Not only do I agree we need to lose the rest of the games this season, but I'd love to have a temporary tanking forum on clutchfans where we keep up with the teams we're competing with for more ping pong balls, as well as follow mock drafts, players declaring elligability for the draft, etc. Nothing but Rockets tanking related info.
I'm hoping that some mystery international player or two will see their stock inexplicably rise so some of the sure-fire players slip to 9, 10, or even 11. All we need are one or two Skitas, and Brandon Roy/Carney/etc could be ours....
I agree that we need to tank. But I know that will not happen because of Yao and the fact that we have too many veterans who won't do that, not to mention that i dont think that van gundy knows the meaning of the word tank. So we'll probably end up picking from 8-12 range and if thats the case it wouldnt be the worst thing in the world because i know shelden williams will last that long and he's definitely worth that pick. Assuming everyone listed by clutch is gone, we should take shelden williams with that pick. If not him definitely Brewer.
The only lottery teams with better records have realistic playoff chances, and we're only 1.5 games out of 6th spot in the lottery. Granted, 6th spot probably won't happen, but there's no reason we can't move up/down a slot or three.
Well, for you pro-tankers, congratulations. Pop the bubbly. Maybe I'm in the minority, but after that Blazers game, I want to go vomit.
i looked at the remaining schedule and if we lose the next game against the warriors then things look pretty bleak for many more wins this season. mostly because theres quite a few teams either playing for the playoffs or playoff positioning.
I do not know what exactly is feeding the Noah frenzy (CBS maybe?) but this lovefest is misplaced. Clutch, have you seen this guy play? And you think he is worthy of a top 23 pick? Has anyone actually bothereed to look beyond the hype around him? This reminds me of the hype Wallace of Syracus recieved following the 1996 final-four. What a bust. Other than shot blocking, how is he better than Ryan Bowen? I would add Pops Mensah on that list first before Noah. Again, Noah should go back to school for at least one year - I will keep saying this until it sinks. It will be a regretable mistake to draft Noah. If we really want a stiff with upside, we already have Malick Badiane who I believe would do better than Noah based on what I have seen so far. Here is a list of big men in college basketball that are better than Noah.... Justin Williams Josh Boone Shelden Williams Shawn James Kenny Adeleke Pops Bonsu Mensah Patrick O'Bryant McRoberts Hansborough Tyler Mbah a Moute To name just a few. I know I missing many more names. Putting Noah's name in the top is flat out ridiculous. There are few there I am passionate about. God forbid we stupidly pick Noah... Check his season stats and you will be amazed. He is not in top 100 in NCAA in the rebounds category. He is not in top 30 in blocked shots. He down not have any news worthy offensive or post move. He does not have a good shot. What does he do that is worthy of being picked in the first round? Poetential? What potential? See for yourselves... NCAA Rebound leaders NCAA BLock Shots leaders
Hey I even forgot to mention that South Carolina rizing star and athletic freak (put into perspective), Renaldo.
Ok so i will kidnap Yao Ming. Who is with me to assist in the task? We will kidnap Yao and will not release him until the end of season. We will call this Rockets Pride. I have a great hide out place too where we can keep the 7 6 monster.
thats really close for just a few games. too bad right now we are at the 11th position. it will come down to the wire i think with this group of teams.
Let's not call it "tanking". Let's call it... "future asset probability management". I love euphamisms when they're not destroying the planet. I haven't caught the last 2 games (thank god), but it seems to me like we are in fact tanking. At least, subliminally. What was Yao's comment earlier about his rebounding #'s not being quite up to snuff due to a lack of effort/enthusiasm? I don't think any team in the history of the league has ever said "alright guys, let's pack it up. all L's from here on out." It's more a wink wink nudge nudge arrangement. And let's face it, if it was good enough for the '96 Spurs, then it's good enough for me. I was 11 the last time we won a championship. Tanking a few games at the end of the season ultimately got the San Antonio 3 rings. At least the Stros are back on TV.
The guy is basically the reincarnation of Camby. He's incredibly long and very athletic. Why do you insist on emphasizing his regular season stats, in his first season getting playing time, and downplaying his incredible tournament performances. Those are the games against really tough competition, with a high intensity level. The kid proved that he can dominate the paint defensively. Great shotblocker. He's very good on the boards, despite his slight frame, mainly by being very quick to the ball. He plays with a ton of heart and fire, and dunks everything he can by the rim. Add the fact that he has shown very impressive IQ and court vision, setting apart from the Swift's of the world. The guy is an obvious top NBA prospect. Length, athleticism, intelligence, fire. No one is going to draft him expecting a 20 10 kind of guy. He fills a role, like Camby, one that is held at a very high premium. Tyson chandler got a $60 million contract for god's sake. Some the guys you listed have more developed scoring abilities, but some of the others on your list are just ridiculous. McRoberts has shown even fewer offensive (and defensive) skills than Noah. Boone is basically a shorter Noah without the basketball IQ and fire. Did Moute even play in the championship game? Here you go listing a guy who got dominated on the biggest possible stage by the player you are bashing. Noah hasn't shown that he can hit jumpers yet, but neither have most of those other guys. Would he be a top 5 pick in stronger drafts? Probably not. But the guy clearly fills a role in the league. The Rockets would be lucky as hell if they managed to pick him. Him and Yao would own the paint for 10 years.
I don't understand how a player like Noah can have a good little stretch of games over a couple weeks and suddenly he's the next big thing. I'm not buying it. If the Rockets had the oppurtunity to draft him and did with even a JJ Reddick on the board, I'd be pissed off. Noah is a backup NBA PF... I asked Zandar.
I disagree - he is not the reincarnation of Camby. If we are basing this comparism on what Camby did on his way out of Umass, it will be a joke to even mention Joakim in the same breath with him. I am almost sure that he will not be half as good as Marcus Camby in NBA (if he comes out this year) - and I am serious. Is this what we want? Lets not let Stro's shortcoming and our struggles this season make us lose sight of rational player evaluation. Joakim is a product of unfortunate hype. Richard Mba a Mouteh is wise enough that he will be going back to UCLA for another year - and he is a freshman for goodness' sake. Joakim did not show any life as a freshman - Richard won PAC 10 rookie of the year award. He has a better upside that Joakim. Josh McRoberts, another freshman is a star in the making. He is wise enough and will hopefully be going back to Duke. His offensive and rebounding skills is better than Joakim. His potential and upside is still better than Joakim. I have followed him long enough since McDonald's All American game to see that he is going to be a special one if he keeps in this upward trend. Do you want to talk about Pops athletically? I don't think so. Players must be evaluated for what they have done in the college career or a full season. We have seen NCAA tournament wonderkids before; Kalid El Amin, Miles Simon, Dontae Jones, Ron Mercer, Wallace of Syracus, Marcus fizer, amd many others who did well in the tourney. Heck most of these I named had a great college career. I do not see the much touted athleticism Joakim is said to possess. How is what he has better than Renaldo Balkman of South carolina? Joakim has no ball handling skills, he does not dominate, he does have any shot outside of a dunk, he is an average shot blocker (2.0 average which is average in college basket standards), he is a below average rebounder. Sure he has desecent basketball IQ - so does Brian Scalabrine. I want to see him go back to college and prove his mettle. I want to see him do it over a full season. Won't the rest of you want him to prove himself like Shelden Williams. Shelden has a better career and even had a better NCAA tourney. Shelden also has a better upside. I fear Joakim may realize that his stock is at the highest now and with next year's draft looking potentially like a deep one now will be the best time to fool a GM into drafting him Tyson Chandler is a lucky man - he was over paid because the Bulls had to. Trading Elton Brand was a sin they have been trying to cover and letting both Tyson and former baby Shaq go would have been too much to swallow. Players get overpaid everytime in the NBA - it is all about time and circumstane. The moral of this story is this - trade the pick or draft Roy or even Gay or Aldridge. Anyone but Joakim for now.
