UNBELIEVABLE! Let Lowry go?? Yea ok...you don't know basketball. You just killed Rockets chance of any hope of winning a Championship right there.
The problem is Zriza took too many contested 3s especially early in the season, because he had to play a differenct role, creating for himself. When he plays a more controled game, feeding off others, his 3s are good enough. He can make open 3s at a reasonably well clip.
I'm with you .Those blind AB lovers don't see the big pitcure. AB's impact won't be the same next year if he doesn't improve his defense and decision making by a lot. No team with the worst backcourt defense would have a real chance to win a Championship.
I'm not anti-AB. We had pretty good D with him, Battier, and Artest. I think our defensive problems this year had more to do with Martin. Agreed Brooks can be a better distributor, but he's getting better.
I'm not hating on AB either. I just see the 1st unit isn't balanced enough once Yao comes back. On defense, AB/Ariza/Battier will be fine. AB/Lowry/Ariza will be fine. AB/Lowry/Battier will be fine. Lowry/Martin/Ariza will be fine. Lowry/Martin/Battier will be fine. But AB/Marin/Whoever will not make the defense consistent. And it seems replacing AB with Lowry could be a better choice than replacing Martin with somebody else.
I'm not sure Lowry can cover up Martin's deficiences on D. You have to put your best players out there, that means Brooks starts. Brooks is still the guy who has to creates shots out there.
I think I am more in the middle here, I like Lowry a lot, and think he is a great contrast to AB. I also think there are two primary issues on defense. 1. We need a shot blocking presence in the middle. 2. Kevin Martin needs to commit to playing adequate defense. Those two things make us a much better team, IMO. But if you guys loo9k at the title of this thread, it is not about Lowry's value in the playoffs, it is about him trying to be a starter........ I think he probably has to go elsewhere if he wants that to happen, IMO, it will come down to a security vs opportunity decision. The security of a 3 or 4 year deal, or taking the one year tender and going for unrestricted free agency next year. Honestly...being that Yao expires....I think DM may secretly hope that both Scola and Lowry take on that option......so it gives him ultimate flexibility next season when Yao expires. DD
There's one more defensive "short"-coming in my opinion: 3. 5-10', skinny PG that's only a marginally better defender than Martin.
It has nothing to do with that, stop trying to make that our reasoning. Lowry is a great player, everyone loves him. BUT a huge part of his effectiveness is a gimmik. He doesnt draw alot of fouls because the other team can't stop him, he draws alot fouls because he runs straight into his opponent and throws the ball into the air. This isnt like Martin who focuses on getting the shot off first, then contact, because he still gets off good shots. This isnt like Yao, where the opponent has to foul him to prevent him from getting an easy post look. Lowry doesnt look to shoot, he looks for his opponent and barrells into him and just tosses up the ball. That isn't sustainable, especially in the playoffs.
Not necessarily the best players, but the best need for the team. See what Manu does for Spurs, Terry does for Mavs, Odom does for Lakers. Let those guys come off the bench make their team more balanced on both ends, more balanced for both units.
with the lakers he shot 31%, that is still not good. He is statistically one of the worst shooters in the NBA. A contested 3 is still a shot that he is taking, I don't give a **** whether it was contested or not, he chose to take it and he missed.
He was shooting 40% on 3s in playoffs, and he got back to 33% after a miserable start, after he went back to his natual position, play a lesser role. Next year with Yao coming back, he'd have more open looks and he should be making at a similar rate like this year after the trade.
Martin runs and jumps into players all the time. He does the exact same thing. In any case, it dosn't matter. Getting to the line is getting to the line and it helps us win.
He'll have more open looks than his entire career with Yao coming back, along with Martin/Scola/AB/lowry etc.
