Yao has stated that this year, there's better chemistry in the team. Apparently, last year, there were some chemistry issues within the team.
I don't understand you guys, just because rafers making some shots u want him to start when we have a Steve Francis lets not forget how rafer can't finish at the rim and is a very streaky shooter.
If Yao really said that, then he might be referring to JVG..since our roster is virtually unchanged from last year..or perhaps the addition of SF3 and MJ improved the chemistry, who knows.
I'm glad to have Francis back, but, I think he's better served coming off the bench. He'll give us instant offense off the bench, something the Rockets lacked last year. Francis is a guy who can create his own shot, along with Mike James. With a defensive minded/rebounding/we don't need you to shoot Hayes also in the 2nd unit, I think it works better this way. PG - Alston SG - T-Mac SF - Battier PF - Scola C - Yao Bench: PG - James SG - Francis/Head SF - Wells PF - Hayes C - ???
No one lineup is best, but seeing Yao, Scola, T-Mac, Bonzi and James on the court together almost runs a chill down my spine. That is a scary lineup against anyone.
Bonzi and Yao should not be on the court at the same time...both are best in the low post. Bonzi and Hayes should play together with Bonzi in the low post and Hayes in the high. Scola and Yao is the optimal combination as our starters with Yao in the low and Scola in the high...occasionally swapping positions just to keep the D on their toes. Adelman will figure all this out, no doubt.
When Yao is on the court, Bonzi is a cutter, he is running, and waiting a chance to go to the post to score, and he does not play the post much. Did you watch the first game on Tuesday? So they can play together, but should not be too much.
Don't be surprised to see something like PG Rafer SG Bonzi SF TMac PF Scola C Yao Bonzi ability to get to the basket and TMac's vision could yiel big points. But...Battiers Defensive tenacity would definitely set the tone.
that would be a great offensive lineup. i would maybe replace rafer with james for an even more offensive punch.
Glad everyone is as excited as I am about the upcoming season. It's fun to come up with all these types of line-ups with everyone suggesting some great reasons. As for myself I would definately have Scola in the starting spot along with T-Mac, Battier, Yao, and to many people's suprise, Steve. I know Steve has a history of being turnover prone, but with T-Mac, Scola, and Yao having good passing skills, the starting line-up would not suffer with Steve. He can finish better than Rafer, making him more difficult for opposing teams to stop. Rafer would come off the bench as the primary ball-handler along with James the slasher, Bonzi the post player, Hayes the cutter, and Scola or Yao manning the center. Wish I could put Butler in somewhere but don't know much about him. Things I don't want to see is both Steve and Mike coming off the bench, or Deke and Hayes playing at the same time because they seem rebundant. Like I said everyone has their opinions and am sure more debate will come from this topic, but hopefully Rick Adelman will find the right mix
C - Yao Ming PF - Luis Scola SF - Shane Battier SG - Tracy McGrady PG - Rafer ALston/Mike James Man, I'm still not sure about Rafer. Mike James is also a very good option as a startin' PG
I'd take Steve over Mike in the starting lineup...Mike just looks for his shot rather than getting others involved. I think that makes him a good addition coming off the bench, but a bad decision to start. I still think we're going to see Rafer start though - unless all these positive comments are just to make him more appealing for a trade. That may be true, but in Adelman's offense we'll see Yao on the high post more often. Thus, even if we don't use Bonzi as a cutter and put him in his traditional low post set, he and Yao could play together.
Well I'd see Francis commin' off the bench with Wells. They could be really good duo off the bench. Francis with his quickness, Bonzi with power. Rafer will start - agree. We can change our linuep so no problems about that. I only hope he'll play the same way in the rs and he's been doin' in the preseason
I'm glad that the JVG/Vgina/Bonz trio is over. Two out of three are gone so I really expect an improvement. I really don't see any chemistry problems this year (if any) to be as bad as last year. My only worries are James and SF3 wanting more minutes. Other than that, it should be all butter.
Yeah, at this point, I see: Yao/Deke/Butler Scola/Hayes/Landry Battier/Wells/Harris TMac/Francis/Head Alston/James/Brooks ... but, I expect lots of combinations and playing more than one position, depending on who we're playing, or who's hot. I think Reed and JL3 are definitely gone ... and probably Snyder and Novak. It depends on how they continue to play. It's sounding more and more like Harris and Butler will make it, and it just seems ridiculous to let Landry go, after paying a million to get him in here. Of course, the compliments could be to pump up the trade value of Butler, Alston and Head, but I doubt it.
