More roster upheaval for that third star. But if you're getting booted in the first round(AGAIN) and the roster ain't good enough, hey, go for it I guess.
We don't have our starting PG (and only non-geriatric guard) nor our starting PF. I think a healthy roster is good enough to contend, but losing those two really hurts.
Isn't hacking normally used when behind, to stop the clock and get the ball back? Teams have been hacking the Rockets when they are ahead!
Losing them does hurt. With or without Beverley back, I think they need to address the PG position. Or if James is your PG, then go get a shooter.
This is a perfect analogy. The problem is, the Rockets don''t have a cheap move to throw back, so there's no reason for the Spurs or other teams to stop.
Think a lot of folks have lost perspective. Even in Morey's eyes, this was a team going into the season that was still a work in progress -- and that was with everyone healthy. Yeah, you've lost D-Mo and Beverley -- but the Josh and Brewer additions largely put you in a similar position to where you were before the season. Bottom line: in January 2014, even with Parsons here, they were looking for the "third-best player on a championship team". In July 2014, they still were. In February 2015, they still were. That's the missing piece. Harden playing out of his mind and/or good luck in close games probably bought you 2 or 3 more games than you realistically deserved. Without those, you're a more "solid" 6 seed, which is what the roster adds up to. Would love to see them go after LMA... the thought of waiting until July 2016 for the off chance at Durant or a few others and punting on another season in the prime of Harden's career makes me livid, at the moment.
There is a defense against it.....make your free throws. Pop exposed our weakness big time. We have ****ty free throw shooting bigs and with DMo out we were forced to play Smith. Who can't shoot free throws and who can't defend Timmy. It's not a cheap move.
Bev is great on defense when he isn't fouling, but as far as a PG, not so much. He basically just hands it off to Harden and gets out of the way most of the time.
I think throwing the end of this season in the same bucket as the previous two years is kinda unfair, given the injury situation.
I like the 2-star and actually having a bench approach. 3 stars is nice but is it necessary? That third star becomes an expensive [super] role player. 1. Maybe that's not a problem with the increasing cap. 2. That 3rd "star" (or guy) may be Dwight and they're looking for that 2nd guy as 'Deuce has referred to in the past.
the last few weeks are like being kicked in the nuts, starting to feel better, then getting kicked in the nuts again... then again Losing 2 starters in one of the most promising seasons ever sucks
The reasons may be different, but it's happened every year. When we get into playoff-level basketball, and teams gameplan for us, we have no counter. Harden shrinks, plays so tentative, and coaches are unable to help him.
Losing DMo was the last straw. He would have been our release valve if Harden gets slowed down. He doesn't shoot FTs that well either, but I think he would have gotten 1/2 at least every time.
Initial report of injury: "Yeah he's got something in his wrist/back, he's going to need 1-2 weeks." 3 days later- "Arm fell off. No basketball for 3-6 months."
