Asik and Howard to start next game (Updated w/ Blog Post)

What is Turkish for "no hablo ingles"?

 

I like this guy's enthusiasm, and I hope the Dynamic Duo works out well ("Holy Defensive Terror, Batman!") but until Dwight this team was built on guards who can get to the basket. Harden is the best in the league at this, and Jeremy looks to have greatly improved. Asking the two bigs to remember to get out of the way, and to remember to get down low to catch the basket....at the same time(?!?!)....

Don't paint me as negative. Again, fingers crossed. But I still park in the lot that says "We Need a 4/5 not Asik", who, from all accounts, isn't playing along after reading the memo (I don't think foreigners are good at the "smile and pretend, at least for now" thing that we Americans have perfected).

 

I'm deeply skeptical, but we've got to at least test it out. What better time than preseason?

 

I'm also skeptical, however there isn't really a PF who I think is available who is close to Asik in terms of value. Either they are worth more, and not even available (Alderidge and Love), or they are not good enough.

So i would not be against trading Asik, but I want a very good player for him in return.

 

This is the magic PF for whom the Rockets have been looking. Asik is not "hip" as the PF/C next to Dwight (like Aldridge would be), but he is by far our best bet at this time. It may have been a blessing in disguise that TJones and DMo have not impressed.

I can't wait for the game. I just hope that if there are some ugly possessions, McHale sticks with it. The Dallas beatwriter is correct.

 

James Harden sees advantage in playing with Rockets’ big lineup

 

LOL

 

Here is something a lot of people forget about Asik as a player...he is a terrific...wait...he is an outstanding pick setter on this team and literally wipes out the person he screens. In order for this lineup to be effective, our guards and SF has to knock down shots, bc we know that the roll man is going under the screen until the Houston shooters make them pay. Harden, Lin, Parsons all have to knock down those shots. Howard's strength is his ability to roll, catch at a high point and finish. This lineup should be really interesting and I do hope that it can work.

 

With some doubts earlier, I'm starting to lean toward the TT idea.

I remember watching a game last year against Portland. Aldridge is hitting everything inside and out in first half, then in second half Asik was assigned to guard Aldridge. Asik limited him to single digit points on bad shooting percentage.

Asik and DWH are two of the rare centers who have pretty good footwork on perimeter, and in the worst case scenario they can still take away the low post game from the like of Dirk/Aldridge/Love. And their foot speed and long reach can at least bother the outside shooting a little. In case one of them get blow by the opposing four, another one is at rim to protect the basket.

So it shouldn't be a big problem on defense.

On offense, Asik should actively come out setting picks or do some high post passing. After the shot, we have big time potential on the offensive boards - think about Harden/Parsons/Lin/Bev all have size/reach advantage and are plus rebounders for their positions.

So on offense we should compensate lack of shooting for better picks, offensive rebound and fastbreaks triggered by defense.

 

Don't have high expectations. Both Howard and Asik can't even shoot free throws so don't have any hope their mid range shots will be respectable.

 

Ben İngilizce bilmeyen

 

They gotta match up with us too. Dirk has to rebound and box out. He has to guard the screen and roll on whoever he chooses to check. I'm looking forward to it. Force them to match up with us.

 

Lots of fastbreak points tonight with all the rebounds Omer & Dwight will get

 

Actually, with the twin tower, the team should shoot more mid range 2. 3 pt tend to bounce long and minimize the effect of the twin tower rebounding. Also, Asik and DHo can create space by blocking out defender for the guard to drive to the basket.

 

IF we run Dwight out there at PF and have him defend Dirk at the 3-point line THEN we are simply showcasing OA to try to trade him. There's no reason to have Dwight defending Dirk. Asik is the superior defender in space, he's got more length, and he's got better footwork than Dwight does. Asik should be the guy defending Dirk...not Dwight. Asik is better on the pick-and-roll and the pick-and-pop. Dirk works probably 70% pick-and-pops. Dwight is better than Asik defending the rim and Asik is better than Dwight defending out on the floor.

In my humble opinion, if we actually run Dwight out there on Dirk we are showcasing Asik and/or there is a serious chemistry problem between Dwight and Asik that Dwight is attempting to fix by yielding to Asik at the 5. Unless McHale is pulling the Edison light bulb invention.....trying every lineup and matchup that doesn't work before coming around to the ones that will work. McHale is too smart and too experienced not to recognize the best matchup between Dwight and Asik on Dirk.


(I'm a little frustrated right now at finally getting to see the Twin Towers concept but knowing if we don't match up up right it will look like a failure.)

 

In my humble opinion, you are microanalyzing a tad too much (you aren't alone in doing that, of course!). It wouldn't surprise me in the least if McHale switches them on Dirk, giving Dirk a different gigantic look from one possession (or multiple times during one possession) to the next. What interests me, aside from simply seeing how the two big fellas operate together on the court, is how much time they spend together. I'm hoping McHale gives them a couple of good long stretches together, so perhaps we can get a real sense of how they play as a tandem.

Some probably don't remember, but people were wondering how Olajuwon and Sampson would jell, and if they would click at all. Sure, both were vastly different centers than Dwight and Omer, but they were asked to share the court and one, Ralph, was asked to sacrifice his natural position at the 5 for "the greater good" of the team. Not only did it work, it worked beautifully. Injuries were the only thing that derailed a dynasty in the making. That, and the white powder that destroyed the team's depth.

Maybe fate will smile on the Rockets this season. We're overdue.

 

In my Humble opinion who guards who TONIGHT has nothing to do with showcasing for trades. I dont think the front office or coaches are very concerned with getting a trade done for Asik on October 22nd. February 15th we will talk.

Maybe its just because Howard has better length, and jumping ability to be able to do damage to Dirk's high release shots.

You are right that Asik is probably the better pick and roll defender, but that comes mostly from being more disciplined & conservative while Dwight tends to rely on his quickness & athleticism to make up for small mistakes he might make on team defense... which he does frequently make up for with shot blocking. One-on-One matchup with size and length.... I'd rather match up Dwight all day long.

Point is... the pick and roll defense in the end isn't that much different either way. You really can't go wrong with either player. I wouldn't read anything into this other than McHale probably wants more length on Dirk to try and alter his shot when Dirk is either in the high pick and roll with Monta Ellis, or going Iso in the post. Keep Asik in the paint as the main team defender where he is top 5 in the league along with Dwight/Gasol/Chandler.

 

I am pretty sure that we will play zone 90% of the time those two are on the floor together ... the whole idea is to have opposing team go through 2 waves of serious shot blocking if they enter the paint ... and our wings and guards will take risks and go after steals knowing that you have help behind you ... Teams have to take and make 18+ footers pretty consistently to beat that lineup ... Most guys that go into the lane against Dwight have a high tendency to draw dwight and dish to the guy he leaves ... Well if AO is in the game and rotates in time which is likely ... the guard will dish back out to a shooter instead =) . Your Backside help improves dramatically with this lineup ...

As most pointed out .. the problem is more on offense where spacing becomes an issue ... the answer is simply pick and roll which we do quite well ... our bigs always roll to the basket and not to the baseline for jumpers ... So often when the guard does choose to pass to the rolling big another defender comes to prevent the layup/dunk from the baseline ... the other Big should live on the opposite side baseline and it should lead to plenty of easy scores on put backs and passes from one big to the other ...

with all of that being said ... you still don't play this lineup more than 20 min a game ... simply because neither can shoot free throws