For the last 4 games, we got D. From what Yao and Tmac said in the press, our players know we got D. They felt it. They felt the D coming together. That's what we've been working on all this time, and we got it now. I see it. Just like last year, our D is beautiful. Now lets start working on our offense. I give them 10 games. With Yao and Tmac on the team, 10 games is plenty of time to figure out offense. I know you guys see the easy baskets Yao's been getting. He got more easy baskets this season than all of last year combined. Guys are looking for him on every drive. Tmac Dre and Sura are especially good at handing the ball to Yao right under the basket. If only franchise and Cat knew how to do that, they'd be right here winning. Now that our players have finally started to get what JVG is preaching, expect our attention to be shifted on the offensive end. I am expecting lots more of Yao getting the ball right underneath, and wide open shots. I know some of you are thinking I am writing this on the Tmac high. I don't think that's the only reason. I have been annoyingly? preaching giving this team time since the start of the season. I believe our D has arrived(could be better with a long 4), and that's 60% of the battle. Offense is easier to figure out with Yao and Tmac. We should start seeing results real soon. For the fans lucky enough to go to the home games, boo the team every time they look lost on offense. I really feel it gets them more focused during practice. I know when I play, it really hurts when people watching are laughing at your play. It just forces me to correct my mistakes faster. No player likes getting booed by own fans. It'll get them training a lot harder. Now some of The Come Back high talk: Things are looking up. It's going to be a fun ride the rest of the way.
I was really suprised by the intensity and focus of the Rockets D the past 4 games or so. I was actually jumping out of my seat and clapping by the team just playing good defense (not from a block or steal but by cutting off all of the opponents options). The team is really starting to click and the game against S.A. just erased all doubt it was due to our recent schedule. Even if we had lost this S.A. game I would have still been pleased by our D throughout 3 quarters and the play of Yao and T-mac. This is what the fans of Houston wanted all along (along with a PF with some kind of bball ability ). A lot of people claim it was an ugly first half or whatever but I was very excited the whole time due to the defensive intensity. Go Rocks! I Believe!
Actually, what 4 teams have we played last? Not very physical teams I don't think. Relatively soft teams like us...but yeah tonight's defense was good I guess. Or maybe they were just tired or something..maybe they didn't feel like playing the grind game with us lol. Still yes good defense. Hopefully we can continue it. And they can continue their search of finding themselves..
That's the way to enjoy Rox games my friend. I mean flying dunks and fadeaways are great to watch, but to me at least, a suffocating D is a thing of beauty. I enjoy watching the other team making fadeaway passes and double clutch air balls. lol. The last game was beautiful to me in soooo many ways.
When you have a good defense in place, it doesn't matter if you are playing a soft team or not. We might give up more rebounds against big teams, that doesn't mean your D is not good. Rebounding is a small(but important) part of a good defensive system. Keep on watching the games for our defense, not just looking at the man guarding the ball, you'll see how much we've improved.
Yeah I was impressed by Tmac ripping lots of people. He's good at picking the ball. Yao is sticking arms up..not jumping up to contest shots..that's good..he wasn't in foul trouble which is good...Dikembe has been good. Barrett hustles along with Sura and Ryan Bowen. Padgett isn't that bad either. And Mo tries hard too. Juwan does too...(too bad they suck on offense Mo and Juwan) Yeah good d
I just had to bump this thread up. There are too many complaints about our offense and van gundy in other threads. I don't feel like replying to 39 different posts saying the same thing. so here goes. up.
I am excited about our D but our defensive rebounding still worries me. It makes no sense working your butt for 23 seconds and forcing a tough shot only to allow your opponents to get the ball back. Our fours and guards must rebound better to help out Yao when he goes out to block shots or help out. PS. Our D has not been tested by Seatle, Phoenix and Orlando. These are three of the highest scoring teams in NBA. We have held our own agaist LA, Dallas and Sac Town but more work needs to be done against those smaller quick teams.
I think we've been out rebounding opponents for 4 straight games now. Granted we did it at the expense of our breaks. I agree that rebounding is the weakest link to our D, along with need for another shot blocker. Good thing is, this can be solved by 1 long 4. That'll free up Dre and Sura to dart out as soon as a shot is put up.
What's needed right now is pure spot up shooters. With two players that mandate double teams, you need players that can hit that kick out. Look at San Antonio......Ginobilli, Parker, and Barry (in a slump) can stick the open J on the kick out. If Rockets had some consistant shooters, then we'll be okay. The defense is okay right now, plus we need better rebounding, but it think dead eye shooters would change the way teams play us.
what changes I notice in our defense is 1. our guards Sura/ABarrett/Tmac can stay in front of their man, CWard would just let every one breeze by him and TLue (even though he has the quickness) gets screened to easily he doesnt fight through it. I think its also helps that Sura has some size and quickness at the 1/2 spots. 2. We are rebounding bettter .. Yao is getting more rebounds / Sura is getting alot of rebounds and loose balls and Deke is coming in getting us alot of rebounds. 3. Interesting change of pace at the 1 with Sura taller defensive guard / Gaines tall guard and then Barrett short but quick guard good for the TParkers/AIverson types in the league to deny dribble penetration. J
I was thinking about what Charles and Kenny say about our defense how its an illusion? That we dont play tough defense we just play low possession basketball? do you guys remember that from last night? Well I did some reasearch into that and found the following info. Top 4 in Opposing PPG 1. San Antonio 84.8 2. Houston 88.9 3. Portland 90.8 4. Detroit 91.0 Top 4 in Opposing FG% 1. San Antonio 40.7% 2. Houston Rockets 41.7% 3. Miami Heat 42.0% 4. New Jersey 42.5% Top 4 in FGM / FGA 1. San Antonio 31.3 / 76.8 2. Houston 32.2 / 77.1 3. New Jersey 32.2 / 75.8 4, Detroit 33.5 / 77.6 Notice a common denominator? San Antonio and Houston seem to be at the top of all the defensive categories.. and same statistics very similar to SAS.. so I dont understand why our defense is fake and due to low possession and SAS's defense is top notch? We have allow similar amounts of FGA's and FGM's and our FG% is low? J
Nice. Those numbers will be even lower. We just started playing D recently. 89 ppg allowed? plllllleeeeeeeeeaaaasssse, I say we end up around 84 at the end of the year. When it comes to D, Spurs got nuthin' on us. Even if we don't trade. Let's see... good playoff teams: new pistons, got D old pistons, got D spurs(before and after Duncan), got D chicago, got D LA, got D That's what? 15 championships in the last 15 years? lol, I forgot Houston. We got D. Let the fancy run and gun teams have their fun in the regular season. We are training for the playoffs.
How good is our defense? Let's just see how good our defense can take us against one of the best offenses in Dallas this Saturday.
Defense is not our problem no one ever said it was or that JVG was a bad defensive coach Rocket River
Before the Dallas game, I seem to remember our defense was just as bad as our offense. Not many people here criticized our defense for 2 reasons: 1) Our offense was equally bad. 2) Most fans blame offense when team is losing for simpler logic: we lost because we couldn't score. You only hear coaches and players talk about defense. Our team didn't figure out JVG's D until recently. Knowing JVG, that's probably all they did in practice. I know you dislike JVG as a coach, but give the team a chance to put the offense together. Would you still want a new coach if we go 11 and 3?(including the 3 wins we already have.) It's just a hypothetical question. I personally would be satisfied with a 15-15 record at he end of december. If your answer is yes, I think you just don't like JVG and there is really nothing I could say to change your mind.
i have it in my mind to give JVG to the end of the season IMO . . this is NOT a .500 ball club as for me not liking him . . .i doubt i ever will but i will give him props if he rights the ship Rocket River
