Les Before: "We have the best team ever assembled Les Now "We're going to run forever. We're going to run. ...and we aren't changing our team for anybody." Next Les line: "If we get Royce White, it's over!"
We are looking really good atm. Just one top tier athletic big like Thabeet should put us over the top! NBA Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands Heading into Week 9 Rockets #9 Holy efficiency, James Harden had quite the week. On Monday against the Knicks, he had 28 points on 18 shots. On Wednesday against the Sixers, he had 33 points on 12 shots. On Saturday against the Grizzlies, he had 31 points on 13 shots. The last performance against the Grizzlies was the most impressive. The Grizz have a top defense and a habit of manhandling perimeter players. By working Memphis, Harden showed that he could do it against any competition. Right now, Harden should be an All-Star lock, which is funny considering that his former team hasn't missed a beat since trading him. It looks like Harden found a situation where he could help a team much more than he was helping the Thunder. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...every-team-stands-heading-into-week-9/page/23 8 GS 7 ATL 6 MEM 5 SA 4 NY 3 MIA 2 OKC 1 LAC
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Probably because the Rockets want to play "moneyball" style. Lots of 3s, lots of penetration, less mid-range jumpers, etc. This year's team is a stat geek's wet dream in terms of putting all the efficiency theories into practice. Many teams have already played this way, including the Spurs and the Mavs. So it's hardly new. But the Rockets are running a very extreme version of moneyball style. It's possible that Rockets made the wrong decision, and that Adelman's style would have us even better. But that disconnect was certainly the reason why he left.
I am not the biggest fan of the BR. But that author is really good. Sherwood Strauss. I love his stuff & agree with much of what he is saying.
It kind of bothers me how they're always going on about upgrading the roster. Unless your name is Harden, you must worry about when you're going to be "upgraded." (Though they don't seem too keen to ever trade Parsons.)
I sorta find it refreshingly honest; this organization accepts the realities of the league as it stands now and is honest about it with their players as opposed to spitting out too many platitudes.
"Moneyball style" offense. what does that mean? What you are describing ("Lots of 3s, lots of penetration, less mid-range jumpers, etc.") is one of the ways to play without a star PF or C -- just one of the ways. That is all you are describing. It has nothing to do with Moneyball, anymore than several other systems could. Moneyball isn't an offensive style, it is an asset management style. This is a strange tangent to the thread...let's not debate this. Maybe formulate your thought with more examples and make a NBA Dish thread. I'd like to discuss it more there, rather than derailing this thread.
We are playing 11 (MN), 10 (CHI), 7 (ATL), 5 (SA), and 2 (OKC) in the next week. Put on your seatbelts, we're in for a bumpy ride.
Yeah, it is the reality of the league that trades can happen any time... But I kinda don't like it from a PR perspective. It makes it sound like the players you have are garbage, and you can't wait to get someone better.
Of course someone like even the old man version of Tim Duncan would be ideal, can get super high % shots in half court sets while can defend and rebound at an elite level and thus allow to have a running team around him. Unfortunately he or someone of his caliber is not walking through this door.
and what did the Orlando Magic have to do with fiscal responsibility, aka Moneyball ... We aren't really going to call a Howard, Rashard Lewis, Turkoglu team a "Moneyball Style" offense are we? But please, meh was responding to a comment of mine. I think we are derailing this thread if we continue. I thinking we are off topic, now. Let's start a: "Does a Moneyball Style Offense Exist" thread in the Dish. And continue it there. cheers
Les is a moron who needs to stay the hell out of basketball operations. The best team i have ever seem that a running attack was spearheaded by the best pg of his generation in steve nash with a monster in the low post who could also run. Where did that get them? Looks good when its working but teams like thunder or heat will destroy you. And good lucl doing anything in the playoffs.
I actually don't totally agree with Morey for his "Big 3 plus trash approach". As good as Harden is or the 2nd/3rd stars Morey will bring in might be, they would never be able to "out star" and "out Big 3" Lebron/Wade/Bosh and Durant/Westbrook. IMO actually the best way to even have a slim chance to win in this Lebron/Durant era is to build a more balanced and very deep team like the 2004 Pistons.
