Comments on: The Week’s Best: Fandom Succeeds Cynicism

By: Bob Schmidt

Bob Schmidt — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 15:06:00 +0000

Last night’s display of athleticism against the Pacers reinforces my contention that our present roster can create havoc to competitors. And, that was without Lowrey and Miller, and only 12 minutes from Yao.

Whether or not a championship awaits us, we will win our share of big games. Plus, such depth tends to negate the loss of anyone to injuries. I still say, give these guys a chance to play together and let’s see where we are in January.

By: Blake

Blake — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 07:58:00 +0000

The real shame is that the Tracy/Yao Rockets had everything. Elite scorers in Yao/McGrady, an elite play-maker in McGrady, elite defense in Battier/Hayes/Yao, elite rebounding in Hayes/Yao, and elite leadership in Battier. The

That team could have won a title, had health not been an issue. Forever shall I curse back spasms, knee injuries, and foot injuries. That team could have had McGrady/Yao and half Scola for scoring, play-making in Tracy, defense in Hayes/Artest/Battier/Mutombo, rebounding in Yao/Hayes/Mutombo, and leadership/BBIQ in Battier/Mutombo/Barry.

That team should have won the title. What a roster. Ming/Scola/Artest/McGrady/Brooks and Battier/Hayes/Lowry/Wafer/Landry as a second unit.

If Tracy and Yao had been able to stay healthy, I see no reason that the team couldn’t beat the Lakers, Nuggets, and Magic.

Fisher/Brooks+Lowry
Kobe/Artest
Ariza/McGrady
Gasol/Scola
Bynum/Yao
Odom, Luke Walton, Farmar/Hayes, Landry, Battier, Barry

If the Rockets had Yao and McGrady, the Lakers lose the series.

Billups/Brooks+Lowry
Kenyon Martin/McGrady
Melo/Artest
Dahntay Jones/Scola
Nene/Yao
J.R. Smith, Kleiza, Chris Andersen/Battier, Landry, Hayes, Barry

That’s a Rockets win.

Alston/Brooks+Lowry
Courtney Lee/McGrady
Turkoglu/Artest
Rashard Lewis/Scola
Howard/Yao
Pietrus, Nelson, Gortat/Battier, Landry, Hayes, Barry

Another Rockets win, considering the results of Yao/Howard matchups at that point.

Morey has already engineered a great run at a title. A bad run of luck broke the odds.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 05:56:00 +0000

BTW,
Eating a healthy heaping of crow re Brooks/Martin
I don’t cae who they were playing,for a team’s PGs to go thru a game w/out a turnover is amazing!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 03:10:00 +0000

I love it. Let’s do it Pistons style. I would even say that we are the opposite of last year’s Cavs. We can have serious playoff success even without a great regular season record. Every year in the playoffs the country is introduced to some players they’ve never heard of, because of great single game performances. I have a feeling fans will be very familiar with Hill and Budinger come playoff time. We are just so deep. I’ve never liked a team as much as I like this one.

By: Blake

Blake — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 03:09:00 +0000

Here’s my hare-brained theory:

There are a few categories in which a player can be considered elite. Scoring, play-making, rebounding/garbage-manning, defense, and basketball IQ/leadership. Title teams need an elite talent in at least 4 of these areas. Most title teams concentrate the talent in a couple of players.

The Lakers have Gasol/Kobe for scoring, Odom/Bynum/Gasol for rebounding/garbage-manning, Kobe/Artest for defense, and Kobe/Fisher for BBIQ/leadership. The triangle offense provides the play-making.

The Celtics had Pierce/Allen for scoring, Rondo/Pierce for play-making, Garnett/Perkins/Rondo for rebounding, Garnett/Rondo/Pierce for defense, and Garnett for leadership.

The Spurs had Ginobili/Duncan for scoring, Ginobili for play-making, Duncan for rebounding, Duncan for defense, and Duncan for leadership. He’s the best PF of all time, after all.

The Pistons had Billups for scoring (elite TS%), Ben Wallace for rebounding, The Wallaces/Prince for defense, and Billups for leadership. I’m not sure that play-making was absent. It probably could be assigned to their great defense leading to easier scoring opportunities.

Anyway, you can fill in the blanks from there for past teams.

The current Rockets have elite scorers in Kevin Martin (elite TS%) and Yao Ming. Shane Battier and Chuck Hayes are elite defenders. Battier has elite BBIQ and leadership, practically coaching on the court. Chuck is an elite rebounder, and Lowry is an elite rebounding PG, like Rondo. Elite play-making is not available to us from a single player. Rick Adelman’s system could fill the blank here, like the Triangle Offense does for the Lakers.

Yet our elite scorers are injury-prone. One elite defender is aging, and the other is 6′6″ and historically produces no offense. Our elite rebounders are both backups. And we have no true play-maker.

This team does not appear to be a historically viable title roster. If some of our young talent can improve, perhaps these slots can be filled. Let’s hope so.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 01:43:00 +0000

I would argue that the Play-Offs is where stars make their money.
A team full of good role players,running an effective system,will have a very good season. But they are playing at their max. In the Play-Offs a star can go into another gear and elevate his game that the team of role players can’t.(One could say stars tend to coast during regular season,more charitable would be top competition brings out their best.)