What do the Rockets need to do to become legit contenders?

I don`t think there is this one piece we are missing. Most of all the team has to come together - build chemistry and the right mindset. Whoever we trade Asik for will not be the missing piece. He might help, but this team has enough talent to win a championship right now - and I would say more talent than Indiana, and possibly more than SA and OKC. The difference is, they have been playing together for a long time and are playing great as a team on both sides of the ball.

Harden and Howard is a good a tandem as there is in the league - Parsons, Lin and Asik are a very good supporting cast. Garcia has been of this year, but he has shown his talents in last years playoffs. Brooks, Jones and Casspi has been a nice surprise - Beverly is slumping a bit.

The thing is - it is not easy to improve this team. Our starting 5 (I´ll include Lin here) - who do you want to take minutes from. Harden, Howard and Parsons will get their minutes - so either cut Lins minutes or Jones`. People on here are loving Jones and Lin has been playing great when healthy.

Second unit? I don`t know if we are ready to bury guys like Garcia, Casspi or Beverly on the bench... So whoever we get for Asik will most likely take major minutes from one or two of the following: Jones, Lin, Garcia, Casspi, Beverly - and that will piss several people on here of. And this shows you, that we have a talented roster - all we need is to improve how they play together as a team.

 

Trade Harden or Howard?. Harden is 24 and already is a automatic 25 points 6 assists 5 boards a game player. No sane GM would give up a guy like that who hasn't even come close to reaching his prime.

Dwight is the big big guy on both sides of the ball in the league. 17 points 14 boards 2 blocks a game monster who also effects the interior defense and his help defense more then anyone lose in the league at the ripe old age of 28.

Big men usually enter their prime from 28 to 32 so that means Dwight still has 5 good years in him.

 

You add enough talent, you build a system around them, and you force the other team to react, height, talent, consistency, chemistry. Those are the ingredients. Every player needs a clearly defined goal and clearly defined minutes.

Morey needs to make his deals and announce their will be no more shuffling this season unless another team offers him a fantastic opportunity. This will put the players at ease, which gets you halfway there.

 

A big failure so far of the coaches. Those guys should have their own practice drill, Lin and Howard. It's ridiculous that they're not a tandem. Harden and Lin know how to play together, they just need to do it and get better at it. Harden needs to be reeled in, P Pat did that last season and he was right.

 

Carmelo

 

Honestly, we are far from contenders. I'm going to hold off on my judgment about specific players but it's pretty clear our bench has been underwhelming. So far, I've been very disappointed in Casspi and Cisco.

Casspi just cannot guard any 4s, neither can he rebound so we just need him to be our back-up SF. Garcia has had his share of good defensive games, but he seems to be too slow for the guards so a steady back-up wing is also something Morey needs to look for. Even if Garcia is going to be shooting threes very well, he's still not our answer off the bench.

Jones is good, but it would definitely help if we get a Thaddeus Young / Millsap to start. Then he can be our back-up PF. Jeremy Lin is fine at the back-up PG position so that leaves the C spot. Greg Smith is doing fine and I would just let him be the main back-up for now. We can always sign a veteran C later.

 

They need to start making free throws at least at 70% clip, you put our free throw percentage at 70% for all games and we pick up a few more wins.

 

Decent backup center and a scoring punch of the bench

 

We need a pass-first PG.
We need a guard who can defend both the 1 and the 2 besides Beverley.
We could use another defensive Big, since Asik doesn't want to play.

 

Houston is a legit contender. Dumb losses happen to everyone.

4th in offensive rating
10th in defensive rating
2nd in rebounding rate

Once the team gets and stays healthy, the season will be smooth sailing for the most part.

 

No. As in, negatory.

 

The Rockets have the pieces. The problem is James Harden!! I think he is a top 5-10 player but he is a drama queen. He prefers to look for the foul, instead of drawing a foul. Also, his handles are weak!!!

He has too many turnovers for a star player and so does Dwight. They will not get to the next level the way they are constructed. When you are playing against weaker teams, it's natural to let your guard down. So, you have to cleanup your game in other areas, to not fall short, i.e turnovers and rebounds.

If you control those areas, more times than not, you will win.

 

Morey is still building the team, the Rockets are not a finished product.

The Rockets key players need time to learn to play together. This may take an entire season or more.

Harden and Howard are our star players. They are supposed to bring effort every night and make the big shots when the pressure is on. Ultimately, it's up to our star players to raise this team up. Free throws have to be made, defense has to be a priority, leaders have to step forward.

 

Please stick to watching only the WNBA.

 

We have a pass first PG, Beverley is primarily a passing PG. If you want to say a playmaking one, we have that too. We have a guard that can defend both the 1 and 2 also, but if the two is oversized he'll have problems with him of course. We have really good pieces, it's blending them that's the ticket.

 

B) A new coach.

Plain and simple

 

& dead last in turnovers.

When has a team ever led the league in turnovers and made the finals much less won it all.


Hell the Houston Texans have had the NFL's #1 defense (yards allowed) for much of the season as well as a top ten offense (in total yards)until recently yet they 2-12.
Statistics are .... for losers. What matters is the # in the W column.


Watching this team , they are very inconsistent offensively. Everything works fine when they can run and take shots early in the 24sec clock but when teams force them deep into the possession clock , they seem to forget how to play the game.
ISO's are an issue be it Howard on the block or Harden out high , Howard turns the ball over an awful lot in the post because he takes too long , tries to dribble too much. He has to get his position and make a quick move.
Harden dribbles out the shot clock and tosses the ball to someone else who is forced to take a poor shot. Either get to the rim or get off the damn ball.

This team's half court offense runs the best when Parsons is the facilitator .... or when they run the pick and roll with any of Lin , Parsons & Harden with Howard .... but hey , lets post up or ISO out top!

They have no identity offensively (in the half court).

Then we get to Asik .... what looked to be their strongest position (post / paint defense) has been a weakness of late. Aldridge , Cousins and Speights have their way in the paint in consecutive games and Golden State of all teams outrebounds them by almost 30 ?!
That doesn't happen with Asik on the floor. When they move him , they almost have to get a big in return. Howard cant play 48 minutes or defend two positions at once. Jones cant handle bigger PF's.

I think time will cure some of what ails this team as they figure out who they are and what they do best but they do need Asik or his replacement ..... last week.

 

The question is about the Rockets not the Comets.

 

2 years ago. :grin:

And even with all the turnovers and supposedly inconsistent offense, we're still the 4th best offense.