What would you attribut the rocks turnaround to.....

CB is crucial for all three wins, Shandon crucial for the first two. Other players stepped up too, like Kenny Thomas and Kelvin Cato, actually everyone stepped up their game. But the emergence of Kenny should be attributed to the absence of Dream. Less TOs of course a big factor too. So that's E, C and a little A.

 

well I think it is definately E & C. About answer A, I always said that Dream and Barkley cannot be on the floor at the same time. It clogs up the lane too much and our younsters can't utilize their strengths. I think barkley is on a mission for us to make the playoffs and even said he's carry this team onhis back and he's playing like it! go Charles! As far as Dream goes, he was interviewed during the game and he commented on the type of playing so I think now he understands his role more..atleast I hope. My main concern is the FT department. We wouldn't need to be in these situation if we made our free throws (i.e Portland, Phoenix, etc) We'd win a lot more games than we've had. what do you guys think?

 

I'd say mostly A. The rocks are running better, a style that better suits our new players, and with us losing a roster spot, we've given the other guys more chances to show us what they could do.

We should almost add another letter:
F)The injury to TMass

Because to be honest, Thomas has just impressed me beyond words. And his production has been a big part of our wins.

 

That's right rokkit, dayam I nearly forgot Tmass. Hakeem and Tony's injuries certainly opened the glass ceiling for Kenny, Tmass is ok but hm.......I'd rather give Kenny more PT cuz he is much more versatile than Tmass. Kenny is only 6-8, yet he has long arms like Elton Brand. By the way, that's why Krause chose Elton despite his undersized stature, he has long arms and short neck. Krause thinks long neck is wasted height, and of course himself is the best example of that.

 

I'd say there are a lot of reasons for the turnaround, but i'd say B. In B i include Drew as a reason for the turn around. Something appears to have happened to him, he seems to have accepted the resposibility as starting point and stepped up his game.


----Way to go ROCKS!!!!

 

I believe its attributed to there only being one man in the low post. Honestly I think the same thing would have happened if Barkley was out.

Now, when Hakeem comes back the question should be, does Rudy give him the starting job back?

Yes. You don't lose your job to injury. This may not be the best thing for the Rockets, but its the right thing to do.

Do I agree....HELL NO!! The entire coaching staff and ownership needs to realize that they need to do whatever it takes to win...even if it means hurting someone's ego. I'd rather Les pay our big guys to come off the bench and win games than start and lose them.

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There is no offense without a good defense.

 

I'd say its F, G, H and I:

F) A change in the offense from standstill offensive sets to more of a running team and motion in the half-court game. We no longer become a different team in the 4th quarter.

G) An improvement in the team defense. The Rockets are now making key defensive stops late in the game.

H) Drew, Mobley, and Shandon are finally hitting their shots. Now that these guys are hitting the same open shots they were missing all season, the Rockets are scoring more points.

I) The emergence of Kenny Thomas. KT is pulling big men from the lane, making the jobs of our guards easier. His hustle and play have more than made up for the lack of production from Walt.

I think this is just the team finally coming together. You can't blame Francis because he and Mobes often play the same role as penetrator. You can't overly credit Drew because if guys missed those open shots (like they did early in the season) when Drew passes them the ball, Drew loses out on an assist and the opposition gets a transition basket.

Dream is a tough situation because it seems he has been unwilling to change. But it is more a matter of bad chemistry in that Dream and Chuck shouldn't be on the court together. Moreover, Drew and Francis may be a better combination than Francis and Mobes. Drew and Mobes works well because their games are so different and Drew has a near automatic catch-n-shoot shot. A combination of Francis and Drew should be even more potent.

Also, while Francis is still learning to be a point guard, some of us are giving him a bad rap for not being a team player. That's unfair to him because he and Chuck were our most consistent players, in the beginning. I'll admit that I b****ed along with most of you when Chuck was posting up all day, but I understand that was because that is Chuck's game and he was our most consistent player at the time. So we had to go to Chuck.

If Francis has trouble getting hot teammates involved, then we can complain. But let's not bash him for taking games over when he had to. Francis does a good job distributing the ball. He makes great passes--like his over the shoulder, no-look hook pass to Bullard for three, late in the 4th quarter in Vancouver. The turnovers should come down as he doesn't get too many palming calls these days and he shouldn't post up anymore (he would dribble the ball off is ankle a lot) since Shandon has found his A game. Those situations account for as much as 4-5 turnovers a game. Of course, he may need time to get in sync with the rest of this team in this style of offense. So please, let's not start bashing Francis and wishing Drew to start when Stevie returns. It’s really starting to smell as if that particular stew is brewing.


[This message has been edited by JeffB (edited December 07, 1999).]

 

I'm with you RocketsPimp!! Chuck said (yesterday?) that this team can only have one old guy on the court at a time. Two old guys slows the team down, but one is just enough. He said the team isn't better without Hakeem, just faster. I too think this would have happened had Chuck gone down. Rudy just needs to use the proper rotations. Chuck and Dream don't mix.

 

although we're still 7-12, i think it's a given we'll climb out of this heap... it's the destiny of the team on the floor... they're just good... when francis comes back, we'll be much better; if dream takes a subservient role (lesser is such a political term; but he certainly can't drive the game like charles and we actually win)

we all knew after several losses that we needed to give this team time; this is the time that we were giving it... even w/ close wins, the team is learning something for those bigger games: poise. i'm excited that the team has already learned about overtimes... should the need arise again, they at least mentally know that option exists...

jeffb:
i think charles was just being nice, personally, he always defends dream b/c it's still dream's team regardless of his (dream's) game/actions... if charles had gone down instead of dream would we have gone on this same run? imo, not... unfortunately, given charles' history of injuries, we'll see the team w/o charles (by then, i assume, the team will have its ways set in stone)

for those of you who ever questioned charles, behold he who from time to time, needs to back down and sit the opposing team's 4/5, but other times - runs, slashes, throws beautiful passes, etc. charles has screamed for youth, improvement of the team, and the change to the exciting game that you see before you (reality/the new nba rules were on his side as well). it's dream's team (for the billboard), but charles is the leader...

 

Yeah, you gotta give Chuck credit for knowing win to snatch a rebound and drive up the court like a runaway train, daring any defender to take that charge. Chuck really knows how to push the break. I didn't like him fussing in Francis' ear on the court, but it was warranted. Hopefully, Steve takes a note from Chuck and can see that you can force a break, even when it seems that one isn't there.

 

I think CB and Dream can be on the court the dame time, it just depends on the way they play, Cato is actually playing in the post like Hakeem does while CB is there, but the difference is Cato is willing to pass the ball more, hit the mid shot and move around. If Cato can do that, Dream no doubt can do it too, he would only do better as his mid shot is a lot better than Cato's.

 

I attribute our turnaround to the fact that it's lasted for a whopping three games.

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Nothing but NET--

http://www.clutchcity.NET

Don't Fight the Future

 

I hate to say it too but I think it is A. We can't use the same old throw it into the post offense and expect to win with the players we have now. The sad thing is it took an injury to Hakeem for the change to happen. The big question mark is what Rudy will do when Hakeem comes back. I really don't know if Rudy will keep up this new trend or will revert to old form. We'll have to wait and see.

 

I hate to say it, but it's A. Not because Hakeem has lost it but because his play so far this season has stunk. His stats are all down -- most importantly, his shooting percentage. Perhaps it was his hernia problems (he said it has hurt all season) perhaps not. Without him, we can play guys who are on their game. As for Barkley stepping up, I though it was just the opposite. His scoring is up but he had 3 rebounds against Phoenix (it was Phoenix, right?). In so far as rebounds are a hustle barometer for Barkley, he mailed in that game. I think mostly it has been the increased role our role players have taken, coupled a little with a weak schedule (2 wins vs. Vancouver, one against Clippers and one against Phoenix -- not too too hard).