There's been a lot of talk recently that the Rockets are too deep and having so many good players that it some will grow unhappy due to their lack of pt. For one, this is completely insane. Our team is packed to the brim with character/team first guys. We aren't the Jailblazers here. Second, if you break down the minutes, using a 10 man rotation, everything works out. For example: Yao - 24 minutes/ Miller - 18 minutes Scola - 35 minutes / Hayes - 15 minutes Battier - 22 minutes / Budinger - 18 minutes Martin - 38 minutes/ Lee - 15 minutes Brooks - 35 minutes/ Lowry - 20 minutes Looks absolutely perfect to me. Then with Yao out... Miller - 22 minutes / Hill - 13 minutes Scola - 35 minutes / Hayes - 22 minutes Battier - 22 minutes / Budinger - 18 minutes Martin - 38 minutes/ Lee - 15 minutes Brooks - 35 minutes/ Lowry - 20 minutes I see no one complaining here. Or is that just me?
Our roster is deeper than the abyss... I felt more comfortable with Yao playing only 24 minutes after I realized how deep our roster was when we got C.Lee and Miller...
too much is looked into dividing up the mins the only one whose mins are numbered is Yao other than that if the starter is having an off night put in the back up at any position.....pretty much play the guy who is having a great night the end
Center: Yao -- 24 Miller -- 16 (more when Yao doesn't play in b2b games) Hill -- 8 (more when Yao doesn't play in b2b games) Jeffries -- gets some minutes when Yao doesn't play in b2b games. PF: Scola -- 28 Hayes -- 12 Patterson -- 8 Jeffries -- gets some minutes when any of those PFs are unable to play. SF: Battier -- 24 CBud -- 24 Jeffries -- gets some minutes when any of those two SFs are unable to play. SG: Martin -- 30 Lee --18 Taylor -- some minutes when Martin or Lee are unable to play. PG: Brooks -- 30 Lowry -- 18 Smith -- some minutes when Brooks or Lowry are unable to play.
As the season wears on, our depth will pay big dividends. We will be able to sustain injuries while other teams will not, making our second unit even more undermatched. We can rotate players constantly like a hockey team based on who has energy and who is playing well. Also, there was an article recently mentioning how players basically coast during the regular season and then turn it on for the playoffs. That's less likely to happen if you are fighting for minutes like every player on our team will be. That means much of the time we will win by simply out hustling the other team (that's how we won 22 straight). If you know you're only going to play 15 min, you aren't going to hold back. A Lowry/Lee/Budinger/Hayes/Miller second unit has me pumped (with Hill and Ish in reserve!). I was surprised how well Miller defended Lopez, that's very encouraging.
We're kind of like the Utah Jazz of 2 years ago, in that we have so much depth. But we don't have a Deron williams or one guy who can carry us for a season.
that's not the case....even Yao has averaged 37 minutes before for a season (of 50 something games ) and Shane averaged I believe close to 40 minutes a game in his ROOKIE season, those are the only players I can think on the top of my head right now, there are probably more examples
I think he's saying we're too deep for that. But, in my opinion, Martin and Brooks are too good to not play 35 minutes a game. Even this year.
they won't play martin 38 min. maybe 32ish is probably about right because i can definitely see lee getting 20+
If you look at our roster, we have guys that will contribute and play their role night in and night out. But every single one of those guys is also capable of having a stellar game. Pushing us over the top. Plus, their ability, smarts and sharpness are increasing. We have a group of intelligent basketball players on our team who can also play ball. We don't need to rely on one player and that's a great thing. =] The team goes as the team goes, not as one player goes... And as history has taught us, both in our organization and recent ones, the teams that rely on one player are quickly headed into rebuilding mode.
I have a complaint. Just how long are these games? Unless all of our games go to overtime and the guards get minutes at forward/center, I don't think your scheme is going to work.
Yeah probably but that just upsets me. Martin is a much bigger factor and Lee's one advantage over him, his defense, has been pretty piss poor this preseason.
I presume that whoever is hot from the court on given night will play extra minutes. Lee and Budinger will see increased mpg, thats for sure.
From the way it has looked in the past two preseason games, Jefferies will be the backup 5 and 3rd 4 off the bench when Yao is out, and Hill and Patterson really will only see PT in the case of an injury or improvement as season progresses. So you have Hill, PP, Taylor, and Ish Smith totally out of the rotation baring injuries. That is two lottery pick bigs and two quality guards not even in the rotation, pretty crazy stuff. I assume those four players all will probably be in Rio Grande at some point in the first half of the season... Thats a pretty amazing D-League team.
