Advatages of the zone for the Rockets.

tacoma park legend · Apr 12, 2001

You just know that Colangelo probably told all the owners that people would hate it at first, and then would come to love the new rules. Don't expect the fans to love this anytime soon Jerry.

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[This message has been edited by tacoma park legend (edited April 12, 2001).]

SmeggySmeg · Apr 12, 2001

Originally posted by ZRB:
Could this affect Steve's plans on re-upping with the Rockets next Summer?

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Huh

The zone rule is in place for the whole league not just when teams play the rockets

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"Repression never did me any harm (I finally ceased to include "stop masturbating" as one of my guilt ridden New Year's resolutions, but that's a different topic)." Achebe - programmer by day, Mrs Palmers Husband by night

ROCKETBOOSTER · Apr 12, 2001

When did Stern become Colangelo's b****?

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Valio! · Apr 13, 2001

What kind of defense did we use at the olympics? I think they can use zones in international play, right? So, really, Rudy might be one of the few coaches in the NBA who has experience coaching zone defenses with NBA players...man...this sounded like some sort of advantage before I wrote it down...it's getting late...good night everybody!

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"It's finger ling ling good!" - Homer Simpson's opinion of Kentucky Fried Panda

ZRB · Apr 13, 2001

Originally posted by SmeggySmeg:
Huh

The zone rule is in place for the whole league not just when teams play the rockets


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True, but if he ends up flopping in the new offensive setups, would he blame the coach and bolt? I'm worried about how well Steve will handle these changes.

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Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon is the greatest player in the history of basketball. If you disagree, you are not a Rocket fan.

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Band Geek Mobster · Apr 13, 2001

To a man, Rockets hate it

On the surface, it appears the Rockets, as much as any team in the league, stand to benefit from the NBA's landmark decision Thursday to do away with illegal defenses.

The implementation of zone defenses next season might favor teams like the Rockets with plenty of jump shooters, but most of the players cried foul when asked about the new rule.

"I don't understand it," Rockets forward Maurice Taylor said. "They say they want to market the game better for television and make the game more fun to watch, but how can the game be that much fun if the guys are in a zone?

"It's not going to make it any easier for us to score; it's going to make it harder. That's why I left (college) because there are too many zones. Pro basketball is about individuals being able to do certain things."

Apparently, the league disagrees.

The NBA's Board of Governors approved several rules changes Thursday, the most radical of which allows teams to play a zone defense for the first time in the league's 55-year history. The change is designed to encourage up-tempo basketball and try to eliminate the isolation offenses that have become so prevalent.

The league also will impose a three-second rule on defense, limiting the amount of time a defensive player can stand in the lane. The NBA also reduced from 10 seconds to eight the amount of time a team will have to cross midcourt, and it will allow some incidental defensive contact without a foul being called.

"It's a different sport," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "We'll call it basketball, but it's different than what we've played. Plus, I think guys who are not real good defensive players will be able to play now. It will open up different combinations. I could see somebody playing three 7-footers and a couple of guards. It could open up a lot of different possibilities."

The rules go into effect next season, and the Rockets think the league will suffer when its star players are double-teamed, making it harder for them to get the ball.

"It's going to hurt a lot of the players that are in the limelight," Rockets guard Steve Francis said. "They're going to be able to double-team you even more and big guys like Shaq (O'Neal) are going to be in the lane for 10 seconds. The zone is going to take away creativity. The only time you're going to see someone do something spectacular is when he gets it on the fast break by himself, and that's very rare now in the NBA."

The league hopes the new rules will open up the lanes and encourage more teams to run the floor, but Tomjanovich doesn't see it. He thinks the NBA will become a jump-shooting league, which isn't the strongest suit for most NBA players these days.

"There's a lot of passion on this issue on both sides, and people are going to have different opinions," Tomjanovich said. "I just believe that the biggest asset to the game are our athletic players and the excitement they bring to the game. The rules we're putting in can stifle athletes and take away offense situations and slow down the game."

Although Tomjanovich is convinced zone defenses will be bad for the league, the changes might help a team like the Rockets that has many shooters and is not dependent on the inside game.

Rockets forward Matt Bullard, a spot-up shooter, is taking a wait-and-see approach.

"I want to have a year to see how things shake out," he said. "If they allow zones, it can only help me. Looking at our team, we're going to have a pretty good team (with the new rules). We've got a lot of guys that can shoot and guys that can penetrate and kick it out, which will be a key against the zone to be able to get in there and create an open shot."

But the Rockets also thrive on running isolation plays for Cuttino Mobley, Francis and Taylor, among others.

"They don't want isolations, and we're the poster child for that," Taylor said. "I think it's going to make the game messier. Playing a zone in the NBA is ridiculous."

Tomjanovich said the new rules could influence what the makeup of the team will be entering next season.

" ... I still think great players will rise to the top, but you can cut down the number of times Shaq catches the ball if you've got a guy in front of him and a guy behind him," he said. "I don't think he's going to like this very much."

Neither does Francis, who repeated the phrase "I hate it" so many times after Thursday's practice that he was nearly out of air.

"I don't know why they would even do something like that to slow the scoring down," he said. "All the good, athletic players are going to get killed. There isn't going to be that much excitement, and it's definitely going to hurt my game. I don't know what they were thinking." 
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Lobo · Apr 13, 2001

Originally posted by ROCKETBOOSTER:
A defensive second rule will be established limiting the amount of time a defensive player may stand in the lane when he is not closely guarding anyone.

Whooa! How confusing is this? Fine, implement zone defenses, thats cool. But don't lay down a little zone negative, like above, to balance it out. Can anybody else see the total confusion the above rule will cause?


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Isn't this similar to the 3-second rule for offensive players? Seems fair to me. Also, the 3-second rule will prevent teams from camping their centers out and clogging things up, like some posters on this thread think will happen.

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Lobo · Apr 13, 2001

Mo Taylor: "That's why I left (college) because there are too many zones."

Does this mean money is not Mo's top priority? So maybe we can sign him for the minimum next year?

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Rocket River · Apr 13, 2001

ALSO

I think they don't see the collateral Damage
I'll take a chance on a High Schooler
More than ever . . . . I think most
High Schooler's are more defensive Liabilities
than Offensive . . .

Esp if they at 6'10 and up.

Just let them sit in the middle of a zone
and be active.

look for 4 shooters and a Post Player

If you shoot 40% from 3
as a team [SEE SAN AN]
You are going to kill people

Rocket River

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Advatages of the zone for the Rockets.

tacoma park legend Member

SmeggySmeg Member

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Valio! Member

ZRB Member

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