Rosen: Rockets' Two Stars Seem In Different Orbits

I think that says it all...

 

Yea, not written with a slant at all.

Seriously, the McGreedy is absolutely ridiculous. He's averaging nearly 6 assists a game, and imo is a practically perfect balance out there- he's more than willing to defer to teammates, but knows when to take over, unlike a Garnett who can be too unselfish, or a Kobe who can be too on top of the ball.

 

You know, while I don't like everything he said by any means, that article offered more insight into the mechanics of basketball than anything I've read in a long, long time.

 

Rosen, you think Vn Gundy doesnt know what you write?

 

What this guy said is ABSOLUTELY 100% TRUE!!! The Rockets still don't know how to utilize Yao to maximize his potential and Bill Walton said the same thing during the beginning of the game. They're not making Yao part of the offense as much as they should have...by that I mean their playcalls strategy is not always an option for Yao. It's always seem like some broken plays that had Yao involved. And when they run play for Yao, it is too obvious and opponents see it right away. They need to assimilate Yao into the offense naturally to keep the opponents guessing. Some sort of trick plays call...like Yao cutting across the lane and then pass him the ball...which they have done that before but they need to do more of that. Also I notice Yao get to shoot a lot from 15feet now so that's good. They need more plays and tell Yao to shoot more, he's too selfish. There are times when he's close the basket and could have scored himself and then pass it out. He needs to be assertive and be a man and take the team on his shoulder instead of being too selfish and rely trusting teammates too much.

Have you ever seen a first post entry pass into Yao without faking it?? Why do they always fake the post entry pass and swing the ball around the other side EVEN WHEN YAO is post up and ready to receive the ball....why do always do that?? It's clear they can just throw the ball to Yao at first attempt but they choose not to for some reason. Why?? It's always a fake and then swing the ball around... I have never EVER seen them pass the ball to Yao in the first attempt. Or actually i should said rarely seen them do that. Why do they always fake the pass...can't they mix it up and keep the opponents guessing??

 

If Yao wants the ball he should ask or demand it.. until then, the people who yell for the ball will be the ones getting it unless Yao has a mismatch or an easy bucket. I seriously doubt that avoiding Yao is anywhere in the game plan, but if Yao isn't showing confidence and demanding the ball, while others like Sura, barry, padgett and of course T-mac are.. then I don't think Yao will get as many touches as we all would like. In tonights game, he showed really good confidence and aggression and got the game winning foul and free throws.

 

This is great basketball analysis. Why do fans have to slam the writer if he writes something even PARTIALLY negative. And all the attacks on him are personal. No one here has the knowledge to argue against him (and there is no reason to either), so all people can say is "He's a former Lakers coach..." or "The McGreedy thing is dumb"(it's obvious it's just a typo).

Here guys, we all want to read articles with the titles like "Rockets' lift-off" or "Dynasty in the making" or "Championship coming to H-town". They all sound sweet and make people here feel better. However, the world is not all about sweet-talking, sugar-coating and blind optimism. Some times a little big constructive criticism is healthy and needed. You don't have to agree with everything he's saying, but don't slam the guy just because he's not a Houston homer trying to make us fans feel better. He's a former basketball coach talking about basketball ball. He might not be always right, but read him, he knows way more than you do. And if you want to argue against him, do it with knowledge and intelligence, not just passion.

 

Im pretty sure you cant say that no one here has the knowledge to argue it...Ive seen better and more accurate analysis by some of our longtime posters....unfortunately...they dont post much anymore since their attempts at thoughtful posts were buried under a deluge of crap..

anyway....where do you get that he is a former Lakers coach?

it says that he is a former CBA coach...big difference.

also...you cant look at one game and make sweeping generalizations about the team...anyone knows that...adn I guarantee you that he hasnt watched other games except maybe a couple at the beginning of the season so that he would have something to compare it to...

 

As much as the Mcgreedy comment and overall slant of Rosen's article is uncalled for, he does have a point about Yao and T-Mac not really playing off each other all that well. Their pick and rolls aren't particularly deadly. Sure T-mac can easily pop or drive off of a Yao screen, but the roll/fade portion of that play hasn't clicked yet. T-Mac has shown a lot more chemistry when running the p/r with Padgett.

And Rosen is absolutely correct about Yao not getting passes back to T-mac to set up scores. Seriously, when was the last time that Yao passed out of the post to T-mac for an open jumper. Because of T-Mac's catch and shoot ability, one of the most dangerous plays I was expecting out of the two of them was Yao operating in the post, and T-Mac cutting to open spots for an easy jumper. I don't think this has happened all year long.

There was a very nice play in the preseason, where T-Mac did a sweet give and go with Yao that led to an easy layup. I was really hopeful when I saw them do that play after a couple of games, but that kind of cooperation hasn't happened much in the regular season.

Right now, Yao and T-Mac are essentially taking turns doing their thing, instead of truly playing off each other. It isn't bad per se, since Shaq and Kobe won 3 titles by mostly taking turns. But those two could also work together to do great things (that Alley-opp to seal the Portland comeback being the best example).

These two guys are still young, and will continue to get comfortable with each other. I mean Shaq and Kobe wasn't a juggernaut overnight. But I really hope that somebody in the organization has the vision to see what kind of offensive powerhouse we could have if Yao and T-Mac learn to attack defenses together, instead of taking turns going one on one.

 

I believe a big reason why Yao doesn't pass out to T-mac is because the opposing team is not going to double Yao with mcgrady's defender.

Help defense on yao usually comes off of sura or one of the other guards and Yao doesn't get the assist because when you play inside out there is more swinging of the ball compared to when T-mac penetrates and kicks to an open defender.

The opposing team would be crazy to help defend Yao with mcgrady's man.

Also T-mac sits on the weak side because when the ball swings around it's usually to have the ball end up in your best shooter's hand when they make the consecutive passes which usually ends up on the weak side.

 

Obvious? That's a hell of a typo. I would put a lot of money that McGreedy is not a typo. Two-bit journalists were using "McGreedy" and "TMax" back when he first signed with Orlando, because he hadn't done anything to really deserve the max contract he got before that point.

His fingers didn't magically replace 'a' with two 'e's. And to put it in the section he entitles "The good" is simply inane.

Perhaps a little bit of a Freudian slip into Rosen's mind, but definitely not an accident.

I found it to be a pretty good analysis of the Lakers game individually, but when he goes and knocks the team current win streak and just uses 1 game, it's a little ridiculous.

For example,

This implies we go to Yao when it counts. Which is sometimes true. OTOH, we had a thread in this very forum not 2 days ago whining about how Yao doesn't get the ball down the stretch in close games.

He doesn't even mention the defense in this game, which created 21 turnovers. He whines about what happens when Yao/TMac are in together, he whines when only Yao is in, or when only TMac is in. From this article, you would have thought this entire game was won/lost on the backs of the two superstars, which is laughable- Sura nearly puts up a triple double including 19 pts, and Wesley went bombs away for 19 points himself. The offense as a whole had a better than 3:1 AST:TO ratio (25/8). This coming off the >5:1 effort against Minnesota. 3 straight triple digit games after being an abysmal scoring offense early. Not even a passing mention.

We had a bad 4th quarter. We were also basically in cruise control the entire game, and that was probably one of the worst games TMac has had in the past 3 months. Rosen gives us the whole doomsday deal, giving up the lead to the Kobe-less Lakers, etc. etc. But here's what he failed to mention- 3 days earlier, the Spurs, the #1 team in the NBA, let the Lakers come from down 28 to back within 7.

I don't particular see why it's a huge deal TMac and Yao don't pass to each other directly very often. They both command double teams- keeping them spaced forces longer rotations for the defense. I don't have it particularly in my memory today, but I recall many TMac-Yao passes off the screen and roll Rosen mentions against Minnesota.

He tries to temper the Rockets' record over the past 9 games (Note- this article mentions winning 7 of our last 9, and then mentions the Lakers game. It's 8 of 10 ). He tries to justify it, but honestly, it's a shoddy job. Basically, the Rockets took care of business against teams they were supposed to beat, and lost to 2 of the top ~5 teams in the NBA, one in overtime, one on the road. He brushes off wins at Philly (13-8 home record), Boston (16-8 home record) and at Orlando (16-5 home record, 5th best in the NBA). But those aren't good wins for Rosen. It gets better- he ridicules the Rockets for barely beating a Kobe-less Lakers, but doesn't mention that the Rockets' were TMac-less against Orlando and still won.

Did we not stack up or something? Miami is the 3rd best home team in the NBA. We certainly played them respectably- the game never really got out of single digits, and was close most of the way. If we had shot 3s better (5-22), it may have even been a different result. We took Sacramento to overtime. It only got that far because Webber decides to come up with a 3 out of nowhere. We were hardly outplayed if at all in either game against 2 of the top teams in the league, and that's the best Rosen can come up with?

 

I think that Rosen is overlooking something...and is that Yao is not good at passing out of the double-teams (has trouble passing over ONE long armed, quick athletic player. Much less TWO!). He's improving. But it's not a high-percentage risk yet. Not as good as McGrady. That's why the **two-man game** has been put on the backburner. It was attempted at the start of the year. But Yao, causing too many turnovers (his passes are off-balance)...we were wasting possessions and time.

So, he's right that "T-Mac is The Man." Right that "Yao is pick-setting facilitator." But he's wrong that Yao is "an afterthought (Maybe Rosen expects the Rockets to be Shaq/Kobe...)."

At 18.5ppg and 9rpg for the last 5 games is far from an "afterthought." JVG and staff have managed to reduce Yao's TO to below 2.0 in the last 5 games. And 2.8 for the season.

Also note that McGrady and Yao are running each play at two different speeds. If they are not "in sync" then it probably due to McGrady having to slow down to Yao's speed. This is not an ideal situation if you are trying to implement a two-man game. McGrady also isn't *as* good a driving in traffic. Not like Kobe or Iverson. And with Yao on the same side, this would just clutter up the *space* that McGrady would have to work in. His best ISOs are done with Yao on the opposite side ready for the pass or rebound. The high-post p&r is effective too. This opens up those 18foot jumpers that Yao has been hitting lately.

The two-man game will come in time. But Yao has to improve on his lateral movement, balance, pass timing and over-all skill. Plus, as TMac and Yao get more time playing together, that will also open up more possibilities.

I sure that Rosen has a ton of experience. But I doubt that he's spent the same amount of time analyzing Yao's game as much as the Rockets training staff has (or watch as many games as some of our fans on this BBS ).


Look below....

That statement should tell you something. He's completely overlooking all the problems we had with PG, shooting, scoring, McGrady trying to find his role, and Yao's early foul problems at the start of the season. What? Does he expect our current team to go back in time and make up those games? We would if we could.

So, Dear Mr. Rosen. We are SEVEN games over .500 because we are a different team than what we started the season with. Um-kay?

 

Hmmm, he managed to hit that "e" key twice before noticing that there's not a single "e" in McGrady" and also that it's not next to the letter "a" on his keyboard.

It was on purpose!

 

The Rockets are over half a season together with a completely revamped roster with only Yao and Taylor as holdovers (correct me if I'm wrong) and this guy (Rosen) thinks they should be better (WTF?).

As someone pointed elsewhere in a thread, the Rox are 22-10 (.688 ball ) in their last 32 games and lumbering towards a play-off berth. Meaning the team is finally gelling and getting results.

Take away the crappy losses to the Knicks, Hawks, two to Charlotte and that Sacto OT loss and this team would be 33-16 and fighting Sacto and Dallas for the 4th and 5th spots. Considering Sacto and Dallas have more weapons and deeper benches- the Rox the Work In Progress are doing well IMHO.

Don't get me wrong- every loss drives me mad but I feel with T-mac and Yao, the future is extremely bright.

The days/months/years will come when we all be giddy discussing regular 60-70 win seasons, division titles, home-court advantages and championships and debate how this team stack up with the Original Clutch Crew.

Heck, we will all look back at these threads and reminisce how greatness has sometimes a frustrating and awkward beginnings.

I am looking forward to those times.

 

Guys, get your egos out of the way. Rosen is doing us a favor with his critique of the plays we run and don't run. Even if 75 percent of it is wrong, the other 25 is a gift and well worth his harmless sneering about our record. Take it.

 

Absolutely agree with Will.

Nothing personal in Rosen's article. Instead, I see his desire for T-Mac and Yao to succeed together. Why don't we appreciate it?

Right now Rockets is trying to maximize the individual's capability. To get to the next level, we need more synergy from our two stars. It will give us more W's and the game will be more fun to watch.

 

Tmac is doing his part, Yao has yet to fulfill his part. A lot has to do with him not being dominant yet and lacking the mindset. At this point in his career he still lacks the strength needed to battle down low with the big boys. Another factor is Yao has the weakest hands in the history of the NBA. Consistency is another factor. Their are numerous things as to why this combo hasn't click yet. Tmac is ready, he's just waiting on the student.