To be honest with you, no team in the NBA really scares me at this point. I truelly feel that we can win series against any team in this upcoming 06-07 season. But to answer your question, if I had to pick a team that would give us the most trouble it would be the Pistons.
There is not a more dominating, penetrating guard that can both dish and shoot it in the league than the 2 time reigning MVP.
Pistons? Just toss into Yao and let him eat up Nazr. If double-team comes, kick out to TMac or anyone else.
The problem with your logic is two fold... One - we've yet to see Wells on court and he was initially held out for a groin injury that he's had all summer to recoup from. Two - You can say what you want about Rudy Gay's lack of motivation or his thus far inability to get the hang of an NBA offensive game. But you'll have a hard time convincing me and a lot of other folks that Battier can stay up with SG's any better than Gay. There's a reason why (according 82games) Battier did not play a single minute at SG for MEM in 2005-06. I'll wait until the season is over to seriously debate the value of what the Rockets did this summer. The Rockets with a healthy McGrady and Yao were a playoff team with Battier or with Gay. So the real question which the season will answer for a team weak at PG and SG.... Which is greater? Gay + Swift + James <> Battier + Wells + Spanoulis Unlike 90% of this board, the jury is still out for me.
I disagree. We have Kirk Snyder who is more than big and athletic enough (and has so far shown excellent defensive ability), and Bonzi Wells. Luther can defend most point guards adequately. T-Mac is an elite perimeter defender in his own right. Even Battier can defend 2-guards. Our perimeter defense is certainly not the question mark it was last season. We have great team defense ... and if an elite backcourt player is going to get his, ultimately we take everyone else out and dare him to pull a Kobe. Dribble penetration is actually only a concern to the extent that we need to keep Yao out of foul trouble. The only teams that will pose a defensive challenge are teams with a lot of offensive depth inside. Right now, Detroit and LA (Clippers) fit that bill. You could also make a case for Dallas because of Dirk and his unstoppable scoring ability and their overall depth. But seriously... with the potential on this team right now, it's really hard to be scared of *any* team in this league.
Why do you have to be racist? And Yao Ming doesn't play in the backcourt, he's in the front court. If anyone thinks Snyder, Battier, Bonzi, and the more experienced Luther aren't better than 36-year-old 6'1'' David Wesley, I'd like an explanation.
You gotta watch teams with centers that can jack 3pt shots like Brad Miller. He always causes us problems because Yao can't defend that far out. Regarding the backcourt, Snyder, VSpan, TMac and even Battier can all pick up tough defensive assignments. I'm no longer worried about our backcourt defense. Also guarding big, mobile PF's like Garnett will be next to impossible with our roster. That said, Minny can't guard TMac or Yao so that will even out (in our favor).
This team's past is not it's present; so much has changed. Battier, Wells, Synder, Head is a pretty decent core of perimeter defenders. When TMac is thrown into the mix it gets even better. Alston may be improved offensively, but it is likely that he will still be a weak link on perimenter defense. The answer to your question can't be determined at this point. If the Rockets can ever get healthy, they are going to be a ruggedly good defensive team. Let the games begin.
Racist? For not believing in the defensive skill levels of the Rockets PG's and SG's? You're reading something figurative into a totally literal comment.
I thaught that JVGs plan was to guard Tim Duncan with Shane Battier! If this is so then wouldn't he as our Power Forward be the one trying to prevent Duncan from scoring? Yao Ming of coures would be the final line of defence.If the Spurs go small we don't have to follow suite, do we?
Gay + Swift + James << Battier + Wells + VSpan + Snyder Swift has negative value. Gay would have a huge learning curve with JVG on defense. Only James brings any real positive value.
I voted Dallas just because of their combination of size, speed, and D. Also Dirk is one of the most unguardable players in the league. They have a very deep bench with proven veterans and high energy guys. I think we can beat the Spurs(while they do pose a threat 2nd to Dallas) because our 3-headed monster of Yao, T-Mac, and Wellls is far better than TD, Manu, and Parker. Our role players are no different than theirs that they provide spacing on the court for the stars. Incase people don't know we can own the Suns. They make a good regular season threat but in no way will they challenge us in a 7 game series. Nobody on that team can defend any of our 3-headed monster and Amare doesn't stand a chance against Yao. We could beat them up just like the Clippers were doing. But unlike the Clippers we won't make any attempt to play at their pace, which is what they like.
I think the weakness the rockets have had in the past couple of years is not having a killer instinct and finishing off easy teams early. 1-3 against the bobcats?! They need to stop playing down to the level of the weak teams. Thats what seperates us from the elite teams. We can beat any of the western an eastern powers, but those 6 or 7 games that we lose every years against obviously weak teams makes a huge difference in terms of playoffs seeding and home court advantage.
Our season might be helped, if Yao Ming has garnered more respect from the Refs. If the Refs call most of the fouls committed against Yao Ming we will be home and dry in almost every game!
Again your having problems with logic. First, you can't add Snyder to the equation unless you put him on both sides. He was a trade that could have been made independently of any other move and without MLE implications. Secondly, your granting Spanoulis a value based upon what? Third, Stomile Swift's trade value is a value judgement you are making. About the time Deke has an injury and Chuck Hayes is exposed by real rotational players, Swift will suddenly have some value. I'm done debating it. It's bookmarked for 82 games from now. Got it. No Prob.
We'll see about Chuck, but I think Stro (and Juwan) already got exposed last year... So, I'm not so worried about Hayes (and Battier) taking those minutes.
Ditto. The most problems we have had are with up tempo and athletic teams. If Amare is 90% Phx is the hardest to match-up with, if not it is Dallas. While Mia and SA represent other elite teams, and certainly major challenges (containing Wade and TD), style wise we are more similar. The Mavs don't shoot that well outside of Dirk and Terry. In fact they were outshot by Phx, Mia & SA in the playoffs. But the Mavs are very athletic and long--which leads to edges in rebounds and TOs, and they versitle in style. They finally took control of the Phx series by not trying to run and gun with them, and they beat the Spurs by pressing tempo. Oh I agree majorly. Now we can go Battier at the 4 (defensively) and a big lengthy 2 (Wells or Snyder) sandwiched between a long 3 (Tmac). The Battier trade is huge for is in being able to put a team out there to cancel out much of Phx and Dallas athleticism advantages in the PF spot and wings (we can cover the floor much better), while also putting out another shooter to work off our advantaged match-ups (Yao & Tmac). It isn't going to be easy to beat a healthy Heat, Mavs, Spurs or Suns--IMO the elite teams going into this season. (I have Det behind, they couldn't handle the Heat with a healthy Wade for 2 years now, Wade is only getting better, and now they have no Ben W. and the have other key players getting older (Sheed/McDyes). Barring a major trade I don't see Detroit in the title picture.) That said I would not be scared of anyone either. We are much less exploitable, and we present nightmare scenarios for them to handle with Yao and Tmac and a more athletic team around them. I have little concern about our frontcourt, but much of our ultimate success depends on Wells, Alston, Snyder and Head holding their own against elites. Can they knock down open shots and at least make the Wades, Terrys, Nash, Barbosa (don't be surprised if he is more difficult to play than Parker by next year), Manus, and Parkers of the NBA have to work hard for their points/assists. If they do this everyone has to be worried about playing the Rockets. Sorry, while yes your Brad Millers (shooting 5s) and Elton Brands (power 4s) can present some individual match-up problems, they can and will be adjusted for in a long series and we present a lot more problems to their teams, I am not worried about them. I think as long as we gun for Mia, Dallas, Phx and SA we can take care of the rest.
Well said. Anyone who watched the Suns/Lakers playoff series saw how weak the Suns are inside. All the Lakers were doing was posting Lamar and setting up Kwame!! With Bonzi, Yao, and TMac legit posters, and with the team speed we picked up this summer, we will give them fits this year. That said, Steve Nash is still the man on that roster. He can take over a game any night, no matter how much faster we are. I think Dallas will be our chief rival this year. They added some legit role players who can shoot, and last year's squad bought into Rev Avery's sermon on D; and I suspect this year's additions will buy in as well. Hopefully we can send them a message in the home opener.
I think its the other way around people.....everyone says dallas......we need not fear dallas guys.......they have one superstar and a bunch of role players.......we have shown in the past when tmac and yao are together on the floor that we give THEM FITS.............yao always explodes when he plays dallas.....goes for 26 or above points wise......just like dirk is a mathup prob....t and yao are one from them also.....now you throw wells and the rest of the bunch in the mix.....and we have no business losing to dallas....our major prob with dallas in the past was team speed...which is not the prob anymore......i think we are causing more late night headaches in our division than you all might think.......i think dallas and san antonio are really scratchin there heads right now hoping we have chemistry problems cause the talent gap is gone..... look at it like this................we took dallas to 7 games with tmac yao and a bunch of old guys who ran out of gas in the series because of the athletic and age difference......we were at such a disadvantage athletic wise that it was almost unfair...and we took them to game seven...actually had them down 2-0 at first with the old team.................now we have athletes and quarter horses people..................all i can say is LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
