Dude comes in last night and blows up New Orleans' interior game, just simply took them out of everything, knocked away numerous post shot attempts, rebounding, taking charges. New Orleans could get nothing in the paint outside of Chris Paul and Tyson putting down those dunks in transition after game was essentially over. Chuck just took them completely out of their half court game. He is going to be so important for us going down the stretch. He has so much value and is really helping bridge the gap of Yao. Name 10 better defenders than Chuck Hayes in the NBA. PREDICTION: When we play the Lakers, Chuck will be a key component in either a victory or loss. If the Lakers try to post up Pao, Hayes is going to destroy him. If the Lakers make Pao a face up shooter from 10-15 feet, he will possibly destroy us unless we can get help on him.
Gotta love the Chuckwagon, he always steps up when we need him the most. Last night, with Landry out, he stepped up big. He is such a great defender. I'm glad we kept him, Adelman has full confidence in Chuck and his role is perfect.
Chuck is an excellent defender and I give him credit for that and great basketball instincts, however, his offense and free throw shooting will be liability in the playoffs against teams that know how to defend. Also, let's remember that David West doesn't know how to play.
Chuck Hayes is the next Air Bullard or Chucky Brown. He won't play major minutes but will have an intensely loyal cult following. Chuck Hayes is the Empire Records of the current Rockets. That said, I am on the Chuckwagon. I love his heart, his demeanor, his free throws. Part of me REALLY wants him to develop offensively (like that hook shot that he threw up last night? Nice!), but part of me is scared that would ruin all that Chuck Hayes is. But all for the Chuckster!
if we turn pau gasol into a 15 ft jump shooter we're in good shape. chuck is quick enough to get out and contest that shot, and still prevent pau from making a quick move to the bucket. as fast as gasol is, chuck should be able to cut that off and pau is either taking the outside shot, or has put the ball on the floor, has to pick it up, and takes a more difficult, rushed shot. i dont know that chuck's active hands will be as effective against gasol in the post as it is against chandler, who really doesn't have a refined post game.
In last night's game, I loved how he was able to repeatedly strip bigger opponents like Tyson Chandler of the ball. I was hopping mad when he cleanly stripped Chris Paul of the ball on a drive late in the game, and Chuck got called for a foul. I tivo-ed it back to double check that it was all ball, and sure enough, Chuck had ALL ball, not even a little contact with Paul's arm or hand. In watching the last couple of games, it seems that we have not gotten the benefit of the calls AT ALL. I wish I knew how to edit a highlight video to show all the blown calls against us, I think it would be eye-opening. Even still, I love how the Rockets just deal with blown calls by moving on, not focusing on the refs' idiocy, and just making buckets at one end and stops at the other.
That's what I've been saying. A lot of people focus on his height and that he is not a shot blocker and incorrectly conclude that he is not a great defender. Things that don't show up in the stats but can be seen when watching the game is that he completely disrupts a team's interior game, stops A LOT of guard penetration BEFORE it gets to the rim and he keeps post players from getting the ball in their comfort zone. I have been saying it for a while now but I think Chuck is the best team defender and individual defender on this team. Scola/Landry at PF is obviously the right combo but don't believe for a second that Chuck won't log significant minutes against any teams we face in the playoffs who have a post presence. I honestly think against teams like Utah and LA his defense against their big guys is what can put us over the top. The great thing here lately is that Adelman has found so many combos that work we no longer have to sacrifice Landry and Scola's minutes to get Chuck some. Throw these three guys out on the floor (or replace one with Battier for more offense) with Tmac and Rafer and you are looking at a team that can score but probably is the best defensive team in the league and most certainly the scrappiest.
Yes he is a poor free throw shooter, but he shoots them so little that it doesnt make that big a difference. Its not like the offense is run through him where they have a lot of chances to foul him.
i think chuck hayes works well but in terms of height, mutombo and scola have to stand in the center position and if not those 2, the rockets have to sign another 10-day contract for whoever's up in the air.
Chuck is great off the bench. It's letting him start and play 30+ minutes was the problem. Undefeated since Scola entered the starting lineup.
I share your love for Chuck, jopatmc. But as I've said before, I actually think Chuck is a better face up defender than post defender. I don't think it's so easy for a 7 footer to just turn and shoot over a guy who's crowding him. Even if that guy is 6 inches shorter. Pau isn't Kobe or T-Mac -- he doesn't have that quick elevation on his jumper. And Pau is going to have a very difficult time trying to drive on Chuck and get off the running hook shot he likes to go to; Chuck's too quick on his feet and too quick with his hands.
if chuck was gifted with the athletic abililty of say....a gerald green, or stromile swift, no doubt he would be an all-star... the guy is all heart and hustle, whats not to love?
We all knew he is one of the best post defenders in the league (credit JVG and Chuck's hard work) Now he is becoming a little better finsihing aorund the hoop and shooting free throws (credit Adelman). Chuck will always have a job in the NBA. He is as tough and smart as they come.
I just don't like going 4 on 5 on offense. I love the 10 to 15 minutes he can give to shut a power forward down. BTW, I met him at Suite Mart on 59. He was looking for jacket and I told him to look in the extra extra long jacket section. Very nice dude
3 point shooting and Tmac will get all the headlines from last night game but, IMO, Chuck Hayes was the catalyst in the second quarter. Hayes pretty much neutralized Tyson and the Hornets front court all by himself.
I agree with you about playing 4 on 5 but he used to be a guy that moved very well without the ball and actually finished pretty well. It looks like his confidence was shot as this season progressed. He started blowing layups and we all know about the free throws. The last few games he looks great out there. Sure, he might only give 4 or 6 points but when he does it on 3 shots it is not so bad. I think now that Battier is giving us some buckets and Rafer is becoming quite efficient and Tmac is going to the rim we don't need Chuck to score. Early in the season Shane and Rafer couldn't hit the broad side of a barn so it really exposed Chuck's inability to score. We were literally playing 2 on 5 offensively for a while.
