FIRST: LINEUPS The starting line-up should be: Yao, Hill, Lee, Martin, Lowry This is the best compliment of players that we can put on the floor. This group has to give the ball to YAO or run Martin off picks to score. Putting Lee and Lowry in the starting lineup will allow us to start games with an up tempo pace and a defensive mind set. Say what you want about Lowry but he has more command of the groups that he plays with than Brooks. This means that putting him on the floor with Yao, there is a greater possibly that the ball actually gets into the post to him. Putting Hill in with YAO will not only maximize Hill's production, it will give us a 4 with athleticism, offensive rebounding, and shot blocking. Battier IS NOT A STARTER and could be better served under situation matchups off the bench with the other team's best player when Battier has the fatigue advantage. Lee is more active, aggressive and athletic, plus he is more of a spot up shooter than off the dribble. With this group he would not have to dominate the ball because of Yao and Martin being in the game with him. He should be smart enough to know where the shot preference and priorities are in that group. There will always be matchup problems on an NBA court but I think you have about the same chances with Lee as you do with Battier except that Lee at least give you something on the other end of the court. I hear the argument...Bud should start at 3, and I wouldn’t disagree much except that I think that he would be best served in the second group as the shooter and floor spacer with brooks. The bench should be: Brooks, Bud/Lee, Battier, Scola, Dampier By placing Scola in the second group, you give that group a go to option in the post. Plus by putting him in this group with Brooks, you can still work the PnR with battier and bud on the perimeter. Brooks loves to pound the ball and create for himself, but with this new second group, you can live with it more than if Yao and Martin are on the court with him. Hopefully that is enough scoring and shooting to get the same offensive production that we get from the current starting lineup. Whenever Damp gets with us, having him in this group SHOULD give us the size, rebounding, and presence that we currently lack. By doing the lineups this way you give this group both scoring, and defense without giving up size. This balances out the first & second groups and offensive minded players SHOULD NOT expose our overall defense as obvious as the current lineups and rotations. The key here with both lineups is to try and create BALANCE! Currently with Yao,Scola,Battier,Martin,Brooks...there should be no question or suprise that we suffer defensively all game, especially late in the 4th. Then with the second group of Miller/Hill,Hayes,Bud,Lee,Lowry...there should be no question or surprise that they cant seem to figure out who to go to for points consistently, thus commencing our late 3rd early 4th quarter scoring problems. SECOND: ROTATION I agree with DD that we are using too many players. I believe because of that, players are either not clear on their roles or expectations, or have been given too much free will while they are on the court. Unless injuries or a "special" match up situation occurs, there should be no reason that anyone other than the following enter the game: Yao,Scola,Hill,Damp,Battier,Bud,Lee,Martin,Lowry,Brooks 10 players is really too much, but without DAMP who is not on our team right now, that makes 9. More importantly than HOW MANY players play is WHO plays in those minutes. Example: MARTIN, LEE, & BUD SHOULD PLAY ALL OF THE MINUTES AT THE 2 & 3 POSITIONS ALL GAME! THIRD : CHEMISTRY If anyone was actually at the game, you could clearly see my next point from the player's faces and body language. The players frequently (not always) LOOK CONFUSED AND UNCERTAIN AS TO WHAT PLAY THEY ARE GOING TO RUN ON THE OFFENSIVE END. What this translates into is exactly what RA alluded to in his post game comments, “I think guys are trying to do too much,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. “They’re trying to make plays that maybe they shouldn’t be making. They’re trying too hard to make something happen. You’ve got to trust your teammates, and I think we get antsy when we’re trying to make something happen. As a result, we hurt ourselves." FOURTH: COACHING RA has do be more engaged and hands on with how he manages his team DURING the games. He has to understand that this team is not mature enough to "play through problems" like Phil does with the lakers or how he used to do with the Kings. This group is not that tight and needs hands on guidance. I honestly think that JVG would be great with this current group. Defensive coach with offensive player could do a lot of damage. The coach will max out the players weakest areas of their games, DEFENSE, while the players are still the types of players they know they have grown to be. With this current team, I think someone needs to serve this coaching staff a massive serving of HUMBLE PIE and go hire a FORMER DEFENSIVE MINDED HEAD COACH and have him come in and re-build the team's DEFENSIVE philosophy. Do I think JVG would be the guy to do it?...maybe, but I think Tibeadou was his defensive secret weapon. But he would be a damn good start. FIFTH: ROSTER MANAGEMENT This might be more pressing than to be the 5th issue, but there has to be some change with the players on this current roster. DM has to make a change and realize that this current roster is not what EVERYONE expected it to be. There are glaring holes on this team that only trades can shore up. I think that he has to make at least 2 different moves to get this team to where we all expect it to be. He has to go get another star (aka - "closer") NOW. No question & No arguments ! Looks like the Josh Smith rumors are just that and he's not going anywhere which is unfortunate for us. Iggy seems to be the most attainable target and team player that can fit in. Right not with the 76ers struggling just as bad as us his value should be dropping. The pistons are shopping Hamilton & Prince. I think even they will bring us some poise late in games if it is made clear that thats what we want to do late in the game. I question their ability to create their own shots though. Morey needs to look at players that have the one thing that none of our players have....A WILL TO WIN and confidence in the way to do it. Paul/West/Smith had it, Billups/Melo/Harrington had it, Elllis/Curry had it (kinda) We have no go to play and no go to type player. This team will never be successful until this is fixed. Yao will NEVER be a go to player because of his inability to get open, get the ball when he is fronted in the post, or create his own shot. Brooks seems to act like the ball is a "hot potato" late in the clutch and either chunks up a bad shot or pounds the ball until he has nowhere to go but into the crowded lane. Nonetheless DM has to be aggressive NOW with moves or he will lose his window of opportunity to be competitive with YAO on this team. Assets dont mean $#!t when you are consistently losing games the same way to teams that you should be and expect to beat.
Starting Hill in place of Scola does intrigue me. Scola's put up some great numbers, but I've been wondering about this. How many championship teams can anyone think of that's started a PF who is below-average defensively? None recently come to mind. I think that's a critical and underappreciated defensive position. Not only does the PF need to help in interior D, they need to have versatility to contest jumpers, help on the boards, and also run back and protect the basket in transition.
Maybe, maybe not but there is no question that he will at the least give you ATHLETIC ACTIVITY on both ends of the court. You can't over look the importance of that.
RA basically just proved my 3rd point. Listen to RA's comments about guys in the 4th quarter: http://www.click2houston.com/video/25638521/index.html
Good point. With Hill, there will be mistakes and that could cost us. But he just might grow into a very good defender. Scola is what he is.
now is the best time if anything to change the line ups. it's still early into the season and I'm sure Scola would not have a problem coming off the bench for instant offense and to stabilize the second unit as far as low post scoring goes. Rockets really have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
While I totally agree that measures like this would help the team, there is just no way you can do this. You simply can't demote Scola. After all he has done for the team, it just wouldn't be sending the right message to a warrior who has done everything asked of him and more. Also, considering his pay grade, it just doesn't make sense to bring him off the bench. Really, I feel that you either trade him or improve the defensive caliber of our backcourt before you demote him. It just sends the wrong message.
I understand this point, and agree that he is putting up BEAST like numbers, but you still would likely give him most of the minutes @ the 4 spot regardless of if he starts of comes off the bench. The key is to make sure he is out there with the second group so they will have a good scoring option. He should still play minutes with the 1st group during the course of the game. I think that we put too many scoring option on the court at one time and exhaust them to the point that we limit the continuous production throughout the game.
Starting lowry with yao will =lowry's defender adjusting yao's shorts. Not only that, you're making lowry play in his worse possible environment.
23 and 15, is what he's giving us so far. I like Hill as his primary back up, but this teams depth may be hurting us right now. We need to make a couple 2 for 1 and 3 for 1 up grades and trade up some of these excessive assets.
What environment is that ? Lowry was 2-5 behind the arc last game. And really, how many open 3's is brooks getting by Yao being in the game...NONE If Lowry's man roams off of him and doubles YAO isn't that half the point to create open shots. I'm not saying that Lowry's range isn't suspect, but at least by forcing the other team to rotate and scrable you have a better chance of getting something positive through a rotatinal mistake or by driving to the basket. I say WIN - WIN
I like the idea of Scola off the bench. Scola is a terrific scorer, but a subpar defender. Most bench PFs nowadays are not lethal offensive players. That should give Scola an easier time defending.
was Lowry going 2-5 in one game a fluke or is brooks missing open 3's a fluke? I'm willing to bet that Brooks will nail those open 3's more often than Lowry shooting a decent percentage from behind the arc. Aside from the Lakers game, Brooks has been struggling with his shot.
To me it comes down to this. Who's backup is more prepared to be a starter in the NBA, Brooks or Scola? Lowry or Hill/Miller/Jeffries/Chuck? It's as simple as that. If you're looking to shake up the starters Brooks is the obvious choice, imo.
OPEN 3's... NO... he's jacking up a lot of these shots. Open 3's are the types of 3's that Belinelli was knocking down and that Chase has been missing
...let me not forget the other players that we've played who have shown us how to get and hit open 3's Steve Blake Shannon Brown Al Harrington Steffon Curry
