T-MAC VS V-SPAN!!! THE MCGRADY'S OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES!!
...errr... or not.
It's too bad V-span didn't play against us, it would of made for some spicy preseason tv. But I digress, what we got to see was some very solid all around game from the Rockets, minus Tracy McGrady. Not only did the Rockets score 107 points, but they also help Panathinaikos to only 70 points, though their perimiter defense was suspect at some points, with the Greek teams excellent 3 point shooting being somewhat troublesome for the good guys in white. Anyway, on to the winners and losers.
Winners!
Rockets: Luis Scola and Rafer Alston
What a game for Luis! 8-10 from the floor with several key defensive plays and excellent fast break awareness. He really stole the show playing against his European rivals. I can't say enough how excited I am to have Luis on this team; he, like Battier, are perfect role players, exactly what the Rockets need to surround T-mac and Yao.
Rafer had yet another excellent game, with teals, assists, and *gasp* 4-5 from downtown! Building on what he had in the first preseason game, he showed amazing court savvy and really took care of the ball well. It's no wonder that Adelman has called him a "perfect fit" for his offense.
Panathinaikos: Batiste
This man was a BEAST all night long. He showed range, defensive prowess, and solid post play. It's a wonder why this man isn't in the NBA.
Losers!!
Rockets: Aaron Brooks
It's too bad the little man's first NBA game had to go like this. He did show speed on that fast break layup, however he had several good looks from the outside, and missed them all, sometimes badly. I'm sure the nervousness of a first game had some to do with it, and we are all hoping lil Brooks can bounce back next game.
Panathinaikos: Zelimir Obradovic
The coach just got the bad end of not properly preparing for an NBA style game. Poor guy was frustrated with the rules all night, however it's hard to have much sympathy for him when Panathinaikos had several weeks to prepare. Oh well, it'll be worse when they lose to the Spurs =P
Until next time... GO ROX!
Showing posts with label rockets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rockets. Show all posts
Sunday, October 14, 2007
First Preseason Action!
Woohoo! The preseason is finally here... aptly filling the deep void left by lack of basketball action over the course of the offseason, being kept alive purely by the thin joys of offseason speculation. Let's get some Rockets analysis going!
Game1 vs New Orleans Hornets
I was so giddy at the beginning of this game, and the Rockets 1st quarter did not disappoint. We ran that offense like Steven Colbert runs his mouth; perfectly. Surprisingly enough, in addition to our newfound offense, our defense did not let up one bit, with all of T-mac, Rafer, Chuck, Scola, Yao, and James rotating effectively and giving substantial amounts of effort. Yes there were some errant passes (I'm looking at you, T-mac) that didn't exactly cover up a certain players piss-poor offensive showing (I'm still looking at you, T-mac), but overall, you can't complain with a 30-9 lead going into the second. Unfortunately, that's about the peak of the happiness that night. The rest of the game was sloppy and turnover infested, not to mention the incredible free throw shooting display. From the 2nd to the 4th quarter, it was about what I originally expected to see. But man, for that 1 quarter of pure unadulterated Rockets joy, it really makes a Rockets fan feel good about the season. On the winners and losers of Tuesday's game.
Winners!
Rockets: Rafer Alston and Bonzi Wells
We all knew this day could someday come. The day when Mr. Brick and Bouncy Whales have the best game out of a roster that is deeper than my affection for raw cookie dough. Rafer put on a display of tremendous court awareness, pinpoint passing, and solid shot selection without one turnover. What has this world come to?? With Rockets fans everywhere refusing to blink in anticipation of both Mike James and Steve Francis, all they saw was the brilliance that was Alston. Good work Rafer, in one game you've stapled the mouths of haters everywhere shut.
The second winner is our lovable bundle of unpredictability, Bonzi Wells. We had all heard the rumors that Wells had lost a ridiculous amount of weight (somewhere around 30 pounds... jeez!) and we could definitely see that the ground didn't shake the same way when he walked, but none of us could have anticipated a 32-year-old Bonzi Wells to show the quickness and athleticism he did after his lackluster, hungerbuster of a year last year. Making 5 of his 7 shots while running the floor like a madman, Wells really showed the importance of coaching Tuesday night. Here's to a seasons worth of that, my friend.
Hornets: Hilton Armstrong and Tyson Chandler
I didn't think I'd be including Armstrong in this category for a few more years, but DANG does he make for a valuable addition to the Hornets frontcourt! Both he and Tyson locked down the lane, frustrating the Rockets roster hopefully into near tears. If both these players reach their potential, it could be a downright mess down in New Orleans, where the Hornets do the swatting.
Losers!!
Rockets: Tracy McGrady
Oh boy. It was in the back of my mind that Tracy might start slow, but wow, did he look off Tuesday. Making a dismal 1-5 shots (with his misses not being close) and 2-6 from the charity stripe (I cannot say how much this annoys me), T-Mac also showed a surprising lack of judgment by throwing some very questionable passes that became turnovers. I don't doubt that T-Mac will find his rhythm, but let's hope for his sake it's sooner rather than later, with these Kobe rumors and all.
Hornets: David West
To whom much is given, much is expected. And everyone in the Ford Arena expected much more out of the Hornets star forward. Going 1-6 from the field with 4 turnovers, DWest will most definitely have to shake this one off.
Other notes:
Yao looks very solid. The way he ran the break and stretched the defense was extremely impressive. He nailed an 18-footer that made me grin ear to ear, and his ability to see over the defense and make correct passes (see his highlight to rafer) should be a deadly weapon for Rick Adelman to utilize this season. Luis Scola looked great as well, very active on defense and a perfect role player on offense. Who knew we got the Argentinian power forward counterpart of Shane Battier? Between Hayes, Scola, and Battier, the Rockets could lead the league in charges taken this year.
Overall I was satisfied. We broke down in the second half and ultimately lost due to some insane shooting by a guy called Huluska? who?? Oh well. Very promising game for both teams.
I don't know how I'm going to survive a week without Rockets Basketball. I'll do the Panathaikos game tomorrow! Until then, GO ROX!!
Game1 vs New Orleans Hornets
I was so giddy at the beginning of this game, and the Rockets 1st quarter did not disappoint. We ran that offense like Steven Colbert runs his mouth; perfectly. Surprisingly enough, in addition to our newfound offense, our defense did not let up one bit, with all of T-mac, Rafer, Chuck, Scola, Yao, and James rotating effectively and giving substantial amounts of effort. Yes there were some errant passes (I'm looking at you, T-mac) that didn't exactly cover up a certain players piss-poor offensive showing (I'm still looking at you, T-mac), but overall, you can't complain with a 30-9 lead going into the second. Unfortunately, that's about the peak of the happiness that night. The rest of the game was sloppy and turnover infested, not to mention the incredible free throw shooting display. From the 2nd to the 4th quarter, it was about what I originally expected to see. But man, for that 1 quarter of pure unadulterated Rockets joy, it really makes a Rockets fan feel good about the season. On the winners and losers of Tuesday's game.
Winners!
Rockets: Rafer Alston and Bonzi Wells
We all knew this day could someday come. The day when Mr. Brick and Bouncy Whales have the best game out of a roster that is deeper than my affection for raw cookie dough. Rafer put on a display of tremendous court awareness, pinpoint passing, and solid shot selection without one turnover. What has this world come to?? With Rockets fans everywhere refusing to blink in anticipation of both Mike James and Steve Francis, all they saw was the brilliance that was Alston. Good work Rafer, in one game you've stapled the mouths of haters everywhere shut.
The second winner is our lovable bundle of unpredictability, Bonzi Wells. We had all heard the rumors that Wells had lost a ridiculous amount of weight (somewhere around 30 pounds... jeez!) and we could definitely see that the ground didn't shake the same way when he walked, but none of us could have anticipated a 32-year-old Bonzi Wells to show the quickness and athleticism he did after his lackluster, hungerbuster of a year last year. Making 5 of his 7 shots while running the floor like a madman, Wells really showed the importance of coaching Tuesday night. Here's to a seasons worth of that, my friend.
Hornets: Hilton Armstrong and Tyson Chandler
I didn't think I'd be including Armstrong in this category for a few more years, but DANG does he make for a valuable addition to the Hornets frontcourt! Both he and Tyson locked down the lane, frustrating the Rockets roster hopefully into near tears. If both these players reach their potential, it could be a downright mess down in New Orleans, where the Hornets do the swatting.
Losers!!
Rockets: Tracy McGrady
Oh boy. It was in the back of my mind that Tracy might start slow, but wow, did he look off Tuesday. Making a dismal 1-5 shots (with his misses not being close) and 2-6 from the charity stripe (I cannot say how much this annoys me), T-Mac also showed a surprising lack of judgment by throwing some very questionable passes that became turnovers. I don't doubt that T-Mac will find his rhythm, but let's hope for his sake it's sooner rather than later, with these Kobe rumors and all.
Hornets: David West
To whom much is given, much is expected. And everyone in the Ford Arena expected much more out of the Hornets star forward. Going 1-6 from the field with 4 turnovers, DWest will most definitely have to shake this one off.
Other notes:
Yao looks very solid. The way he ran the break and stretched the defense was extremely impressive. He nailed an 18-footer that made me grin ear to ear, and his ability to see over the defense and make correct passes (see his highlight to rafer) should be a deadly weapon for Rick Adelman to utilize this season. Luis Scola looked great as well, very active on defense and a perfect role player on offense. Who knew we got the Argentinian power forward counterpart of Shane Battier? Between Hayes, Scola, and Battier, the Rockets could lead the league in charges taken this year.
Overall I was satisfied. We broke down in the second half and ultimately lost due to some insane shooting by a guy called Huluska? who?? Oh well. Very promising game for both teams.
I don't know how I'm going to survive a week without Rockets Basketball. I'll do the Panathaikos game tomorrow! Until then, GO ROX!!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Of Houston's Guard Glut
With training camp around the corner, it'll be very interesting to see who emerges from the ashes of what I'm sure will be a very competitive Houston Rocket's camp. If you go to Houston's Player Page you can see that the Rocket's have a staggering 22 players, including 11 guards:
Rafer Alston
Aaron Brooks
Steve Francis
Luther Head
Mike James
John Lucas III
Tracy McGrady
Brad Newley
Kirk Snyder
Bob Sura
Bonzi Wells
Many of these are point guards as well. So obviously there's increasing pressure on the borderline players like Luther Head, Kirk Snyder, Rafer Alston etc. I'm going to try and make the list include 3 players from every position, though that's not always how teams see it. Usually that 3rd player in every position is rarely used, and thus not a big part of what the team is doing. Now in order to whittle this list down we have to identify the players that will most likely be cut/shipped off. First off, Brad Newley will most likely go back to his home country, Australia, which is probably a good thing seeing as he's not ready for the NBA yet, let alone a team like Houston with such a thick guard glut. Next we can cut Bob Sura, as it's been apparent that he won't be making any sort of impact due to his unfortunate injuries, and will probably retire or be traded. Rockets management has made it clear that John Lucas III will probably be shipped out, as their newly acquired Aaron Brooks has a much higher ceiling and is basically the same type of player. These cuts bring our list to 8:
Rafer Alston
Aaron Brooks
Steve Francis
Luther Head
Mike James
Tracy McGrady*
Kirk Snyder*
Bonzi Wells*
I've taken the liberty of staring the guards that can also slide over to the 3 spot and back up Shane Battier. Now unfortunately, every player above those starred guards is either undersized or a point guard. However, all of them are very skilled, so it should be very competitive. In my opinion, it looks like Steve Francis is the popular choice to start at PG. Obviously, Mike James would back him up from there. The problem is, Rafer Alston and Aaron Brooks are pure point guards, and this doesn't leave much room for them. I believe Rafer would have to take the 3rd spot, which would probably send Brooks out. At the 2 spot we obviously have Tracy McGrady starting, as that's where he spend all his time last year. Behind him I'm have to put Luther Head, as the Rockets just picked up the 4th year option on him, and obviously have him in their plans. Kirk Snyder would probably go behind him, and I'd put Bonzi behind Battier, however the 3 isn't really the natural position for bonzi, and probably wouldn't be utilizing him as well as the Rockets could. This brings this depth chart to this:
PG: Steve Francis/Mike James/Rafer Alston
SG: Tracy McGrady/Luther Head/Kirk Snyder
SF: Shane Battier/Bonzi Wells/Mike Harris?
Still, this roster doesn't sit well with me. So I'm proposing a different approach. I believe the Rockets should slide McGrady over to the 3 again, which would put Battier on the bench, and move Francis over to the 2, opening up the PG position. This could allow a player like Aaron Brooks to be included on the Roster. With all the appropriate changes being made, the roster then looks like this.
PG: Mike James/Rafer Alston/Aaron Brooks*
SG: Steve Francis/Bonzi Wells/Luther Head
SF: Tracy McGrady/Shane Battier/Kirk Snyder*
PF: Luis Scola/Chuck Hayes/Steve Novak
C: Yao Ming/Dekembe Mutombo/Jakie Butler*
Obviously I've included the remainder of the the frontcourt, thus completing the roster. I've starred the players that I believe will be on the "Inactive List" with Aaron Brooks probably going down to the D-League. I've also given the starting nod to Scola, because I believe he gives us needed size down there and brings a competitive fire and poise that Hayes just can't provide. Hayes still holds a very key role as he proved last year he could be a legitimate starter in the NBA. I also put Novak on the top 12, as I believe his hard work this summer and his play style should be very appealing to a coach like Rick Adelman.
This list leaves out some players like Carl Laundry, Justin Reed, Mike Harris, Brad Newley and Jake Tsakalidis. Carl Laundry was a second round pick for a reason. Justin Reed doesn't have a place on this roster, especially considering his recent trouble with the law. Mike Harris is a borderline NBA player anyway, and will crack the roster only if something significant happens to a player like Kirk Snyder. Brad Newley already said that he wants to go back to Australia, and Jake Tsakalidis became a free agent.
So there you have it, my projected 15 players that make the cut. Man, that second squad could take on some of the lower tier teams by themselves! The Rockets look deep this year, and the preseason should help us all sort out just how deep they are.
Rafer Alston
Aaron Brooks
Steve Francis
Luther Head
Mike James
John Lucas III
Tracy McGrady
Brad Newley
Kirk Snyder
Bob Sura
Bonzi Wells
Many of these are point guards as well. So obviously there's increasing pressure on the borderline players like Luther Head, Kirk Snyder, Rafer Alston etc. I'm going to try and make the list include 3 players from every position, though that's not always how teams see it. Usually that 3rd player in every position is rarely used, and thus not a big part of what the team is doing. Now in order to whittle this list down we have to identify the players that will most likely be cut/shipped off. First off, Brad Newley will most likely go back to his home country, Australia, which is probably a good thing seeing as he's not ready for the NBA yet, let alone a team like Houston with such a thick guard glut. Next we can cut Bob Sura, as it's been apparent that he won't be making any sort of impact due to his unfortunate injuries, and will probably retire or be traded. Rockets management has made it clear that John Lucas III will probably be shipped out, as their newly acquired Aaron Brooks has a much higher ceiling and is basically the same type of player. These cuts bring our list to 8:
Rafer Alston
Aaron Brooks
Steve Francis
Luther Head
Mike James
Tracy McGrady*
Kirk Snyder*
Bonzi Wells*
I've taken the liberty of staring the guards that can also slide over to the 3 spot and back up Shane Battier. Now unfortunately, every player above those starred guards is either undersized or a point guard. However, all of them are very skilled, so it should be very competitive. In my opinion, it looks like Steve Francis is the popular choice to start at PG. Obviously, Mike James would back him up from there. The problem is, Rafer Alston and Aaron Brooks are pure point guards, and this doesn't leave much room for them. I believe Rafer would have to take the 3rd spot, which would probably send Brooks out. At the 2 spot we obviously have Tracy McGrady starting, as that's where he spend all his time last year. Behind him I'm have to put Luther Head, as the Rockets just picked up the 4th year option on him, and obviously have him in their plans. Kirk Snyder would probably go behind him, and I'd put Bonzi behind Battier, however the 3 isn't really the natural position for bonzi, and probably wouldn't be utilizing him as well as the Rockets could. This brings this depth chart to this:
PG: Steve Francis/Mike James/Rafer Alston
SG: Tracy McGrady/Luther Head/Kirk Snyder
SF: Shane Battier/Bonzi Wells/Mike Harris?
Still, this roster doesn't sit well with me. So I'm proposing a different approach. I believe the Rockets should slide McGrady over to the 3 again, which would put Battier on the bench, and move Francis over to the 2, opening up the PG position. This could allow a player like Aaron Brooks to be included on the Roster. With all the appropriate changes being made, the roster then looks like this.
PG: Mike James/Rafer Alston/Aaron Brooks*
SG: Steve Francis/Bonzi Wells/Luther Head
SF: Tracy McGrady/Shane Battier/Kirk Snyder*
PF: Luis Scola/Chuck Hayes/Steve Novak
C: Yao Ming/Dekembe Mutombo/Jakie Butler*
Obviously I've included the remainder of the the frontcourt, thus completing the roster. I've starred the players that I believe will be on the "Inactive List" with Aaron Brooks probably going down to the D-League. I've also given the starting nod to Scola, because I believe he gives us needed size down there and brings a competitive fire and poise that Hayes just can't provide. Hayes still holds a very key role as he proved last year he could be a legitimate starter in the NBA. I also put Novak on the top 12, as I believe his hard work this summer and his play style should be very appealing to a coach like Rick Adelman.
This list leaves out some players like Carl Laundry, Justin Reed, Mike Harris, Brad Newley and Jake Tsakalidis. Carl Laundry was a second round pick for a reason. Justin Reed doesn't have a place on this roster, especially considering his recent trouble with the law. Mike Harris is a borderline NBA player anyway, and will crack the roster only if something significant happens to a player like Kirk Snyder. Brad Newley already said that he wants to go back to Australia, and Jake Tsakalidis became a free agent.
So there you have it, my projected 15 players that make the cut. Man, that second squad could take on some of the lower tier teams by themselves! The Rockets look deep this year, and the preseason should help us all sort out just how deep they are.
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