Griffin and Aldridge have got to be 50% of the reason why we went after Josh Smith. Well worth it too.
I feel much better about matching up with LMA with DMo and Smith guarding him. I think for Lopez, you just dont give him wide open shots no matter who is guarding him. You meant that the other way around, right?!
Something I thought was interesting from last night.......Bullard said the Rockets don't mind him shooting 3s so long as his feet are set. I imagine they have some kind of player tracking stat that shows this.
I don't know what Smoove's IQ is, and don't care. If he gives us games like last night more often than not, that contract of his, even if just for a year, is arguably the best value in the league. Morey strikes again!
I was surprised at how well he handled Dirk last night. He looked like he knew exactly how to handle those turnaround fade aways, which will help us tremendously in guarding LMA.
I can't get over how much fun it is to watch Smoove and Brewer out there. So much energy. Am I the only one slightly terrified of what Smoove will do against Detroit? haha anything could happen
No, you're not the only one. That game's worried me for weeks. I'm afraid Detroit will be motivated and Smith will try to do too much. But with the Pistons struggling this past week and losing Jennings, all the Rockets have to do is play smart and execute(and not wear themselves out in Boston the night before).
The best f u move that smith could do is basically play his role within the system and not take any mid range jumpers. In the end, it became a win win situation for both teams so no hard feelings.
Passing Fancy: Examining Assist Location Nice article featuring Rockets strategy, Harden's and Smith's assists.
Smoove is gonna try to silence the haters and will probably launch bricks at will, but he'll also probably go crazy on defense and rebounding. My body is ready for just about anything.
Those blocks by Josh Smith were just absolutely filthy. Anything he does on offense is a bonus, but his defense is phenomenal. He may be the one that we needed to get through the gauntlet of power forwards in the Western Conference.
The less he handles the ball in the halfcourt and the less he shoots from outside of 20ft the more I think he'll fit it. He's great when he's decisive with the ball, he's great at defending the post or blocking shots off the weak side. He bring a lot of positives to the table that justify having him on the court.
I like have smith on this team and I don't mind his 3 shooting I think the whole Detroit dropping him and being seen as washed up has messed with his mentality a little, but once he gets comfy with everybody and brings his confidence up he will me a strong asset on this squad.
Most of us here are arm-chair QB's. A few have organized BB experience... there might even be a couple of NBA players lurking here. But, for the most part, we analyze from a non-experiential level. Raise your hand if you've played in the NBA for a couple of seasons or more. One thing that all players coming into the NBA mention -- whether from college or H.S. -- is the speed of the game. It is a realm that players can't know until they've experienced it. Even European players aren't used to it. So let's agree that looking at film of players, and reducing them to statistical categories, is different from being on the floor in the middle of an emotional contest. Statistics will never be able to predict the outcome of the next shot or next pass, etc. Just tendencies. Detractors of his BB IQ would say they don't like his tendencies. What I'm seeing is that Smith "seems" to be playing better more as a reflection of getting into a comfort zone with his teammates and the Rockets systems -- both offense and defense. His athletic abilities haven't changed much, just the role he has been put in on the different teams he's been with. The real energy for the second unit, I think, is derived from Brewer. I don't see how anyone else who is on the floor with him isn't "catching" his energy. People talk about how sometimes teammates will start standing around and watching another great teammate "work." Well, Brewer is so active and in motion so often, that, as a teammate, to watch him, you'll have to be on the move yourself. I don't know of any player on the team that hasn't made a bone-headed pass or taken an ill-advised shot. It's been an irritant to me for a couple of seasons. The Rockets would be closer to being contenders if they took care of the BB better. They would do well to strive to focus on that as much as they do their defense. They give up valuable points off their turnovers, often resulting in 4-6 point swings/per turnover. A real momentum killer. Harden's comments after the Dallas game last night indicate that Smith's 3-point shots are part of the offense the Rockets run. The offensive flow will have him end up out on the 3-point line depending on what the defense dictates. You won't see Dorsey take a 3 unless he ends up with the ball in his hands with only a couple of seconds left in the possession. And even then he'd probably pass before shooting. The fact that Smith does takes 3's is an indication that during practice he hits enough of them that he is given the green light to take them within that flow. It is a read and react offense. His impact on the defensive end, on average, may outweigh his impact on the offensive end. But, clearly, he is getting points from the position, that probably weren't being gotten there before his arrival. With Jones back, hopefully, for the rest of the season, I expect a good flow and continuity to the rotation to develop over the next few weeks, except that Howard's status definitely hampers developing a rotation that everyone can "settle" into. Regarding his being a starter... if, as reported, he told coaches and staff that he thought he would be most effective (and comfortable) coming off the bench, after those first 3 games as a starter, I attribute that to a combination of some realism, some humility, and some BB IQ. No matter what we think of his shooting abilities and shot selection, he is valued enough to be on the floor for significant minutes. He won't be on the floor for many minutes, or not at all, if his negatives outweigh his positives, unless there are injuries making him an "only" choice "in spite of." So far the Rockets seem to be willing to live with those unpredictable plays that we cringe at and he, undoubtedly regrets. He wants a championship as bad an any NBA player. I think his decisions, in most instances, are good, in light of the speed of the game and the results.
Wait... so you're saying most of us here haven't played NBA basketball?? haha, I'm just messing with you, definitely a good post (on a side note... I did play organized ball, but nowhere close to pro level, I do have the size just not the gift so definitely understand your points). I agree, I like Smith on the team, even if it means watching a few shots I don't like. If this team had Smith last year I'm thinking they would have got out of the first round. I really hope the reports about him requesting to come off the bench were true, if so he's clearly more about winning at this point than individual accolades. I can't wait to see how well the team is playing when the playoffs start, I mean we still have only seen a month of games, and last night Smith looked great, very similar to that early Memphis game. Smith doesn't even have to do that all the time, if he can just step up when needed we'll be a heck of a lot better.
This has been my thoughts on him I don't care to see LA shredding through our defense like last year Rocket River
