How do we solve our problems? (aside from trading)

oops? i think i was gone that week. someone send me a link to that discussion and i'll shut up.

 

I noticed this too. Yao seems to have to 'feel' the ball in his hand a moment before he starts his shooting motion, while other players like Malone can just catch and shoot. Definitely something he should work on.

 

For number 2, I wanted to bring up something that Barkley said recently on "Inside the NBA." Many teams, including the Rockets, wait way too long to get the ball inside. While the ball is on the perimeter being moved around, the inside player is bumping around, tiring himself out for position. If we got the ball into Yao as fast as possible, I think he would be able to keep up some of his energy, and allow for the Rockets to have more time to run plays; seeing that he would have to pass out of double teams sooner.

Also, I would like to see Yao shoot more jumpers. I doubt he can get tired from shooting open jumpers. Defenses are used to collapsing on Yao in the post since that is the only place he even trys to score. If he jumps out every once and awhile for an easy jumper, the defense actually has to think and make decisions on whether to guard him. We were killed by Brad Miller with this concept.

 

Hot Rocket has a point. I wouldn't mind seeing more jumpers either, even the occasional three. That aspect of Yao's game is being buried. Hell even Pedrag Drobnjac shoots some threes, give Yao like one a game or something. I am of the mind that JVG has the right idea using Yao primarily in the low post, but the occasional jumper might open things up.

 

I agree with you that the jumpers would change things up. When we talk about Brad Miller we should mention that Cato failed to play defence on him its nothing to do with Yao Ming.

 

Yao can stand right around the free throw line and shoot jumpers that have better likelihood of going in than those horrific fadeaways. However, that's where a point guard comes into play like when Brad Miller got passes when he was open. Can Steve pass to Yao if Steve draws the center near the basket on a drive?

 

Cat has to comeout of the bench w/ MoT on 4 spot and pike on 2 spot.

 

I think Cat is a great guy to come off the bench. Piatkowski is a necessity to improve the overall shooting ability of the starting 5. Jim Jackson is no spot up shooter. He is probably the strongest guard in the league. The guy looks like a body builder. I would like to see him possibly be used as a post up man. Having him stand outside the 3 point line like Eddie Griffin is just ineffective allocation of talent. Jim Jackson should at least tell Van Gundy what he learned with the Kings in his 1 year stint there. Jim Jackson knows this offense can be much better. I actually like how Mo Taylor has been playing this year. The guy is full of energy, and he's been looking smooth going to the basket even though he needs to finish them better. I like a starting lineup of Steve, Piat, JJ, Mo, and Yao. It worked very well in the Sonics game in the 1st half. Even if Piatkowski doesn't shoot, it spaces the floor out for better drives to the basket for Steve.

 

What about tweaking the line-up?

1 - SF
2 - Pike
3 - Boki
4 - MoT
5 - Yao

This starting line-up gives us two good long-range shooters and two good inside players. It should also improve our ball movement and team work.

Bringing Cato, Mobes and JJ off the bench then makes us a pretty strong second unit.

Any takers?

 

true about the second unit, but i don't think boki is ready to be a starter yet

 

The problem with the "more jumpers" theory is that most of the current Rockets can't hit them. We may be the worst shooting team in the league. We have to get the inside shots, get them quick, and make them. Get the ball up the court quickly, run the play quickly, pass quickly, shoot quickly, move quickly, run quickly, think quickly!!! Do something and do it QUICK! We allow opposing defenses to "set up camp" while our guards appear very indecisive. Do it! Run it! Move it! Chop, Chop!

 

Plus, Drive it to the Hole! Drive it in, Drive, Drive, and then Drive again. Draw fouls. Challenge the double teams, draw them away from Ming and then kick it to him, or kick it out, But do it quickly. Both Francis and Mobley are very good at taking it in, but they aren't doing it. Drive, Drive, Drive. Start doing it. Otherwise, bring in a playmaker, which is probably a better idea anyway.