "trade Mobley for a guard" crowd is I am more interested in fixing our defensive/rebounding woes. I'm more sick and tired of having no real PF, than I am sick of our guards or obstensibly needing to fix our offensive woes. A real PF will relieve a lot of pressure from Yao, which by itself could make him fresher and more aggressive offensively. Problem is, if you want a good PF, you have more chances getting him if you save Mobley for that trade.

see, I respect top notch NBA defense more than most. I see us one player away from top notch defense, and I see much more question marks regarding what to do on the offensive end, especially regarding trades. Using real trade bait to turn us into a better offensive team at the expense of defense really worries me. I think it is partly a knee jerk reaction to toss all trade bait at improving your offense. It is much more likely that Yao's improvement can fix our offensive (almost by itself) than it is he can fix our defensive problems....despite that random stat regarding his shot blocking....I'm talking playoff caliber defense.

Now, if Yao shows up with a lot of energy and can actually anchor a defense, then I have less worries, and think a MLE PF role player could probably suffice...thus freeing Mobley for a guard/shooter trade.

But, to answer your question, if you could convince me that the best use of Mobes is in a trade for a PG or SG, then I'd probably take Alvin Williams, and put our fate in Yao...rather than expecting a new SG to change Francis.

 

Why

 

Short of Brand (or some ridiculous scenario where the Rockets get some other young All-Star), I don't think the Rockets should retool this offseason. They are not fundamentally flawed by any stretch of imagination.

Why can't the Rockets have 3 scoring options? Give them time to adjust, and maybe they can be the next Bibby/Webber/Peja/(Bobby Jackson too) combo, or the next Nowitzki/Finley/Nash, where when one of the scorers is having an off night, they recognize it early and lean harder on the other scorers.

Good teams and good players will eventually develop what it takes to adjust to every game situation and win; the Rockets starting 5 has an average age in the low 20s. Give them some time, and the results will be stunning.

I think more than anything, Rockets are just short on experience -- not chemistry, not any fundamental flaws.

To bring up a telling statistic from another thread, they were 3-10 in games decided by 3 points or less this year. THREE AND FREAKIN TEN. Take that, then take all the games they lost to sub .350 teams, and the Rockets have 50 wins easy if they win half of each of those instead of a quarter.

Meanwhile, make a list of the elite teams they've beaten this season. I believe Dallas is the only playoff team in the west that swept Houston. I don't see the Rockets having trouble competing in the west in the years to come with the starting 5 they have now. Give them another 82 games to add to the 60 or so they've had starting together this year.

 

I'm thinking the Rockets could definitely use another assistant coach. Rudy is a great guy, and I'm sure he makes a great inspirational/spiritual type leader.

I think a great solution would be to bring in an assistant coach that could complement that by filling in some of Rudy's weaker spots. Bring in a Tex Winter to Rudy's Phil Jackson.

Though on a side note, who drew up the great endgame down-by-3 Yao-to-Francis play the Rockets always ran? That's a great play.

 

Sorry I missed this. To me, trade speculation is usually extremely boring, no offense. You were talking about Ming not having the personality to demand the ball from other guys on the team. In my opinion, if that doesn't change, it doesn't matter what players he is surrounded with. That's a Ming problem that he needs to address personally. If your best player is timid, you're not going anywhere.

I worry about shaking up the lineup yet again. A new key cog was added to the team, after training camp and the pre-season. Another trade was made during the season. This season featured 3 new starters from the year before. The team hasn't even had one season together to get used to each other, and people are b****ing that we need to make more changes. I don't have a problem with changes if the Rocket brass thinks it will help the long-term outlook. But what I fear will happen is that if more changes occur, the team will again have to adjust to playing together with yet a new group of guys. Then people will get pissed off again that they don't immediately start clicking and winning games. Then we'll go through this whole thing again next year - fire the coach, trade this guy, trade that guy, ad nauseum. Experienced teams can undergo lineup shakeups each year and not miss a beat, but younger teams can't. It's one of the reasons why the same teams are in the lottery ever year - they keep making coaching and personnel changes. That's why I'd rather wait until Ming starts dominating and the Rockets get closer to consistent success before making more changes.

I'll go ahead and try to comment on the guys you mentioned -- Jim Jackson - no way. Textbook journeyman. I wouldn't mind having him on the squad to play a few minutes a game in a pinch, but outside of that, no thanks. Jon Barry - I wouldn't give anything up of value for him. I don't know why people are so enamored with this guy. I'd let him take Moochie's spot, sure. I wouldn't want him in the starting lineup though. Alvin Williams - he may be worth giving up Mobley for. I have fears of Francis changing positions though. Again, more change, more lineup shakeups - people are NOT willing to be patient with that. That's been proven this year. I think Francis will get the same amount of touches whether he's a one or a two. I'm not sold on the benefit of him moving over to the two. Redd - from everything I've seen and read, he looks like a player. I don't see Milwaukee wanting to give this guy up. I don't see them shipping off Ray Allen, then shipping off the guy that was groomed to replace him. Doesn't make sense. Basically I'm for waiting for deals to present themselves - 'listening to offers'. I don't see a need to be actively shopping guys.