How do you think Scola is getting this increase in attempts? Who do you think is passing him the ball?
Not sure where you got the idea that Brooks is a better off-the-ball better. Brooks playing style is to try to create his own shot first and when that fails, try to pass it to someone else. The way he plays is very much like SF3; dribble, dribble, dribble, shoot/pass. This is the reason that the ball stops moving when Brooks steps on the court. Unlike SF3, Parker, Iverson, and other scoring PG's however, Brook's game revolves almost entirely around his jump shot. He simply does not have the courage or ability to take it to the rim in traffic. This greatly limits his upside as a PG who can lead his team anywhere as he is not a good enough passer nor does he he possess a playmaking mentality to allow him to lead a team, yet at the same time, due to being essentially nothing more than a speedy jump shooter, unable to score once his shot stops falling. On the other end, it is even worse. AB cannot play defense at all. Combine that with a starting lineup that showcases Scola and Martin, it is essentially a 3v5 end on the other end.
I don't think Kyle Lowry is Steve Nash, but I do think he has helped our offense on the overall. Martin was healthy in plenty of those Sacramento years -- why can't it be that Lowry is giving him the ball in spots he can be more successful in? Lowry is always looking for Martin in transition, whether that be Martin streaking to the basket or trailing for the transition three-pointer. Of the two point guards we have, Lowry is superior at pushing the ball and running the break -- he gets a lot of players easy shots off this. I don't think it's fair to dismiss Martin's increased percentages, along with his increase in 3PT FGA, as having nothing to do with Kyle Lowry's presence. This is the best offensively efficient team we've had in a decade with Kyle Lowry being the primary point guard.. but I suppose that has nothing to do with Lowry's impact either? Scola's scoring increase has to do with getting more shots, you're right. Now why is that? Is it because Brooks isn't there to take his usual 16 shots a game? As you noted, there is very little difference between the %s of Brooks or Scola -- Luis is actually marginally better. So don't tell me it's more beneficial for our PG to be taking 16 shots a game when our lone post presence is dropping 20 a night shooting at the same percentage. Lowry is spreading around the shots that Brooks normally takes to other players. Is it really that unreasonable to think that Scola constantly running in transition with Lowry is partly responsible for him getting to the line more? I don't think so. Players are getting more touches with Lowry as the starting PG than Brooks. I believe that this leads to them feeling more involved in the game; players are running the break because they expect to be rewarded for it -- and our offensive efficiency has climbed partly as a result of that.
I'd take 10 NBA games, along with NBA practices, coaching, etc. over 30 college games any day. Age is irrelevant. A college season does not equal a pro season. Lowry was in his 3rd season in the NBA, while Brooks was in his first. That's all that matters. College and NBA are two completely different animals. Oh, of course! A rookie should play better than a 3rd year guy b/c he had been on the team longer. That experience riding the bench in his first partial year should obviously trump those 2+ years of playing in the NBA. I'm willing to give Lowry more reps to prove himself; let's hope the refs give him more respect next time. I would ask the opponents who they were more afraid of. Of course the Lakers didn't have to worry about Yao since he didn't play for most of that series.
Why is it a good thing that Scola is getting more shots now when Brooks is just as efficient a scorer as Scola? Luis is not 'marginally better' than Brooks in this regard. That's false. I've already addressed Martin's good season. Martin played better with Brooks than he was playing with Sac also. He's having a great year, but why would you attribute that to Lowry? Are you saying he only has the ability to make Martin better, and not anyone else? Does that really make sense to you?
I don't care who starts but brooks and martin should not start together... Lowry and hayes in for yao and brooks has given the team back it's identity of being a scrappy team defensively.
Luis Scola has a .540 TS% this season. Brooks has a .539 TS%. Scola had a .550 TS% last season; Brooks' was at .549 TS%. Scola has had an effective FG% the last two years of .514 and .508. Brooks has had an effective FG% the last years of .511 and .494 Luis Scola has a MUCH higher FG%, to where I'm not even going to bother comparing the two. It's not false -- Luis Scola has been a 'marginally better' offensive player than Brooks has over the last two years. And I say it's a good thing partly because Scola's shots come within the flow of the offense, whereas Brooks takes a lot of shots in isolation situations. The current Rockets run the most Adelman-like offense we've seen since he arrived in Houston; I don't need stats to tell me that, I can see it with my own two eyes. Whether you choose to discredit Lowry for this and credit Martin or Miller is up to you. You could be right -- but I wouldn't get on your high horse and declare Martin's numbers a fluke and Lowry's impact minimal when the team's overall offensive efficiency says otherwise. The stats are there to support the argument that Lowry makes us a more efficient team -- you're either choosing to ignore them or crediting other players for the leap in efficiency. That's fine -- but don't act like you just can't believe that people actually think Lowry makes people better. No, you didn't address it -- you just made excuses for him posting career highs. Why wouldn't I attribute it to Lowry? Lowry has been the main PG the majority of the time that Martin has been putting up these stats. If Aaron Brooks resumes his starting role and Martin continues on the same tear -- then you have a point. Until then, the only thing you're offering up is excuses. And as far as making Martin better and nobody else -- again, look at the TEAM's overall offensive efficiency. How can you definitely say that Lowry has had no impact on this team? The Rockets replaced a shoot-first PG with one that likes to distribute the ball more and their offensive efficiency, as well as their assist per game (up by 2 assist from last year), has risen.
Of course Scola's fg% is higher since he doesn't shoot 3s. And yes they had the same TS% last year - however, Brooks was the #1 option and the one defenses focused more on. Whenever the Rockets needed a bucket late, it was always on Brooks and he got the blame when it didn't work out, never Scola. Scola never had to carry that burden and Lowry doesn't have to now nor will he ever have to. The fact that Brooks and Scola have the same TS% this year is pretty amazing considering everyone thinks Scola is so much better this year (false) and that Brooks has been so far from his best to this point. I never declared Lowry's impact minimal. The facts are the Rockets' offensive efficiency is very high this year. The reason(s) why that is the case are entirely opinion. There are several factors and to conclude that Lowry is the main reason is ridiculous. I'm not surprised at all that people think that however, given the level of Brooks and DD hate on this site. Didn't make excuses, just posited more realistic explanations. Unless you think it's more realistic that an MLE-level backup PG is the sole reason for a 7-yr player, and not anyone else on the team, going through a hot stretch. I can't definitely say that he's had no impact on the team, nor did I try to. Why are you pointing out an increase in assists a game, and attributing it all to Lowry, as if replacing Ariza would have no impact on that at all?
In games Lowry hasn't started, Lee has shot 25%, Battier has shot 33.3%, and Martin has shot 36.6% from the 3 point line. In games Lowry has started, Lee has shot 56.8%, Battier has shot 39.8%, and Martin has shot 48.1% from the 3 point line.
I guess scola not sitting on the bench and watching landry work in the 4th has nothing to do with his scoring going up? Neither does shane being healthy or martin finally healthy from wrist surgery? How about this one, no Yao in the paint? Yo-Yo, if you're suppose to be a star player and average 28ppg against the sorry teams, can't a player do more than 16ppg and 35% against them or is that asking too much?
Amazing that no credit is given for the team's(and players within the team) improved play to having a pretty set rotation for the past month or so. That's the chemistry. One player does not create chemistry. Aaron didn't disrupt the chemistry that the team had back in 2008 when they won 22 in a row. He was a big part of that. They all were. They knew their roles and everyone played accordingly. To start this season there were many questions to be answered, and several different starting lineups the first 10 or so games.
Why do you so excited about "light it up" by a PG? We have Martin and Scola to do that now. All Lowry need to do is get them the ball. Which one is more important to you? Team winning or "light up" by PG but the team keep losing? For 2 seasons in a row. Rockets lost ground with AB on the court, gained ground with Lowry on the ground, and it applies to both starting or coming off the bench, isn't that long enough to show who is the BETTER PG for this team, who brings more WINS to this team? OK, RA knows better,right? He's playing Lowry more and he's playing Lowry when the game is on the line. And the result shows. Don't tell me it's just because AB came from injury and Rockets are playing weaker teams. Truth is: Rockets 0-1 against Warriors, 0-1 against Lakers with a healthy AB, 2-0 against Warriors(yes, AB lost ground in one of those games again), 1-0 against Lakers without a healhty AB. AB nuthanggers are in denial all the time. They call Lowry "flashy" yet they don' realize AB is the real "flashy" one, look good for himself, but doesn't have the same impact for the team.
Of course AB didn't disrupt the chemistry when they won 22 in a row, because Rafer Alston was running the show. AB averaged fewer minutes than Luther Freaking Head in that run. If AB was running the team, there wouldn't be 10 wins in a row.
I've said similar thing many times last season. For the majority of the season, every starter's FG% was career low or near career low except AB himself. That is pretty much unheard of in RA's system. AB makes himself look better than he actually is by his scoring, but he doesn't make his teammates and the entire team that much better by his play making.
