http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/stati...n=2009&seasontype=2&avg=pg&order=true&split=0 The Rox are currently the 3rd lowest FG % Team in the Western Conference and actually has a negative FG% differential (Shooting 44.48% vs. Giving up 45.09%) BUT we are 5th HIGHEST in Point Differential (+3.3) which is really odd. With the Rox getting rid of 2 of it's most inefficient offensive players (McGrady and Alston), I suspect the team's FG % will zoom up. If everything stays the sames or get better which I suspect they will (It's widely known that McGrady was a liability on the defensive end), then all I see is a SMOOTH RIDE into the playoffs. As long as we have the MOST DOMINANT BIG (He's finally healthy folks) in the L, we're in it to win it...
My main concern is getting Artest healthy. If we can get Artest healthy then I think the Rockets are good to go.
Shane and Ron are both shooting .390 for the season as well, compared to McGrady's .388 and Rafer's .370. Not a huge difference. That said, I think its more about the efficiency of the offensive system than the individual shooting percentages. It already seems that the current group will be able to 'run' a more efficient offense, which should improve everybody's shooting percentages. That is, as long as Artest is able to work within the offense, and stops holding the ball. I think that will be a key issue.
Finally an intelligent thread with a positive post. Yes I agree the Rockets have played pathetic for most of the season. And to find themselves still in the thick of things with 2 of the cancer growths removed. Yes IMO both Rafer and Tmac were negatives this year. I know Rafer was playing better overall but I always he was running the show his way. In one game the offense looks much better. And I see only improvement on the horizon. Like Rock I am concerned with Artest and Battiers legs holding up. But if they can I see a positive outlook for the playoffs. Who knows we may justify some of those preseason predictions.
People have forgotten that Artest is still not 100% from the Ankle injury. His movement has improved so hopefully his Defense will too. I do think the team will shot better if we can get move transition baskets.
The difference is Tmac and Rafer haven't hit a clutch shot all season. Okay Rafer Maybe hit one but the problem is they want to take all the clutch shots and this year neither or clutch. Just them not taking quarter ending and game ending shots should help. I like or odds alot better with Brooks and Yao and even Artest at the end of the game. Plus or defense has improved with Tmac out and Artest in.
The reason for our point differential is that our turnovers have been low. Even though I'm glad to see Rafer go, I just hope that Brooks and Lowry keep the turnovers down.
We're in it to win it? Win what? I do though think advancing to the second round would be HUGE for this franchise moving forward, finally having that monkey off the back would be big. I do think we'll finish three, four, or five in the west.
It's funny how just getting to the second round is huge for us. hey, I feel the same way. But with the talent on this team there is no reason we can't go to the western conference finals. Every year we have an excuse, hopefully this year we don't have any excuse to not do well in the post season sans mcgrady.
I think the future looks bright for us 2010... with Tmacs expiring we can bring in 2 more 10 million dollar players... who dont have to be superstars... but players who you cant leave to double Yao....or they will torch you... let the other teams chase after the Lebron's and Wade's
I noticed the exact same figures yesterday (negative FG% diff, positive point diff). I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, though. My thinking is not that our offense was the problem, but that our defense is not what it used to be ... But likewise, hopefully with the removal of a crippled McGrady, and an insertion of a healthy body (anyone) our defensive stops will increase.
haha So having tmac is an excuse not to get past the first round. Look, I am as critical as ever of Tmac's play this year, but this guy performs as well as anyone not named Kobe or Lebron in the playoffs. He is not an excuse in the playoffs. On a side not, I do feel we have the pieces to at least get to round 2!
Now I understand this is a small sample size but as I started this thread, I expect this trend to continue. The last 2 games w/o McGrady and Alston: Offense : 69/147 = 46.94% Defense : 61/161 = 37.89% The last 4 games since McGrady went AWOL: Offense : 143/311 = 45.98% Defense : 125/309 = 40.45% As I started this thread, the Rox's had a negative FG% differential but since McGrady and Alston are now gone, as I suspected will improve but I wasn't expecting this much improvement especially on the defensive side of the ball. We knew McGrady was a liability but I didn't realize he was the Anti-Christ. But of course, this is still a relatively small sample size. Let's see how it plays out for another 2 weeks of games.
Good to see clear headed rational optimistic threads like these. I think we are strong enough to make some noise through the end of the season. But I do think that confidence will be a big factor. We juss need to be relentless and realize that we can have the best defense in the league if we put our minds to it.
my concern is battier hitting his wiiddddddddddddddde open 3's...hes almost as bad as rafer so far this season in his shooting. anyone know if he's free of injury now? or is he still healing
More data, from Hollinger's Team Stats ... Defense The top 5 defensively efficient teams (defined as the number of points a team allows per 100 possessions) : 1) Boston 97.8 2) Cleveland 98.5 3) Orlando 98.9 4) San Antonio 101.6 5) Houston 101.9 That is EXCELLENT news to me, and good company to be found amongst... It is a drop off from the JVG coached teams, but not significantly. And our offensive execution has far greater potential under Adelman. Offense That being said, our current offensive standing is 15th out of 30, exactly middle of the road (the number of points a team scores per 100 possessions): 1) LA Lakers +111.2 2) Portland +110.4 3) Cleveland +110.1 4) Phoenix +109.5 5) Orlando +108.2 6) Boston +108.1 7) Utah +107.6 8) New Orleans +107.6 ... 13) San Antonio +106.0 14) New York +105.0 15) Houston +105.0 16) Milwaukee +104.8 17) New Jersey +104.8 Margin of Victory In terms of point margin in games, the 4 top tier teams are : 1) Cleveland +9.9 2) Boston +9.0 3) Lakers +8.3 4) Orlando +7.4 After that is the drop off where 5 teams are in the +3 range : 5) San Antonio +3.6 6) Portland +3.6 7) Denver +3.4 8) Houston +3.3 9) Utah +3.1 This is more or less reflected in the standings - where the top 4 teams are outpacing the rest of the league rather clearly. Takeaways Here's are the takeaway from this simple data : 1) Houston is still basically a major defensive force in the league, with a minor drop-off from Van Gundy's years. 2) Houston thus far has been exactly an average (median) team offensively. 3) Out of both conferences, there is a clear top tier with 4 teams, and a clear second tier with 5 teams. Houston is currently a second tier team. 4) This current production and standing has happened in spite of this year's incredible destabilizing factors (injuries up and down the roster, inconsistency & uncertainty in lineups, alleged locker room & chemistry issues, the soap opera, the trade). 5) As the cliche goes - defensive wins championships, and if I had to choose between being a top 5 defensive team vs. a top 5 offensive team - I'd go defense every time (built for the playoffs). 6) The numbers are telling a more positive story about Houston than the media at large understands. They only see the superstar name sidelined, a steady stream of drama, and no consistent win streaks, so the Rockets are not catching much credit. This is not a bad thing at all! It is far better to be under-rated than over-rated. One of the problems Houston has faced is sky-high expectations each year so it is actually refreshing to be out of people's attention for a while. 7) Not only is there room for improvement, both defensively and offensively, but with stabilization of the line-up, the removal of low percentage jump shooting chuckers, and the evidence of playing cohesively sans McGrady, and I personally would be surprised if the Rockets did not climb up through the remainder of the season, particularly in regards to offense now that Adelman seems confident that the players are committed to his philosophy of basketball. So, in a most optimistic sense, the team at least maintains its defensive intensity (if not increases it), and gels offensively over the next 30 games... I see the margin of victory slowly rising and the Ws racking up. The Rockets could easily come into the playoffs as both a top 10 offensive team, and a top 10 defensive team. This smells good... 8) This seems to bode well in terms of the playoff picture. At least in in terms of passing the 1st round, we have nearly 0% chance of facing the top tier teams (LA/Cle/Bos/Orl), so statistically speaking we will be in the second round. That will be one monkey off the team's back. But, I'm looking at much greater than that. Again, statistically speaking the 2 great challenges will be the WCF matching up with the Lakers, and then whoever comes out of the East. But I don't feel that bad about our chances considering how we have competed against the top tier teams this year. They can pull it off. And how sweet it would be to do it as the underdog, out of everyone's radar, minus the big name superstar. I'm personally excited, but wanting not to generate any kind of hype. I actually enjoy the negativity on the board, and the constant doomsday prophecies from the McGrady supporters / Yao detractors about our inevitable playoff failure. As long as the team is executing, it doesn't matter a snit what anybody things - local newspaper, BSPN, clutchfans crazies... ... but the numbers tell a pleasant story so far ...
