I know we are missing T-Mac and he's one of the best closers in the league, but we need to have a backup option, especially at the guard position. Yao hasn't gotten it done because he has just worn down late in games and just hasn't finished. I like what Alston brings with ball-handling and passing , but he is struggling badly shooting as is Derek Anderson. I know this team needs sometime to jell, but it is evident that we need someone else who can hit some clutch shots in the 4th quarter. This is getting really old, blowing 4th quarter leads because no one can make shots.
Well since it's impossible to get Jalen Rose, I don't see any other 'instant offense' type of guard out there.
I think Yao can be the closer, but the entire team just freezes up in the 4th, including Van Gundy. Why Stromile was in the game so long in the 4th tonight is beyond me - he made boneheaded play after boneheaded play. What's more, though Yao was a little further out from the bucket, he received 1 decent entry pass in the 4th quarter - and he scored. On another they had the perfect play ran and someone threw it at his ankles (fortunately a foul was called) - other than that he got the ball with <5 seconds left or not at all. PATHETIC! Pathetic guard play and pathetic coaching. But on target...the Rockets have NO other perimeter player who can act as closer....sorry.
Closer, exactly. Sprewell would work, also Mike James would have been better than anything we have now. Bad Trade.
I think a coaching mistake late in the game was having yao waste energy running around setting picks. they needed to get him in the post. but JVG is just going to have to find a couple minutes early in the 4th quarter to give him a breath, because i don't think he'll ever be well conditioned enough to play an entire quarter, especially the fourth. Does anyone have any suggestions on role players who can come up with some clutch shots? because we need someone, BAD...
totally agreed. Yao had a great night, he has been agressive and given all out, though he still need to deal better with fronting. I have no idea why JVG keeps him do the high pick when there is no roll, which wear down Yao, as Miller pointed out. Our guards looked REALLY bad, had no impact on court. We cannot win a game when Yao's the only reliable scorer. Juwan did a fine job and Head continued to look good. I hope he can get more and more playing time.
We could win with the team we have on the court. We have not reversed the ball back to the weakside in the last 4 minutes of the last 3 games. There is nil ball and player movement in the final 4 minutes.
^^^ definitely, but still no one is making shots! at some point someone has to step up and make a shot.
It's kind of been baffling to me that Van Gundy continues to go with the same lineup of Yao/Howard/DA/Wesley/Alston in the 4th. I'm hoping he mixes it up in the 4th next game. Put Luther Head out there. The guy has stepped up every time he's been put in crunch time. Play Jon Barry, our best shooter, to spread the defense instead of guards that can't shoot. Give Yao more time to rest in the 4th, by letting Swift play next to Howard. The thing I've noticed the most is that we just look extremely old and tired out there in the 4th. Our players completely run out of steam, while the opposing team still looks fresh. They're getting to every loose ball and blowing by defenders like their not even there. Meanwhile, our players look like they're running in quicksand. Everybody is just standing there and moving in slow motion. This is not a good sign for a team that supposedly got younger and more athletic in the offseason. I hope we don't have to go through another postseason where Mcgrady has to do everything because he has no one else that can step up can pick up the slack and where the opposing team exposes our old age and lack of athleticism/speed.
I agree with you that Luther Head has earned himself more playing time. Also, I really haven't liked what Alston brings to the table, he seems under control but ineffective.
The ONLY way Yao will have an easier time getting the ball is if our outside shots start dropping, or otherwise Yao himself suffers. So both the guards and Yao need one another, and the only thing going 'wrong is NOT the guards taking shots, but rather that they are not dropping those shots, which is the only reason why we lost last three games.
Yao ming needs to get the ball.. he was using Mourning they need to stop that weak pick and roll with yao ming. just let him post up. and Stromile needs to finish the plays
Hard to make a shot when you're not taking a shot. At the end of the last 3 games, the Rockets are taking the entire 24 seconds trying to force feed Yao in the post. When they are successful in getting him the ball, he is immediately doubled and tripled. I don't care what you're shooting from arc, reversing the ball to the weak side gives you an instant 2 on 1 advantage. Otherwise, they are just standing around at the arc.
In today's NBA, it's tough for a center to be a closer. Defenses can collapse and take away the low post option whenever they decide to. Even on the Shaq and Kobe Laker teams, Shaq wouldn't score very much near the end of tough games except on putbacks. It was Kobe time. What made it work was Shaq got his points during the flow of the whole game. But in crunch time, Kobe took over. Other than Tracy, we don't have a perimeter player who can take over on offense. Besides Tracy (and maybe Rafer down the line), none of our perimeter players can creat their own shot or reliably drawn fouls. We hope Luther grows into this role but he's not there yet. The bottom line is we will have always have problems closing games without Tracy. Unless we trade for another slasher before the trade deadline, that's just the way it's gonna be this season. Yao is not that good of a closer because opposing teams can adjust their defense and basically decide to eliminate him on the offensive end. We haven't figured out how to capitalize on this without Tracy in the lineup. Hope he can play Saturday.
i'm inclined to agree with draxford... there's no one that watch the game can't say that our guards lost this game. it was just horrible perimeter shooting. the second highest scoring shooter had HALF the points as yao and yao didn't even score that great! i'm still waiting for swift to be the 14pts 7rb guy and skip to be the 6 assist man.
The team needs to gel... if this is late december and we are stinking up the place then I would start to get worried. This down time is beneficial to our team because it forces you to step up with the absence of mcgrady. Look at Indiana with the loss of artest jackson and o'neal last season their bench players were thrown into starting roles and were forced to produce. With mcgrady gone and our NEW team playing together things will take a little bit longer to form. The heat added prolific scorers this off season and look at their turmoil ( walker yelling at williams) and they barely squeaked by us tonight, it was our inability to close the deal. I have faith in our current team.. no need to write anyone off just YET.
WE have him. Luther Head like the people above said. Just because he is not a veteran does not mean we should overlook his clutch performances.
