The rule changes will finally force the Rockets to pass the ball. I hate the current isolation game. I think that it is boring. I think that it encourages the team to sit around waiting for the illegal defense, to dribble the ball incesantly (sp?) and then to take dumb shots when the clock is running out, and to complain when they don't get fouled after they have taken this tremendously stupid shot. Moreover, I am glad the Rockets will have to push the ball up instead of taking the full 10 seconds to bring the ball up as they do now. You bet these rules were created with the Rockets in mind. The Rockets play dumb, boring basketball. Hopefully Rudy T. will learn to adapt.
Zone Defense is no silver bullet. It won't immediately turn dumb, boring basketball into intelligent, exciting basketball. Its naive to think zone is a silver bullet.
Tod, Explain something to me...if the rules were created with the "Rockets in mind", that means "Rudy learned to adapt" very well to exploiting the previous rules. 2 rings and a very fast rebuild, no? Tell me what he wasn't able to adapt to under the previous rules. And also, the new rules are meant to stop the 2 man game of Utah, as well, which you always praise.
So, the "current isolation game" encourages the team "to complain when they don't get fouled after they have taken this tremendously stupid shot". I think I've heard it all now. The team will definitely be "pushing the ball up" now with those 2 extra seconds.
I, for one, am excited. If I ever have to watch the local Jazz play, I won't have to watch Sloan yell "illegal" 20x in a fetching game. The next time I watch the Rockets, I won't have to see 4 players on the weakside pointing at their opponent's feet like a bunch of ****ing r****ds. The rules were ****ing lame, and Rudy took the most extreme position given the rules. Bravo for him... but had he not set the guidelines for all of the other Rudy worshipping coaches, perhaps these rules changes wouldn't have become necessary. I for one, am stoked, and I think we all are... actually. We all love it when teams are passing it around, or when a college team gets a backdoor layup from beating the zone b/c it's fun! Watching Moochie, Cuttino or Steve handle the ball for longer than 8 seconds is not as fun. I expect Francis will learn to shoot the ball better in transition, Cato to stay in Houston and the Rockets to finally be able to beat the Jazz. This rocks!!! ------------------ ballerina, you must have seen her... dancing in the sand
This rocks if you want to give the teams with superstar centers an unfair advantage. in my opinion, this widens the gap between superstar center haves and have-nots. And don't give me the bunk about it will make it easier to guard Shaq...cause it will make it much easier for Shaq to guard you. Tell me how this change doesn't cause a net advantage to the defenses with superstar centers, the ones who can still score with easy-to-reproduce goto moves against any defense.
That's where alot of people are mistaken about implementing zones into the league. If you think these new rules will create a college atmosphere type of game you are sadly mistaken.... ------------------
heypartner-Superstar defensive centers are coming out in bundles. Ken Johnson, Alvin Jones, Loren Woods, Brendan Haywood, Steven Hunter, Samuel Dalembert, Desagana Diop. All but Dalembert and Diop have formally declared for the draft, and those 2 are likely. Every last one of them is 6'11'' or better, and likely to be drafted as an NBA center. Every one of them is noted for their defensive skills, and that list doesn't include 7'6'' Yao Ming, or Eddy "Don't call me Baby Shaq" Curry. Shotblocking specialists are all over the league. Maybe I'm confused by your statement. Don't you mean superstar offensive centers? Those do not exist very much anymore. After Shaq is gone, all that's left will be Zo. Zo, Hakeem, Shaq, Vlade, and Robinson are the only good offensive centers left. Dr. Jack claims most teams will still play man-to-man. Yeah, uh, right. I personally was hoping if they created this, that they would go to the internationally used trapezoidal lane. At least open up the lane for penetration. ------------------ "That's been a lifelong dream of mine." -Vince Carter, after laying it in on a breakaway, much to the Vancouver crowd's displeasure.
I have always hated the constant dribbling of isolation offenses. The thing is, if it helps them win, then I don't mind it. I am worried that these new rules will screw the Rockets so completely that it will take another year for them to develop some decent chemistry. I am all for player and ball movement. ------------------ Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon is the greatest player in the history of basketball. If you disagree, you are not a Rocket fan.
NIKE, I mean NBA superstar centers! just like I said. Other than Mutombo (and even still), name me one "superstar" center in the last 30 yrs who was known only for defense. Are you saying all those guys are as good as Mutombo? Forget superstar or comparing to Mutombo, are any of those college center even in the top 5 calibre defensive centers considering: Mutombo, Mourning, Duncan, Robinson, Shaq (yes Shaq), Ratliff and add to this list of best defenders with zone...7'6 Shawn Bradley. How many superstar centers are you really going to predict there NIKE? Brad Daugherty, Sam Bowie, Olawakandi, Joe Smith, need I continue.... We are mentioning college stars as NBA superstar centers....come on. Oh, and if you intend to shorten by defensive list above by propping up your college draft against aging superstars, THAT IS MY WHOLE POINT!!! lack of superstar centers.
heyp, this is just a matter of haves and have nots. The championship teams other than Jordan usually have had the best Centers anyway. Shaq is certainly not going to be much stronger offensively. That's silly. Noone's forcing teams to now give him better opportunities, which the stupid illegal defense rule did. He might be mildly stronger defensively... but I seriously doubt it. He can't stay in the lane longer than 3 seconds right? Besides, if he doesn't get pulled out by the Center now... then Jason Collier or Dream just shoot the 15'er. Robert Horry and Horace Grant aren't going to stop Dream. When Dream retires and Shaq's camping strong side, a few passes to Matt or a weakside alley oop to Cato, blah blah blah. I just don't see how this is going to drastically strengthen the Center spot. It's going to strengthen smart coaches. If you get the ball moving and have people that can distribute and shoot... there's no problem. Shaq can't stop a billion pick and rolls, he can just stop a stupid clear out. So be it. The team will punish Shaq next year in the same way they'll punish him this year... a Center that can shoot the outside shot. If Phil elected to not stop that shot this year we'd laugh at him, we'll do the same thing next year. ------------------ ballerina, you must have seen her... dancing in the sand
Anyone who thinks that zones are going to make the game more exciting are going to be surprised. It will be nothing like the college game - defenders in the NBA are on at least twice as good as their college counterparts - the zone will be suffocating. As for those of you who are sick of seeing guys camped around the 3 point line, bad luck - it will be just as prevalent with zone defense. If a team can break down the zone and penetrate, the defense will collapse, clogging up the lane and preventing any easy short range shots. The ball will be kicked out for, wait for it, an open 3. I predict we will see at least a 30% increase in the number of 3 point attempts next year. Matt Bullards stock just went up. ------------------ ..as a man danced so the drums were beaten for him. Current Rocket's Salary & Contract Info
Achebe, this are few college offenses ever designed to execute 'smart ball' in 24 seconds. You are ignoring a huge difference in the shot clock. The only college systems designed to consistantly score within 24 seconds are Nolen Richardson's and other 4 out 1's that we are already playing. It is insulting to the all these fantastically smart and athletic players in the league, the GMs who drafted them, and the coaches who started them to say this rules change will cause "smarter" ball. You must answer one question: Is Nolen Richardson smarter and more inventive than Bobby Knight?
Achebe, the other thing is Shaq can most certainly stay in the lane for 3 seconds against any so-called "smart ball" offenses in college. Every single one of them...as an offenses player within arms length of the lane. So what? is the league going to call shaq for 3 seconds because he left "his man" and went to guard another within arms lenght. If so, that is a crock of crock, because zone is all about not guarding a man. Either the 3 second rule means you are within arms length of *any* player (since zones guard areas not players) or it means "illegal defense" just like we currently have.
yeah the 3 second thing is a weird element; I'm not sure what the effect will be of the 24 second clock... actually, I just noticed one other element to all of this, I'm not sure that too many Centers will have their say... will teams shoot earlier? Everybody wants to break, sure... but now there's an even greater incentive to shoot in transition as well as outlet pass right as the double creeps... even if the games have scores in the 75-70 range, I'm not sure too many Centers today could handle the 15 extra possessions from teams that get happy in transition... like I'd expect the Rockets to do. ------------------ ballerina, you must have seen her... dancing in the sand
partner-Exactly. There aren't many truly dominating offensive centers left anymore. The teams with the dominant centers are all at an advantage right now anyhow. I don't think this makes the gap right now much more different. Defensively, Shaq, and his huge body, is pretty good already, same with Zo. It only allows them to relax more on defense, as they won't have to chase anyone as much, and focus on offense, but have a tougher time scoring. The majority of teams will begin to have a pivot man that's reduced to dunks, and the occassional baby hook on offense, but a shot blocker on defense. Many of the college centers' current defenses focus on them as the guy to funnel to already, so they'll have a shorter adjustment period. What happens to the Collier types will be interesting. Will Collier's lack of a shot blocking presence inside hurt him even more, as he'd be the last line of defense? Or will his ability to spread the floor give teams even more trouble? Raef Lafrentz types could be even more valuable-ability to block on defense, and spread the court on offense. The SF position could go under a drastic change with the zone. If you're going with 2-3 or 1-1-3 zone, Having a SF that is long and tall (Langhi or Odom), or a great shotblocker (TMac, Battier), could become of a greater importance than his dribbling skills, or ability to create a shot. davo-Forget Bullard. How about that Langhi! I really don't like the new touch foul thing. It's just asking for Charles Oakley to level Francis or Kobe, or any other guard, and say it was an accident. ------------------ "That's been a lifelong dream of mine." -Vince Carter, after laying it in on a breakaway, much to the Vancouver crowd's displeasure. [This message has been edited by NIKEstrad (edited April 12, 2001).]
NIKE that is my whole point...there are a handful of superstar centers...and Duncan is one of them...Garnet is a superstar off/def big man too. These guys become more rare and more dominant...in a relative net-advantage measurement.
My response to the rule changes... YAWN!! Fact is, these rules do not address the REAL reasons for "stupid", "non-fluid", "boring" basketball: 1. Coaches - Where has all the strategy gone? I've heard coaches use the excuse that they have to simplify the game because the players are so young and underdeveloped. HORSES$#T!! Many of them are just rolling out the ball, funneling the ball to their best scorer, and taking advantage of holes in the illegal defense rules. Remember, EVERY offensive system, set, fundamental was born in the COLLEGE game, not the NBA. That's for those worried about gameplay in the NBA now that zones are allowed. 2. Players - And in terms of all these underveloped, marginally talented players, I say DON'T DRAFT THEM!!! Think about it, Moochie Norris was in the CBA, Cato has ALWAYS been on someone's bench. You want to tell me that Cato is a better player than Moochie, regardless of size?!?! Now someone will say that centers are more essential and valuable than guards. Then don't complain that Cato can't catch a pass, has ZERO offensive game, goes for headfakes, etc. That's why I think the Rocks would be better drafting a SF or swingman, given the talent available this year, than a C. Fact is, outside of Curry and maybe Woods, the other prospects sound like stiffs. I would rather get a more well-rounded player at SF than "potential" at the C. 3. Disappearance of the 15-20 jump shot 4. Disapperance of the secondary break 5. Obviously, the absence of weakside offense 6. Too many 3s!!! 7. Nobody wants to get hit anymore - The new generation of player(The "SportCenter" player) is more concerned with making the shot than maximizing the possession. Consider Adrian Dantley's game. This guy often forced the issue because he understood that making the shot wasn't as important as getting something out of the possession, whether it be making the shot or going to the line. Is it ironic that he played in the high-scoring 70s and 80s, or was he a reflection of that era of play, production over style? ------------------
Sam, I'm talking about the new rule that was approved today. ------------------ ballerina, you must have seen her... dancing in the sand
