[chron] Novak focuses on defense in order to earn more playing time

Boki was OK last year... but worth waiting multiple seasons for him to finally "blossom"? Not really.

 

Maybe JVG needed to get fired a few times to finally start realizing his constant discarding players he can't coach isn't going to build him a championship team.

 

What have we done in these multiple seasons?

 

Uh, yes it would have been, it takes a couple of years for players to develop, especially when they are coming from another culture and country, the Rockets were not going to be championship contenders in any year lately so why not develop some young talent ala Greg Popovich and San Antonio, it worked out for them.

He was shooting nearly 50% from 3pt land when he got in a fight with JVG and was basically dumped.

I believe he would have come to this point sooner had he been under a Championship coach like Rudy T.

Unfortunatly for the Rockets they picked up a coach that was more interested in the Rod Strickland, Charles Oakley and Rick Brunsons of the world than working with and developing young talent.

Boki should have been a Rocket, they got nothing for him....bad business.

DD

 

You really believe that? I mean, after the fact, we can say it, but you didn't believe at any point in the past 3 years that we could contend for a championship?

 

I have never believed it, go back and read my predictions, I thought they would be a playoff team but were missing pieces to be a championship contender.

This year.....I think they ARE a championship contender...

Doesn't mean I didn't root for them and hope I was wrong, but you could just tell they were lacking something compared to the top teams....once we got Tmac the team was GUTTED and it took until now to get talent around him and Yao....

JVG did not help by trading away assets for old scrubs either......

DD

 

Turned the season around when he and Jimmy J got traded for David Wesley. That was a fun year. Ended too soon, but it was a good season with Sura, Barry, Wesley and crew having one last hoorah in their career.

Last season, won 50+ games despite injury, had and blew a lead in the 4th quarter of game 7. Would Boki be the differene maker? Doubt it.

Guys like Boki are dime a dozen. You can find a Boki-level player in free agency the MLE or less every year. Why raise the chicken yourself when you can to to KFC?

 

You really think there are a lot of guys that can shoot 40% 3pters and slash to the rim like Boki in the NBA?

I mean there are some, but you imply there are a lot.....like who? (Go ahead and type it in in Chinese please)

He compliments Yao and Tmac's game so well with this slashing style, I don't see that in many players these days.

DD

 

It's asinine to give up on trying to win whenever you don't realistically think you are "championship level." Otherwise, there would be 20+ teams tanking for high picks and giving minutes to Boki-type players to "develop" them. And the game would suck.

 

You don't give up, did San Antonio give up when they started a 19 year old PG from France?

Or a 25 year old SF from Argentina?


Nope, Pop knew they would be better EVENTUALLY....it is how you BUILD a champion.

Got to be realistic and take the long view...IMO

DD

 

If I need a Forward who can spot up for 3's and not much else I go for Nachbar.

If I need a Guard who can do the same I go for Head.

As for defense, Nachbar is abysmal and Head is not much better - so it is wash.

Both of these guys take just over half their shots from three point range - you can try to make them into something they're not based on a highlight video, but when you're talking about role players who have the same role, who do it about the same way...

 

Mike James can. Mo Peterson can. Anthony Parker can. Nachbar is nothing special.

 

Not apples to apples, none of those guys finish above the rim like Boki or slash and cut as hard as he does.

In fact they don't even compare in style at all.....try again, and please do it in Chinese for us, to show the board that you are fluent in Chinese like you said you were.

Unless of course you were just making it up ala New Yorker.....

DD

 

Who cares if they have the same style?

Each of these guys is arguably better than Nachbar. If Nachbar is indeed that special, he would been locked up to a longer contract for a lot more money by now.

 

Wait, you said, that Bokis are a dime a dozen then come up with players that are not even close to similar......uh...what?

Maybe we can get him back when his contract is up, as he fits Adelman's system to a Tee....

Way to avoid the Chinese typing question......I guess you were just joshing, huh?

DD

 

Few people play like Ryan Bowen, and Rybo is dime a dozen.

Few players play like Earl Boykens or have his size. Boykens is dime a dozen and don't have a job.

Few players play like Stro Swift with his level of atheleticism (and lack of bball IQ) and he's a dime a dozen.

Just because your combination of skills isn't all that common, doesn't mean you are actually special on the court or worth anything.

You ask who can slash and shoot 3s, I gave some examples. Now you are adding "above the rim style" to the mix. You can add 6'9'' as a factor or being European as a factor, or whatever... none of this changes his mediocrity.

 

I'm already laughing at this post. Boki is mediocre? What in the world are you basing this on? Last year's game play cause if you are, then you clearly haven't been watching the Nets or following what the press is saying about Boki. Vince Carter just said he was playing the best ball right now for the Nets. C'mon get with the program.

 

And watch him drain 3 after 3 on Rox?

 

You must've loved Kelvin Cato.

 

This points to what a premium shooters are in the league. I hate having to even consider cutting people like Snyder, or Harris, but I'm afraid it is easier to find athletic wing players than shooters. They have to think of the future around Yao and McGrady.