Whenever we play Phx or Dal, our lack of versatility shows tremendously. Guys like Mutombo and Hayes are worthless when we play those 2 teams. When those are 2 of the 8 regular guys in the rotation, then that leaves us with 6 guys in our rotation who aren't going to be huge mismatches against us. With that said, we badly need some tall guys who are athletic and comfortable with defending the perimeter. The problem is, where the hell do we find them? Jared Jefferies? Who else?
where the hell do we find them? hmmm, good question.. well, there is this guy called Kirk Snyder, he is on the Houston Rockets, he is a big guard who is extremely athletic and who is a great defender. [Clyde format] and did I mention that he can throw it down? [/Clyde format] <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/61z4UJq3xnY"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/61z4UJq3xnY" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> and there's this other guy called Bouncy Wells who can post up, play Defense, and create matchup problems with those 2 teams.. we have what it takes to beat the Mavs and the Suns, we have what it takes to beat ANY team in the NBA even without Yao. we just have to utilize the talent. we need to play Luther Head less minutes when playing against backcourts that create matchup problems. we need to decrease Battman's minutes when he isn't shooting well, we have to get everybody (Bouncy & Kirk) into shape and get em to 100%, we have to give Span 6-7 minutes a game to give Rafer a breather instead of having Luther run the 1 and mess up until we can find a dependable backup PG. we need to cut to the basket more instead of camping behind the 3 pt line, we need to play lock down D the whole game, we have to eliminate fast break points for the opponents, we have to do this thing called "box out" and get the rebounds instead of giving Dallas 3 and 4 chances every position, and finally, we need to get rid of John Lucas and play with great passion and most importantly, have fun doing it!!
Wells and Snyder aren't going to fill the void of keeping someone like Diaw and Josh Howard in check though. Just too small and/or not athletic enough.
I have to say that Luther and John Lucas almost made me sick watching them turn over the ball and miss shots tonight, we need to get Bonzi back in there, and even though I know it may not be popular on here, we need to get VSpan some minutes, because he did show some promise tonight, evben if it was in garbage time
No one can stop those two guys. They are walking mismatches with their ability to post up, handle the ball, and shoot from long distance.
It's hard to find the kind of player you described (tall, perimeter defender) especially with limited options in how to go about acquiring them. I'm just not sure we can, but there are still some moves I would like to see... If we could send Scott Padgett and Sura's contract to Cleveland for Scot Pollard and David Wesley I'd be happy. Pollard would be a nice PF/C backup (who I thought we should have gotten earlier) and it's possible, although not guaranteed, that Wesley might still be able to handle 10 minutes at PG. He knows the system, and shot well from 3 when he was here (37%). If he can't help us, his contract is expiring anyway. No harm in this trade really, since neither of the guys we'd be giving up are even playing, and the guys we're getting aren't contractual liabilities. Hopefully the Cavs could be convinced that a bit of cap relief and Scott Padgett are worth Pollard. After all, Pollard is not playing and they seem to want to surround LeBron with shooters, a category in which Padgett obviously falls. Those two guys wouldn't do much for our versatility as much as our depth, but one guy who would is Jalen Rose. Unless I'm mistaken, Phoenix has recently said they wanted to keep him (although he's not playing) so I don't know how realistic this trade would be, but it'd be worth a shot. Since the Suns are cap-conscious lately maybe we could throw them our trade exception in return for Jalen. Probably not, since you normally don't deal in-season with someone who could easily be your playoff enemy at some point, but wouldn't it be nice? A 6'8" guy who can run PG, SG, and SF? Nice shooting %'s throughout his career, and a good amount of playoff experience with the late '98-'01 Pacers. Other than that, Dan Gadzuric is apparently available. He's got size and athleticism but that's about it. Too bad our trade exception doesn't cover his salary though. The only believable trades I can think of to get him are Sura + Padgett or Sura + Bonzi. I doubt anyone else would get shipped for him...maybe Snyder. I don't know. I'm tired and probably just rambling now so I'm done.
Now is not then, and then is not now. We've got a trade exception that does us absolutely no good unless it gets used in time, we're about to hit the home stretch pretty soon, and Yao is still injured for a good while. Like I said...then is not now. So ask yourself who you would rather have on the bench...Jalen Rose, or Scott Padgett? (who would likely be the guy that's cut to make roster space). Remember, he was part of the Fab 5, so I doubt chemistry would be an issue. Juwan would keep everything in check I'm pretty sure that if the Suns were willing to let him go for the TE, we would do it unless there was a better option (which I seriously doubt).
We lost tonight not cause our team isn't capable of beating Dallas (or the Suns), we lost because our team is banged up. With a healthy Bonzi, Kirk, and Yao I think we would have probably won tonight. Once we get healthy (and even with just a healthy Yao) I'm going to be a lot more confident against teams like Dallas. But what we need to do is get Kirk back into the rotation, he can be an ace in the hole against athletic teams like Dallas. Our roster versatility is capable of bringing us a title, as long as some of our more athletic players are healthy. That said... I'd still feel a lot more comfortable with a better backup PG. To me that is more pressing than another big forward. And for Christ's sake, someone tell Luther to stop making those crazy passes. JVG needs to take him aside and explain his job is to shoot 3s and hit that clutch shot when we need it, not try to force the ball into the head of a needle.
we're more than capable of beating dallas with a healthy team. actually we've already done it this year. with yao and tracy healthy i fear no one in the playoffs. except maybe phoenix
yeah this team will be the one giving mismatches once yao gets back, bonzi returns (which shouldn't be long hopefully), and kirk gets his head in the game. the john lucas experiment should officially be over, and the vspan experiment should begin. i love lucas' heart, he is a terrific shooter, but he is a deplorable point guard. he has better handles than head, but they both have awful court vision and take forever to make a pass. jvg can't keep vspan on the bench forever with the way lucas is playing.
actually just a quick question, who actually defends Dirk? Is it Battier? or is it T-mac? If Mcgrady defends Dirk does Battier get Howard? I didn't watch the game but for me I thought they were decent defensive assignments for those two players.
we can't form to small ball. we will never be able to matchup with teams who play small ball because of yao. you could play yao, shane, tmac, snyder and rafer if you wanted to. those teams would just go at yao one-on-one then. what the rockets need to do, is concentrate on playing to thier trengths. they could be the biggest strongest team in the league. sure a big PF would get beat off the dribble by marion or howard, but guess what? niether of those guys could guard a big PF on the post. if you play smart you can trade baskets with them that way. eventually, if our teams scores from the post and the paint and we keep the opponent to jump shots thanks to a very big team then we will end up winning.
This is our best defense against those 2, without making any trades. Which would mean Yao would need to go bananas on offense to offset T-Mac's lesser offense from guarding Dirk.
The last thing this team needs is another defender type who can't shoot to save his life. There were a few stretches where both teams had trouble scoring. Houston did all it could defensively to slow them down. You couldn't have asked more from guys like Battier and Tracy. The problem is scoring. We had an opportunity in most of the first half to create some breathing room but guys just couldn't score for whatever reason. ie. Blown layups, Head going mason and Juwan's shot not falling. You can't convince me that we lack another defender. Who out there in the league was going to stop what Josh Howard was doing to us? What is separating this team from being elite is having another scorer that can do so at will. Perhaps when Yao returns we'll be able to compete better but that doesn't mean we're automatically better than Dallas or Phoenix. Even with Yao we've struggled against these teams because of matchups. For every matchup that's in our favor these teams have two or three that hurt us. Remember, Avery isn't going to play Yao straight up in an entire playoff series with Diop. That would just be playing into our hands. He's going to force Yao to guard Dirk. Sure offensively we have the advantage but at best we'll just be trading baskets. I know we're limited in what we can do. But if there were a Zack Randolph or something of that mold. Someone with a bad contract but can easily get you points that's what I think its going to take in the next few years to keep us in games with these types of teams. I may be wrong but you're asking much of Yao when he returns to keep up with fast breaking, offensive goliaths.
When we play Dallas next week, i would like to see Hayes starting instead of Deke. Hayes athleticism and ability to guard the outside and get rebounds, is what this team needs against Dallas.
Just for clarification, the TE DOES do us some good if it is NOT used. It reduces our payroll. If we use the TE, then that is additional salary against the cap and inches us closer to the luxery cap. So that said, the Rockets won't use the TE unless they can get a player that will contribute immediately ...which is easier said then done given it's only $4.2. We won't use it for a player that will ride the bench because that is a waste of time and $. Also, if we keep the payroll low, that gives us more flexibility later. No need to push the luxery tax threshhold for a marginal player which limits our flexibility in the future. ...and biggest issue, it is Les's $$$ ...not yours. Its easy for us to spent other peoples money, huh?
This roster was not put together to be versatile. It was put together to compliment and ride on the shoulders of Tmac & Yao.
