The Rockets are 27th in the NBA in shotblocking and opposing teams know it. There is not a team in the league that has any fear taking it right to the rim against our frontline. Please Morey trade for a long, young, athletic 4/5 big before it's too late. Deke is not the answer because he is slower than Yao. I nominate Ryan Hollins and Sean Williams as exibit a & b. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/stats/byteam?&cat1=Total&cat2=team&conference=NBA&year=season_2008&sort=245
William and his agent have recently said to the media he wants minutes at small forward... If he's that confident at playing PF/C I don't think he'll help the Rockets.
I read that article. His agent said Williams is not big/strong enough to play the 5 full time. He said Williams would be better at the 4 and perhaps learn to steal a few minutes at the 3. He was mainly commenting on NJ's roster being log jammed at his natural position w/ Brook Lopez/ Yi/ Ryan Anderson/ Josh Boone/ Najara/ & Slowmile. Sean Williams could definetly play the Keon Clark role (no weed jokes) in Adelman's system. SWAT is one of the best weak side shotblockers in the entire NBA if he gets any minutes.
They need a stat that combines shot blocking and charges. Then you would see protecting the basket is not our weakness. Our interior defense (non shot blocking related) on the other hand is a JOKE.
Are you kidding me??? Did you watch the game tonight or any night? Every single player took it inside w/ no fear whatsoever that weakside help would come. When you have a shotblocker at the rim folks think twice, pump-fake etc. How many times does Scola, Landry and Yao get blocked a game? We had several games decided against us this year based on key shots blocked by our opponents. Shotblocking is also vital against all these athletic/quick guards who breakdown the primary defenders. Finally, just because you can block a shot doesn't mean you can't take charges. Shane is one of our best weakside shotblockers and he's our best charge taker.
I was watching the same game. I also watched a couple of hundred games coached by JVG and lack of shotblocking was never a factor as we finished in the top 3 in opponent FG% each year.....
Pls Adelman no more Hayes as a center any more. If you going to use him use him next to Scola or Yao. Him and Landry just can stop the middle.
Forget shot blocking they can't even stay in front of their defenders last year rockets were running on fumes of JVG now you all see adelman system he is so carefree its like he doesn't care about the team go after avery johnson morey shake it up
Last year we were the 8th best shotblocking team in the NBA... http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/stats/byteam?cat1=Total&cat2=team&sort=245&conference=NBA&year=season_2007 This year we are 27th, that's the single biggest negative between this season and last year. The single biggest improvement is our foul shooting. If not for that we would be the Wizards.
To me it is not so much shot blocking but a lack of staying in front of their man....so many open looks.... DD
1) The Rockets get beaten out on the perimeter. 2) Yao comes out to block the shot. 3) Yao is out of position to grab the rebound because he's rotated. The opposing team gets an offensive rebound. 4) Go to 1.
you want to know why we are so much worse... it starts with a S and ends with an R Shane Battier folks... he got nearly as many as yao last season if I recall correctly. Also our numbers went up at the end of the season with Deke playing over Yao didn't it?
I think the Rockets D were solid all season last year, with either Deke or Yao playing big chunks of minutes. I don't think the Rockets were one of the top shot blocking teams last season, either. I think Battier has a lot to do with it. As does Chuck Hayes getting more PT last year. This season's constant shifting of lineups hurt. As does the massive injury problems on the wing spots. Even when two of our better defenders, Shane and Ron, played, they were slow. Battier funnelled guys correctly, helped correctly, prevented a lot of guys from getting to the rim easy. I am frustrated at this team giving up 50%+ from the field, when just last year, this squad did much more. I don't want to call for Adelman's head, YET... BUT may be getting there. Don't want to overreact... but we sure have a lot of injury prone guys in their late 20s and early 30s. Next task for Morey: get younger.
the only reason thats a problem is because yao has no athleticism wat so ever... players can drive it in and know that they can get the ball over yao because he doesnt get off the ground at all this happens especialy because yao is a poor weakside defender he doesnt have the speed or athleticism to be a good one... he is just to slow
He was slow last year, and the year before...and yet the defense was much better. Something else is wrong this season.
BINGO. I already mentioned Shane's impact. Deke did improve the numbers too when Yao went down. However it is clear that Yao needs weakside help NOW and somebody in addition to Shane to beat the defense down the court to protect the rim and/or play the 5 when young run-and-gun teams like Philly takes him out the game w/ the pace. Shane will improve the numbers for sure but we need a young game-changing shotblocker.
I say we work on the transition D first. Its horrible. With Battier I don't see a problem. Yes it would be nice to have a weakside defender, I'd love Brand for McGrady, but players like that who can contribute are rare and not easily had. Instead of another shakeup they need to assess the poor defensive effort.
