http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/daryl_morey_discusses_the_stat_2010_04_15.html I think we will improve but top 10 defensive team? This team certainly doesn't look like the team he promised so something has to give here, right???
You will never be a top 10 defensive team with a 6'5 center, it will simply never happen. The defense looked fine against LA, in fact they played great at times. But when Yao is not playing, this will always be an issue. They simply dont have anyone protecting the rim and it will always result in easy layups
That was a long time ago...if he had said that recently i think it definitely could mean a trade will be forced if things don't change within a month or two...he said he believe in the team's ability to play D at a top level and that was before acquiring another big in Miller and Lee...but that was also before trading Ariza away. and i guess he could mean the bench players when he said "other group", but it doesnt sound more like he meant acquiring other players... I think we're just in a tough position with the way the team has been built....initially you want to say battier is the most likely to be replaced because guys like Scola, Brooks, and Martin are harder to replace, but im not sure the combo of defense at only the SF and C spot works...I'd rather have defense at the 1 or 2 and then at center, but it's tough to give up either Brooks or martin. We either need to acquire iggy at the 3 if we're keeping brooks/martin, or get a defensive point, who's more traditional, but with a solid j, and acquire a scorer at the 3 like Melo... We just need a game changer defensively and battier has always been more of a consistently solid defender and i dont think you want your defense anchored at the 3. You need someone up top defensively who's going to disrupt the offense and fast break and someone downlow to send shots back and intimidate, and while yao's a good defensive option, he's not that. I guess we can always trade scola for a defensive PF...but again, its tough to give him up.
