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@  redfaithful : (05 September 2015 - 10:48 PM) Llull line from today loss to Serbia: 30MIN 1-10PG, 0-5 3PG, 4-4FT 6AST, 1TO, 4REB, +/- -11
@  Losthief : (03 September 2015 - 02:27 AM) this dude's gun fired and all he got a misdemeanor at bush lol: http://abc13.com/new...ush-iah/815795/
@  Losthief : (03 September 2015 - 02:26 AM) theres more articles all over, but the jist is houston (and texas) doesn't really arrest for it, they just recommend you leave it in your car when they catch it. So seems dwight got lucky he was in texas and not cali or the NE.
@  Losthief : (03 September 2015 - 02:22 AM) honestly we should just be glad they caught it...
@  Losthief : (03 September 2015 - 02:21 AM) response: http://nymag.com/dai...n_airplane.html
@  Losthief : (03 September 2015 - 01:42 AM) one bullet left in the chamber is diff than fully loaded and ready to go. Still stupid...but not like he was prepared for a shooting spree.
@  jorgeaam : (02 September 2015 - 09:33 PM) http://www.tmz.com/2...t-get-arrested/
@  jorgeaam : (02 September 2015 - 09:33 PM) So according to TMZ (I know, I know) Dwight Howard had an incident last month in which he took a loaded gun into an airport, but he was allowed to give it to a friend to take it back and wasn't arrested.
@  jorgeaam : (31 August 2015 - 10:45 PM) The Los Angeles Rockets, lol
@  redfaithful : (31 August 2015 - 09:51 PM) Seems that Chuck is also on his way to the Clippers.
@  slick shoes : (24 August 2015 - 06:14 PM) ill just leave this here...
@  slick shoes : (24 August 2015 - 06:14 PM) http://www.timeandda...04&font=cursive
@  timetodienow... : (21 August 2015 - 07:20 PM) At least in my opinion.
@  timetodienow... : (21 August 2015 - 07:20 PM) I love having Terry. But the main factor was that New Orleans will NOT compete for a championship this year and the Rockets will.
@  jorgeaam : (21 August 2015 - 03:57 AM) Things that make me like the JET even more
@  jorgeaam : (21 August 2015 - 03:57 AM) Jason Terry said that he turned down a more lucrative deal from New Orleans in order to return to Houston.
@  clydesmoustache : (19 August 2015 - 08:32 AM) A year ago who would have thought I would be so happy to have Jason Terry on my team. Welcome back JET! Hurry up October!
@  cointurtlemoose : (19 August 2015 - 04:45 AM) Terry I love yooouuuuuuuuu
@  jorgeaam : (19 August 2015 - 02:38 AM) Yay Terry is back!
@  majik19 : (15 August 2015 - 09:33 PM) and i thought these shouts were limited to some number of characters!

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The keys to the Houston Rockets' season: #4 - the evolution of James Harden


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#1 Red94

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    Posted 23 July 2015 - 02:31 AM

    New post: The keys to the Houston Rockets' season: #4 - the evolution of James Harden
    By: Rahat Huq

    You're probably thinking 4th is too low for Harden's growth as a factor, but I strongly disagree.  This isn't 1995, or even 2002 when having the best player in the league usually meant winning the championship.  Those were kinder, gentler days, when a pick and roll could be trusted to deliver a shot, rather than being needed to set up a second pick and roll.  In today's league, you just need a top 5 player, but its more important to have a diverse array of weapons around him.  To that end, if James Harden simply repeated his production from last season, not improving one bit, the team could still improve, just from help in other avenues.  The Rockets don't really need James Harden to get any better.  But that's not to say it wouldn't help their chances if he did...

     

    The striking thing about Harden is that he's improved in some noticeable way every season he's been with the team, adding nuances to his overall skillset each summer.  Last year, around midseason, he debuted a stepback going to his strong hand, something which prevented defenders from sitting on his drive.  He also unleashed the infamous Tim Hardaway crossover, breaking many ankles in the process.

     

    One thing I've noticed is that James almost always comes back and plays well against defenders who have shut him down, evidence that there's at least some degree of film study going on behind the scenes.  Which leads me to wonder how James will adapt to last year's playoffs where, while he had his way for the most part against the Mavericks and Warriors, he didn't look quite as dominant against L.A. in the semis.  As we know, Harden's game is predicated on two things: 3 point shooting and finishing at the rim.  The threat of the drive is so strong that it gave birth to the stepback, with defenders on their heels anticipating the drive.  But at just 6'5, unlike the last great superstar shooting guard on this team, Harden needs jabs to get free, not able to simply rise over defenders.  We saw in round 2 what happened when the defender doesn't bite, as J.J. Redick stayed at home with Harden in a way that would have made Shane Battier proud.  And if James did happen to beat the Clippers defender, DeAndre Jordan was waiting at the rim to disrupt any challenges.

     

    The two things I hope Harden adds to his arsenal are a floater and a post-up game.  I've talked at length before about the post-up game, so we'll set that aside for now.  But a floater would really benefit Harden because it would allow him to attack the basket, but not need to challenge the shot-blocker head-on at the rim.  Aside from getting deterred or blocked, the floater would also allow Harden to avoid another unfortunate late-game incident where he is fouled on the shot without getting the call.  That happened twice last year in critical games, most famously in a loss to Memphis.

     

    And we've already written at length about the post-up, and how effortless Harden has looked operating from that setup.  No guard in the league has the strength to contest him, and it would allow him to initiate the offense without expending huge amounts of energy from the perimeter.

     

    James should be more efficient this season simply for no other reason than that he'll finally be able to get a break.  Like last year, where adding Trevor Ariza allowed Harden to save more energy for the offensive end, this year, Ty Lawson's presence will give Harden a much needed rest on numerous possessions.  He can spot up while Lawson runs the show, or even just initiate the second read, rather than having to trigger the entire attack himself.  Whatever wrinkles Kevin McHale employs, and whatever new moves Harden is developing as we speak, in my opinion it's all gravy.  While Harden's improvement would help immensely, it's not something the team needs to take yet another step.

     

    Oh, and he needs to keep playing defense.

     

    In the next installment, I'll look at #3: the recovery and emergence of Donatas Motiejunas


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    #2 Losthief

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    Posted 23 July 2015 - 06:05 AM

    Im thinking an uptick in efficiency will come as a result of ty lawson. I mean part of what made him so special in OKC was his deadly catch and shoot skills off Westbrook/Durant. Yes he operated the pick and roll alot there, but he also executed off the ball fairly easily as well so I'm excited. We can call that a 'improvement' but really its already in his arsenal.


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    #3 thejohnnygold

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    Posted 27 July 2015 - 02:59 PM

    Since this thread isn't generating much dialogue and Rahat left the D-Mo teaser I'll get the ball rolling there.

     

    In that interview I linked to in the Shoutbox, Popovich is asked about the evolution of the game towards small ball, analytics, and the role of the big man moving forward.  Here is part of his response:

     

     

     

    “You pay the price if you don’t make threes, and you pay the price if you don’t get those threes off. One way that big guys are gonna still be valuable is if you have a big guy that demands a double-team. If you have a big guy that you don’t have to double-team? You’re in trouble. But if you got a big guy, he better be somebody who is good enough that he commands a double so it can get kicked, and moved, and you can penetrate or pitch for the threes.

     

    We know Dwight no longer commands a double in the post.  I don't recall D-Mo getting double teamed last year, but assuming he comes in "10% better" (as McHale is requesting of everyone not named Harden) is D-Mo good enough to command double teams in the post?

     

    At what rate of efficiency would he have to convert (free throws included) for other teams to say, "Screw it!  We're better off letting them get wide open looks from 3 or letting Dwight roam free on the weak-side than letting Motie unleash Kevin McHale 2.0 in the post!"

     

    It will be interesting to see his Usage Rate as the season rolls along.  With James, Dwight, and Ty on the court we're going to have to make a concerted effort to get him post touches.

     

    As long as he can shoot average, or better, from deep he is going to be a legit inside/outside threat for us that gives opposing teams fits.


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    #4 thejohnnygold

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    Posted 27 July 2015 - 04:56 PM

    Just found a fun chart from nyloncalculus.com (click the link to view the interactive chart).  It shows the correlation between "half-court touches per minute" and "scoring efficiency".

     

    Our own James Harden came in at #2 for scoring efficiency for "high usage" players behind only Russell Westbrook.

     

    The chart is interactive (meaning you can mouse over each dot to see who the player is and what the exact numbers are), but I couldn't get it to filter.  Thus, I made a helper chart to find some of our guys.

     

     

    I just thought this was interesting.  It is a general rule for most players that as usage increases efficiency decreases (at least it's a rule in my book  ;) ).  Seeing Harden come in at #2 with such a high usage rate is awesome.

     

    The chart seems to cluster PG's together at the middle-right-hand-side of the chart while lots of centers find themselves in the upper left quadrant.  No big surprise there.

     

    Just wanted to share....it's interesting to see where different guys fall on the chart.


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    #5 slick shoes

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    Posted 28 July 2015 - 12:57 PM

    We know Dwight no longer commands a double in the post.  I don't recall D-Mo getting double teamed last year, but assuming he comes in "10% better" (as McHale is requesting of everyone not named Harden) is D-Mo good enough to command double teams in the post?

     

    At what rate of efficiency would he have to convert (free throws included) for other teams to say, "Screw it!  We're better off letting them get wide open looks from 3 or letting Dwight roam free on the weak-side than letting Motie unleash Kevin McHale 2.0 in the post!"

     

    It will be interesting to see his Usage Rate as the season rolls along.  With James, Dwight, and Ty on the court we're going to have to make a concerted effort to get him post touches.

     

    As long as he can shoot average, or better, from deep he is going to be a legit inside/outside threat for us that gives opposing teams fits.

     

    I think his game is already there, or pretty damn close. I was VERY pleased with the emergence of DMo last season. He has a soft touch around the rim, passing ability, and can knock down the three with some regularity. The video below showcases the potential of Captain Hook plundering the spoils of the lost boys (the Denver Nuggets in this case), leaving Dwight on the weak side ready to gobble up rebounds like a crocodile with a taste for flesh.

     

    https://youtu.be/3k--w2iCiJ4

     

    Maybe he doesn't command a double team just yet, but bigs around the league will definitely be put on notice once he regains his playing form.


    Edited by slick shoes, 28 July 2015 - 01:03 PM.

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    #6 thejohnnygold

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    Posted 28 July 2015 - 02:23 PM

    I think his game is already there, or pretty damn close. I was VERY pleased with the emergence of DMo last season. He has a soft touch around the rim, passing ability, and can knock down the three with some regularity. The video below showcases the potential of Captain Hook plundering the spoils of the lost boys (the Denver Nuggets in this case), leaving Dwight on the weak side ready to gobble up rebounds like a crocodile with a taste for flesh.

     

    https://youtu.be/3k--w2iCiJ4

     

    Maybe he doesn't command a double team just yet, but bigs around the league will definitely be put on notice once he regains his playing form.

     

    I agree.  Surely the coaches know and any players who don't will know soon enough.  Still, I'm not certain he can command a double team--especially with the likes of Harden/Howard around him.  There's just not a safe place to double off of.  Assuming the coaches get the spacing right and put Ariza in the weakside corner, Harden at the top of the key, Dwight on the weakside baseline, and Lawson on the strong side wing (Lawson and Harden are inter-changeable here, but Harden up top as a spot-up threat or threat to cut to the rim is better) to feed the post and act as a three point threat seems ideal here.

     

    As a defense, all you can do is play that straight up.  Cheating off another player to help on D-MO just makes things worse.

     

    Now, the question is this: with this line-up are they going to feed the ball to D-Mo?  My concern is they wait until the second unit is in and let D-Mo go to work then.  That's still good, but I think he would be nearly unstoppable in the former scenario where teams simply could not afford to help off anyone else.  Especially because of D-Mo's under-rated passing.  

     

     

    I know many concerns were voiced about losing Josh Smith (prior to the Lawson deal) as he was considered our 2nd best play-maker, but I'm not certain that was ever true.  I am certain that D-Mo can handle it just fine.

     

    If I were an NBA GM on just about any other team, I would have D-Mo at, or near, the top of my wish list.  I truly believe you can build an offense around him.  D-Mo can become a RFA after this season (assuming the Rox make that move to ensure he doesn't get to UFA), and I have little doubt that a team like Portland will make a max offer.  They have ALL the cap room.  A front court pairing of Meyers Leonard/D-Mo will not inspire fear on paper, but it will wreak havoc on the court.  They can both play inside out, are more athletic than one might think, are smart players, and are both legit 7 footers.  (By the way, Leonard shot 42% on threes this year (47-112) and 58% from the corners (with roughly 25% of his attempts coming from those spots))  Paired with Lillard, Aminu, Vonleh, and whoever else they want to add this team could be back in contention quickly.

     

    That's just one...I have no doubt there will be plenty of other suitors.  I think McHale needs to feature D-Mo more next season not only because it is a good idea for winning, but because it is a good idea for making sure he will want to stay a part of this team for a long time.  He knows how good he is and I don't think he will be happy standing in the corner waiting for spot-up 3's.  He needs lots of chances to be creative on the court.

     

    If McHale makes D-Mo a bigger part of the offense I think teams will have to start game-planning around him and there will be double-teams....Which is going to be awesome.  If D-Mo just gets the scraps after Harden, Lawson, and Dwight have feasted then it will be a waste of talent and I will wonder what on earth the coaches are thinking.


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    #7 majik19

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      Posted 28 July 2015 - 02:52 PM

      I wonder if we're overrating D-mo, or if ESPN is underrating him. I tend to think ESPN is underrating him...:

       

      Terrence Jones | Houston Rockets | PF
      Donatas Motiejunas | Rockets | F/C

       

      Houston's power forward pairing both enter the final season of their rookie contracts eligible for extensions or to become restricted free agents next summer. Motiejunas' versatility will be coveted by other teams after he demonstrated in Dwight Howard's absence that he can handle starting minutes at center. Still, Motiejunas has yet to post a league-average PER, and it's Jones who has more upside. He's averaged around 16 points and nine rebounds per 36 minutes the last two seasons, and if he can stay healthy -- he played just 33 games last season due to a pair of scary injuries, a nerve issue and a collapsed long -- and make progress defensively, Jones could be in line for eight figures a year.

      -per ESPN.com's Insider article "Harrison Barnes, Jordan Clarkson could be in for big paydays in 2016"


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      #8 slick shoes

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      Posted 28 July 2015 - 03:29 PM

      I wonder if we're overrating D-mo, or if ESPN is underrating him. I tend to think ESPN is underrating him...:

       

      Terrence Jones | Houston Rockets | PF
      Donatas Motiejunas | Rockets | F/C

       

      Houston's power forward pairing both enter the final season of their rookie contracts eligible for extensions or to become restricted free agents next summer. Motiejunas' versatility will be coveted by other teams after he demonstrated in Dwight Howard's absence that he can handle starting minutes at center. Still, Motiejunas has yet to post a league-average PER, and it's Jones who has more upside. He's averaged around 16 points and nine rebounds per 36 minutes the last two seasons, and if he can stay healthy -- he played just 33 games last season due to a pair of scary injuries, a nerve issue and a collapsed long -- and make progress defensively, Jones could be in line for eight figures a year.

      -per ESPN.com's Insider article "Harrison Barnes, Jordan Clarkson could be in for big paydays in 2016"

       

      ESPN also has T Jones ahead of DMo on the depth chart. I LOVE me some T Jones, but if he is starting ahead of DMo I may begin questioning McHale's coaching prowess again.


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      #9 slick shoes

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      Posted 28 July 2015 - 03:37 PM

      I agree.  Surely the coaches know and any players who don't will know soon enough.  Still, I'm not certain he can command a double team--especially with the likes of Harden/Howard around him.  There's just not a safe place to double off of.  Assuming the coaches get the spacing right and put Ariza in the weakside corner, Harden at the top of the key, Dwight on the weakside baseline, and Lawson on the strong side wing (Lawson and Harden are inter-changeable here, but Harden up top as a spot-up threat or threat to cut to the rim is better) to feed the post and act as a three point threat seems ideal here.

       

      As a defense, all you can do is play that straight up.  Cheating off another player to help on D-MO just makes things worse.

       

      Now, the question is this: with this line-up are they going to feed the ball to D-Mo?  My concern is they wait until the second unit is in and let D-Mo go to work then.  That's still good, but I think he would be nearly unstoppable in the former scenario where teams simply could not afford to help off anyone else.  Especially because of D-Mo's under-rated passing.  

       

       

      I know many concerns were voiced about losing Josh Smith (prior to the Lawson deal) as he was considered our 2nd best play-maker, but I'm not certain that was ever true.  I am certain that D-Mo can handle it just fine.

       

      If I were an NBA GM on just about any other team, I would have D-Mo at, or near, the top of my wish list.  I truly believe you can build an offense around him.  D-Mo can become a RFA after this season (assuming the Rox make that move to ensure he doesn't get to UFA), and I have little doubt that a team like Portland will make a max offer.  They have ALL the cap room.  A front court pairing of Meyers Leonard/D-Mo will not inspire fear on paper, but it will wreak havoc on the court.  They can both play inside out, are more athletic than one might think, are smart players, and are both legit 7 footers.  (By the way, Leonard shot 42% on threes this year (47-112) and 58% from the corners (with roughly 25% of his attempts coming from those spots))  Paired with Lillard, Aminu, Vonleh, and whoever else they want to add this team could be back in contention quickly.

       

      That's just one...I have no doubt there will be plenty of other suitors.  I think McHale needs to feature D-Mo more next season not only because it is a good idea for winning, but because it is a good idea for making sure he will want to stay a part of this team for a long time.  He knows how good he is and I don't think he will be happy standing in the corner waiting for spot-up 3's.  He needs lots of chances to be creative on the court.

       

      If McHale makes D-Mo a bigger part of the offense I think teams will have to start game-planning around him and there will be double-teams....Which is going to be awesome.  If D-Mo just gets the scraps after Harden, Lawson, and Dwight have feasted then it will be a waste of talent and I will wonder what on earth the coaches are thinking.

       

       

      Watching that highlight video reminds me of how much his game has grown. It is so apparent he has been working with The Dream and has adapted his game accordingly. His shake is sooooo... dreamy.


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      #10 Willk

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        Posted 28 July 2015 - 06:12 PM

        Since this thread isn't generating much dialogue and Rahat left the D-Mo teaser I'll get the ball rolling there.

        In that interview I linked to in the Shoutbox, Popovich is asked about the evolution of the game towards small ball, analytics, and the role of the big man moving forward. Here is part of his response:


        We know Dwight no longer commands a double in the post. I don't recall D-Mo getting double teamed last year, but assuming he comes in "10% better" (as McHale is requesting of everyone not named Harden) is D-Mo good enough to command double teams in the post?

        At what rate of efficiency would he have to convert (free throws included) for other teams to say, "Screw it! We're better off letting them get wide open looks from 3 or letting Dwight roam free on the weak-side than letting Motie unleash Kevin McHale 2.0 in the post!"

        It will be interesting to see his Usage Rate as the season rolls along. With James, Dwight, and Ty on the court we're going to have to make a concerted effort to get him post touches.

        As long as he can shoot average, or better, from deep he is going to be a legit inside/outside threat for us that gives opposing teams fits.

        Is there any concern about D-Mo's back? He is coming off of surgery. Dwight finally looked himself at the end of last season after having surgery a couple of years ago.
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        #11 thejohnnygold

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        Posted 28 July 2015 - 06:15 PM

        I see as much McHale as I do Dream in his moves--lots of up-and-unders, step-throughs, etc.  I do love that just about every time the other interior defender did come to double him he was able to make a good pass to Dwight (or whoever was there) for an easy dunk.  If the pass isn't there he can usually split the defenders and he is tall/long enough to get to the rim.

         

        There is so much talk about the evolution of the league at the PF position and I keep seeing how Paul George, Kobe, and others will be putting in time at PF to mimic the Warriors success.  I am looking forward to it.  D-Mo will feast on 6'7" guys in the post all day long.

         

        I do not think I am over-rating Motie.  He has shown solid defense, he boxes out, and he can score on anyone--even the league's better interior defenders.  He can run the floor, put it on the floor and attack the rim from the perimeter (when defenders are closing out in his 3 point shot), set up teammates with good passes (we've all seen far too many passes that are uncatch-able for various reasons...too low, too fast, didn't see them coming, etc.  D-Mo, as a big man, understands how other bigs want to receive the ball), and shoots a good percentage from deep.  There's not a long list of guys like that in the league and the list gets shorter when you add in the 7' tall part.

         

        Jones is a nice player, but I think anyone who has him rated higher than Motie isn't watching the games.  Like I said before, I can envision running an offense through Motie as your #1 guy.  No way would I ever want that with T-Jones.


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        #12 thejohnnygold

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        Posted 28 July 2015 - 06:15 PM

        Is there any concern about D-Mo's back? He is coming off of surgery. Dwight finally looked himself at the end of last season after having surgery a couple of years ago.

         

        I'm not worried.  We'll find out soon enough....


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        #13 Willk

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          Posted 28 July 2015 - 06:17 PM

          I agree. Surely the coaches know and any players who don't will know soon enough. Still, I'm not certain he can command a double team--especially with the likes of Harden/Howard around him. There's just not a safe place to double off of. Assuming the coaches get the spacing right and put Ariza in the weakside corner, Harden at the top of the key, Dwight on the weakside baseline, and Lawson on the strong side wing (Lawson and Harden are inter-changeable here, but Harden up top as a spot-up threat or threat to cut to the rim is better) to feed the post and act as a three point threat seems ideal here.

          As a defense, all you can do is play that straight up. Cheating off another player to help on D-MO just makes things worse.

          Now, the question is this: with this line-up are they going to feed the ball to D-Mo? My concern is they wait until the second unit is in and let D-Mo go to work then. That's still good, but I think he would be nearly unstoppable in the former scenario where teams simply could not afford to help off anyone else. Especially because of D-Mo's under-rated passing.



          I know many concerns were voiced about losing Josh Smith (prior to the Lawson deal) as he was considered our 2nd best play-maker, but I'm not certain that was ever true. I am certain that D-Mo can handle it just fine.

          If I were an NBA GM on just about any other team, I would have D-Mo at, or near, the top of my wish list. I truly believe you can build an offense around him. D-Mo can become a RFA after this season (assuming the Rox make that move to ensure he doesn't get to UFA), and I have little doubt that a team like Portland will make a max offer. They have ALL the cap room. A front court pairing of Meyers Leonard/D-Mo will not inspire fear on paper, but it will wreak havoc on the court. They can both play inside out, are more athletic than one might think, are smart players, and are both legit 7 footers. (By the way, Leonard shot 42% on threes this year (47-112) and 58% from the corners (with roughly 25% of his attempts coming from those spots)) Paired with Lillard, Aminu, Vonleh, and whoever else they want to add this team could be back in contention quickly.

          That's just one...I have no doubt there will be plenty of other suitors. I think McHale needs to feature D-Mo more next season not only because it is a good idea for winning, but because it is a good idea for making sure he will want to stay a part of this team for a long time. He knows how good he is and I don't think he will be happy standing in the corner waiting for spot-up 3's. He needs lots of chances to be creative on the court.

          If McHale makes D-Mo a bigger part of the offense I think teams will have to start game-planning around him and there will be double-teams....Which is going to be awesome. If D-Mo just gets the scraps after Harden, Lawson, and Dwight have feasted then it will be a waste of talent and I will wonder what on earth the coaches are thinking.

          I was one of those who was upset about losing Josh Smith before ty lawson was acquired because he was the 2nd player at bringing the ball up court & he was the 2nd best playmaker on the fast break. D-mo is not the same type of player as Josh Smith. He cannot grab a rebound and lead a fast break. However, D-Mo is a much better passer in the half court. You just need someone to get him the ball in a the post, which the Rox now have.
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          #14 slick shoes

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          Posted 28 July 2015 - 06:40 PM

          Is there any concern about D-Mo's back? He is coming off of surgery. Dwight finally looked himself at the end of last season after having surgery a couple of years ago.

           

          As he was not rushed back and has had quite a bit of time for rehab/rest, I am pretty comfortable with his return to action in October/November. With our front court depth there will also not be as much pressure for him to play heavy minutes.


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          #15 majik19

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            Posted 28 July 2015 - 08:05 PM

            Jones is a nice player, but I think anyone who has him rated higher than Motie isn't watching the games.  Like I said before, I can envision running an offense through Motie as your #1 guy.  No way would I ever want that with T-Jones.

             

            I really think this could be a matchups thing. In certain matchups, Jones may play more, while in others, Motiejunas will. If Howard sits a game here and there to rest, then D-mo has to pick up the slack. 

             

            I think to truly run an offense through D-mo in today's NBA, he needs to work on his ability in the high post, where Marc Gasol operates from (or Vlade Divac did, if you want to go a little old school). If he can hit the 15 foot jumper, run side pick n rolls with Harden/Lawson, or back his man down, then he will be a much more effective player. Right now, he plays either in the low post or on the perimeter. 

             

            Also, he needs to work on hitting the bunnies - between Dwight and him, we missed a ton of bunnies last year. D-mo especially aggravates me because I see him with the nice footwork to get off a clean shot, then miss the 3 or 4 footer. 


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            #16 slick shoes

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            Posted 28 July 2015 - 08:11 PM

            Also, he needs to work on hitting the bunnies - between Dwight and him, we missed a ton of bunnies last year. D-mo especially aggravates me because I see him with the nice footwork to get off a clean shot, then miss the 3 or 4 footer. 

             

            Yes. Just... yes.

             

            Puts in all the hard work and misses the easy lay in. Gotta be frustrating for the guy, but then again if they all fell, we'd be paying him MUCH more.


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            trickin' six digits on kicks and still holdin'.

            #17 bernardo

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              Posted 28 July 2015 - 09:35 PM

              People underrating the Rockets and its players. Some things just never change. Nowadays I'm not even surprised by that.


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              #18 marbony81110

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              Posted 29 July 2015 - 03:26 AM

              Let me first say that I am a big D.Mo fan and enjoy his game when he is on. Now he maybe 7 feet tall he is not a legit 7 footer. Legit 7 footers gobble up rebounds and block or at least instill fear on opposing drives to the lane. D.Mo does not do these things. He is slow footed kn defense as well. I'm not the biggesf fan of PER but it does have its merits. The only I would want the Rockets to keep D.Mo instead of Jones is if Harrel plays like a grown man the way I wish Jones would always play because he is capable of it. Again, I like D.Mo and what he brings, but I think a lot of people are putting him too high.
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              #19 Losthief

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              Posted 29 July 2015 - 07:52 AM

              @marbony: you criticize DMO's defense and rebounding (fair on the 2nd part dude needs to be better than 53ish percent on chances), but then use PER (an offensive only stat) as your reason....

               

              DMO is not slow-footed on defense...that is just not true. Neither is Jones for the record. DMO is a bit weak in the post defense department still and could work on the close outs...but position, driving lanes, and other 'quick feet' defense he is pretty great at. Can't jump worth a lick or time block shots...but he's effective enough at the rim at 48.9 percent against. (DeAndre Jordan was 48.5). TJ and Dwight were better though at 45 ish percent. Best of the players who actually played were around 40-42 percent. (bogut, gobert, Ibaka, hibbert). So he's not incredible at it but 48/49 percent is solid. DMO was eighth in drawn charges though which is like a blocked shot/steal which adds to his value.


              Edited by Losthief, 29 July 2015 - 07:53 AM.

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              #20 slick shoes

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              Posted 29 July 2015 - 12:45 PM

              As there is now a DMo thread, I'll shift this back to His Beardness.

               

              Do you think there should be a minutes restriction on Harden this season to keep him fresh for our next potential playoff push? How do you feel about him playing in the Olympics? I would personally like to see him take more of an LBJ stance and save his body for the 'ship. I don't know how players weigh Olympic medals versus NBA championships, but it seems to me that Harden already has an Olympic and FIBA gold, the only jewel left to add to his crown is the Larry O'Brien trophy.

               

              Discuss.


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