What role should Rice have???

Yao's baggage handler

 

I totally agree. I'd rather have Bullard jacking up three's.....that man was almost automatic! (I think I saw a coulple of nasty Bullard dunks over the years as well) Wonder what ol' Bull's been up to lately?

 

He is still the one player we have with the most playoff experience and we need him for the playoffs assuming we make it. Since he has been starting, he has been very much involved in the interpersonal workings for the rockets. The more involved he feels in the game and with rockets as a whole, the better he will be at motivating and teaching come playoff time.

 

Yeah, I thought Rice was going to have a big year, even going so far as predicting that he would be one of the team's top scorers in average.

But now, I can't really defend keeping him in the starting lineup, particularly over Posey.

I vote for nice minutes off the bench, depending on how the shots are falling.

 

Rice definately has had his moments this year but the have been way to inconsistent. We need to use him off the bench with his play dictating the playing time.

He definately plays better in the 3rd Quarter though.

 

Rudy and Co. understand that Rice is not what they are looking for long term in a starting SF. That is why they traded for Posey. I'd expect to see Posey starting within the next month. We really can't afford to have Rice out their against much younger, quicker and more athletic SF's on the defensive end.

 

Really good point. Hopefully we'll see this happen. I'd like to see some of Posey's scoring skills as well.

 

Rice will be a backup playing about 18 minutes per game. Posey is much better at rebounding and defense. Posey did miss a dunk though...bad pass I guess. Rice is just too old. We still need him to provide leadership since he's like the only guy on our team over 30. ??? And he's the only guy who has been to the playoffs for at least 2 times.

 

You more than likely will. I'm thinking Rudy doesn't want to throw Posey out there with so little knowledge of the offense when the whole team is trying to learn the offense. Then you throw Yao out there completely new to the NBA and you'll end up with confusion on the court.

I don't care as much about Posey's offense, but I want to see him running on the break. Right now I see our guard running the break and the defense already has 4 guys downcourt while our other 4 guys are still trying to catch up to our guard. So frustrating.

I want to see Posey lock people down more than anything. Now that would be fun to watch.

 

Excellent points, and he definitely seems to be locking people down defensively already. It's night and day the difference between his defense and Rice's.

In addition to fast breaks, one thing I've noticed about Posey, is that he really seems to know how to come off a pick, and kindof roll to the basket (note: he also recognizes and fights through picks very well defensively), or do a little juke to freeze the defender and then continue through, etc.

This team seems to already have its drive to the hole players (Francis,Mobley, Moochie), it has its spot up shooters (Rice, Griffin) and it has its post players (Yao, Griffin, Taylor). It doesn't have that player that you run off picks successfully. I think Posey could be that guy.

 

Rice is a nice guy and all but his best years are way behind him, he does try at times to play defence but just cant stop his opponent. Posey could play some of his time and when Posey goes to play as backup to Mobley,then Morris/Nachbar/Rice would play backup Small Forward.In this war Rice could still be effective(at times) ala Bullard.

 

Please play more James Posey, less Glen Rice, but NO TERENCE MORRIS. PLEASE!!! I just can't stand him.

I think Glen Rice is a good spokesperson. He and Mo Taylor like to talk a lot.

 

Rice should be Boki's back-up. Does Rudy really think Boki could do worse? Rice doesn't even belong in the NBA anymore. He can't rebound, defend, or dribble. And even I can hit 3 pointers at his rate.

 

....sure you could. I agree though. Play Bostjan Nachbar! Glen is going to retire soon. That's why we have Bostjan Nachbar. I visualize Terence Morris being waived.

 

I think Rox should hire Rice as their assistant coach. His contract will expire at the end of this season anyway.

 

I dont think RudyT brought a player as good as Posey in just to sit him on the bench behind Glen Rice. He wil eventually get most of the minutes at sf, no matter who starts. Rudys job will be to keep Glen sharp enough to be a 3 point threat when needed.

While Posey probably is no threat from the perimeter, he could be big, if the Rockets want to start pushing the ball more.

 

I voted for starting Rice.

Listen up tho....starting him doesnt necessarily mean that he gonna get most of the minutes. I just think that he should start...then goes out for Posey and them. Play Rice about 20 mins a game. You'll need him! Keeping him in the rotation....equals....Rudy won't give up his loyalty to him+Experienced leadership+(hopefully)a good start to a 1st quarter+a person for Yao to kick out to when double teamed.

 

I dont mind seeing Rice start. While hes been inconsistent all year, hes still had stretches (like the three 3s he hit against Atlanta in the 3rd quarter) where he can really turn a game around.

One reason to justify him starting, is the raport that Yao and he seem to have. Plus the fact that other teams will be hesitant to zone down on Yao when hes in the game.

I like Posey off the bench for now because that gives our 2nd unit a kind of high energy aura to it. Ive noticed that when Cato, Moo and Posey are all in the game together, our D goes up a notch and we get out and run more than the starting unit does. I love that.

In the end, its not who starts, but who finished. With Rudy, we all know that will depend on matchups at the end of the game.