I believe in playing the 5 most talented players we have during crutch time, within reason. Obviously if we had 5 pgs, that wouldn't work... but if it means using a 3 guard line-up now and then, so be it. I don't think our late game woes can be blamed on small ball so much as a failure to execute things that should be routine. The offense is moribund, but that's not essential to small ball. Remember when Danny Ainge had so much success with small ball a few years ago? Or hell, Don Nelson uses it effectively this year. I want 5 guys that can play good ball on the court. I don't really care as much if they play traditional roles. Just because the Rockets are losing, and playing small ball, doesn't mean small ball is bad. I'd say it's a basic problem of having exactly two players capable of creating their own shots consistently(jacking up a 3 when covered doesn't count, Moochie). I would agree that if you go to small ball, it's important to have an erasor in the paint who can deal with the consequences of mismatches. And Cato isn't ever going to be that, it appears... and Griffin isn't yet.
1. Jackson would never coach a team like this, as it doesn't have the best player in the league on it. 2. Riley has won exactly 3 more games than Rudy, with a lineup that includes Alonzo Mourning, Eddie Jones, and Brian Grant. He seems to be putting up with, or perhaps causing, more folly than Rudy. 3. You're right about Van Gundy, though -- he'd just resign.
Small ball stinks when we lose, which is most of the time. I agree totally with DallasRocket's last paragraph. Stats can be misleading, but if you look at the line for the Clips game, Cato was about five times better than Moochie, and Moochie still was in the game for the ending Mooch 1-6FG 0-2FT 3REB 3AST 1PF 2TO 0BS 2PT Cato 2-3FG 2-4FT 9REB 0AST 3PF 0TO 1BS 6PT If we're going to go with an offense where one guy dribbles out twenty seconds and drives, I would still rather that guy be Steve Francis or Cuttino Mobley than Moochie Norris. Except for end of game shots.
Smallball wouldn't be so bad if we actually ran more with it instead of walking the ball up like we have Hakeem 94 on the blocks. The purpose of small ball is to push tempo and create mismatches in the open floor, now in the half court. Please forbid anyone criticize the Rockets poor play and not just blame it on the superstars we have injured. I've been saying it from day 1 and has been called everything in the book except being correct. Many people here at bbs are blinded by the faith in the team without acknowledging the flaws thats as big as a hole in the ship. Conventional wisdom tells you that if you have no post up game ,a team full of atheletes, that you should try to push the tempo and force teams into a 94 ft game. Looking at the Rockets play basketball, either that message doesn't get to the players or they are just ignoring the coaching. Either way the message has been lost and part blame goes to the coaching,part to the players. I really don't know how to pull up old quotes and threads, but in the beginning it ws apparent by anyone watching that this team didn't have a clue then , nor do they have one now. We're suppose to have a superstar, but give me a superstar and i can show you a team headed to the playoffs, not the lottery. Not to mention this team is suppose to have a "great coach" and anoother top 10 2 guard in this league,yet we are headed somewhere for the 3rd yr that we had only been 1 time in the Hakeem era. I'm not going to turn this into a I wish Hakeem was here thread or dreaming about the good old days, I'm just simply saying this team isn't good, the coaching is just as bad, and if we don't do something this offseason instead of standing pat, we'll be in the same spot next yr. It was acceptable in 99 for Francis to committ bonehead to's, but not now. What was acceptable because of circumstance then is not tolerable now in my eyes. Something has to be done or we will always be on the outside looking in and anothr young team, the like the grizzlies will pass us up after the spurs and jazz fall off. I think next yr ,Rudy is in the hot seat with him and some of the players. Smallball sux, because the positives aren't outweighing the negatives, plain and simple.
I'm not so opposed to small ball than to moochie norris being a part of it Griffin at the 5 is my idea of small ball
I remember when the Rockets started out unbeaten in '93-'94 and I saw a game on TV and realized, "Holy cow, these guys have a reliable, winning system. They have an inside game and an outside game. They have an overwhelming mismatch in the middle and they exploit it in creative ways. They could go all the way." I watched the Washington game last week -- the one that everybody said was our most "complete" of the year -- and realized, "These guys will never get within spitting distance of a championship with this system." The 'most complete' game of the year consisted of hot shooting from long range. That's it.
We were a small ball team win the title in 95 (in crunch time we had Elie at the 3 & Horry at the 4). So I guess small ball would work if we just found the right guy to play center Seriously, I am all for small ball this year. Games like the other one are great; exciting games, we stay in it until late in the 4th, and oh shucks, we can't stop them in the end. Next year I would like to see and END of small ball, unless we get the kind of 5 that can single handly change our defensive and rebouding outlook. Does Hakeem have any nephews or sons getting near draft age.
I don't know what you guys are talking about. I love Moochie Ball! Moochie!!! Why they got to be hating on you? You beat out Bryce Drew, and that guy is T-A-L-E-N-T!
a.) we are not making the playoffs b.) if we are not making the playoffs, coming close and still losing is losing c.) i'd rather see the rookies playing and making boneheaded plays and us losing that watching the veterans make the same boneheaded plays and us losing. maybe the rookies could learn something. I've seen enough of Walt (not lately, thank goodness) having four or five cold games in a row before a good game in a losing cause. I've heard enough of Moochie dribbling as if he's "paid by the dribble" as much more clever posters have said. watching our main offensive plan of iso's by a guard until they make a circus shot or turnover or an assist every once in a blue moon is boring me and the four other players on the court. e.) we are not getting the second coming of hakeem at the 5 unless we get really lucky with the lottery balls, so we have to make the most of what talent we have, and will get in drafts/trades to come.
I personally don't believe that teams that build their teams around backcourts win championships. there are exceptions, i know...but for the most part, championship teams are built around strong frontcourts.
I'm all for the 3-guard line-up, as long as 2 of those guards are Moochie and Torres. The third can be Steve OR Cuttino. Why play them big minutes whe the season is over? At least let Mooch and Torres to play more, so the 2nd unit can gain some chemistry. These players should play at least 10 min/game each for the rest of the season: T-Mo Collier Tierre Torres Langhi Why not? Why risk giving our starters big minutes? Only people who should be getting big minutes: Cato and Griffin. Cato, so that he can continue to gain confidence and get into better shape, encouraging to come back better next season. Griffin, because he's a rookie, and has a lot to learn. The staff should tell him to go insided EVERY SINGLE TIME. That's how Gasol learned the NBA inside game. He may get pushed around, but that's how you learn. Limit our starting backcourt's minutes. Not a single win this seaosn is important anymore. Nothing. In fact, let Steve go on the injured list (5 games) and work extensively on his ear problem.
Perhaps once, but this does not seem to be true, recently. While I think Bryant might be as good as O'Neill... I'll concede that one. But during the 90's... Spurs - front court Bulls - back court Rockets- front court Bulls - back court Pistons - back court Seems pretty balanced to me.
Haven, That is a skewed grouping. The only team that had a SMALL backcourt was the Pistons, all the other teams had backcourts of teams with 6'6" or 6'7" players. But still a good poing nonetheless. DD
Have you guys noticed how, as soon as you have a big man that's a good passer, you immediately overachieve in this league? Webber, Duncan (recently), KG (not BIG, but still), Hakeem (we won when he learned). This statistic worries me. Any of our bigmen good at passing? I've heard Mo Taylor, but that may be an opinion. What do you guys think?
More times than not, good big men beat good little men.Big to me is 6'6 and up. Thats the cusp of the rockets problems in a nutshell. They have no one large that can get them a good shot in the final 2 minutes of a game.People will look at the Pistons with Thomas and Dumars, but they were the exception. Can it be done again? Maybe, but not likely looking at the scope and talent of the players now. In the past 20yrs, they are the only team to have their pg lead the team in scoring and win the title. The catch is, neither Francis nor Mobley are the leaders that Thomas was. No matter how big the player was on the pistons, they were scared of Thomas's wrath for either not playing hard or making bonehead plays. Plus they had guys willing to sacrifice for the good of the team and had young guys like Rodman and Salley who played hard and did all the little hustle things that help teams win.
The question is, do we have the big men? We have to operate on the assumption Griffin becomes pretty good. Odds are, this team won't go anywhere if he suddenly busts. He's got the size to be our big man, just needs the experience. To me, he looks like he could become a good passer, because he has the physical tools (long arms, height), and makes all his decisions quickly. This offseason is important in that regard-with a top 10 pick, our goal is to come out of the draft with a solid SF in hand, or soon to be in the cards.
I think Mo passes well. And KT does as well, although he probably doesn't always pass when he should. But when he does it, he's fine . Not sure about Griffin... and I don't think Cato does.
the bulls are a radical exception, mostly because of Mike. i agree entirely with the pistons...they were clearly a backcourt-strong team...but their guys down low muscled like crazy and EVERYBODY was sold on defense...EVERYBODY!!! if we could get that kind of mix, i'd be fine with that...i just don't ever see cuttino and steve committing to defense the way dumars and thomas did. and i think moochie norris is a FAR CRY from Vinnie Johnson!!!
Using a 3-guard line-up only makes since if you're going to run a lot of fast breaks. Why is it that we have 3 of the youngest, most athletic guards in the league and we NEVER run fast breaks? If we are going to play half-court at the end of every game, how about using our big men?
I think the front court/back court dichotomy is too simplistic. The Bulls weren't strong in the back court, they were strong in the swing positions: SG and SF. The other interesting thing is if you look at where the top-2 guys are, the Lakers and the Rockets had a front-court and back-court strength (O'Neal-Bryant and Olajuwon-Drexler). This seems like the best recipe for success, even if it never did quite work for the Jazz.
