Sorry I'm not giving up on this season. We missed Francis in the Seattle game because it was sudden, but no way am I giving up on this season. This team is still loaded with offensive weapons and they have to get on the same page. Getting an extra big man who can produce up front would be nice since KT is iffy. Not having Mobley tonight hurts though, I'd like the Rockets to get an extra big man who can score up front, that would be nice.
This will give some of our younger players a chance to get more playing time. Something that Tmo and EG need badly. Rice now has an opportunity to be a primary scorer and to shoot himself back to form. Torres will get to show us why the coaches love him so much and Williams/Langhi can increase their trade value. Too many silver linings not to keep watching.
Millenium, I think you'll have to get used to the troops we have. So now we start Norris Mobley Rice Thomas Cato and tonight, against the Kings, it may even be Norris Torres Rice Thomas Cato Ouch. But, I'm looking forward to it really and kind of hope that Mobley does sit out a few games as well. We'll probably get slaughtered by the Kings. But, I always like to see what the Rockets will do when their go-to guys are out. If Rice is ever going to find a place in the offense, he'll find it with Francis and Mobley out.
Dammit, I just got Franchise in my fantasy basketball league a week ago. Doesn't he know he needs to suck it up and take one for the team?
I hate to agree with the doubters, but I think we're going to have serious trouble scoring. We're already missing our #3 option in Taylor, and now the #1 option in Steve. I think Cat's going to have to score 25 or 30 a night for us to have a shot to win. In retrospect, I wish we had kept Damon Jones. He could have definitely helped picked up the scoring slack at guard. Cat - consistant scorer, but will now see double teams every play. Rice - very slow start for him this year, we need him to step up to 15-18 points a game. Willis - a pleasant surprise, but is it possible for him to be an every night go-to guy at his age? Walt - off to a solid start, and might thrive with more shots. Still, he's as streaky as they come. Kenny - gives it everything he's got, comes to play, and has skills. But he's going to get outscored by his man on a nightly basis, and we need his defense more than his offense. Eddie - needs to grow up quick. His contributions will no longer be a bonus; now he needs to score by necessity. Moochie - this is part of the reason why you're getting the big bucks, man. Play smart.
Unfortunately Juan, I'm afraid you're right. I agree though, one good thing is that without Francis and Mobley HOPEFULLY Rice can get into a rhythm and more plays will be run for him. We have some offense, Rice, Willis, Moochie and KT can produce some offense, and Torres gives us some defense, but man it's going to be tough.
This sucks now, but in the long run we'll be better off. Rudy obviously wasn't going to let the young guys get any quality pt....well now he has to. Let Francis rest (he needed it anyway), let Rice and Mobley learn how to play off one another, let EG show off his low-block skills instead of clearing out every damn time down the court, and let OT show us he can be a quality backup in this league. Another bonus is that this doesn't allow Rudy to use that crutch he calls the small lineup and forces him to play a more conventional lineup where maybe, just maybe, TMo can get his act together. Who knows, this may give us the chance to show off some trade bait who otherwise wouldn't ever get on the court. Just my humble opinion.
Tmo has never taken more than 3 shots in a game this year. It's like taking a walk-ons stats in college and trying to infer something from them. And you can infer something--that he doesn't get in the game! Also perhaps that he is not adept at scoring after sitting the bench for one or more quarters, or in garbage minutes. You can't tell yet whether he'd be good off the bench, because he isn't in the rotation.
Well, the good thing is that Utah, Seattle, Phoenix, and Portland are off to slow starts. If we can only stay within a few games of them in the next few weeks, we can still get in. It is also obvious that the Rockets are having trouble moving the ball, with or w/o Francis. Now w/ him out, other guys should get an opportunity to get into more of a flow(Rice). But for us to be respectable, the ball must touch somebody else's hands other than just the Mooch. The hope here is that by the time the Franchise comes back, others will have their confidence high, and we will get on a good offensive streak. Also, Cuttino should take time off if needed. A healthy and fresh backcourt should help us make up games later.(Iverson a good ex.).
If Franchise misses 4 weeks: Sacramento 7:00 pm L Dec 1 Sat San Antonio L 3 Mon @ New York W, cause I'm going 4 Tue @ Chicago W 6 Thu Washington W 8 Sat @ Minnesota L 9 Sun @ Detroit L 11 Tue Cleveland W 13 Thu @ Indiana W 15 Sat Miami W 18 Tue Portland L 20 Thu L.A. Lakers L 22 Sat Milwaukee W 7-6 When Franchise comes back: Rockets 14-13. It sucks because someone offered me Shaq for the Franchise in my fantasy league right before it was announced how long he'd be out and I declined the trade.
Fran Blinebury was right. Four words: "Curse of the Dream-bino" (no, I don't really believe it. Just...disappointed)
The goal should be to hang around that eigth playoff spot until Francis and Mobley are healthy again. In the meantime Rudy should let loose and play the rooks more often. Hell let them free wheel it on offense even if neccessary. Let Griffin post up more. Let Rice spot up more. Let Torres and Morris play more. All Rudy needs to do is get kapayalistic on them Rocket hatin' Refs every now and then to show the guys hes still believes in 'em. If he does that I think he'll keep the ship afloat till the captains healthy again. also, i hope to see a wounded tiger type ferocity from the players tonight. Lifes to short to let the pejas and Divacs get off clean shots in your face and then even worst laugh about it. Cato or Willis better give one of them foreign bastards an elbow to the face dammit!
