I didn't get a chance to watch the last matchup with the Cavs on the road. Are they head and shoulders better than our current squad? What did you gather in that last meeting?
I remember Rafer had a great game but it also was his first game back from that 5 game injury. YAO pretty much played 10 minutes the whole game. They called 4 fouls on him in 5 minutes. Game plan this game, give it to YAO.
i've been saying this since the trade. he will take the starting role from brooks in due time. i predict the middle of next season. some people might think i'm crazy but all lowry needs right now to be an elite point guard is an outside shot. he is on the right team with yao ming to give him ample space and the opportunity to play off someone good in the low post. he's got shooters for his drive and kick game. he is 22 years old and shows so much composure on the court and showing signs that he is able to control his speed in knowing when to attack and when to be aggressive. he may not be as quick as brooks. but he isn't far behind. with his thick body type, he can straight up bully some people when he gets that separation on the his first step....this kid is just a smart player that does what it takes to win. he gets after it on defense, helps out with rebounds, pick guys up on the pick n roll and even tries to block shots on the weakside. that's really what gets me excited because the guy is willing to mix in the intangibles which goes a long way knowing he's in it only to win. give it another 10-15 games and i think alot of people here that initially dogged the trade will come around.
As far as his defense is concerned, i've been pretty impressed by it. He guards his man much like Artest does.....staying close and constantly having a forearm out to "check" his man and of course going over the top of picks. I'm glad we have some solid defense weapons on this team. Guys like Battier, Artest, Hayes and now Lowry can effectively lock down 1-4 throughout games. Correct?
Unless of course the refs make ridiculous calls against Yao again (which is likely). I was wondering based on your observations of the last matchup, how do the Rockets compare with the Cavs even with Yao in foul trouble?
It kind of sucks that this trade wasn't made at the beginning of the season. Really all Lowry needs right now is more practice with the team. The PG of the Adelman offense doesn't need to be the "playmaker". So his skill-set is definitely more useful for us than Alston.
It kind of sucks that this Lowry wasn't involved in the Rudy Gay/Stromile Swift - Battier trade. Don't know how the #s stack up, but I was saying that if, with the Grizz's 24th pick (that turned into Lowry) we could have had him, it would have made the trade much more palatable...especially since the Rockets were apparently really high on him pre-draft
you r an expert.I am agree with you.LBJ is an all-round player who has absolute ability, it is very difficult to defend him.so it is the key that how make MO WILLIAMS and others at exterior lines frozen .we expect LOWRY or AB will make some surprise to us.
That's why trades are easier to pull of at the trade deadline. Teams are hesitant to give up their assets until they can see what they're team is capable of.
It's really hard to say. This team has a completely different makeup and attitude right now. It would be hard to compare the two. Cleveland is one of the leagues best treams though, and we still have a lot of progressing to get to that level.
His atleticism kind of reminds me of Francis. His strength, rebounds, and ability to finish strong around the rim are welcome. I really really like the addition. The only qualm about him that I have at all is that he wont be on his rookie contract for that much longer.
Battier can guard the 2 and 3 spot. Artest can guard 1-4 , but he's definitely better suited guarding 2-3. Lowry can guard 1's and maybe some 2's (not a good matchup for him because of his size). Hayes can guard the 4-5, but obviously 5's are a stretch for him.
I enjoy watching the up-tempo style of game when he's in the game when Yao sits. No knock on Yao at all. The team's success hinges on him, but it's just fun to watch the team run around when he's resting.
The Grizzlies weren't inclined to trade Lowry back then. In fact, he was given the starting slot when Conley was struggling. Conley's emergence made him expendable.
They have to help out AB big time when Williams gets into the paint. He's a guy you can't let get going. He's a tough match-up because you can't rotate under screens , nor do you want to go around them (allowing him to get to the basket). I'd just play him rough. Knock him down in the lane,ect... Rotation is the key on the perimiter. Wally and those guys are mostly stand still jump shooters. Make them put the ball on the court.
That said, how do you anticipate our Current squad matching up with the Cavs in comparison to the previous squad in Cleveland earlier this year?
I don't know much about Lowry specifically as a player, admittedly, as I was never even a casual Grizz viewer.. but I can attest to the huge impact he has had on this team. A youthful creative point-guard who is a hardworker will complement Aaron perfectly. There is no loss of athleticism or intensity when Brooks goes out of the game. You can tell that our revamped back-court has reenergized the team big time. It is such an unusual feeling to have a decent confidence level when your pointguard has the ball in his hands at the end of close games. This new Rockets team has me jazzed. Also, on another note, I have heard a lot of criticism of Lowry's outside shot. Although he doesn't use it very often, he actually has a decent stroke from about 15-18 feet. He seems to be a good dribble-stop-shoot instead of a spot-up, but I'll take that.
