http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2008/01/rockets_chat_read_todays_trans.html Says James has a good attitude even if not playing. T-Mac trade rumors are ridiculous. Francis is back at practice but not playing. Rockets trying to get him well first. Doesn't think Novak should have played in the Forth Qtr in the Utah game. Likes are rookies but still says Hayes is invaluable defensively. Says Scola will eventually supplant Hayes.
Thanks for the link. I don't like the fact RA isn't more like JVG at times like his voice being dominant in practices. It's just my personal opinion, i love coaches in any sports who show emotion a lot, challenge calls, get sent off the court, back up their players etc. RA shows emotion sometimes, he challenges a lot of calls but imo could do a lot better, especially after they win a game. I've never seen him jump, run up and down the court or something to show he's happy with a win. He represents the emotionless character of the home-court fans and the teams emotions overall. I loved how Rudy T reacted to tough wins, running down to hug the player(s) like Maxwell when they went 22-1 etc.
Spacemoth: Can you specify exactly why the Rockets have been shooting so many jump shots and 3-pointers? It does not seem like other teams have this problem. Jonathan_Feigen: Most teams have this problem. With defenses allowed to use zone techniques, they will force poor shooting teams to make perimeter shots. The Rockets began the season shooting horribly from the perimeter. They are 24th in 3-point shooting accuracy. Teams will take away drives and surround Yao, giving up perimeter shots until the Rockets make them change. Right there, Feigan nailed it on the head. This is the cause of the Rockets woes. If we can get one or two sharpshooters to open up the lane, then our other players can penetrate or make the pass into Yao.
Adelman has to give Novak minutes until his shooting percentages fall. I don't care how bad he is defensively if he is going to hit over 60% of his 3s.
Coincidently, I think this is also the reason for the collapse of the Miami Heat. Once they traded Kapono, Posey and Walker, they tanked. But actually Kapono was the biggest factor. The guy was hitting 50% of his three pointers. Now all opposing teams have to do is defend the paint and force the Heat to make thier 3 ptrs. Shaq's numbers are way down but I think this is mostly because defenses don't have to worry about the three point line anymore. Oh and Smush Parker sucks.
Also because there is no three pt thread anymore, opposing teams are doubling Shaq and the second guy is assigned to strip the ball from Shaq. Consequently, Shaq is turning the ball over more now. Sound familiar?
Did you watch the Utah 4th quarter? I agree that Steve should get spot/situational minutes...but until he learns how to play defense he is still a liability if he plays for more than 10 minutes a game
If Novak can hit 60% of his treys, he should play no matter what. But are we talking about career stats? He is not a 60% 3p shooter, that person is not born yet. On Sunday he hit 60% in a short stretch and brought us back , but it was a gamble on Adelman's part to keep him on in the 4th. I would have either put Hayes or Landry in and stick Battier on Krover. We lost interior defense and parameter d because of Novak.
Novak is good to come in for an offensive boost now and then but ya gotta play him like Popovich played Steve Kerr.
It doesn't matter if he is shooting 95% from three land if opposing defenses (like Utah) figure him out and don't let him even catch the ball behind the line. He got 10 points because the Jazz didn't know who the hell he was. Once they figured out he could kill them from behind the line they shut him down cold but RA left him anyway and we paid for it.
I agree that getting an open shot was the problem after Utah realized that we actually didn't have him there as a decoy. I think he'd be better to play with Tmac and Yao since they'd draw the defense and both are likely to pass (esp. Yao) for an open 3.... plus Yao's defense would be more likely to help cover novak's deficiencies...
I disagree on this point. If anything, Novak's deficiencies will hurt Yao. Yao is slow footed...and he isn't very good at blocking shots when people beat their man and drive it to the hoop. In fact, in those situations, he usually fouls them b/c he isn't fast enough to set his feet and draw the charge or stand straight up and down with his feet planted to alter the shot without fouling. Yao is a good one-on-one defender and gets blocks that way. He gets into foul trouble when guards and sf's drive to the hoop
Give me a Z...give me an O...give me a N...give me an E...... What does that spell? Time for Novak !! DD
On Novak: I don't care how good he is shooting -- if we're going to be giving up scores on 13 straight possessions at crunch time because he's on the floor, it cannot work. That makes us the Memphis Grizzlies, not championship contenders. The Grizzlies have tons of players who can score at high percentages, from Miller to Navarro to Gasol to Gay to Stoudamire. They lose every stinking night to everybody because none of those guys can defend worth a lick. Novak is great for spot duty, temporary change of pace, single-possession late game situations, etc. But until he gets his defensive act together, I don't want to ever see him string more than 5 minutes together again.
