Guess what, it doesn't have to be anybody's fault. The Rockets just SUCK. Their lineup right now is worse than the Bulls. WORSE THAN THE BULLS. You have no right to be complaining right now about anything with the Rockets. This is the product of out of whack expectations. I don't know if most of you are just spoiled, or what. But this team sucks, and they have no right to even be in ANY game. Moochie Norris Oscar Torres Glen Rice Kenny Thomas Kelvin Cato Do you realize just how bad that lineup is? That team right there is worse than the Bulls. No question. Brad Miller is better than anyone in that lineup, easy. So what do you have to complain about? It's a miracle the game was tied at the half last night. Lorenzen Wright is better than any big man we've got. Shane Battier is better than any player on our team right now. Gasol is better than any of our small forwards right now. We lost to a BETTER team, on the road. Big deal. This is what it's like when your team sucks. Suck it up and take the lumps.
A little condescending, but I see your point. I think without their top 3 players, it's pretty foolish to expect the Rockets to win. However, in my opinion, fans always have a right to complain -- if they didn't, simply because these Rockets are so bad, then you'd have to be the first one to start by ceasing the b****ing about the attendance and fan support. I just think any fan who pays for a ticket has a right to be critical of the team (especially when the "garbage" starting lineup includes some of the franchise's highest paid players).
TMo got his first bucket. GO ROCKETS!!!!!!!! Personally, I love watching bad teams who are trying their best. I loved watching Carlos, Steve and Cuttino 2 years ago. I loved the reps Rudy gave Steve and Cat to hone their driving skills during a toss in the towel year. I loved the trying we showed that year.. But that is the Rice Alumn in me. We were always losers. The Bulls are quitters; not the same. My current complaint is that I can't get a read on this Griffin kid. Is he trying or not? Is he having fun or not? Does he have the mentality to not be the man and still hustle like Torres...or not? Man,,,you've got to love Oscaaaar!
Honestly, that has been a knock on him the last few years. Draft analysts would say he would play effortlessly and show little emotion. It looked like he didn't care, but his play said otherwise -- like Tim Duncan. Though I went to the Spurs-Kings game last night and I wouldn't say Duncan doesn't show emotion any more. Everyone has always said he would need time to mature "emotionally and physically" to the NBA game, but I was surprised by his poor shooting, in both the Revue and so far in the NBA. Sporting News wrote this before the draft on him though: <I> In big games, Griffin's shot selection (or should we say shot accuracy) was poor. He was 7-for-26 against Illinois, 4-for-17 against Michigan State, 8-for-30 in two games against Georgetown. Griffin's critics point to the stat-padding games he had against the St. Peter's of the world. Griffin needs to shoot better from long range to be a top-flight <B>small forward</B> in the NBA. Griffin scored below his average in six of his final eight games, which makes one wonder if he's ready for an 82-game schedule. Griffin can be a selfish player on the court, and he has a history of volatile behavior off the court. He needs to mature.</I>
The problems have been there all year with or without Steve and Cat, it's just magnified now that they're out. My question is this: What are the protections on the Rockets 1st rounder? I'm not saying we're going to be lottery bound, but if we are, how is our pick owed to the Grizz protected? Is it only top 3 protected or what? Damn that would suck if we managed to be lottery bound and we couldn't even keep our pick. Anyone else notice how differently the offense is ran when Tierre Brown is in compared to when Steve or Moochie are in?
I'm wondering if part of this past game was frustration by Griffin. He is used to being the man. He sees Gasol and Battier getting lots of oppurtunites, meanwhile he's on the bench even though he's immensely talented, and the Rockets top 3 players are out. For whatever reason, he's not getting the low post (he's not going there, Rudy's not letting him go there, etc. Anyone else think that Griff plays better when he's in with Cato rather than Willis, and gets the post? Rudy only lets one guy take the post at a time, and in this game Eddie looked completely out of it, and was trying to force shots). Remember, he was still emotionless in the Seattle game where he busted out. He didn't get one post up oppurtunity at all this past game, every time he got the ball he was within a step of the 3 point line. The only two players who were playing with any sense of intensity were Cato (how strange is it to say that?) and Torres. Torres shows something new every game, I really liked his passing ability, and his defense is excellent.
NIKEstrad, we all know the draft reports about his on-court "personality." I am not saying "emotionless." Emotion has nothing to do with it. I pride myself on being able to tell the difference between Bird-like (Jalen Rose, anyone?) stoic determination (which is how I played) and not having your head in the game or hustling. I know the reports are he can glyde, and he plays effortless. Yes, I've seen it myself. Still....I can't get a bead on Griffin. I thought his defense looked poor last night...like he didn't care or was lost. I'm not passing judgement on him. I just want to see if other people saw the same thing last night. I just can't read him, whether he brings maximum effort every game, every situation...like Oscar.
I will have to agree with the consensus of "the Rockets have a bad team right now but the effort could be better" feelings. On paper, this team without Francis and Mobley are about as good as the Bulls, but I would like to think that if they put forth the effort like they did against the Kings on Tuesday night, then the Rockets can still beat or remain competitive with the dregs of the NBA. Unfortunately, it seems to me that when the Rockets are missing Francis and/or Mobley, that every time the Rockets have a good game but lose (like against the Kings), they then follow it up with an uninspired performance like they had last night. I think the thing to be concerned about is how is this team going to score with Mobley and Francis out? Glen Rice has shown so far nothing and Eddie Griffin has been a tease at times. Kenny Thomas has played great, and Oscar Torres has shown promise, but these are still not consistent options to go to on offense. I'm as big as a Rudy T fan there is, but I don't know what he can do when his talent is below average. As BGM pointed out, last night's game just reinforces this point: the Rockets role players need Francis and Mobley. They are now, the role players, are trying to do something that they aren't used to doing. So, I don't think we should be surprised that we lost to the Grizzlies, but we should be disappointed by the lack of effort. I, also, would like to see Eddie play more down in the post. I think he can do it, but for whatever reason, it hasn't happened much this season.
crispee- The Rockets looked confused on assignments, particularly Eddie and Tierre. Eddie didn't seem to know what he was doing on either end of the court, then again neither did anyone else except Torres and Cato. I'm going to the game tonight. Hopefully Eddie will play better, and the team will look more comfortable.
Griffin has always been a lazy post-position defender; He'd much rather concede the space to the offensive player and go for the block. This is his greatest vice as a player. As far as his poor shooting goes, part of the blame goes to the point guard and coach. Moochie doesn't get it to him in comfort spots. It pained me to watch Moochie wave off Griffin in the post ,against Seattle, when he had players 6'5 and under on him off the switch on the pick and roll; Use your head Moochie; You on the "slow-footed" Desmond Mason isn't an advantage in the Rockets' favor. Rudy might want to try and post up a post player every once in a while. Hell, Cato gets more opportunities in the post than Griffin. To the chagrin of the fans though, Griffin is utilized in all of ONE set by the coaching staff, with that set being the unimaginative high pick and roll that they've become infatuated with since the Phoenix game. Our offense is not complex, that's obvious,so it shouldn't be hard to execute right? Just simplify the game....wrong. This offense does NOT put the players on this team in a position to be effective offensively. Anybody who thinks otherwise will be spouting off nothing more than logical fallacies.
The kid is 19 years old and does not get enough minutes. I believe he should come in at the three in addition to the time he receives at the 4. Walt needs to be the odd man out. The problem is Moochie. He plays playground ball. It is tough to play with him.
Rox were medicocre at best BEFORE our starting guards went down. Now all I see is chaos: - totally predictable, boring offense that does not optimize what talent we have - lack of hustle on defense...getting back...loose balls - RT stubbornly sticking with overcooked Rice to the detriment of the team, and stifling playing time for younger players - what does RT see in Moochie? I just don't get it! It can't be fun for the other 4 players to watch him dribble for 20 seconds and then...........GFL! - team has no fire, no passion. I know we're overmatched right now but all these problems have been evident all season. - why not get EG the ball within 50 feet of the basket?? Would somebody please explain where RT is taking this team
Of course anybody can complain about anything. I'm just saying that when you have the worst team in the league on paper, there is nothing objective you can complain about. Objectively, the team should lose every single game, so you can't really complain when they lose. That leaves subjective things like "effort". Well how does anyone really know if a team is "trying their best"? My point is line up the starters for every team in the NBA, and the Rockets are the worst right now until Mobley gets back. Therefore, they're expected to lose every game going in. Anything more is a bonus. I apologize for the condescension. And crispee, I don't have a problem watching bad teams either. That wasn't my point.
Jonathan Feigen said recently on a talk show that he watches this team very closely in terms of effort and the effort is always there. He said that very few teams work as hard for their coaches. The problem isn't effort, it's execution. The Rockets are a team of very inexperienced guys, many of which are really out of place. Without Francis, Mobley and, yes, Taylor, they are downright bad. Moochie, no matter what anyone says, is not a starting point guard. He could split time with someone but he is not a guy who can carry the load because he makes too many mistakes. We have no idea what Torres will be. No one ever had heard of this kid before camp. He is too young and inexperienced to say one way or the other. Glen Rice is having a rough time recovering from his foot injury. He is having lift problems because his legs are still weak. Most of his shots are short and that is lack of strength. Kenny Thomas would be the back up on this and pretty much every other team. He is playing in a league loaded with star players at his position and he is doing it undersized and undertalented. It's amazing he is doing this well. Cato is...well, Cato. The bench is comprised of a streaky shooter (Williams) a guy who probably shouldn't have made the team (Tierre Brown), one second round pick (Morris) one 19-year old who needs a lot more bulk and experience (Griffin), a solid, but very old vet (Willis) and a guy who can't make it off the end of the bench on a pretty awful team (Langhi). Freak is right that this is a bad team. Taylor was a big part of the offense. Cato is still bad. Francis and Mobley, even before they stopped playing, were playing hurt. We are just in a bad spot at the moment, but they are in almost every game they play even when they are outgunned and outmanned. That is a direct reflection of the coach. If the players can't finish the job because they don't have enough talent on most nights to beat a solid college team, that can't be helped right now.
Re: Griffin I went to the game, and as far as Griffin's warmups, he was inside the arc 90% of his attempts I saw. As for the game itself, Griffin was a big reason the Spurs only had 8 points in the 2nd quarter (he played the entire quarter). He was an intimidating force, and Duncan could not shoot over the top like he could on KT. On shot selection, he got fouled on his only oppurtunity inside of 3, hit an open 3, missed an open 3, and missed a couple forces as the first half/shot clock expired. It's not exactly surprising his one basket came on a feed from K. Willis, not Moochie. As for Moochie....dribble, dribble dribble. So many poor shots were forced because he let time expire. So many calling for this "pure PG", then just 4 assists in 41 mins? Tierre played OK...very mistake prone. that flashy 4th quarter behind the back dribble reverse layup was gorgeous. Willis and Cato missed so many shots around the basket it's not even funny. Cato went after lots of loose balls. Willis really disrupts any offensive flow at times, but he and Griff controlled the inside in the 2nd quarter. Torres hustled like a man possessed. Now he showed ability to shoot off the dribble. Seemed to have more than 3 boards. Rice...he hit a shot early, but just didn't have a good game. He and Cato have developed a trust, Rice is the only one willing to pass to Cato on something other than an alley oop. As for Walt, he shot like garbage, but he rebounded well, and the team had their best flow going when he pushed it up the floor. The attendance was probably 40% Spurs... it was so quiet.
can we start the off-season again??? and bring back damon jones, let shandon walk for free, sign johnyy newman???
crispee, it looks to me like Eddie is trying so hard to follow Rudy T's script while on the floor that he almost forgets or doesn't see what is going on with the rest of the floor. He looks to me like someone that plays like he has blinders on and is really concentrating hard on what he is suppose to be doing but is not always aware of what is going on behind him. I just chalk that up to him not yet being comfortable in Rudy T's system so instead of everything comming naturally to him he really has to concentrate and think aobut what he is suppose to be doing instead of just reacting and letting his natural ability take over. One thing that I really like about Eddie is his turn around jumper close to the basket that kind of reminds me of Dreams little fade away that was so deadly. Personally I would really like to see Rudy get Eddie the ball in the paint a lot more just to see what he can do. What are your thoughts on that?
