Why Greg Smith in the starting lineup is a good thing

If only one positive development could be extracted from the 2013 Houston Rockets, a successful implementation of distinguished, zestful offensive personality would be it.

The Rockets spend every game racing up the court, spreading the floor with three-point shooters, and running pick-and-roll after pick-and-roll until the defense crumbles like stale corn bread. In numerous ways their roster is prototypical much more so than traditional. They have a star off guard, a point guard whose greatest strength is getting to the basket, a beefy center with limited offensive skills but exceptional defensive acumen, and eight or nine guys who routinely shoot and make three-pointers. Read More »

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The Daily Blast – April 5, 2013

The Dwilight Zone – As the regular season winds down, it’s time for more speculation on where Dwight Howard will go next season. Chris Broussard (ESPN Insider) breaks down the pros and cons of three potential landing spots: Houston, Dallas and Atlanta. After stating that he wouldn’t blame Howard for leaving L.A. (I know, that’s big-market media heresy), he suggests Houston as the best suitor, comparing the team to an upgraded version of the 2009 Magic:

Harden has all the playmaking skills of Hedo Turkoglu, and Parsons can stretch the floor like Rashard Lewis. Plus, in Harden, the Rockets would have something the Magic did not: a legitimate second superstar. And with Howard, Houston would be free to trade double-double center Omer Asik, who would bring back a nice haul in a trade. Off the court, Houston not only meets the big-market specifications Howard has, but with its connection to Lin and Yao Ming, Howard’s already-high popularity in China would only improve.

But wait, there’s a problem: Read More »

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On the NBA: Beyond the Averages

A few weeks ago, Zach Lowe of Grantland put out an incredible piece exploring how the Raptors are using their SportVU tracking data. While I was reading through it, I came across a juicy factoid that I wasn’t sure I agreed with:

 An example: The analytics team is unanimous, and rather emphatic, that every team should shoot more 3s — including the Raptors and even the Rockets, who are on pace to break the NBA record for most 3-point attempts in a season.

This is a very bold claim – the Rockets already take 28.8 threes per game, a full 35.7% of their shot attempts. And somehow they should be squeezing more three point attempts out of their offense?! In this article, I’m going to test the validity of this claim, and highlight some of the reasons why it is not based on quite as solid a statistical footing as it first appears. Read More »

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The Red94 Podcast – Episode 16

I break down Terrence Jones’ performance last night and discuss the potential of each of the Rockets’ rookie power forwards.

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The Daily Blast – April 4, 2013

The 99.9 Percent – Houston’s win in Sacto and Utah’s loss in Denver last night brought the Rockets’ playoff chances all the way up to 99.9 percent. The team needs three more wins to clinch, leading to this Schoolhouse Rock inspired tweet from the boss last night:

Three is a magic number http://t.co/cGocQsD8bT
 The Daily Blast April 4, 2013
@dmorey
Daryl Morey

Rock on, Dork Elvis.

TrendingThe Rockets are the trendiest team in basketball, folks. Grantland said it, so it must be true. Houston won the crown in a landslide over the Golden Sleeves Warriors and the Denver Javale McGees:

The Rockets, Warriors, and Nuggets are all ‘trendy’ in their own ways, but it’s clear that Houston has been the trendiest team since the beginning of the season. Signature signings, a major trade, and an overall rebranding that obliterated the NBA landscape: These are the things ‘trendiest’ is made of. In a world where ‘swag’ and ‘#YOLO’ are the fabric of NBA culture, the Rockets’ ascension to relevancy exemplifies a swag yoloness both on and off the court. You only live once, Houston.

As my coaches always told me, it’s not about whether you win or lose. It’s about how good you look in manga.

Read More »

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