Perimeter defense isn't just defending your man in a half court set. It's also being able to find your man quickly in transition, and making the correct rotations along the perimeter as the offensive team swings the ball to the open man. Yao's greatest weakness as a basketball player is his ability to defend away from the basket. You would only be helping the opposing team with such a strategy. You would end up compromising your perimeter defense and interior defense/rebounding with that decision. We'll see if Adelman chooses to keep Yao on Okur next season. Frankly, I would be shocked if it happened.
Last year, when Bonzi was signed, I thought the Rockets had "stolen" a missing piece they so desperately needed. Quite frankly, the talent was in short supply. When Bonzi flopped, TMac and Yao took this team to the playoffs where they stumbled in a big way. Their performances in Utah were just pathetic, but that is another story. I think they just ran out of gas; the talent deficit takes its toll. This year, there is alot more in the tank. No excuses. Yes, I have high expectations. Yao and TMac won't have to do it all.
Concur. Both Yao and Scola are excellent passers. When opposing teams double Yao, Scola will have a clear path or a foul shot. When Luis burns the other teams enough times, Yao will have his way in the paint. Also, Bonzi and Steve are going into contract years under a coach that can utilize their talents. Furthermore, we can play big (regular lineup) or small (shifting Scola and / or Butler to center). Last year I swore I wouldn't buy League Pass to watch ugly basketball again. I've already changed my mind -- I can't wait for the season to begin.
14-6 was a good start last year. If we don't do better than that this year, then we're in for a very long season. The competition has been lifted to an even higher pedigree because of the off-seasons organizations have had, with virtually every team in the West getting better.
Generally Rockets had very succesfull season. But you can say "the season was great" when you improve in the PO. Rockets' defense was enough for the seaason but not enough for the PO + awful ofense...
I wasnt very confident about last year. I was another one still upset about the Gay-Battier trade and I'd still trade Battier if I could. I thought the trade left us short offensively and it proved true in the playoffs. I hoped Bonzi could get it together but it didnt happen. On paper this years team looks a lot deeper and more athletic. Mike James also brings back that bull dog mentality that this team needs. I dont know how good or how far this team will go but they look a lot better.
i don't expect us to have that great of a start (still around .550-590 winning %) b/c of the new system, new players, new players in the starting lineups, adjustments... but we'll end on a roll. and we'll be near 55-58 wins. our team stayed basically the same for the start of last yr so chemistry was pretty good.
I'm telling you this team is almost like one of those Trailblazers teams from the late 90s....but unlike that team we have two superstars (Top 10). The reason I keep mentioning that team is because the only teams that really stood in their way was a Lakers team (with Shaq & Kobe) and Spurs team with Duncan & Robinson (still sorta in his prime). I don't see any super strong teams in the West...all are very good, but I don't see that team whose near unbeatable. I will be disappointed this year if we don't at least make it to WCF and make it 7 game series....with roster we have should be able to beat every team in the West. IF we don't win this year blow up team and send Yao and T-Mac packing.
I have few expectations because there are so many X factors this season. 50 wins is automatic but beyond that I don't know but I'm hopeful. Francis and Mike James could both turn out to be cancers on the team. Bonzi is 2 years removed from his Spur killer series (how some of you judge a guy's whole career based on 6 games is beyond me anyway) and is on the wrong side of 30 and coming off a season where he never saw the court. Scola could be a 14/7 guy or he could be a complete bust and to be honest, it is not all that unlikely that he will bust considering the track record of "European" players. Rafer is obviously destroyed mentally and apparently hasn't even kept his game sharp this summer. Tmac's back and Yao's tendency for freak injuries always are a concern. Add the new coach and new system to the equation and you see there is a lot to consider. We could also mention Deke and Juwan who although ancient played huge roles in keeping this team out of the lottery while Yao was out last season. Now I think most of these issue will turn out on the positive side. My guesses: SF and MJ will have some bumps in the road early on but eventually settle into their roles and produce. One will start and the other will be a hell of a 6th man. Bonzi will find a place in the rotation and end up being a 10/4 guy in limited minutes. Honestly, I think Scola is going to contribute but I still expect Chuck to get as many or more minutes at PF than Scola. Chuck is still underrated by a lot of members here IMO. Rafer........goodbye Adleman will keep our defense at a level that is better than 2/3 of the team in the league while making this offense one of the best 5 in the game. By season's end I expect it to be just behind Phoenix and Dallas' offense. I expect Tmac to play 70+ games and pray that Yao does the same. I also think Battier is going to see his minutes drop to 25 or less per game (Bonzi will eat those up). He is just too one-dimensional offensively and I don't see Adleman keeping him on the floor for his "glue" or his team defense.
My friend told me the exact same thing a few weeks ago. He's worried that there are not enough basketballs to go around for Tmac, Yao, Bonzi, Francis and Mike James.
bonzi is not an off-the dribble type of player. he is at his best when he's in the post or goes for offensive rebounds and put backs so he won't be a problem. mike james if he can played like he did 2 yrs ago w/ us, then i'm fine w/ how he played. i'm more concerned w/ francis b/c it seems like he needs to the ball to do what he does. let's just hope if he starts going wild, he should go to the 2nd unit so he can do what he wants.
No, i'm more confident than last year. I thought the rockets had a great team last year. Now, they added scola, francis and james. We have a better team and better coach than last year so why shouldn't we be as confident.
this upcoming season - i'm trying not to get high hopes for this new team but with the offseason moves, it does seem the rockets are a better team than last year. if they fail to prove us that they are a better team, i'm forever boycotting them for breaking my heart over and over again.
I see what u mean. But I think we do better with our new coach, at least we will have a chance to see our new comer's ability and they will have a chance to show theirselves. I still believe that Spanoulis can be a good player in NBA.
There is a difference b/w VMac and Scola. Scola is coming to us NBA-ready. We know he can dominate the international game and we've seen what he can do. Spanoulis was very young when he came to us. Very inconsistent and erratic. He had 1 lucky game vs Team USA in the World Championships. If we had Scola last year, without a doubt he would have been starting next to Yao.
I think its not a given that Scola will start right away for the Rox. I think if JVG was coaching this team it is less likely that he will start. I do think that he is a smart enough and experienced enough to help himself by masking his weaknesses on the court, but even that will take time for him. So in that sense he is NBA ready. Until he does that he learns how to apply his strengths on the court Chuck will be starting. I think that by January Scola will be starting. As far as this upcoming year is concerned I am cautiously optomistic. On paper this team is deeper and more versatile than last years, but until I see them play I will not be confident that they can achieve more than last years team did. Last year I was confident, because I did not know that the Rockets needed more than the Yao-Tmac combo to win and advance past the first round. This year I know that they do, but I am not sure how the new pieces will fit. I am confident that the 07-08 Rockets can be just as good as last years team barring any injuries even if they have chemistry/coaching transition problems.
Those late 90's Blazer's were deep and loaded but lacked a super-star and identity. We have 2 superstar's but we need an identity for sure.
Given the demeanor/personality of the 2 best players on the team I think they can identify more with Adelmans playing style more than JVGs. It will be easier for this team to find/establish their identity this year. JVG did good for both Tracy and Yao as he helped develop areas of their game which other coaches would not have necesarily been able to do. They will be better players in Adelmans system for it. They are not the most aggresive players in the league and for that reason Adelmans system will help them since they are the type of stars that like to pass the ball and get the rest of their team mates involved.
