The Rockets biggest problem is that their role players don't finish...

I would be more concerned about us "finishing" in the paint.

We are LAST in the league in Points in the Paint.
We are LAST in the league in Fast Break points.

That means we are getting NO Easy baskets. I understand the Fast Break points. That's just part of being on a JVG team. But LAST in the league in Points in the Paint is really what's killing us. We need to FINISH on our drives to the baskets (the little amount of drives we do take).

 

Our role players last year were finishers(specially the WBPS)..... we just need Barry and Sura back and u'll see the difference....

 

i think you're asking a bit too much of the rookies 3 of whom were undrafted to play like vets and our other role players probably could finish but the other cog in the machine (yao) isnt around. this team was built with the idea of having both yao and tracy in the lineup. once yao is back i think the pressure will be lifted on everyone except yao and tracy which should allow the other guys to play more loose

 

We just have a bad mix of role players that still haven't built a chemistry, and yes we miss way too many open shots. It's like we have to exert maximum effort to even be competitive in a game, and people who think when Yao gets back all this changes is sadly mistaken. We don't have enough Sura type of players (tough gritty opportunistic players) and instead players like JHO (finesse player who always gets his numbers but you're team still loses) gets major minutes, or players like DWes (you pull for the guy because he's tough no nonsense but in all actuality he's a detriment for one reason or the other). We just have a bad mix of players built around Yao and TMac and this was even when we had all players healthy.

 

Fire JVG!!!

 

i think the biggest problem the rox have is a severe lack of youth and the fact that all the role players are 90 years old.

if they plan on building around yao and tmac its better for them just to start with youth and get a core group of players together for the next 7 years.

 

When Yao comes back, our points in the paint will see a nice little spike.

 

Wesley is shooting something like 47% fg in January. He isn't our problem.

Juwan Howard is averaging 17 ppg in January. He isn't our problem.

Our problem is TMac and Yao arn't healthy.

Our role players are doing their job just fine...but they are being asked to do too much as primary scorers rather than just "role players."

 

I think that has something to do with Yao missing a big chunk of games this season

 

its just where NBA talent is at this point. Not many times have guys that finish well, if they did, they'd be stars.

Some teams are stacked, Clippers, Miami, Detroit, Dallas, and S.A.

Dallas and S.A. have good role players and the other teams are just more vastly talented.

 

Perhaps it is because they are just bad shooters being put on the shooting spot?

Seriously, no easy baskets. That is the reason why JVG's offense won't do that well. His offense system replies on catch and shoot instead of cutting and driving. He actually wants T-Mac and Yao get doubled so they can kick the ball out for the open jumpers. That is why he needs good shooters more than anything. It is the key.

But trust me, in today's NBA, making an open jumper is not that an easy job any more. Being able to shoot close to 45%, you will be considered as a good shooter. We actually had quite a few guys last year, Padget, Barry and Mike James, etc. Unfortunately JVG and CD obviously thought we had too much fire powers so they let two of them go. It hurts.

 

A great team (which we were suppose to be) overcomes injuries and at least stays afloat while our star players are out. If we were at or near .500 then I would say the role payers were doing great despite the circimstances, but due to the fact we have severely imploded speaks volumes of what our role players are made of. Sure we've had other role players injured but I get the feeling it would not have made any difference.

Bottomline, even if we had everyone healthy (sans Sura, it was foregone conclusion that he would miss a major chunk of the season if he returned at all), I would be willing to bet we still struggle. I don't get a good feeling with a team built with JHo, DWes, Derek Anderson, and Stro. They are good players in their own ways but together so far they stink.

 

We got a few this year too.

Wesley is shooting 47% in January.
Howard is shooting 45% for the season.
Barry is out hurt.
Sura is out hurt.
Alston shot 41% last season but hasn't got comfy yet but he will...
DA is a lifetime 41%

Last year,
Padget shot 42%.
James shot 43%

So you think those two guys would be the difference maker on this team? And you blame CD for that?

 

JHo could be shooting 60% and we probably would still be losing. It goes beyond percentages, it's the understanding of your own teammates, playing well with each other and all that good chemistry buzzwords.

 

...and isn't that EXACTLY why we traded Mike James.

Anyway, Juwan isn't our problem. Our problem is we've been missing 55ppg from 3 of our starters from last season. (Sura ~10, TMac ~25, Yao ~20). I don't blame JVG or CD for that. Just chaulk it up to bad luck and quit looking to blame somebody at least until we get are lineup back on track.

Our role players are being asked to be primary scorers and that's why they look bad. Not because they are insufficient role players.