When Brent Barry was healthy and was starter, Seattle was 29-24. When BB was hurt (either on the IL or playing limited minutes), they were 8-21. I don't know how bad his defense is, the records shows that his offense probably compensates for his defense more than enough. That's why he is my 1st choice. But I don't know how willing he is for coming here and how high is his asking price. Fisher, on the other hand, has said that he wanted to come. He made 3 mil. in LA. He obviously will ask for more than that. Either one is fine with me.
While I completely agree about Barry and Tmac on offense, I do not believe either is a true ball-handler or stopper on defense. Tmac could be a stopper, but so could Steve. Since he hasn't shown All-Defense effort yet, let's not concede he will develop it under JVG. About Barry, his height, open-court game and shooting, combined with JJ, could be scary feeding off of Yao's posting and Tmac slashing, but that is not all we need at the point. With Lue/Gaines/Ollie on board, I really see a need for a trusted, playoff-tested PG to protect the ball and make good decisions during those crucial 4th-quarter possesions. Fisher is exactly this...Barry is not. Don't forget he is a converted SG. While he can certainly run the break and shoot spot-up jumpers, he has not proven to be a reliable, grind-it-out decision-maker, which Fisher has. Still, if Fisher proves impossible, Barry is definitely my second choice to run the point. Just thinking about Mo, JJ and Barry circling around Yao and Tracy is enough to give me visions of the a Mavs-Kings style offense. Next year we may actually get to see fluid ball movement. Thank you CD, Les and Jeff.
Fisher definately takes care of the ball. He's not going to do anything dumb, I get that, but Barry is the same way, and he's a way better assist man than Fish. Pros and Cons on both sides, but check out Barry's numbers, they are scary.
First, T-mac is no Jordan and no one is making him to be Jordan nor excepts/wants him to be Jordan. We're aware of T-mac's flaws, but we're also aware JVG is more than capable of fixing those flaws. Secondly, no, just no, Francis NEVER played defense in his career, until his last season, according to 'some' fans. Cat, played mediocre to little defense with Rudy 02-03, when he played defense it was decent, by no means as good as it was this year and inconsistent. So, don't even joke Steve had 'good defense' at any point in his career. Or state that Cat had 'good defense' as a fact in 02-03, when it was only fair and inconsistent. Yet, another, comparison to Kobe and Shaq... People, Yao is not a large, muscle bound, athletic, neanderthal that is limited to banging people out of the way and throwing, literally throwing, not shooting, throwing ala kelvin cato, 5ft 'baby hooks' or bulldozing over people for a dunk. Who, btw, dislikes playing defense and comming out past the 8ft mark, and demands to be the man. Must we be repetitive? Yao is 7'6, agile driving skills for his height and weight, a soft shooting touch that has a range of 24ft in, basically can shoot from anywhere, good court vision and more than adequete passing skills. He has all the abilities to be an excellent point center, an excellent pick n roll partner, an excellent scorer with pretty good defense. There's no way, he compares to Shaq in skill. And no way we should see T-mac and Yao as another Kobe and Shaq, if anything T-mac and Yao are better than that combo, because their games are a lot more compatible, and so are their personality and style. Indeed, T-mac and Yao will be making the plays, but as far as playmaking goes, it will not be a burdern or pressured on one to any tiring extent. So there will be no reason for T-mac not having energy more than enough to spare, to play excellent defense with JVG as his coach.
Everyone is forgetting about Nick the Quick. He can opt out I think and would be giving up a lot of money. The team we are trying to assemble would be very tempting for NVE.
Brent Barry is the Rockets-style point guard. Fisher is not. The point in the Rockets offense must bring the ball up in a hurry and then dump it off in a hurry to Tmac, Yao, or the tall entry passer. No biggie. Then he spots up and has to be able to nail the jumper, or make that second or third pass to swing it to the other side. We need size and shooting, not mad pick and roll vision or dribble penetration or fast-breaking no-look skilz. On defense, we use team d and funnel the opposing guard into Yao, or try and trap the guard on the baseline. Size helps. Brent Barry is the man. If he schools Reese Gaines, the contract will be just about right.
You're joking, right? First, let's start small. T-mac, has longer arms, is taller, more reach overall, has more speed, and can block shots. Yet Steve can be just as good a stopper as T-mac? Now, let's get into other facts. Steve, never once in his life has played defense, T-mac played it in Toronto with that effort you speak of. Yet again, Steve can be just as good a stopper as T-mac? Under JVG? Makes sense.
I don't know about you, but I do want him to be Jordan, as far as the comparison I made it, because saying he didn't have energy to play defense is an excuse. This wasn't the 1st time Francis has received some respect from NBA coaches. A lot of shooting guards playing against Houston last season had bad nights, you could say it was because of fair defense, I guess. When Francis was scouted from college, his scouting reports always included the fact that he was a tenacious defender, he has always been a good defender, always will be. With all that said, the comparisons remain because of the fact that it's a SG/C duo, their games are different, you didn't have to point out the obvious, you know.
You could have the arms, you could have the hops, you could have the ability to block shots, doesn't matter if you don't care to play defense. Francis cares about playing defense, he's offended when the guy he's defending scores, unlike Tracy who only cares about looking good on the offensive end. Hopefully he changes with Van Gundy pushing him, but who knows how he'll react to a coach that likes to criticize his players, history with him has shown that he'll likely take offence to it.
What's obvious here, is that in your mind anything passes for good defense, so there's no point going more into it. And technically, Kobe and SHaq= Sg/C duo, strictly. Yao and T-mac= Sg/Sf/C/PG Not that you'd want to put either of those two at our PG spot, and have them bring up the ball. But, once the ball's half court, they can both do what a PG is meant to do. So, yes I did have to point out the obvious, because I get tired of the Kobe/ Shaq comparisons, and hate the "new lakers" idea or image some people have thrown out. Because, these two are OBVIOUSLY a more stable, more compatible, BETTER core of 'Sg/C' based team than what the Lakers had. They have better capability to form a team, and not "two scoring superstars and scrubs".
There's going to problems with you watching a Rocket game next season then, those comparisons will be thrown out every time Tracy and Yao are in the same frame together. I agree with your point though...
Hmm I think you need to get laid or something...chill out. My point was that although talent helps, defense is all about hustle and effort. Ben Wallace and Ron Artest are who they are because they outwork everyone and take pride in it. Mourning was the same way. I'm not saying Steve was, is, or will be a better defender than Tmac. What I'm saying is Tmac seems more interested in resting on D so he can be more explosive on offense, much like Kobe does some times. If Tmac is motivated (say, in the Western Conference Finals, 4th quarter, game 7?) I think he can be every bit the defender Kobe is when interested. But he hasn't proven he is willing to yet. Are you saying that Steve could not be as good, or better, than Payton in his prime? He certainly has better overall athleticism, and you can't deny Payton in his prime was "lockdown." His name was "The Glove" for a reason. There are many forms of great defensive players; my point is Steve didn't improve much under Van Gundy, so I see no reason to assume McGrady will.
Get Barry. Defense is much of an artitude problem, and JVG will give him a push. We need a really reliable perimeter shooter to win playoffs.
Brent Barry is too old, and Fisher is too short. Any guards available that are over at least 6'4" and under 30? I still think it's a mistake to give a 33 year old BB a 4 year deal, but at least we could dump him after his 3rd year, or have him come off the books, just in time to resign YM.
I need to get laid? For arguing a point in a debatable forum? Hm... Ahh. Now, I know who I'm dealing with. That's my cue to exit.
