The question is how can you consider all of those guys quality depth? With the exception of James, Battier and Mutombo they are either unproven potential or just unskilled filler.
In all seriousness, I've missed it. Where are the indications? I've been looking for some recent news on his condition, but haven't found anything.
This is exactly right. Let looks at the 4s for the teams that finished a head of the Rockets: Dal: Dirk or Howard Phx: Diaw or Marion SA: Horry or Bonner (they have no NBA centers other than Duncan left) LAL: Odom LAC: Brand Mem: Gasol, Swift or Warrick Uta: AK47 or Boozer Den: Kmart Sac: KT or SAR NO: West Sea:Wilcox, Collison or Lewis EC Mia: Haslem or Walker Det: Sheed Clv: Gooden or Marshall Ind: J Oneal (though he plays above 50% of his minutes at C) Chi: PJ Brown or Thomas NJN: Krstic Was: Jamison Mil: Villanueva or Joe Smith Phil: Webber Orl: Howard Bos: Al Jefferson For the vast majority of these players Battier is the better defensive player to put on him than Ja Howard. Offensively, I think almost always our best team will have Battier in at the 4 as well. For the few teams where we run into a power 4 where Battier would be overpowered (Clips, Orlando, Ind, Phil), then we can start the game big with Ja Howard at the 4, with Battier and Tmac taking the 2 and 3 or 3 and 2. But the regular Rocket line-up should have Battier at the 4, with Howard getting minutes backing up the 4 and 5. This lineup will also keep both Ja Howard and Deke (reduced C minutes) fresh for the stretch run.
I agree that a team with James and Battier isn't nearly deep enough to make a serious playoff run. The teams ahead of us are absolutely stacked with great players and athletes. Our best chance is for TMac to come back at the level he was at two-three years ago and for Yao to break through into freak of nature territory. Otherwise, we still are not close to being an elite team. As for McGrady's hair, I'm all for a nice gheri curl with Soul-Glo. Look at how Prince/Chappelle dominated with it.
Really? Perhaps you should go back and watch the game films when Horry was our starting 4 when we won our 2nd championship. I would not call him a "traditional" PF at all and I believe he has quite a few rings now. We need a four that can shoot to create space for Yao to operate. It would be great if he could play some D as well, but say what you will about him, JVG has very good defensive schemes so I would put a premium on shooting. Don't get me wrong, I don't want a stiff out there that plays no D, but we need shooting. We lost too many games last years because the satellite players around Yao couldn't hit a shot.
I'm nitpicking, but none of the above players are their teams primary 4 (with a healthy roster). So if Battier is the 4, McGrady would be guarding them. (Excepting Krstic who plays the 5.) I will readily admit that I don't know how Milwaukee plans to use Villanueva.
I agree. Yao is a great player, but not quick. Maybe we think we are better with a defensively quick and offensively well shooting team around him, as Battier and Tmac rounding out the front line provides, than providing a less mobile guy or shorter range guy with more typical power forward girth. A front line of Yao, Battier and Tmac puts so much pressure on the other team. Now a team can't sheat off the 4 to help when the Rockets have the ball. Further, much of the speed advantages Dallas and Phx has sliced a diced the Rockets with is gone. I think it plays much to the Rockets strength--emphazing that nobody can handle Yao or Tmac without help, while also reducing our major weakness (athleticism and lateral quickness across the line-up). But we do need a better backcourt to pull this off, and Mike James is the 1st and most important piece. I agree some of those players are not primarily 4s (though Walker and Marion are primarly 4s), but all of them get used some as 4s. My main point is more and more teams are using more athletic 3/4 tweeners as 4s and Battier is the better match-up than Howard or Swift. The power 4s that once terrorized the West Conference and who you had to match-up with are almost all gone in that capacity (Malone, Duncan, Webber, KG, Sheed, McDyess). Brand is about the only one left in the WC who still will play primarily at the 4 spot and is in that power low post mold. I say Battier pretty much starts at the 4 througout the playoffs except if we play the Clips, and then it is nice to have Ja Howard as an alternative (slide Battier and Tmac down to the swingmen positions).
Horry could defend the 4 spot tho. Athletic enough to defend on the perimeter and long enough to defend the post. Battier is at least 2 inches shorter than Horry, and not nearly as athletic as Horry was in Rocket's championship years.
Battier is actually 1 inch shorter. Horry is 6-10 but listed in shoes. Battier is 6-8 but listed barefoot. Battier is actually 6-9 in shoes, so it's really a 1 inch difference.
I apologize for apparently being the only member that actually goes by draft measurements rather than player profile listings. I guess I will NEVER bring it up again, or that SOME players choose a barefoot listing because it pisses off some people. We cannot have info like well Battier is actually a bit bigger than people think which might help him at PF, no that's out of line.
BTW Here you go, so roll your eyes all you want. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/alexander_wolff/news/2001/06/20/hoop_life/ And YES for about the 20th time, the NBA allows players to choose whether they want to be listed in shoes or without shoes.
you guys are really kidding yourselves with this ****. our starting line-up so far is complete ****! i love the rockets as much as the next fan in here, but battier at the 4 is not gonna work at all. who in the hell is gonna guard pau gasol, marion, duncan, and dirk in the post? battier cant phuc with either of those players at the four, and they are gonna have a field day with battier at the 4. juwon howard is bad, but he has a better chance of guarding the 4 spot than shane does. If james picks another team over the rockets; the rockets have no one to blame but themselves. we had james last season!!!!!!!!!!!!! then traded him. now all of a sudden houston wants him back!!!!!!!!! i would'nt blame mj one bit if he signed with our rivals. that will show the rockets not to mess over players that has stayed loyal to their organization. i looked at channel 2 news sports sunday, and even t-mac said it himself, that the rockets need another peice to the team in order to make noise in the post season. t-mac knows that this team needs more than just battier. i have faith in cd and les, but things are looking like crap right now in the rockets off season.
I agree that the NBA has less defined positions than ever before. However, I don't think Battier can start at the 4 becuase he's not much of a rebounder.
And here's Battier's actual draft combine results 6-9 225 But then again the board seems convinced Novak is 6-10 220 even though he came in at at 6-9 216. So again please exacuse me for pointing out these things out, it has been noted and I will stop aggravating people with such behavior. http://www.nbadraft.net/2001.htm
