- If this were last year, I’d have immediately available at my fingertips pinpointed data demonstrative of why and how Patrick Beverley has been a disaster defensively during this recent stretch. But Synergy no longer provides its service to bloggers, so I’m left with trends from last season and my mind’s attempt to patch together the eye test. Why is Beverley getting roasted just about every night nowadays? Last year’s data revealed that he struggled against the pick and roll, so maybe teams are using that against him more. Maybe he’s still injured, but still defending just as aggressively, and getting burned instead of backing off a bit the way most guys would. I don’t know what it is, but coupled with his abysmal shooting numbers (Beverley has shot 35% on 3’s in both January and February), the team is basically playing 4 on 1 whenever he is on the court. You could posit that he’s injured, and will revert to his normal self, but do you want to commit long term money to a guy who is seemingly always injured and a guy who apparently requires peak physical condition for effectiveness? The situation sucks because 1) I said months ago that Beverley was the perfect fit next to Harden, 2) the team desperately needs an upgrade at the point guard spot, 3) I don’t know if they’ll retain him, and 4) how could they retain him? In failing to sign Chris Bosh, Houston prolonged the holding pattern they’ve been in for what seems like perpetuity whereby they can’t extend anyone for the preservation of flexibility. That’ll be the case again with Beverley, and if they let him go, that’s yet another piece of the nucleus I thought they were building upon, gone. Until the Rockets find that “third star”, they’re not going to be able to focus on continuity.
- With Dwight Howard’s current state, it’s beginning to look like the model will need to be, rather than “three stars”, “James Harden and a lot of other capable guys.”
- If Houston can tread water out West in Dwight’s absence–and they should be able to–it should wrap up the MVP award for James Harden. So naturally–as I quipped on Twitter–Steph Curry will win the award.
- I consume a lot of Rockets discussion in different places and I have one thing to say. If you would trade Donatas Motiejunas for anything less than a star big man, you don’t understand basketball.
- As we mused on the recent podcast, what do the Rockets do now with the Pelicans pick? The team is in a strange position because a) they seem to hold the most valuable trade asset remaining on the market and b) there is no market and c) that aforementioned asset diminishes in value (to them) after this season. Are they really going to just hold onto it and add another rookie to the mix next season? When they’re supposedly in “win now” mode? Unfortunately, unless someone unexpectedly becomes available, that might be the smartest course of action, given Dwight’s condition. We all hate waiting, but we should know by now that Morey will never panic. If he feels its not the time, he’ll just keep holding on.
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