Nope. The offense looked confused sometiems in Portland series because Brooks wasn't good at running the team at that time. He didn't know when and how to pass, Yao called him out after game 5. And overall the offense in that series was fine, Scola got tons of open looks when Yao was fronted, and next year with Martin and Ariza's speed to get to the rim, it would be even less a problem. If Yao can get somewhere near what he was last season, what needs to be worried more will not be offense, but defense. Two guys on the backcourt who aren't strong enough to fight through screens, plus a slow footed Yao will get pick n' rolled to death.
We've heard this argument for many years. Yet I've never seem a team with Yao on it was a good offensive team but some great defensive team.
Well Aaron Brooks is taking his game to a new level after the trade. He is averaging 23.9 points per game since the trade. He and Martin are lighting up the offensive numbers. This streach is also showing how important both Ariza and Lowry are to the team. But after such a massive change, it should be expected that there is going to be an adjustment period for the team. Lowry is very important to this team. He is so efficient, and doesn't need to shoot the ball to be productive. But, Brook still has a really high ceiling. Brooks and Martin really do look like a dynamic duo to Yao Ming next season. Lowry is your change of pace point guard.
Starting Lowry would be a disaster. A zone defense with one defender glued to Martin would completely shut down our offense. The other team could effectively double both our post players, while gifting us open threes for Lowry/Ariza who just cant hit them.
You've heart that for many years? When? What was the last time we really need to worry about defense? We've alwyas had at least 3 good defensive players in starting lineup and some good defensive players off the bench. Rockets have always been better on defense than on offense since JVG era. You have no clue if you think a top 5 defensive efficiency for several years is not a great defensive team,
The painful part is this team is averaging more points than before but gave up even more. Score 15 gave up 10 is better than score 23 but gave up 20.
Do you know what your are talking about? You higlighted my "what needs to be worried more will not be offense, but defense" and say "we've heard that for years." When exactly fans are really worried about defense that much since JVG era?
Team didn't really shut down our offense when we had Yao/Hayes/Battier/Tmac/Alston in the lineup. That lineup had the best +/- in NBA before injury played a factor. Bench was the problem for that year. Yao/Scola/Ariza/Martin/Lowry would be a better offensive linup that that one.
OK. Simply put: what You said: not worry offense. worry defense. I think your are incorrect. so I said: not worry defense. (Yao's team got it perfectly under either coach) worry offense. (Yao's team have had bad offense in any system) Hope you can get it.
If you read my post correctly, you'll find out what I meant is worry about defense NEXT YEAR, don't worry about offense NEXT YEAR. Yao/Scola/Ariza/Marin/Lowry is going to be a better offensive team than Yao/Hayes/Battier/Tmac/Alson.
I know it was about next year. and no, Yao/Scola/Ariza/Marin/Lowry is not going to be a good offensive team.
and a Yao/Scola/Ariza/Martin/Brooks lineup is going to be much much worse defensively than Yao/Hayes/Battier/Tmac/Alson. Worrry about defense, but not offense, NEXT YEAR.
To be honest I think with Lowry giving Brooks a breather at the 1 we will see the team and Brooks' individual defense improve a bit. He was not the weakest link on D before Lowry got injured. He was serviceable, not spectacular, but nothing like he was on defense last year. He went from weak defender to average. I have noticed that aside from charges drawn, there is not all THAT much difference between Lowry and Brooks keeping thier man in front of them. Yes Lowry is better, but it's not the night and day that is being brought up. *and yes charges drawn are important, especially to a team trying to protect Yao.
They will. Martin is more efficient than Tmac scoring wise, Scola is light years ahead of Hayes on offense, Ariza is a better scorer than Battier, Lowry is better than Alston on offense for his ability to draw fouls and finish around the rim.
Also no. Yao won't let bad defense happen. Rockets will still be in top 10 in defensive rating even Yao is playing with 4 Brooks.
More thant that. Lowry as I noticed have the strength to fight through screens, Brooks doesn't. That is very import for pick'n roll defense. You'll see that a lot more often when Yao comes back, this year it's not the best offense against Rockets because Rockets centers are mobile enough. Lowry also plays passing lane better than AB. Defensive rebounding is also a big part of defense.
Also Yao/Scola/Ariza/Martin/Lowry would be a real good faskbreak team if Yao leans some outlet pass tricks from Hayes. Scola/Ariza/Martin are much better fastbreak runners than Scola/Battier/Tmac and Lowry is much better at push the tempo than AB/Alston.
