If you hadn’t yet noticed, notes are filed under ‘Huq’s Pen’ simply when having no particular topic. Much is on the agenda for today.
- There are, ostensibly, two new members of the Houston Rockets as we speak. Rookie forwards Marcus Morris and Greg Smith were each called up to the big leagues in the past week. I chatted at length with Smith on Sunday and will catch up with Morris sometime tomorrow. I’ll say this: that’s one young lockerroom. Teammates ribbed the 20-year-old Smith on Sunday when first, he mistakenly sat in Courtney Lee’s chair, and then, sat in Jonny Flynn’s. Remarked Flynn, while waiting patiently, “one good game and he’s taking our seats.”
- Smith spoke much of strategy: that he only had to, as they say, “come out and play hard.” I spoke at length about opportunity just last week, citing the case of Jeremy Lin. Smith’s the latest case for my thesis. It’s nearly impossible to break through as a point guard. If you’re a big, or even a wing, court time allows a chance to fight, scrap, defend, and be noticed. Success is effort-oriented. But for a point guard, there’s no way to try harder. The one talent which you hope to display, for which you will be rewarded further time, is precision. That same precision is dependent upon outside trust. For a point guard, you have to be handed the keys to show your stuff, truth which makes the Jeremy Lin story all-the-more remarkable. Perhaps we should all be investing in some form of deity rather than common stock?
- Speaking of Smith, as I said Sunday night, I’m excited. The two–scratch that–three things that stand out are his solid base, the mentions of his ‘smarts’, and his overall enthusiasm. Jordan Hill may not ever have NBA-level lower body strength. (We won’t touch on his IQ.) But Smith, at just 20, is already full grown. Observers noted in the preseason his ability to hold ground against defenders, a trait rarely seen from a player so young. We’ve seen what both Chuck Hayes and Patrick Patterson can do, the effect they can have on this team using basketball IQ and foundational strength. But neither has/had Smith’s natural size (he’s 6’10.) The team doesn’t need him to score in the post or hit jumpshots. What they need is the energy Hill has brought on occasion but without the mental lapses. If Smith can stay active and play within the system, not getting lost in rotations, he should take Hill’s job. It’s time now to start developing players for the future, and in this case, in replacement of Hill, the team’s present picture won’t be sacrificed.
- Did anyone see Tracy McGrady’s comments in the paper the other day? It seems the old chap is upset over playing time having gotten just four minutes the other night. Like it or not, like Grant Hill, Mac’s a bonafide success story. He’s one of the few cases of a former star accepting his current plight and adapting, making the most of other abilities to fill a different niche. The way he’s handled himself since returning from microfracture should be commended not mocked. How’s this for a fun thought exercise: the Rockets trade Scola, Martin, and Dragic to the Lakers for Pau Gasol. They then trade Williams to the Hawks for McGrady, making the latter their backup point guard. Why not? Williams isn’t coming back and McGrady has proven dependable at running an offense. It’d never happen–there was too much bad blood after the breakup–but it sure would be interesting.
- Speaking of trades, we’re inching closer to the deadline and Luis Scola has looked increasingly out of place. Notice he didn’t play a minute of crunch time last night and has seen less time overall in the 4th, in general? Perhaps a sign my prayers have been answered. Patterson just gives the team a better chance to win when on the floor, now that he’s healthy. He isn’t the post presence, but the defensive disparity is sufficient. So what to do with Scola? With his talents, he’s a nice piece, but at 31, a drastically depreciating asset. You almost fear they’ve waited too late to deal him and darker days lay ahead. I, for one, have been advocating a trade of the Argentinian since ’09 much to the chagrin of many readers. I just hope it’s not too late. Outside of a Gasol deal, I don’t know what value Luis would have to other teams.
- It appears Kyle Lowry ‘got his groove back’ sometime over the weekend, fueling the Rockets to impressive victories over key opponents. A pity it hadn’t come earlier or the team might have had a representative in the midseason classic. How embarrassing would it be for the local guys to not have a host next season? Think Stern will step in and help out for his past sins? Speaking of which, I think someone at the NBA office messed up the inter-office memo: Bud was supposed to be in the ‘shooting stars’ contest while the guy shooting 40% was inked in for the dunk contest. Respectfully, Commissioner Stern.
- We’re nearing the midway mark and the Rockets sit at 6th in the West with a chance to move higher. Thoughts? Reactions? They’ll make the playoffs. Oh, they’ll make the playoffs. But was this what you defined as success? The team will, if things hold, sacrifice it’s first-round draft pick to the Nets and get back something middle-of-the-pack from the Knicks…..or, or, let me put it all another way: the Rockets have no surefire route to improve the roster heading into next offseason. Perhaps they can swing a trade or a miraculous signing. But I’m having trouble seeing the steps that will take this team to the next shelf. Either way, what they’ve done on the court, playing under a new coach, is to be commended. I don’t think many outside of Houston were predicting a finish any higher than 9th.
- Since I’ve been watching–1994–it’s the worst the West has ever looked. Oh, there’s parity. There’s parity. But gone are those super-legend squads from yesterday against whom the Rockets just had no chance. The Kemp-Payton Sonics; the HOF Jazz; The classic Spurs; The Kobe-Shaq Lakers; the Webber Kings; the Mavs in their hey-day. Down the line, there’s no team, including the Thunder, whom one can point to and say, “the Rockets don’t stand a chance against this team in a series.” And that’s precisely what makes this so frustrating. It’s there for the taking. Let’s hope Daryl Morey can bring in the talent to help get it done.