Court time still fleeting for Dorsey Team defense, consistent effort not strong points The questions Joey Dorsey thought he had left behind in his sedentary rookie season were back, but he could not blame friends and family for asking. He was, too. He described his unplanned redshirt season with the Rockets as “painful,” with no reference to the plantar fasciitis that had sidelined him for months. But in his second preseason, Dorsey is still sitting out as many games as he is playing, a vivid indication of how far he remains from earning regular-season playing time. “A lot of people didn't see me play my rookie year,” Dorsey said. “I have a lot of people asking am I going to play this year. They saw me play summer league, dominate summer league, averaging 15 rebounds, so they're wondering why I'm not playing right now. “Sitting on the bench, watching my team get outrebounded some games, not get shot-blocking some games, it was just crazy. This year, I want to contribute and help my team out.” On the roster bubble Dorsey's 36 minutes in the first half of the Rockets' preseason schedule tied Brian Cook for the fewest of any of the Rockets' seven frontcourt players. Dorsey did not play at all against San Antonio and Milwaukee, playing 18 minutes in each of the two other games. He does not seem to be competing for a roster spot. Dorsey's contract is guaranteed this season, with the team holding options for each of the next two. If the Rockets were faced with a difficult roster decision, the relatively small contract (worth about $814,000 this season), would likely not keep Dorsey on the roster, but his rebounding and size behind Chuck Hayes still make him potentially valuable. Still, even with Yao Ming out, Dorsey does not seem any closer to a spot in the rotation. His job description, however, is not complicated. “Rebound. Defend,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. So far, however, Dorsey has been able to add a check to only one line of his to-do list. “He's rebounded all right, but he still has to find a way to be more consistent defending,” Adelman said. “It's consistent effort throughout the game. He has a tendency to relax and let guys get where they want to get. You can't do that in this league around the basket. He's always been a good rebounder, but he's got to be more of a factor inside. “I don't think the concentration is there all the time.” Dorsey does seem to recognize the need to improve. He said he has been watching Hayes in practice and on tape to get a better idea how to defend in the paint. “I've been watching a lot of tape of a great one-on-one defender, how he doesn't let his man get inside the paint,” Dorsey said. “He makes contact with his man before he gets on the post, makes them go one way, not spin back.” Honing his instincts There is more to be corrected than that. The Rockets need him to be more engaged in team defense, a shortcoming that was clear in the fourth quarter in Orlando when the Magic repeatedly used center Marcin Gortat in pick-and-rolls and tore through the Rockets' defense. “Joey has unbelievable instincts, he really does,” Shane Battier said. “On the defensive end, if you just go out and play he's going to impress you with his instincts and his athletic ability. It's up to his coaches and us as teammates to shape his instincts and athletic talents into a team concept. Once he figures that out he can be a really good player in this league.” Dorsey must show more of that to earn playing time, but he's certain what he needs to show in his next appearance, either tonight in Toronto or Friday in Indianapolis. “The same thing I've been doing, what coach wants me to do — bring that energy, bring that intensity, rebound, block shots, beat my man down the floor,” Dorsey said. “Do the same thing I did in summer league and I'll be playing.” http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6668330.html dingaaa
Sounds like he's waaaayyyyy too impressed with his SL performance.. Get over it, it was summer league. Start working your butt off to play better against real competition.
Needs to get going before he is not on the roster. He needs to step up his game on both sides of the ball. I hope he gets it going but he is running out of games and time to impress his coaches.
Me too,but it seems that he is not listening to Adelman. I could see him getting traded for a 2nd round pick or even cut if he starts arguing and fighting.
As am I. I think he has a lot of value as a banger who can rebound the ball and put a body on people in the paint. He also has good athleticism. He just needs to be worked with and polished a bit. Calipari did him no favors at Memphis.
Thanks for the article. On Dorsey: Is he as good as Hayes on defense? Chuck doesn't block shots but does do well at forcing his man to take bad/worse ones. Chuck also blocks out well and takes charges (not sure how I feel about that) well. Dorsey is obviously more athletic than Hayes, a bit taller and lankier, more hops for sure. According to the article he has good instincts on the defensive end, and I think Battier can recognize those. I still think Hayes is going to be the starter at center, possibly Andersen, and Dorsey can get some playing time. The fact that Hayes is better (currently) on the defensive end and Andersen is better offensively than either of them puts Dorsey 3rd string at the position.
i agree completely. and the reason, which is obvious from his own quotes here, is that he's simply dumb as a donkey.
C'mon. Like everyone else, players get frustrated. However, he's got no game so far to back up his words. Half a year into the season and the man is going to get traded, sent to D-League or whatever if no miracle happens.
I'm thinking it is going to take an injury to one of our PFs for Dorsey to see any serious minutes this season.
It's concerning to me Adelman questions his consistency and effort possession after possession. If I was Dorsey trying to get some minutes, I would be extremely attentive to everything RA and the coaching staff told me to do. I wouldn't get cut from a lack of effort. It seems Dorsey puts the hard work in the gym, but not consistently enough on the court. Sadly it looks like Dorsey might be yet another Youtube sensation that fails to materialize into a solid player. The fact I would choose Pops over Dorsey should be pretty concerning to Dorsey. At least we haven't really lost anything in him though, other than $800k. Maybe we could just waive him and sign Jawai for the min!
'Dorsey is obviously more athletic than Hayes, a bit taller and lankier, more hops for sure.' Sorry I don't know how to quote. Dorsey COULD be better than Hayes, he has all the tools, but he just doesn't work hard. Hayes does. Hayes will probably start and Dorsey will probably be unemployed. Dorsey shouldn't be getting his shots blocked. With that build people should be afraid to get in his way. He seems timid in the post.
In my humble opinion if the rockets start Hayes there going to be in trouble big time on the offensive side of the ball. The only situation I see Hayes starting is when and if T-Mac comes comes back, Hayes needs to be out there with a with a playmaker and Tracy is the only true playmaker on the roster. Adelman may think different.
That's not a good sign for Dorsey. If Adelman is calling him out for his lack of concentration, I don't think there is anyway Dorsey will see playing time. Based on Adelman's comments it seems that all we want Dorsey to become is a taller/stronger Chuck Hayes. We'll have to choose between playing Hayes/Dorsey - a center that can rebound and play defense, but no offense and Andersen - a center who can play offense (although I'm still waiting to see it), but no defense. In other words, we're all going to realize the value of Yao after this season.
Funny, I realized this seasons ago, didn't need him to injure himself to know we would be in big trouble for not having him for the season. I realize Deke was always here, but Yao's value should have never been questioned.
Ruh-roh. That was the kind of line Adelman was pulling and throwing at the media before Donte Greene was traded. If Dorsey is in Adelman's doghouse I think he's gone.
