I usually agree with leebigez but I don't in this case. Our team is full of tough scrappy players except for McLady. We just never had enough talent until probably this year, but we lost our best player for the season.
These finals have shown me that it's very difficult to win a championship without ripping another team off in a trade or getting very lucky in the draft. Lakers = free Pau Gasol Celtics = cheap Ray Allen, good deal for KG. Similarly, SA majorly lucked out with getting Manu in the 2nd round a few years back (sure people thought he might be good, but no way did anyone realize he'd be this good). Detroit ripped off Atlanta getting Sheed for a low 1st rounder. Miami is the only winner to break that mold. However, they had a big financial advantage. They were able to surround Wade with expensive veterans b/c he was still on his rookie contract when they won. The problem with the Rockets is that our star players are making a lot of $, so we don't have enough coin to pay for above average role players. I am looking forward to the day when Deron Williams hits his max contract. The Jazz's days as a contender will end shortly after that.
I disagree about Boston getting a good deal on KG. He had some fairly easy opportunities to close the game out for the Celtics and he couldn't do it. Also, Boston moved much of their youth for a shot at a Championship. As their Stars continue to age, they will struggle to stay at the top and won't have enough rising talent to offset that.
that we don't win when tmac or yao are not on in the playoffs. lakers can do that. kobe literaly SUCKED the past 2 games outside of the first quarter in last night's game. pierced literally SUCKED in game 3 to the 10th power and they still had a chance. KG and allen and pierce have all taken turns sucking in this playoffs and here they are about to win a ring. can we do that if tmac or yao SUCK to the 10th power? i don't think so. we need another scorer BADLY.
i learned, if you build it...they will come. ...guys will come here for cheap if they see a foundation of great talent like the Spurs and Celts. We have Tmac and Yao, that's not enough to get the ring hoes like Horry, Cassel, Posey, PJ Brown, Finley, Barry, etc. to come.
Your numbers show that we're actually taller than the other teams. Don't you think it's a bit of a contradiction to say we need taller players because 6'10" Novak plays too small? Their benches destroy ours not because they're taller, but because they've got skills and ours don't. A 6'5" Posey would still be better for us than 6'10" Novak. We need players, not height.
You disagree that it was a good deal? That is suprising considering that the whole point of the deal was to get Boston back to the finals. Mission Accomplished. With out Garnett the Celtics would not be in the finals and probably about to win another championship.
Generally: obviously both teams have a productive bench...not only productive, but worthy of even taking the starting role---cassell, house, vujacic, posey, powe from the lakers side...i see that the rockets could not shift the ball to another player and expect him to make plays...when can you see luis scola or carl landry compare to lamar odom when he explodes for points...it can't happen...probably b/c of no experience, but i guess we'll wait and see... i found out from watching these past games that pau gasol is overbearing, and if yao makes it to the playoffs (so god help him), i think we'll see a yao that makes his jumpshots, that makes his layups, and gets his rebounds. gasol to me personally is overrated and overbearing, which puts the rockets at an advantage with yao.. tmac and kobe...same so far, except tmac explodes, but kobe is obviously better b/c he plays defense, i haven't seen tmac on a 1-1 fastbreak this whole year after getting a steal like kobe...tmac will be such an awesome player if he plays defense... From the celtics side: i have one thing to say::: money=championship...but we'd have to wait 22 years to build up celtics bench performs awesome, something i wish luther, bjax, brooks, could do, and you know what..those are all guards, we're expecting guards to make the plays...and i don't think that's what you call out of your bench celtics call out guys like powe, posey, to make plays and they've done an awesome job, they vary their bench, because any of those positions are bound to contribute... that's why i think landry was explosive, because he was one of the many guards off the bench who surprised the opposing team's defense against the guards... so it only makes sense in the draft/free agency/ or via trade/ that we pick up a SF/C positions to fill those gaps...get rid of luther, bjax, and chuck, and work things out so we can get someone productive to produce... now this year in the finals...there is no need to see that, because the starters (BIG 3) are contributing themselves...so we haven't seen much of that...so the bench is something that can sit back... if we were in the finals against the celtics: guaranteed, bet my life on it, that we'd blow a lead faster than the lakers, and more fresh bodies would keep attacking... if we were in the finals against the lakers: i would see it go to 6 or 7 games...but there would be no matchup against pau... LET's GET ANDREW BYNUM!!
Houston: Carl Landry - 6"8 Chuck Hayes - 6"6 Luther Head - 6"3 Bobby Jackson - 6"1 Aaron Brooks - 5"11 There. Since you weren't able to read my comments, I fixed it for you. Our bench is MUCH SHORTER than other benches if you take Dikembe out as a starter. Our forwards are undersized, our guards are undersized, and there is no one there with a wingspan significantly larger than their height like a Posey or Ariza have. Length IS an issue on the bench. Skills too, it would help if our guys under 6"3 could actually shoot the three like Eddie House, but length is the more glaring need in my mind.
My expectations for a player making over 23 million (highest in the NBA) are equally high. He did not exhibit the ability to make Clutch plays when the game was hanging in the balance Sunday night. What would be the reaction on this BBS be if Tracy or Yao would have had the misfires that KG had? I realize he lacks the physical bulk that players like Malone, Barkley, McHale etc utilized when they played in their respective primes.......so he can't postup like they did. However, he doesn't display the footwork that an athletic Dream utilized in his prime. As athletic as KG is, he should be able to have some respectable move to elude Pau.
The Finals have told me that, theoretically, we're close. But realistically, considering it's been exactly 10 years since management was able to secure a competent third offensive option...so, so far away.
First of all, next year Deke will not or should not be a starter. I guess that solves the height problem for next year? He's still a limited player though, being tall does not equal productivity. I don't think you realize that. Secondly, why did you leave off 6'10" Novak and 7'0" Loren Woods? Is it because they stink despite being so tall and that hurts your argument? Would you rather have 6'8" Powe or 7'0" Woods? We have three 7'+ guys on the roster, but it doesn't matter when two of them can't score. The hornets bench is one of the tallest in the league and it stinks. The lakers bench was missing Ariza and Bynum all year and it was still one of the best. Skills > height.
it tells me that we should change our name to la lakers or boston celtics so david stern can get us to the championship round
I happen to think the Rockets have enough toughness and grit, just not the talent to tie it all in. Rockets migh not have Boston's tenacity but they're WAY ahead of the Lakers, Ray Allen is a talented offensive player, never confused with being a gritty grind it out player. A Mike Miller type on the Rockets would be near Ray Allen like for the Celtics.
these finals have made me appreciate rockets defense a lot more ... jvg cracks me up. i don't get how the lakers can be so bad on defense. makes me appreciate battier a heck of a lot more b/c everytime he guarded pierce, i dont think pierce got 30, 8, and 5 if i recall but more of a 15 pt game? anyway ... ya. boston's just a darn good team tho. i've been waiting for kobe to really step up and just dominate a game ... but it hasn't really happened in the 4th quarter of any game yet ...
I can only said I have seen Scola and Landry wanted to win real bad. Yao also have shown he has that desperate urge to win. I am not sure about the others. When, we'll down in single or double digit, who will fight to counter score against the opponent or stop the opponent from scoring.
For fun, lets say Mike Miller's on the team (have to give up players to get him but just for comparisons) Graded on toughness and grit: Alston -- Rondo > even McGrady -- Allen > even Miller -- Pierce > Boston Scola -- Garnett > even Yao -- Perkins > even Then Battier -- Posey Landry/Hayes -- Powe/Big Baby Mutombo -- PJ Brown B Jackson -- Cassell Head/Brooks -- House/Tony Allen > Boston Pierce would be tougher than Miller. Everywhere else its either too close to call, or there's a talent advantage that offsets the toughness (like McGrady & Yao, or Garnett to Scola).
The Finals made me realize we missed an opportunity this season. Although I still believe Utah is the only team out West this year that could have beat Boston, we could have gave them a run for their money. LA/HOU/UTA had the easiest road to the Finals and I knew one of these 3 teams would represent the West. Just pains me that it wasn't us.
