Didn't JVG cut Hayes once? and then got him back. Despite earning MVP honors at the Portsmouth pre-draft camp, Hayes was not selected in the 2005 NBA Draft but was signed by the Houston Rockets prior to the 2005-06 season. Hayes played in several preseason games before being cut. Hayes was then selected sixth in the 2005 NBA Development League Draft by the Albuquerque Thunderbirds.[1] Hayes led the NBA D-League in rebounding with 12.2 a game in his tenure with the Thunderbirds. It took JVG more than 10 minutes, he almost lost him. :grin:
Absolutely, the refs give Chuck high respect. They had the potential to hurt his effectiveness by being too fussy but you can feel they just let him do his thing, unlike Aaron who seems to get no respect from them, Chuck better show AB how to sweet-talk his way into the good side of officials.
I think Chuck actually goes to the refs and says, "This is how this guy is going to make his move, and this is how I'm going to defend him." That's why refs pay close attention when he does the "Chuck Chop" and don't automatically blow a whistle like they'd probably do for many other players who aren't known for making that move.
Those words resound in my mind, you are quoting him, right? I love the "Chuck Chop" , you can see the other player frustrated by not getting his usuall star-treatment.
The team actually had been playing well defence since the hiring of Rick. The problem NOW is there's no Yao and not many players that are even above average on the defensive side in our starting 5, excluding 2. I love that Patterson is finally getting the minutes he deserves even for a rookie. When he plays you sometimes forget it's only his first year. Beast in the making here.
I thought it was a good combo actually have two smart defensive players out there helps the overall team defense so much. Patterson is a very smart player, though a rookie. I am not sure if Patterson has a huge ceiling in terms of he'll be an all-star someday but I can easily see him being a steady rock in a team's starting lineup for several years to come as he gets better. Depending on how the next few weeks plays out with the trade deadline and where this team is heading for the upcoming season I would not be at all upset if Patterson became the starting PF in an effort to help his development. (this would most likely imply that Luis would be traded..which I also feel the Rockets owe it to him and Shane to try to get them on a team that will contend soon if the Rockets plans in the near future involve some sort of rebuilding process)
Nope, but this is what Jonathan Feigen wrote recently: "Unlike teammate and fellow defensive specialist Shane Battier, who pours over data and scouting report, Hayes prefers video study. He does, however, also call out opposing teams' plays, as he did throughout the games against the Bucks and Knicks. He even tells officials where his opponent will turn to shoot and when he will reach to smack the ball like a blacksmith hitting an anvil."
I haven't seen enough of Patterson's post game. The one move he did in the 4th quarter, fake right turn left and shoot, looked very smooth and he nailed the shot. If he develops a reliable post game, Scola is really not needed. I also would like to see more of his shot blocking skill. To early to tell. He is quick and athletic enough. But he seems to be a little too short to be a dominant shot blocker/changer. As clueless as Hill sometimes looks, he is still a good inside presence in term of length.
His height is a problem for shot blocking as of right now. But if he can work on his timing and coming off the weak side to block shots then his size won't matter. Hell, look at Ben Wallace and his shot blocking ability just because of his timing.
Don't want to rain on everyone's parade but... It was the Clipps, w/o Eric Gordon, on a back to back...and their 1 for 19 shooting streak contained a lot of wide open looks...which they missed. Perhaps a larger sample size? Like vs a playoff team (Mavs).
Nobody says these two are world-beaters or that 4th qtr is sustainable. In fact, my guess is the Rockets (or any other NBA team, for that matter) will not have many quarters in which they hold any opponent down to 10 points-- hell, even in the Cavs 57-112 debacle vs. the Lakers they managed to get at least 12 in each of the quarters. However, whatever issues Hayes+Patterson has, they are most likely the best defensive front line this team has right now. Given that Adelman can only play guys on the Rockets roster, these two should probably play more if the team wants to improve its defense. For all the talk about how Jordan Hill has real center height and Patterson doesn't have the length to challenge shots loke a C. Patterson averages 1.6 blks per 36 min while Jordan Hill averages 1.5 blks per 36. And Patterson just seems to make less dumb mistakes even though he has less experience in the NBA.
I would take my chances defensively against the Mavs with Hayes and Patterson rather than any other front-court combination we can throw out there. No parades. No illusions that they are a championship-caliber frontline. Just observing that they are both better individual and team defenders than Scola or Hill, even if they are giving up inches height-wise.
Im pretty sure he was measured at the Draft Combine with a 7' wingspan. That is clearly long enough to have a post game with jump hooks. Im hoping that he develops more power moves around the basket rather than a Scola type of game. His strength is having great physical strength and a polished game at the same time. He clearly knows his role on the team and trys too hard to fit in on offense rather than being aggressive. If he had one flaw that Ive seen so far, its that he is being too passive offensively.
Hayes has improved every year since coming into the league! I don't think just because its a contract year. Bet he improves next year also.
My opinion here is biased, I'll admit, but I will say that I squeal like a teenage girl when they get PT on the court together.
Lets go after Terrence Jones in the draft to make it 3 Kentucky guys since we know for a fact they produce NBA ready players.
Terrence is likely a SF rather than a PF as far as the NBA is concerned. I think of him as sort of a version of Josh Smith if he builds his strength up - though he's doesn't have the same sort of born professional personality that both Chuck and Patrick do.
