3 replies to this topic

[Red94]

New post: A look at the Houston Rockets' schedule for the week of November 2 through November 9
By: Rahat Huq

[caption id="attachment_14631" align="alignnone" width="370"] image courtesy of nba.com[/caption]

This doesn't mean much, but maybe it does(?) with both Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant expected to miss the next month of the season.  As I noted just last night, the Houston Rockets right now have a very 1993esque feel to them, in that they have a superstar playing at his peak, they're humbled and locked in, and no one gives a damn about them.  That's certainly not to say that James Harden or Dwight Howard are anywhere comparable to the great Hakeem Olajuwon.  But both players, and this team in general, are flying under the radar like that '94 team did before ripping off 15 straight.  There's no one here shooting underwear ads and making the rounds on every talk show, no point guard controversy.  The entire culture seems to have completely transformed over the course of the offseason with the humiliating loss to Portland, and the jettisoning of Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons.

But still, it's just been three games, and those three games have come against three of the very worst teams the NBA has to offer.  So it's important to remain level-headed.  While it would have been fairly alarming had Houston failed to take care of business, aside from scheme and rotation, not much can really be gleaned from these initial exhibitions.

The real tests begin this week.  On Monday, Houston will travel to Philadelphia for the bi-annual 'Analytics Bowl' as Daryl Morey's squad will face off against the creation of former deputy Sam Hinkie.  The 76ers will be happy with a Rockets win and I'll be horrified by any other outcome.

Houston then travels to Miami to take on the defending Eastern Conference champions, if they can even be called that in their current state.  The Rockets, and Terrence Jones, will square off against Chris Bosh, the man who left them at the altar this summer, dashing their dreams of a super-team.  The matchup holds significance for Jones in particular because, after feasting on some of the worst frontlines in the league last week, as he did throughout much of last year, Bosh represents his first true test of the season.  It should be a matter of pride, and there's really no better way to prove you've arrived than to outplay the guy with whom your team hoped to replace you.

A sidebar on Jones: Many of you, on Twitter, have mischaracterized my stance on Jones.  I've been a vocal critic but that's not because I think he "sucks" or that he'll never be a good player.  He's going to be a very good player in this league someday, if not already, and will be around for a very long time.  My concern is whether he can help this team win now, particularly in the Western Conference.  The Rockets already have the league's best shooting guard and center, so it's not realistic to expect an advantage at every position, but I worry that Jones represents such a disparity in his matchup, that the surplus production of H&H is offset.  Kevin McHale routinely closed games against the league's best teams last season with Jones on the bench and of course, I don't need to get into the Portland series to remind you how the matchup with LaMarcus Aldridge played out.  But Jones is in his third year now.  They don't need him to put up 25 and 10 like he did last night.  All the Rockets need is for TJ to not getting decimated in his matchups against the league's best.  He won't win the matchup, but he just needs to make smart rotations and provide something on the other end.  When he doesn't, it has a trickle down effect, allowing teams to suffocate Dwight Howard.  I don't think it's a coincidence that the same teams that bother Jones also stifle Howard (LAC, OKC).

Houston then comes home to face the Spurs and Golden State Warriors in a pair of games over the weekend which promise to be highly entertaining.  Gregg Popovich will probably sit all of his starters, or pull some other similarly eccentric (but utilitarian) stunt, and the game will still be close.  On Saturday, Klay Thompson will continue to try and prove his worth after securing a fresh new contract, facing off against the undisputed best shooting guard in the league.  Man, I still can't believe they didn't trade him for Kevin Love!

[Johnny Rocket]

I totally agree the mindset of the team is totally different.  In last night's interview, Harden talked mostly about the importance of defense.  Sure, we heard the cliches before, but there seemed to be something more real this season.

 

The TJ situation is really interesting.  From everything I've read, he's a really hard worker who will continue to hone and craft his game.  You have to think that by the end of this season, he's going to be good enough for us to make a deep run in the playoffs.  If not, there are options out there, including our old friend Jordan Hill.  Yes, Jordan Hill is awesome this season!  Living in S. California, I end up watching a lot of Lakers games, and I've been really impressed how much he has improved.  He's developed a smooth and reliable mid-range jumper, is still a very good offense rebounder, and is still a great hustle player.  He could be our primary big off the bench, or even replace TJ in the starting lineup.  He could be easily had for the Pelican's 1st. DMO, and cap filler. 

 

BTW, I don't think that the Pelicans pick isn't going to be worth all that much on the market.  The upcoming increases in the salary cap are going to make 1st round picks less valuable--teams aren't going to need to cut salaries to be able to offer big contracts--and the Pelicans look like they will be pretty good this year, making the pick a late lottery selection.

[Red94]

I kind of have to disagree with you there.  Late lottery puts them at say the #12 or #13 pick.  That's a pretty decent pick, especially if coupled with something else.

[cointurtlemoose]

Defensively, maybe it's that Jones needs attentive and steady coaching. It's more his positioning, even footwork, if you wanna call it that, both on-ball and off-ball. Particularly with on-ball defense, it's not as much that he's a slow-footed turnstyle. It's more that he never really forces his man into anything, like go baseline, or middle, or whatever is best strategically.

 

Maybe a way to put another way, the area for him to grow in is to be not just purely reactive on defensive, but to be a little more proactive. Just my take.

 

It's been clear, though, that his focus and effort have gone way up on that end. Blocks, steals, loose balls - I've noticed marked improvement over these first three games.