I know it’s early but more and more under Jeff Van Dummy it looks like we are lottery bound. With the Spurs, Dallas, Sacramento and Minnesota as locks and Phoenix and Seattle, both non playoff teams last year, emerging as legitimate contenders and the Lakers (who were supposed to be lottery bound) playing with more heart and passion every game under Championship coach Rudy T who is willing them to victories and an almost certain albeit unexpected playoff visit, our beloved Rockets under the tutelage of Jeff Van Dummy are looking more and more like lottery fodder. Yes, as the 12th seed in the West with the Clippers, Nuggets, Portland and Utah ahead of us and fighting for the 8th seed. The only team that’s dropped from last year are the Grizzlies and they are just 1/2 game behind us and improving with their new coach. So while you may not want to hear it, it is looking more and more like the Rockets are headed for the lottery and a good question would be who should we take in the first round with our lottery pick a pg or a power forward. Who knows maybe we will fire JVG and make a turn around but right now it looks like scouting for our lottery pick is in order.
I would think it is very obvious......if VG decides to go back with Lue and Ward, then we need a point in the worst way.....but as long as he continues to play Sura and Barrett at the point, we are ok at the point. Now.....we really cant say that for our PF position. Mo and Howard are proving to be damnnear worthless. very little rebounding....sporadic defense....cant seem to sink a shot consistently.... Spoon can rebound and defend, but doesnt really have the size to be as effective as we need...and his shot isnt reliable. Padgett can shoot, hustles, rebounds....does at least try to defend....but once again, doesnt really have the size to be what we need. SO, out of the 4 players we have at each position......we have two that are effective at the point, and roughly 1 and a half PFs that dont suck badly. Looks like to me, we desperately need some "power" at the power forward position much more than we need a point. I can live with Sura and Barrett, I dont believe we can live with Mo/Howard and what sucks even more...the chances of trading either of them is pretty slim. Lets really hope that there is a decent 4 available in the draft...
hey willis, I know you think your cute with your little pictures in every post...but how bout going with a new tactic....actual discussion? besides...packing a thread with pictures makes it tough on those of us who are forced to be on dialup during the day. at night I dont mind since I have high speed at home...but out here in the boonies of the Port of Houston terminals, we only have dialup. anyway.... you guys need to just accept the fact that with the sheer volume of stars and superstars at the 4, EVERY TEAM is gonna get abused at that position. unless you can work some miracle that is going to get us a stud power forward (Q:who wants to give up theirs? A: nobody.)...we are gonna have to accept that. Like noted above, I feel the 4 is our chief concern...but it has little to do with defending star 4s...it is more about hustle, rebounding, and hitting the open shot.
Gary Payton, Damon Stadimure, Nick Van Exlle, Cassell are just a few of the free agent point next year. PF are the hardest position to fill in the free agent market.
we should really try to get PJ Brown. He will hold down the PF for the next 2 years, hopefully we:ll have Taylor and Howard gone by then. What happened to Taylor. Really. I mean didn`t he look half a$$ decent last year. what the heck is going on with this guy?
Id love to know the answer to that one myself. You cant blame the coach for that, VG was here last year and Mo was shooting just fine....now all the sudden, Mo couldnt find his ass with both hands and a flashlight.
I agree with the second part to that.....PF is our numbe one priority... but.....I think you are exaggerating the first part just a bit. or severely underestimating the abilities of our backups. Spoon and PAdge bring things to the court....but they arent, and shouldnt be expected to be starters....that isnt playing to their strengths. If you dont recognize that Spoon is a decent to good rebounder and defeder(for his size), and that Padge is a good shooter and decent rebounder....then I dont know what to tell you....maybe, how bout actually watching them play in a game before you post.. They arent the answer, nor are they starters inthis league...but to claim that they "don't deserve to play in the NBA" is just flat out untrue.
sura is helping out with rebounding and hustle right now... two things that we don't have enough of. our PF's are terrible and everytime we lose it is because they can't play defese, or they can't rebound.
I would say our PFs are our biggest weakness. They can't rebound, play defense, or even score on a consistent basis (I have no idea what happened to Mo's offense...I guess thats the million dollar question). Our PGs even though they cant shoot from the outside have done a decent job on defense and Sura has been very good on the boards. We need a PF in the worst way.
