C'mon, if the other team is double teaming your point guard you should get a quality look every time, on our offense we couldn't even get the ball below the three point line.
They doubled Brooks with Chuck Hayes' man every time Chuck set a screen. Battier did get a couple of open 3s which he missed. Ariza wasn't moving too well either. It's not that hard for an NBA team to stop 2 people unless one of them is Lebron/Kobe/Durant/Melo/CP3. Hell, everyone except Lebron has better help than AB.
Neither Brooks nor Lowry can make plays like Chris Paul or Steve Nash off a pick and roll, but thats the reason why those two are the best PGs in the league. The offense bogs down when Brooks' shot isnt falling and when Lowry just bulldozes in with no call. Brooks probably gets his passes deflected more than he gets assists, and when they double team he has a hard time making a fast decision. Lowry hesitates plenty too. Both Brooks and Lowry are tough little guys, but it's times like the end of that 4th quarter where I think we all miss.... :grin:
This is where JT could have helped Aaron get free. Aaron needs to play with a SG that helps him get free. Let's face it, Aaron is our best shooter out there. So he needs to be on the starting and ending unit. However the players he plays with are unable to help him take advantage of the double-team. Elementary, Coach RA! Put in a scorer to take advantage of that. JT has the same style of Lowry in getting into the paint.
I don't see how anyone could really watch the game and take away that Aaron Brooks was the problem. Really? He was the only one keeping us in the game. Brooks doesn't have the luxury of being a pass first point guard. This team desperately needs him to score. But that isn't really the point. The result wouldn't have been any different if it was Chris Paul out there instead of Brooks. The ball has to swing to the other side of the court and one of the wings has to be able to beat the scrambling defense and make the other team pay. When you only have two players in the game that can produce, you are going to have a big problem no matter what. Unfortunately for the Rockets, Battier or an injured Ariza going 1-on-1 isn't going to cut it. For the same reason, the Rockets aren't going anywhere as long as Hayes is playing key minutes...
trugoy, Just some food for thought: Let's say both Brooks and Lowry are here after the trade deadline and Brooks misses a stretch of 10 games or so due to injury and the rest of the lineup looks the same. If we struggle to finish a game or two or three over that stretch against teams we should beat, what would the likely explanation be at that point since Brooks wouldn't be a possible culprit? Or are you saying that we wouldn't ever lose those types of games as long as Lowry is running the show, even with the same supporting cast?
we could certainly lose games, but it's more about how we lose the games that matter in the long run. If we lose games missing shots that are generated by the offense and are good clean looks then so be it. However, the worst games are tonight where we can't even run an offense. And I think with Lowry running things, the offense will be much better run.
Some more food for thought for the anti-Brooks/pro-Lowry folks: We are not contenders this year so there are a couple of benefits to Brooks playing the bulk of minutes at PG. 1. His trade value is probably going up with his numbers and the hype. This may even be Morey's objective. 2. Lowry is preserving his body a little for future seasons where we may be a legit contender while not really sacrificing his development. Those extra 10 mpg or so he's not getting could prevent an additional injury or two. If you think we are contenders this season with Lowry starting or if you just want to see us make the playoffs, than these considerations may not give you any comfort.
With current making or starting lineup, Brooks has to start. Otherwise there is just not enough offense there. But once Yao comes back and if Rox can get another very good offensive wing player, Lowry would be the better choice to run the team. Brooks would be great coming off the bench to play a Jason Terry role. It reminds me of Yao/JHO/Tmac/Wesley/Sura lineup when they where healthy. Yao wasn't as dominant as last year, Sura wasn't a great shooter, but that lineup had great offense and defense. There was only one ball, 4 great/good scorer plus a PG with other intangibles made it a very balanced team. Overall Lowry is as good as Sura, better than Sura at running the team and draw fouls. He's be great as a PG if there is enough firepower. On the other hand, Brooks is really good at scoring, he can get a decent shot off anytime he wants. But he doesn't make other players look better on offense.Every starter on Rockets is having career low or near career low in FG%. He is a poor man's AI/SF3 without the ability to draw fouls. On top of that, his defense is too weak because his size and strength.
Disagree to a point on the whole, "Lowry runs the offense better then Brooks and therefore should start" argument. For the most part, Brooks has been our best offensive weapon on the court and while Lowry may get a few more assists in some games, that alone wouldn't do jack given the fact that the starters as a unit are somewhat flawed and wouldn't be able to keep pace with Lowry let alone consistently score when given the ball outside of Scola. Ultimately, Lowry is a very good PG, but I would start him over AB, nor would I trade to make him the starter, unless you are getting a superb swingman in return. I want us to resign him in the off season, because he complements Brooks, draws fouls almost at will, a great defensive player, good passer and is a very good player to have coming off the bench, where he has weapons like Landry, Budinger (on a good night) and previously at times Andersen from distance to hand the ball off to and are capable of running up the court more then twice a game. But putting him with this starting unit would be suicide, four defensive specialists with two trying to be more then that would be a clear cut lottery season. Although, maybe next year with Yao back, they might not need Aaron's scoring as much, but I can't help but think Brooks is going to be the necessary piece for us to move forward with Yao and solid playoff run.
dam how many diff angles u gona criticize AB? screw u man thats big talk comin from a guy who probably cant even dribble a basketball post somethin new ur beatin a dead horse
Now we should know, that it is hardly Brooks' fault for his fellow starters inability to finish. Ariza has spent most of this season trying to discover his offensive touch, Battier and Hayes are who we know them to be. Scola is normally reliable, but being the only post threat, teams have started scouting him and not allowing him to get up the layups like he is used to. And with no McGrady or Yao to bail the team out, it has often fallen on Aaron Brooks' shoulders where he at least has did his best to try to carry the team. Some people like to look at stats and say he is a blackhole that is only looking for his own shot, but since becoming a starter, he has usually pulled back and besides critical minutes where scoring is needed quickly, he will often try to give the ball to his team mates. The problem is, that aside from Landry or Scola (when not doubled or fronted), no one else has proven reliable enough in scoring on those opportunities. Heck, how else would he have more assists and a better assist average then Lowry this season?
First let me make it clear, AB is not a black hole. I don't think he is as selfish as AI/SF3, actually I don't think he is selfish at all. 2nd, the reason he doesn't make his teammates look better is not selfish, it's his lack of PG skills to find people in the right spot at the right time. That really has nothing to do with stats. If you watch enough games, you'd know Lowry finds teammates way better than AB. Assists is just an indication of how good a PG's playmaking skill,even though that doesn't tell all the stories. AB might get a more assists if he is surrounded by great shooters, but Lowry would get a lot more than AB with same players. I'm not against AB as a player, his scoring is much needed on current Rockets, but his ability to create great shots for teammates is really below average among NBA starting PGs.
The problem with AB is that he can't pass, all his passes are little cute bounce passes, or shovel passes in traffic, i can't remember the last time he made a quick chest pass in traffic, or made a strong pass while under pressure. Therefore it's quite simple to trap him because you know that he is not capable of beating the trap via a pass.
AB would be a killer type SG on offense. That's why Rocket's best lineup this season was Lowry/Brooks together at back court. Wat they gained on offense is more than what they lost on defense.
If Lowry could shoot, people would be calling him an Allen Iverson with a good attitude. As of now, Brooks is a better shooter anywhere on the floor. Too bad, Brooks does not have good court vision. Yes, he's a SG in a PG body, Calvin Murphy reincarnate. As of now, we live and die with Brooks' shooting efficiency. We won't be an elite team until we get an elite wing man to play with either of those two guys.
