Chemistry - Is it falling apart?

Before the season started Daryl Morey was asked if having all these good players was a problem, he scoffed at that notion and said it was a good problem to have.

I had to do a double take at that comment, it seemed ok in context, as players would duke it out for playing time, but I wondered what happened if the team started losing, would the chemistry hold together.

It is much easier to have quality guys on the bench not playing, or playing a reduced role when your team is winning, but if it starts losing, then the guys on the bench begin to get a little antsy.

Enter January 2011, that is what it looks like to me, we have a mix of players that don't quite fit together chemistry wise, and it looks like the first cracks in the upcomming playing time war are starting to show their hand.

Think about it for a minute, on our bench we have guys that are proven starters in the NBA.

Courtney Lee
Aaron Brooks
Jared Jeffries
Terrance Williams
Brad Miller

When someone is young, and entering their prime and have proven themselves in the NBA, are they willing to subjegate themselves for the good of the team, even when it is losing?

I don't think so, all of them want to play, all of them want to earn a good contract, and that only happens with playing time...

I think that the players above, outside of Brad Miller - who is content to be a bench player, are all starting to chaffe at sitting on the bench so much.

They come into the game and are pressing, and it is not helping the team, and internally they probably all believe they should be starting, and they might be right, sometimes a different mix of players is better able to play together, and they see the starters struggling big time these days.

I don't think the you guys that are trying to prove themselves like Hill and Budinger are bothered by coming off the bench, but I do think some of the players above are not playing as well because they feel they should be starting.

So, when Daryl scoffed at the question of having too much talent being a problem, I scoffed at his answer, knowing that sometimes having too many good players can be an issue, primarily because you can't play them all.

We have far too many good players, too much mixing and matching, and honestly, I don't see a way out of it, IMHO, there is a problem here with chemistry, and I believe it will only worsen.

Hopefully DM can pull off a 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 deal, but those are rare, and honestly there are no guarantees it will happen.

I don't envy Adelman, he seems clueless as to what he is going to get out of his players every night and he seems unwilling to push the players that are playing by getting bench players run when others are struggling.

Something has to give........go young, or make a trade....

Good luck DM, this is your doing, you built this team, stop laying it all on the coach to find a way to make it work, do some due dilligence about skillsets before pulling the trigger on asset acquisition, look at balancing the roster please.

The needs have been obvious for at least 3 years...shot blocking center, DM, you are now on the clock....

DD

 

I agree fellas that schedule and a lack of talent at the center position play into it....but what I see is a lot of players playing for themselves on offense and not doing the little things on defense.

Even the starting lineup looks like they don't care about defense, they let guys score and can't WAIT to get up the floor to get a shot to score the ball.

At least the starters seem to play offense decently together, but the 2nd unit seems to be playing "Me" ball, where everyone is out to help themselves....and that is what happens when players are not comfortable and have not bought in to the concepts presented or asked of them by the coach....

And defense is non existant...outside of Chuck Hayes and Shane Battier, I don't see a concerted team wide defensive effort on D.

This team has actually gotten better players this year, and has managed to get WORSE.....

Last year, they all played for each other, they embraced the role of underdog, and went to war, this year....that effort is long gone, they are not playing as a team, the chemistry is not there....especially on defense.

And I contend it is the way the roster has been handled, and playing time being given, there seems to be very little consistency, and no accountability, and that creates the chemistry issues, that I believe I am seeing.

DD

 

True Dubious but you can still succeed to a certain level by playing together, and hard on both offense and defense.

This team is playing hard on offense but not on defense.....the starters stink on D, the 2nd unit is no better, everyone wants to score, but no one wants to defend.

That is a "Me first" culture that kills team chemistry.....when their are no leaders, or no respected Alpha dogs, everyone must subjegate themselves for the good of the team, and to me, that is not happening.....

And the coaches and GM are not holding them accountable, sometimes a good dose of pine is what is needed.....but, then I guess you run the risk of losing them as a viable player.....again, chemistry problem...too many good players, and too many good players sitting too much.

DD

 

Isn't that up to the coach to figure out how to mask the players flaws by playing the right mix or combinations together?

Chemistry - for example.

Honest question, which team would you think would win between last year's Rockets team and this year's team?

Here is the thing, it is not about what you think, or I think, it is about WHAT THEY THINK.

CLee started for 2 years, and was a starter in the PLAYOFFS for Orlando.
Twill started last year
Jeffries started for years with NY and Washington
AB we know.

If they all believe they should be starting, then that creates a chemistry issue...

DD

 

You could be right, but I am watching the players and while they may be saying the right things their body language is saying something completely different.

DD

 

Exactly, when you are stacked at one position, with quality players, someone will invariably not get what they consider a fair shake.

Agree with going young, what good does playing our veterans like Shane do at this point? Let him teach from the bench, this team needs to go young, and find out what pieces they need to fit into the roster going forward.

Find out who will play hard and team oriented versus who will play for themselves, and make changes.

I know Morey is working the phone lines, but honestly, a lot of this is his problem, he brought in all these wings etc, they are not complimentary pieces, they are redundant pieces.

We need some good old horse trading, maybe even take a little bit less talent back if it fills a need.

Chemistry - got to find it...and it is a fickle beast.

I don't think any of those 3 are irreplaceable....to me, the best out of those 3 would be Scola, Martin to me is fools gold and Lowry is not that great either, his skills are covered by Ish......but Scola plays hard every single night and is a good player....but even he could be traded for the right piece.

RE: Melo - he won't sign here so why go get him?

RE: Bosh - He is overpaid, but is a complimentary player not a star.

DD