Because the other players weren’t moving their feet either. The weak side defense had been as bad as dog do-do until the last 5 games. Tucker and Luc looked terrible in the first month last year joining the new team. Melo is not the only weakside defender!! As I posted the Rockets are top 5 defense in the last 5 games.....Melo has played in four of them. Your argument doesn’t hold water. That’s fine that he is gone. But the same ugly question comes up....can Harden coexist with a 3rd star? Ty Lawson couldn’t just be a spot up shooter......Melo didn’t want to be just a spot up shooter. Is Harden going to go cold while giving up USG% to CP3 and a 3rd star?
You are implying that Gary Clark has always been in the right place on defense from game 1. I call BS. James Ennis admitted he needed to view the defense while he was out due to injury to see what he was doing wrong. Has been better since taking that leave. Gary Clark was averaging about 7 mins a game until after the Brooklyn game.....also about the time the entire team got their act together (including Melo) defensively. Again Melo was part of the team that has been top 5 defensively in the NBA the last 5 games.
I agree. Thought he'd have a lot more types of touches especially after he had that run of 20pt games. He should've got more touches in the post too
He brought an element that Tucker and Gary Clark don’t offer (post ups). Rockets want points at the rim, FT’s and 3’s. Melo post ups gives you FT’s at some points at the rim. I saw Melo pump fake from the post and got his guy on his toes....Melo then drove by him for his first or second dunk of the season. It’s those easy points that can give CP3 and Harden some rest. Now Harden and CP3 have to work hard like last season and will probably break down physically at seasons end. Yes, I’m looking at you CP3.....and maybe your hamstrings Harden. Again I’m not saying Melo is without blame; but there are a lot of players that played bad in the first 8 games. I won’t mention Melo anymore. Just that a lot of players to blame and coaches. Injuries (Harden/Ennis/Nene) and suspensions haven’t help this start of the season. Too easy to blame one guy!! I’m not letting the rest of the Rockets off so easily.
