The Rockets must be one of the quickest teams in the league when they run and have this line up: Cato Rogers Anderson Mobley Francis But, the only down side is that these are the only guys with any sort of quicks up and down the floor. Drew is slow, Thomas hustles but isn't that fast, Hakeem hee hee is the perenial snail when it means getting up court on a fast break (but, that has always been the case for his half court game; no real complaints about him), Bullard is pretty slow himself, Williams isn't a speedster himself, Miller is he is still on the team (I don't know) but he's pretty slow. My point is that the rockets have ingredients to become one of the premier fast break team in the league. But, the rockets need to sign or trade for some more speedsters to complement the ones that they already have. Trade everyone but Thomas, Drew, Cato, Rogers, Anderson, Mobley, and Francis. Thomas won't go for anything but a top five pick in any trade I'd orchistrate.
How about: "If the Rockets would play better defense, they could run more." Running isn't going to increase with more speed, rather more defense.
You mean to tell mean that you don't think that Cato and Rogers make a good 1 and 2 guy's at the big men position. Or that Anderson isn't the Rockets version of the glove. Mobley, well I'll give you that one, he isn't that great defensivley but, well, he is the 2 guy in the scoring for the Rockets. And Francis makes an excellent defender on mostly anyone, well, maybe except Nick van Extell. This team is good defensivley. Cato blocks shots left and right and so does Rogers. Anderson does as good a job as anybody when he plays defense.
HeyPartner, You beat me to it. The best running teams, take flight after the other team misses a shot. Since we have a terrible defense, you have a hard time running, when you are always taking the ball out of bounds after it goes through the net. DaDakota
Vince, I just read your 2nd post. Francis is HORRIBLE at defense. Why is it that every point guard in the league KILLS the Rockets? Right now, there is no commitment on the team to play Defense. Something like 3 out of the last 4 have shot the ball over 50%, you call that GOOD defense. Get real !! Right now the Rockets can not get out and run because they give up WAY to many layups and open jumpers on the defensive end. The only players that play Defense night in and night out lately, are Anderson and Thomas. Until the Rockets make a defensive commitment, they will lose more often then not. DaDakota
Yes DaDakota, The best defensive franchise of the 90's was Chicago. They also happen to have been the best running franchise of the 90's. Jordan's heroics in half court notwithstanding, the Bulls raked up all those rings because of a commitment to defense and the subsequent rewards of easy fastbreak shots. That first Superman, Batman and Rodman year featured arguably the best defense ever (60% 1st team all-Defensive squad). No surprise they had the first 70-win year ever. Just think of Pippen in 1996 being your 3rd best defensive player, and Ron Harper as a 2nd-tier defender. [This message has been edited by heypartner (edited February 26, 2000).]
