To add to that, these guys have families who they want some stability for. How would it feel to go from a community like Milwaukee for example, to a place like New Jersey? Imagine the differences that your children would have to cope with, and imagine how that might affect your family as a whole. Sure they could leave their family there, but then what would happen? They would just see them once a year. For a guy like Ariza who just bought his first home in Houston, being traded would possibly mean having to go live in a rented house, having to finance a new home, or having to sell his current one. These trades have very real repercussions for these players. People should realize and respect that more.
IF HF starts a thread, you know it will deliver. Great points that never occurred to me but I totally agree. I also think the other points mentioned - mid-season fatigue and better scouting reports are definitely culprits. But knowing you could be moving in a few months must be weighing on everyone's minds. And it's not because guys aren't meeting expectations, it's actually because they are exceeding them to the point that they can net someone better for the team.
In all honesty, I'm suprised they've done this well this long. If i were playing the rockets, i would trap brooks early, front luis,play half step off shane and trevor and wouldn't guard hayes. When they make subs, i would sag off lowry, front landry and play chase straight up. The rockets are a easy team to defend no matter what offense they have. If teams start fronting scola, this team will be in the can in the opening quarter. If they soft trap brooks early, they will be in trouble. I'm really surpised it hasn't happened, but as the season roles and teams start jokeying for playoffs, look for them to attack the most effective offensive players on this team. On defense, teams know they just need to dribble penetrate and thy will get layups. Its not that hard and its not a grand scheme either.
Agree, the team is a bunch of hardworking guys that have played with intensity from the outset and now its finally caught up to them (their physically and mentally fatigued), then add the fact that oppossing teams have finally figured them out. I would attack them defensively the same way you describe Lee, plus attack the rockets goal with no true shotblocker or real size to defend it.
Why can't we all just get along.....it falling apart. What's happening???????!!!!!! <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/suInelSRd1U&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/suInelSRd1U&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> To be serious though, what you said makes sense. Everyone is a bit nervous about the Tmac situation. I look forward to seeing Tmac finally get to play somewhere and the situation to end here.
I think the real reason for the decline is because they're tired. Adelman needs to cut back some of their minutes. They aren't used to playing that many minutes especially at the speed they've been playing.
When your team is short .. on talent and relies on effort, you are gong to be subject to mental and physical lapses. And we don't have any player (or players) that can keep you in a game with superior skills when that happens. Usually that player would be a Center controlling the paint or a SG that is getting his own shots and making a high percentage. Bring your lunch pail men. This season will be a lot of work.
I was thinking the same exact thing but didn't have the patience to make a thread. Good job! How do we fix this problem? I have an idea: replace Tmac with Ariza in the starting line up. Have ariza come off the bench. After the season is over trade him for maybe some one of the big free agents. Our most probable option is to buy tmac out and release him and get nothing out of the situation. i'd rather go with the first idea.
I agree 100% with Haysfan that the inevitability of a trade is causing chemistry problems. In fact, this topic has been on my mind for the last couple of weeks--as I noticed Landry's LOE start to wane. Thanks for starting a thread for discussion. Usually, trades are a surprise to the players. Player know it could happen, but don't worry about it. With the Tmac distraction, its like everyone's jersey says, "If you order right now, you could get me as a bonus!", instead of "ROCKETS" and that is causing distractions. Also, from personal experience, when my company started announcing the potential for layoffs about a year ago, I was very surprised to find out how difficult it was for me to concentrate on my projects. This is despite knowing that, in only 6 months time, I was recognized as one of the best in my field at a company with several thousand employees. So, I went to management and asked them to be honest with me as to my future. I told them that I loved this company and don't want to leave, but I do have several other job offers (which was the truth) on the table. Also, that I would not be upset about moving on if I was not really in the company future plans. However, management assured me the layoffs did not apply to me. Needless to say, this reassurance made a world of difference for my psyche and I was able to immediately get refocused on my projects. Surprisingly, a few months later, they presented me with a retention bonus plan tied to me staying at least 3 to 4 years-- just to let me know that it was not just "hot air" on their part. I was not going to turn it down, but all I really wanted was the assurance that if i kept working hard, they my job was secure. I bring this personal experience up not to brag, but to point out no matter how productive you are considered at what you do, it is human nature to lose focus if you are thinking that there is a pending shakeup ahead in your career. Our players may be millionaires, but they still are human beings with feelings like us. The sooner T-Mac is dealt, the better for all of us. Unfortunately for us, the garbage truck will not be making its next round until Feb. 18th.
to continue my point: no team is going to trade any player of value for Tmac without a show case of how he can play currently. It's hurting Tmac's valuation because the Rockets are not playing him, which is ultimately hurting us because we will get nothing out of Tmac if it continues.
I'm glad this topic has it's own thread and I'm glad so many can see the mental fatigue from the stress of not knowing if you'll be around. I know it's already been mentioned but I also believe the problems began around the time of this last "slump" (if you call it that) that DM made the comment that essentially no one on the team was "untouchable". Imagine, you start the year as the underdog but you believe in your team and you start showing the basketball loving world that a good team of second rounders and smart veterans, working as a team, can compete with anyone. You begin to believe that you can do it as a team. That you don't need a superstar to get to the playoffs. Then the GM comes out and says that in the pursuit of a championship no one on the team (yourself included) is safe. In other words you are told (at least it is implied) that a team of hard working, smart, team basketball playing role players isn't good enough and indeed even your boss is ready to trade in pieces of this verifiably exciting brand of underdog basketball for a superstar (or superstar in waiting). It was already hard enough to win but then you are told (in a sense) that there is no Santa Clause. That your TEAM (with no "I") isn't good enough. Add to this stress the fact that your contributions to the TEAM may actually earn you a ticket off of the team you have played a major role in defining this season. With the exception of Brian Cook or JT I don't think anyone on this team wouldn't feel rightfully worried that they might be moved because they have all been valued contributors to the good that this team has done. I also have great faith in DM and RA and I don't have any doubt that whatever happens with this team we'll make the playoffs and scare the hell out of (or beat) whoever we face. J
Rocketman, your personal experience sounded like you were job scared. Pro players with guaranteed jack should never be job scared. In fact, when youre good at what u do and you know it, you know you're going to be good and actually audition better. Look at boozer,dalembert,amare and guys like that and how well they're playing.When i used to contract with halliburton, i knew i was very good at my job. I could do it all from planning to the actual work and everything. We would work jobs till completion and move on. I knew we would be gone, but i also knew alot of companies wanted me and other project managers wanted me. When i finished a project, i knew someone would call me soon. It didnt matter nor did it bother me. Like John Hinrich Clarke once said,"stategy is like a orange, once the juice is gone, throw it in the trash and get another one." Thats what a team or job is like and once a company deem you replacable, they will throw u in the trash and get another.
Even when TMac doesn't play he still has the ability to ruin our team. Totally buy the theory. We need to just get rid of the guy.
Auditioning is not the same as playing as a team. These guys are not playing for a new contract.. they are trying to build a team within a certain structure. That structure depends on players performing within a system. However, if you know you are possibly going to be sent out of the system it's a lot more difficult to put focus into making it work. That's the problem here. Not that they are job scared.
I mentioned about this during the TMac drama. The prospect of being traded with TMac has to be a distraction. Another possibility is this: Perhaps during TMac's drama, they players were trying their best to prove that either (1) they didn't really need TMac to win, or (2) they couln handle the distraction if they pulled together as a team. Now that the "adversity" has ended, they lost the mental motivation to play as a unified group.
Personaly, I feel we have been doing good job as our record shows. True, we struggled latly. Part of reasons is our defense, however, it takes more on the other teams. If you look around west confs, teams are matching our intensity, they play hard like we did. Talent wise, we have no advantages whatsoever.