YES YES YES YES YES YES First, uptempo doesn't mean that we should run like the Suns, but it does mean that we should push the ball down the floor and we need to pass the ball quicker in the half court ala Jerry Sloan methods. CUT/SLASH make moves quick before the defense sets. Please run the pick and roll at the Elbow with Yoa and T-Mac.
The time wasted by individuals on this board who aren't even Rockets fan is even more mind-boggling. Don't they have an Orlando Magic board? I would try www.piratesofthecaribbean.com.
True blue Rockets fans support the team regardless of which players wear the uniform. There's nothing wrong with being a fair-weather fan or basing your support of a team on the individuals on the roster, the coach, management, etc. As long as one doesn't call himself a "true" fan in this sense. That's hypocrisy, as well.
Who said anything about the team? If you are going to respond to all my posts with "I'm a real Rocket fan, you're not, nan nan boo boo," I got and I don't care. Find something else please.
Fine. If you don't have anything positive to say, why say anything? WE got it and I think I can speak for most when I say that we frankly don't care about how well ex-Rockets are doing. How about finding something new to talk about other than Rocket-bashing? Geez, I criticize the team occasionally when they deserve it, but this constant Wah Wah about the Rockets- please. And to quote my favorite character: "that's all I'm going to saaaay about that."
BTW, I get what you're saying about the hypocrisy- Francis gets criticized for wanting to do his own thing, and McGrady gets a pass. Yes, that is hypocritical. But there is a difference between Francis and McGrady. Francis created problems that McGrady doesn't- namely, turnovers and shot clock management. McGrady's only shortcoming thus far has been the lack of a shooting touch at times. I do think that players can't get to the point where they are openly defying a coach- maybe the difference is that we were winning last year and we aren't this year. That's probably why some are saying McGrady is "right on" in his comments. Personally, I don't think it's a matter of hypocrisy- I just think that fans tend to go with the gut reaction too much. Case in point- I clearly remember that Kenny Smith was HEAVILY, HEAVILY criticized at multiple times throughout his career with the Rockets. For not being able to create off the dribble, for being inconsistent with his point production, for letting Derek Harper manhandle him in the playoffs, etc. I can't tell you how many callers were pushing for Sam Cassell back then. Yet, now, whenever you bring up Kenny's name, it's "heart of a champion" and "clutch shooter." Bottom line- winning/losing=perception.
If the Rockets, players and/or coaches, hope to ever be a running team they need to try practicing the fast break a bit. Hasn't anyone noticed the inability to finish on the break or even usually get a decent shot up even with the numbers? Speeding up the tempo is already happening due to the changing of the guards. Sura and Barrett really push the ball up the floor and make better decisions with the ball which really has the potential to get T-mac and Yao the shots they like before the defense can get set up. I hope to see the Rockets continue to push the ball up quicker and also to become competant at the fast break when the opportunity does arise.
There are two problems with people wanting Tracy to say "screw it" and do his own thing. First, the Rockets aren't losing because of their style of play. They are losing because they are out manned drastically at one position, and counting Tracy as a small foward, they are almost always out manned on the perimeter also. If the team goes up tempo, they will be more fun to watch but they probably won't win anymore games. This team will still have the same problem, getting out muscled hustled. Going up tempo does nothing to solve that problem. And secondly, you take one of the few advantages you go into games with every night, Yao Ming, out of the game. If this team is going to go to Yao, they aren't not going to be uptempo. The Rockets have not been blown out of many of games this year. Their problems revolve around getting Yao to play more consistently, closing out games they should win, and getting pushed around down low. That's it. People look at this Spurs game and point out the unbelievable way they won, but they fail to mention that the Rockets led most of that game. Playing good D and getting Yao involved. As they have done this year, they tried their best to give it away at the end but they had an unbelievable comeback. But they shouldn't have even been in that position given they way they played most of the night.
We also need more finishers on this team. T-Mac is really the only guy we have that can finish effectively. An athletic pf that can rebound, and run the break would be huge to our running game. I'd love to land some of these PF that will be FA next summer (i.e. Swift, Chandler) but we won't have much money to offer them. Maybe trying to find someone through the draft is our best bet.
