[chron] Barry, Smith, Barkley cutting Rockets no slack

we don't have a 2nd best player. tmac and yao are 1st-tier player. then the drop off

 

For Your Information..... for all those Cassell enthusiasts who like to forget reality, in the championship years 93-94 and 94-95, if you average the years together, Kenny led your boy in PPG and Points, Assists, Minutes Played, FG% and 3P-FG%. Kenny was a much better passer in to the post and you never heard Olajuwon the all time great complain that you couldn't get the ball out of his hands either unlike your boy cassell. So if you don't know what your talking about please either shush, take your ritalin first or check the stats.

 

This is sort of a leap. 2 man combination? Mavs and Suns have better three man combinations. More importantly, they prob have a better 12 man combination. For a team that had trouble holding onto leads, and yourself admitting throughout the season, that this team doesn't have "it" (whether it be killer mentaility, depth, ability to adjust) I think this is a big jump to say we can win it all. I think well make some noise, and if we are lucky enough we can go very far.

 

We may have a great starting lineup to compete with anyone but our bench leaves a lot to be desired. You can't tell me our bench even compares to Dallas, Phx, or San Antonio. Hell, Denver probably has a better bench than we do.

Luther Head and Juwan are going to have to shoot lights out if the Rockets get passed the second round.

 

It's all about crunch time amigo. Why did Rudy go with a Rookie and second year guy in the 4th if Kenny was all that? And, Kenny was NOT a particularly proficient post passer. If you will remember, the Rockets played with a big on the wing (namely Horry and at times Bullard) that could see to pass into the post. In other sets, Maxwell and then later Clyde, passed into the post most often. Kenny was camped out at the three point line above the free throw line. That was the only place he could really contribute on a semi-regular basis. On defense, Kenny was a VERY below average defender (please ask Stockton, The Glove, Mitch Richmond and others that used to love playing against Kenny). I am no Kenny hater, I just think everyone's perception has become tainted in the afterglow of the championships. he was and has always been a VERY average to slightly below average player. So why don't you shush?

 

Just watch rockets beat jazz, then row over warriors who beat mavs, and then grind out spurs and go to finals

 

I pretty much agree with Kenny in particular. It doesn't matter that Dallas might be waiting for the Rockets in the second round. If T-Mac, Yao and the Rockets want the same credibility as Dirk, Nash, Tim Duncan, Shaq, Kobe, then they have to compete at the same level when it counts. Kenny is just saying that it is time for Yao and especially T-Mac to start getting the same kind of wins as these guys. I agree.

 

How many players do teams play in the playoff? About eight. JVG has been playing that many players for quite some time this season, so we are talking about 2 to 3 players off the bench.

For the Rockets, Luther will provide the outside shooting and some ball handling when he is in for TMac and Rafter; Howard can spare a few minutes for Hayes and Yao; then you through Deke there for a few minute to give Yao a rest. We don't need to go deeper than that, and JVG doesn't go deeper anyway.

Keep in mind that starters usually play more minutes in the playoff, which means even less dependency for the bench. We have 7 to 8 players rotation as talented as any team, it's the effort and execution makes the difference at this level.

 

I agree with them. Anything less than showing we are a contenders, taking Dallas to the max, is underachieving.

-We have THE best 2 players in any series.

-Tmac/Yao/Battier is right with the best all around 3 man combinations (Dirk/JH/Terry, Nash/Marion/Amare, TD/Manu/Parker).

Look at the role players the Lakers won their recent 3 rings with (Horry/Fox/Fisher/George/Lue/?). Or the Heat last year (JW/Haslem/Walker/Payton/Posey/Zo). Our role players (Battier/Howard/Alston/Head/Deke/Hayes) do compare with theirs. But can Tmac/Yao play like Shaq/Wade/Kobe?

Let's not forget the Spurs give scrubs like Oberto/Elson/Vaughn or Udriah minutes, the Suns only go 8, play weak team defense and no 7 footers, the Pistons have zero bench shooting/guard play. Only the Mavs don't have obvious weak spots. You can't so much exploit the Mavs but you can beat them in the clutch--and Tmac and Yao have that potential.

 

I fully expect this team to be a real threat for the title. If we play at the level we are capable of consistently, then we are unstoppable! The way T-mac sounds these days, I feel a big shake up coming in the Western Conference playoffs. If we flop, especially in the 1st rd. then its gonna be a HUUUUUUGGEEE disappointment......but still, Ill always be a Rocket for life!!!

 

Jon Barry will join the SR610' morning crew Mañana(monday). He will defend himself against this western media journalist. ,so be on the lookout

 

co facking sign. sh!tty ass ryan bowen was giving dirk fits two years ago, and jon barry was automatic until the seventh game.