Backing up Yao more important than PG this year

I also agree with you. We have a point guard who actually brings a lot of what we need right now. He's a good shooter. We can wait it out with him. When Yao goes to the bench this season, we are going to get burned. I do not see a frontline of Howard and Taylor holding up.

 

I haven't seen Pryzbilla play much but if he is a banger defensively and he gives all out effort he would be a very good fit for us.

 

Though Przybilla can board and block the odd shot, he can't stay healthy and his offense is really bad. In the one season he stayed healthy for at least 70 games (71, to be exact), he scored a total of 190 points. 2.7ppg.

 

Tinman, you are correct. The Rockets need to be focused on both, but the board has been much more focused on a PG because of the high profile nature of Steve Francis. But everything has changed. Giving Ming rest is a priority. We don't need a superstar PG, just a "solid" one.

 

We need a tall player that can give yao breathers knows his role too, and just to be a presence inside and .....i think Pryzbilla..we can get him cheap he would be useful for about 10-15min a game

 

obviously the Rockets don't feel the same pressure we do to get something done or at least financially they are not ready to spend for the sake of spending.

so I think we will fill both the pg and the back up big person need with someone with holes in their game.

I think the best fit for us now at both positions is someone who can defend.

so I am voting for the PG who has good to/assist ratio and can defend

I vote for a big man who can defend the post and rebound

TMac, Yao, JJ, J Howard, MoT, are expected to score and carry the offensive load most of the time.

Any offense from Lue or whoever will be needed but not critical.

 

Especially in that we only see Shaq 2 times a year, are much better back-up Cs than we have as a back-up 1, and I am not thrilled with having to start Lue either, though Lue would make a fine back-up. Most all the elite post players in the West except Yao are PFs--and Mot or JH can play them about as well or better than most back-up centers.

Another established PG or combo guard who can play some major 1 minutes (24-30MPG) is priority #1

Another defensive presence (10-15MPG) big is priority #2

Another swingman is distant priority #3.

If we addressed #1 & #3 (with say a big defensive 3 like Eric Williams) I am fine not addressing #2.

 

We don't just want a backup for Yao. We want a banger who can play both inside positions. Neither Howard nor Taylor is known for defense, with Howard slightly better.

We lost a lot of inside defense and rebounding when we traded Cato. Believe it or not, Cato, not Yao, was the difference maker on our defense last season. I might be wrong, but Juwan Howard won't be able to defend the Western Conference PFs. Shaq gone to the East is just 2 games. We still have to face all those big men in the West.

I agree 100% that our first priority should be a defensive big men who can backup both the 4 and the 5 spot. If we can trade Mo Taylor for a solid defensive big, I'll do it in a heartbeat. The PG position, while important, is not as crucial as the defensive hole at the frontline. TMac will be the initiator on offense anyway.

 

I dont understand why people overrate Cato so much. This guy sucked on
offense and was always burned by mobile PF. Post-Hakeem Houston was
not known for defense before Yao came in. And the reason we had the 7th
and 3th best defense in the last two seasons was because 1) Yao 2) Cat
3) Van Gundy. Gundy is the guy who motivated Cato. And I think he has
no problem to motivate Howard. I admit I am happy to have Howard. At
least opponent has to respect his offense.

In fact You don't need a banger to have the best defense, as long as you
play smart team defense. None of Spurs, Wolves, Kings and Pacers
has so-called banger.

 

Not only do the Spurs have bangers and overall good defensive players, they have a championship. Next you're gonna say the Lakers and the Pistons didn't have bangers either.

 

You mean Duncan? If he is your so-called banger, then I have no doubt
Yao can be a similar banger next season.

 

The Rockets gave up almost 10 more points per game in the games that Cato missed, it's not overrating him if someone thinks he'll be missed. We didn't have a top 10 defense during the games that Cato missed, and if we don't find another guy like him we won't next year either.

The Kings defense sucks. The Spurs have Duncan, Rasho (who played tougher than ever last season) and Bowen, the Wolves have Garnett, Johnson, Trent and Madman Madsen, and the Pacers have O'neil and Artest. We still need some more interior defense, pronto!

 

We hope Yao will ever be as physical as Duncan, the "so-called banger". Ask Shaq what player gives him the most trouble when it comes to being physical. Not only that, they have had Malik Rose and Kevin Willis, two very important pieces to their team.

 

I remember a few of them were over time game and we scored more too.
The net effect is much less than 10 pts.

A lot of guys(Bowen, Artest etc) you mentioned are not interior defender.
Also, I don't think it's hard to find a Madsen-level banger.

Interior defense:
Spurs: Duncan + Rasho
Rox: Yao + Howard
Wolves: Garnett + Johnson
Pacers: O'Neal + ?

Are we so weak in the interior? Last two years we gave up much more points
in the perimeter

 

I hope we sign someone like Willis or Rose. Is rose in Pop's doghouse last
season?

Ironically, Shaq did say Yao was the strongest player he faced.
Phil even said every Shaq vs Yao game took a big toll on Shaq.

 

Net difference was that we lost most of those games...

The Spur's, Pacer's, and Wolve's pairs are still better than the Rocke's pair... Duncan, O'neil, and Garnett are all better defenders than Yao, and Rasho, Johnson, and Foster are better than Howard on defense. Telling you we will miss a Cato type player, I'd be very happy to get Keon Clark...

 

Link?