SB Nation - Kyle Lowry

Preview: Suns vs Rockets

Phoenix Stan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:36:15 -0000

More photos » by Karen Warren - AP

Houston Rockets rookie Chase Budinger is having a pretty decent rookie season...outside of the classroom.

According to 82game.com the Rockets most frequently used line-up is Brooks-Ariza-Battier-Scola-Hayes. They are +24 and account for bulk of the team's minutes. Five solid role players and no all-stars is generally not a winning combination in the NBA and yet the Rockets are 6-4 having beat the Lakers, Trail Blazers and Jazz. Of course they also lost to the Lakers, Trail Blazers and Kings so it's not as if this team can't be beat.

With no Yao and no T-Mac they are said to be getting it done with heart and hustle but I recently heard Rockets GM Daryl Morey explain that just maybe those nobodies everyone is discounting are actually better players then people give them credit for. I buy that.

In what is starting to become the most surprising trend of the season, the Suns enter this game as the better rebounding team. The Rockets are a -3.77 while the Suns at +2.10 has the 10th best rebounding differential in the league. That tells you our team might just have a little heart and hustle as well.

If both teams bring it tonight it should be a fun match-up but one the Suns should win.

Match-ups

Guards

Aaron Brooks gave the Suns fits last season putting up 19.3 ppg which was his highest against any team in 08/09. Who can forget his 30 point, 55% FG effort against a lethargic Suns team in early March. While Aaron is a nice player who is certainly one of the quickest guys in the game with the ball he's also streaky over the past 5 games with 33 points against the Lakers coming on the heals of a combined 18 points against the Kings and Grizzlies.

Brooks might be able to beat Nash around screens and get himself open shots or into the lane but the Suns bigs have done a much better job this season helping and Steve Nash is quietly having himself a better defensive season holding opponents to an eFG% of .477 compared to .485 for last season. And since this is the Suns it's worth pointing out that his best defense remains his offense where his own eFG% is a whooping .626 (up from .566 last season).

Brooks is a nice young player but I think we can all agree that the Suns have the edge here.

Some people might be surprised that Trevor Ariza is leading the Rockets in scoring with 18.4 points per game but having watched him in LA the last couple of years the talent was always there. As Channing Frye shows, this league is all about opportunity which is why you can't only look at a guy's past numbers to predict his future value. Trevor had shown the ability to both put the ball on the floor and finish and to hit the three but in the Kobe offense he was never going to get enough touches to put up decent point totals.

Of course, he's not exactly the most efficient scorer either which has to be a concern for the Rockets. When your team's point leader is shooting 40% and taking 16 FGA's to score 18 points....not good.

Where Trevor really excels is on the defensive end which is a shame because Jason Richardson needs to have a good game coming off his sub-par shooting night against the Raptors.

The only other guard on the roster is the bowling ball shaped Kyle Lowry. I'm a fan of Lowry's game but if Barbosa has got anything going at all (his wrist was still sore after Sunday's game) he will struggle keeping up. Goran had probably the worst game of his season facing Jarret Jack's intense ball pressure. Dragic needs to be aggressive when guys get right up on him and make them pay with his size and speed.

Forwards / Centers

Lets face it. Neither of these two teams have a true Center right now but at least the Suns two bigs are much bigger than the Rockets front court.

The Scola - Amare match-up is the most interesting.

Scola is a very skilled player who defends well, leads his team in rebounding and can score the ball in multiple ways. It will be up to Amare to pay attention on both ends of the floor and try and get Scola into foul trouble. The Rockets have very little depth at any position so taking Louis out of the game would spell instant trouble.

We might also see Amare try and get into the low post against the ~~Spaniard~~ Argentinian which should draw double teams. Amare has a lot of work to do on his passing out of those traps.

Against the Raptors he didn't do a good job handling the constant doubles that came when he caught the ball after Calderon switched on him. While Frye would calmly turn and hold the ball high and find the open man, Amare danced around and ended up trying to work against two players only to fire out a sloppy pace which gave the defense time to recover. I hope he watches film on this.

I am very curious if the Suns will try and post up Frye against Chuck Hayes. Hayes is a great post defender but at only 6'6" is the smallest Center in the league by a ~~long~~ short shot. Frye does have a post game and we might see it tonight but at the same time when the Suns get out of their normal offense to take advantage of these kinds of mismatches they can get stagnant. I would rather see Phoenix run their normal pick and roll sets with Nash and then try and post up Frye with the second unit. It's not as if Frye can shoot over him from behind the arc on the pick and pop.

Amundson can handle his own in this game against Hayes or Landry so perhaps have him sub in early for Frye and then bring back Channing when Nash rests.

We can't overlook Grant Hill and Shane Battier. Two great players who really understand the game and do what their teams need. Hill after a smoking start to the season hasn't been shooting the ball all that well but he's still grabbing rebounds and facilitating. In this game these two basically cancel each other out.

And Jared Dudley...that's all that needs to be said.

Unless the Suns come out flat, this is a very winnable game given the match-ups. I do worry about the Suns getting a bit complacent with their record which I think we saw in the middle quarters of the Raptors game on Sunday. Hopefully, they will have that edge and passion that has been the hallmark of the team so far and they can get a comfortable win on the road and be the first team in the L with 10 W's.

Game Links

Suns vs Rockets coverage
The Dream Shake - SBN Blog
TSN Suns vs Rockets preview
Suns wings hauling in rebounds
Suns swingmen Grant Hill and Jason Richardson lead NBA wing tandems in total rebounds. (Great article from Coro. Anyone else notice his game stepping up this year?)
azcentral.com - Coro preview
Just like we all predicted, Atlanta and Phoenix are sitting atop the NBA. The Suns can reclaim the best record in the NBA tonight if they win and go to 10-2. If they do so, they would be the third Suns team to have a 10-2 start since Steve Nash returned in 2004.

[Note by Phoenix Stan, 11/17/09 12:29 PM MST ]

If you are feeling in anyway bitter towards Sarver and Kerr read these two articles to remind yourself how much worse it can get...

Iverson, Jackson followed path to freedom - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
Stephen Jackson and Allen Iverson never acted out of character. Blame their teams for enabling their behavior. - National Basketball Association news
RUMOR: Monta Ellis wants out of Golden State and Warriors looking to trade him - Golden State Of Mind
Monta Ellis wants out of the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors want to trade Monta Ellis. Ellis, his agent, Jeff Fried, president Robert Rowell, and GM Larry Riley will be meeting on Thursday. More dysfunction for Chris Cohan's operation.

Thoughts on Houston vs Memphis – Game 8

Xiane — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:41:03 -0000

More photos » by Pat Sullivan - AP

Has this man made The Leap? I say, yes.

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Once again - Bullet Points - The Lazy Man's Friend^TM

1. Memphis has a lot of talent, and no idea how to play basketball together, or perhaps, no real desire to play that way. It's hard to tell which. It's also hard to know why bad basketball teams stay bad. Bad coaching? Culture of losing? Bad management? Bad mix of player talents?

Anyway, it's one reason that I am opposed (though I have vacillated, I admit) to the idea of being in the lottery versus, maybe, getting the last playoff spot in the West. I prefer Houston to have a winning culture, to expect to win, and try to do so, no matter the odds, rather than accept a losing season as a foregone conclusion, and I cite Memphis as evidence to support my case.

2. The Basketball Prospectus "High Usage Rate Grizzlies" vs "Low Usage Rate Rockets" battle is thus far looking like a rout in Houston's favor. Briefly, the Memphis roster is absolutely loaded with players who consume a very high percentage of their team's attempts, ie High Usage. Adding the current Grizzlies 08-09 numbers together produces a team at over 100% usage, which is practically unheard of.

Houston's roster (absent TMac and Yao) suggests a team player usage far below 100%, which is also very odd. The rule of thumb is that low usage players get substantially worse with higher usage. This is not proving to be the case, as Ariza, Scola, Landry, Brooks, Lowry et al, are all maintaining their effectiveness while taking more shots. Only Battier seems to be slipping a bit at this point. More as this develops.

3. Back to Memphis. Why would a roster of Conley, Mayo, Gasol, Gay and Randolph be so bad? That is, ostensibly, a lot of offensive firepower at the very least. And yet, you can watch certain bad things unfold with them in real time. After the Rockets run in the 3^rd, I said "Watch, they've given up now, already. You can see it. They're all just going to try to pad their stats now. There won't be much passing from them from here on out." And that is exactly what appeared to happen. Contrast that to Dallas, who continued their attack last night, and turned a blowout in our favor, into a blowout in theirs. At this point, I can't imagine Memphis doing that, despite what is on paper, fairly equal talent to Dallas.

4. Why does the NBA have so many "whistles"? There is the Star Whistle, which gives Star players a substantial amount of leeway when it comes to ticky-tack fouls, travelling and the like. There is the Super Star Whistle, which is worse, and produces outcomes like "No D on Kobe Bryant" or the "D-Wade Out of Control Drive Bailout" which effectively handed the Miami Heat an NBA title vs. the Mavericks. There is the Average Pro whistle, generally baseline and reasonable.

Then there is the Rookie Whistle, in which rookies, or new NBA players, get called for fouls that are either largely illusory, remarkably strict, or rarely enforced against experienced players, of any sort. Andersen, despite being a pro for 8 years in Spain, is getting the Rookie Big Man Whistle, which is essentially like being followed around the court by Elliott Ness in a striped outfit. The refs seem to be perfectly prepared to foul The Rookie Big Man out in one quarter, for basically, very little. This is the worst whistle of all. I'd like it if there weren't so many whistles.

5. Carl Landry needs more minutes. I'm going to call it now - he's made The Leap. He's a star in the making, his offensive arsenal is breathtaking, with both power and finesse in evidence. The Scola/Landry 1-2 punch lineup was fantastically effective tonight, with our PF combo going 19-28 for 42 points, 19 boards, 2 assists, 3 steals and 4 blocks in just slightly over full time minutes at 58.

6. Rick Adelman passed Jack Ramsay tonight, for 11^th place in all-time NBA coaching wins. Sleepy or not, that's the high country.

7. I think we need a 3^rd guy to run point. When garbage time rolled around, there was Lowry, still playing with the rookies, Pops, and Brian Cook. I'm now starting to feel bad for Brian Cook, and wonder what, exactly, went wrong there. No, I have no idea how a 3rd PG will happen. I don't want it to be injury, that's for sure.

The Grizzly Scene at Straight Outta Vancouver

Game 7 Recap: Mavericks find stroke in second half, rout Rockets 121-103

Tom Martin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:57:39 -0000

More photos » by Mike Fuentes - AP

29 days ago: Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry celebrates a three point shot in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets in Dallas on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009. Dallas won 121-103. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

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It's an ugly score, no doubt, but last night's loss to Dallas was no mail-in from the Rockets. Sometimes, as Houston fans well know, there's no answer for hot shooting.

The thirteen turnovers hurt, but Dallas had fourteen. The twenty-two fouls may seem a bit much, but Dallas had twenty-eight. Look no further than the Mavericks' true shooting percentage of sixty-five percent to find a large chunk of why they were victorious. Seven of twelve from three? Twenty-two of twenty-three on free throws? That's called execution.

For much of the first half, however, it was the Rockets that were finding automatic offense. Dallas kept the pace relatively slow, but Houston attacked the paint effectively and got the easy points, as they often do. Luis Scola got off to an excellent start, and Aaron Brooks was driving and scoring at will. Houston picked up the pace to finish the quarter, shooting sixty-four percent en route to a nine point lead.

As the second quarter progressed, the Mavericks found themselves avoiding their stars, as James Singleton and Drew Gooden were taking the majority of the shots. Carl Landry began to dominate the paint in place of Chuck Hayes, and so too did David Andersen. At this point, Houston was sitting pretty.

Suddenly, and most expectedly, The Dirk awoke.

Nowitzki started to make his jumpers, found ways to get to the free throw line, and drove by Landry multiple times to jumpstart the Mavericks to an 18-5 run to end the quarter. Houston missed eight of their last ten shots as Erick Dampier and Nowitzki began shutting down the paint.

In the second half, Dallas used the entire floor to find opportunities to score, while Houston found themselves forcing up long two's. Three pointers weren't falling, and the paint was practically off limits. Guys like Trevor Ariza and Shane Battier began to get frustrated and never found a rhythm on offense - it was probably Ariza's worst offensive game with the Rockets to date.

JJ Barea began to assume Brooks' role as the free-wheeling driving machine. This, while Brooks scored his final point of the game with 4:35 remaining in the third quarter. It was all Mavericks from then on out, as they held the Rockets to thirteen third-quarter points and picked up easy points on the fast break. We began to see a lot of this:

Never is this a good thing. Never.

I'm not normally one to question Rick Adelman's decision-making, but I'm curious as to why he gave up on Brooks so quickly. So what if he missed a few shots to end the third? He had been our go-to scorer from the start, and while Kyle Lowry played well, we missed Brooks as a deep threat. Aaron's benching could have been due to his failure to move the ball around (he only had one assist), but up to that point, it hadn't been too much of a problem. Either that, or he was injured, as Jason Friedman tweeted. Knowing Rick, it was probably the latter.

On the whole ball-movement deal, it was evident who was more comfortable in their offense in the second half. Dallas piled up twenty-seven assists compared to the Rockets' sixteen. Houston got caught up in the isolation game, whether it was on the block or at the top of the key. Obviously, outside of Brooks, isolation is not the Rockets' friend.

The Rocket-Killer made a belated appearance, but once Jason Terry started getting looks in the second half, you knew he was going to knock them down. I've given up trying to come up with a good reason to explain Terry's dominance against the Rockets. He's just born to destroy us. And it sucks.

Three Up:

Aaron Brooks -- 22 points, 2 reb, 2 ast, 2 TO. Brooks facilitated a brilliant first-half offense, only to be benched in the fourth quarter by Adelman. Still not sure why this happened - either injury or Adelman preferred Lowry.

Carl Landry -- 19 points, 2 reb. Landry played his game, facing up in the post and collecting hustle points. His hook shot is starting to look pretty as well. The two rebounds have to be somewhat of a downer, though.

Kyle Lowry -- 12 points, 4 reb, 5 ast. The Bulldog had a very effective second half, driving to the rim with tenacity to rack up double-digit points. However, Lowry did have five turnovers, and his defense on JJ Barea was not the greatest that we've seen from him.

Three Down:

Shane Battier -- 3 points, 3 ast. I'm not a big believer in +/-, but Shane "led" the Rockets with -24. His shot wasn't there from the start, as he missed multiple wide-open threes.

Chase Budinger -- 4 pts, 9 reb. I'll give Chase credit for pulling down nine boards; that's impressive from a rookie small forward. But he never found a rhythm with his shot. Like Battier, though, Chase will have his off nights. Every shooter does.

Trevor Ariza -- 9 points, 5 reb, 2 stl. Trevor has been hesitant to shoot the three of late. He's been shot-faking awkwardly, only to drive against two defenders. While I like the aggressiveness, Trevor needs to be more confident in shooting the three.

Next Game: Tomorrow night vs. Memphis

Game 2 Recap: Scola, Ariza fuel Rockets' 108-107 victory over Golden State

Tom Martin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:03:51 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

about 1 month ago: Houston Rockets' Trevor Ariza, left, guards Golden State Warriors' Monta Ellis (8) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

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Boxscore

Game Analysis

It's easy to say that there were two Rockets teams on the floor in Oakland last night. But when you think about it, the only difference between the two was whether or not the shots were falling.

Since when do the Houston Rockets more than double the total number of three point shot attempts of the Golden State Warriors? Matter of fact, since when does anyone double-up Nellie's crew from behind the arc? Evidently, the Rockets are going to live and die from behind the arc.

That said, there is a difference between shooting threes and chucking threes. The value of using the post to open up outside shots was on full display in the third quarter, when the Rockets made 11 straight shots, many from behind the arc. Sending the ball into Carl Landry or Luis Scola opened up the kick-out pass, and when the Warriors rotated, the recipient would swing the ball to the open man on the wing or in the corner. Things like this work against a Warriors team that rarely rotates a second or third time effectively.

As good a shooter as you are, you cannot love the three point shot; instead, you must use it when available. As the game wore on, the Rockets ceased loving and chucking and began using the open three to their advantage. Chase Budinger and Aaron Brooks caught fire in the second half because when they shot, they were set and open. Nothing was forced. And we all knew Scola had it in him.

While much of the attention of last night's victory will be placed on the outside shooting, it was the offense in the paint that managed to both excite and concern me. Excitement: David Andersen looks like he's been in the NBA for years. His post moves are fluid and precise - you can trust him when he has the ball on the block. Concern: Big Dave only took three shots in eight minutes of playing time. He made all three. Perhaps when Adelman feels that Dave can manage defensively, he will give him more PT.

Another cause for excitement? Trevor Ariza's assertiveness on the baseline drive. He attacked the rim constantly, and if Anthony Randolph is talented enough to block the shot of a crazy athlete flying towards the rim, then more power to him. Concern? Ariza turned the ball over six times, and many of those came on the drive. There's a clear difference in a guy like Tracy McGrady and Ariza, and it's in their ability to dribble in traffic. McGrady's so good at it that you barely even notice. He's a machine in the lane, maneuvering his arms and legs perfectly through defenders. Ariza doesn't maintain the same ball control, and often takes one dribble too much or simply loses possession.

Despite Ariza's mechanical issues, the point is that he is asserting himself, something he really hasn't done before. He's making the effort to improve and expand upon his current style of play. It will take plenty of time to work out the kinks, and I'm okay with that.

Aaron Brooks quietly had a career-high twelve assists to go along with eighteen points. Chase Budinger shot well, doing what he does best in catching and shooting. For the most part, I'm satisfied with everyone's individual play, aside from Kyle Lowry, who was a tad bit too bulldog-ish in the lane. There's no need to be so blindly reckless.

To add to that note, there was a sense of recklessness surrounding the Rockets' play from the get-go. It seemed like everyone was out of control, that whoever caught the ball on the perimeter was determined to throw himself into the Warrior defense, and then once in the air surrounded by white jerseys, quickly decide what to do from there. That's no good. It's one thing to play up-tempo, but it's quite another deal to run into a burning building of defenders without devising an escape plan first.

All in all, it was a good first win. The three-point shooting and the fourteen steals were especially impressive, as were the free throw shooting numbers (16-20). It's off to Houston for the Rockets for their home opener against Portland.

Three Up:

Trevor Ariza -- His offensive outburst from the start kept the Rockets in the game. 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists.

Luis Scola -- Had a great third quarter that helped to give the Rockets a lead heading into the fourth. 21 points, 11 rebunds, 1-1 from three (haha!).

Chase Budinger -- Did his job effectively, hitting three 3-point shots in the second half that stabilized the Rockets' lead. 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3-6 from deep.

Three Down:

Kyle Lowry -- Never drove with much of a purpose. Had two turnovers and four fouls in 16 minutes.

Carl Landry -- 10/6 isn't bad, but you'd like to see that perimeter jumper start to fall like it did last season.

Paint Defense in the First Half -- Golden State got way too many easy looks inside to start the game. Luckily, the Rockets shored up the fault and played good second-half D.

Next Game: Saturday vs. Portland

Rockets/Blazers: Game observations and bullet-points

grungedave — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:07:18 -0000

More photos » by Don Ryan - AP

about 1 month ago: Houston Rockets guard Aaron Brooks, right, and Kyle Lowry sit on the bench during a break in the second half of their NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland, Ore., Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009. Brooks scored 19 points as they lost to the Blazers 96-87. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

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Recapping games and doing "journalist" type stuff... so not my thing. I'd much rather just rant and rave and post my observations and things I see that the Richard Justice types never will because ~~he is~~ they are too busy using Google Images to search for incriminating photos of Brad Mills. I mean, how else do they keep their jobs in this economy? Anyway...

Holy hell the Rockets look tiny next to the Blazers! Granted, most teams are going to look small going up against a front-line of Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla and LaMarcus Aldridge. Those dudes are TALL.
After this season is over, the whole world will finally appreciate how much of a badass Yao Ming is. For all the criticism he's taken for being "soft" or "overrated" or "slow defensively," only in his absence will people truly understand how great he is.
Okay, so maybe Luis Scola won't go 20/10 this year. You have to look for your shot more to get 20 points and the Rockets appear to have adopted a more democratic sense of offense. This may or may not be a good thing.
Did Carl Landry shrink 3 inches in the off-season?
Kyle Lowry showed why the Rockets won the Rafer Alston trade .0001 seconds after it was made.
For all the pre-season hype and talk, Pops and Joey continue to be non-factors in the rotation. Against a big team like Portland, you would think they would get more court-time.
David Andersen had about a 5 minute burst in the 4th Q where he actually looked really, really good. Is this what I can expect for the next 81 games? If so... I'm completely on board.
Chase Budinger can dunk? Must have learned that playing volleyball...
Greg Oden did get 12 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. But, uhhh, we basically handed that s--t to him. The dude is a monumental bust for a #1 overall pick. He can't run or shoot. And after 2 years in the league, you'd thnk he'd have at least some modicum of an offensive "go-to" move. And yet....... all he has is that stiff-legged, line-drive hook shot. Not exactly inspiring stuff. Somewhere Durant is laughing.
Everyone is praising Chuck Hayes for playing amazing last night. And yes, for Chuck Hayes, that was one hell of a good game. The problem is that Chuck Hayes at his absolute best is only about 65% of a competent NBA center. We may be "solid" on team defense with Chuck, but the Blazers still out-rebounded the good guys 51-33. Yes, the Rockets only got 23 defensive rebounds the whole game. That is bad. It's not Chuck's fault, but his personal disadvantages are representative of the entire team's defensive problems. "Doing your best" works just fine in little league (at least that's what my parents told me), but this ain't little league.
As for our biggest acquisition - Trevor Ariza - he had a quick offensive burst in the first quarter. Then he kinda disappeared. His defense was "okay"... Outlaw was just on fire and no one was gonna stop that without earning a suspension for illegal cut blocking. But, Ariza has one major flaw in his offensive game: he has no handles. Ron Artest may have looked sloppy dribbling the basketball, but he was so strong that you couldn't take it away. Ariza looks very fluid, and yet - he can't dribble with his left hand and Portland just attacked him every time he put it on the floor. I am not sure how we hide this in the future.
Nice to see Rick Adelman in post-season form asleep on the bench at crucial times.
Luis Scola, Aaron Brooks and Trevor Ariza just found out how tough life is in the NBA when you don't have a Yao, Kobe, McGrady, Artest or Gasol around to take attention away from you.
On that note - someone needs to tell Aaron Brooks that we don't care if he is 0-6 from deep - you HAVE to take that open 3 pointer at the end when it's available. Do you think Reggie Miller passes up an open three even on a cold-shooting night? Hell naw!
In the end, we should all applaud the Rockets for fighting back in the end. They were down 20 early in the 4th Q and could have easily gone Tennessee Titan (and by that I mean "giving up completely"). Instead, they fought back with important contributions by the new guys. That was inspiring. If only there was an NBA genie that could grant my wish to make everyone on our team 10% taller. Or at least make every other team 10% shorter.
Big game tonight. We get to see how the "run and gun" new look Rockets match up against a team that's been running and gunning to moderate success for decades: the Warriors.

GO ROCKETS!!!

Game 1 Preview: Rockets vs. Blazers

Dave — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:45:06 -0000

More photos » by Pat Sullivan - AP

Oh NO you DIDN'T preview us like that!!! Rudy, how's your man gonna do us that way after we beat y'all in the playoffs? That's cold, man! Cold!

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Game Time: 7:00 p.m. Pacific TV: KGWHD

It's a game. A real...live...game! The start of the season is upon us!!! Pull out your remotes, brush off those season tickets, order that extra-large hot wings appetizer, or whatever it is that you do when the Blazers hit the floor. It's go time.

A Look at the Rockets

You probably remember the Rockets from the last time we played them which was, well, the last game we played. Who can forget Portland's first return to the playoffs since the Wallace years? Who did not tremble at the coming of Yao Ming, the behemoth who owned the...what? Yao is out with another foot injury? How many feet does this guy have? Is he an octopus or something? OK, then I'm sure we all remember the way Ron Artest pushed the Blazers around and scored at wil...huh? With the L*kers? Fine, fine. But you still can't take the Rockets lightly with Tracy McGrady around. He may be getting older but he's still tall, fairly agile, and can hit shots that mere mortals wouldn't dare to appro...o...ohhhh what NOW? Why are you tittering behind your hands? Let me guess. Tracy McGrady went to get a chili dog at an all night stand and as he was paying he dropped the a quarter which rolled towards a sewer grate and when he bent over to pick it up he was rudely assaulted by a vicious yo-yo gang who left dents and bruises on tender parts of his anatomy and he won't be in service for another six months.

Will somebody please tell me who IS actually available for the Rockets?

I see. Aaron Brooks. He's speedy. Trevor Ariza. The most overrated acquisition of the off-season. Shane Battier. An older, but better, Ariza. Scola, Hayes, and Landry. Isn't that the firm that represented Ben in his latest round of contract negotiations? And that's it? Oh...excuse me. How could I forget Kyle Lowry, Chase Budinger, and Pops Mensah-Bonsu?

Look, there are some good players there. They're great complementary players even. But this is just...ouch. Somebody's going to score in that lineup, but he's not going to be anyone's first choice. Brooks' speed and the rebounding and jump-shooting of the three forwards tied the Blazers in knots last spring but all of them keyed off the threat of Yao and Artest. Without those two breaking ground the Blazers should be able to handle the threat the rest of this lineup poses, both individually and combined. They'll still rebound. They'll still defend well. They'll still manufacture some points. But every single shot is going to be harder without those stars. Every single miss will be more crucial. And every single Blazer is going to be harder to handle.

There's not much you can say about this 0-0 version of the Rockets except that they're going to try really hard but the game will be a struggle for them every single night. It's like going to a potluck at the nursing home. Maybe, just maybe, you'll find some hidden gems on that table. But most of it you're just going to want to avoid.

Keys to the Game

1. Greg Oden...SMASH!!!

2. Greg Oden...SMASH MORE!!!

3. Just contest every shot. Mid-range jumpers are no threat if you have a hand in the shooter's face. Since you don't have to commit to stopping Yao in the post your hand should be in their face approximately 100% of the time. Similarly Aaron Brooks is going to get past our guards but he should meet some nifty and only slightly-stressed help defense on the way to the bucket. If you do any kind of reasonable job on defense there's no way they should be able to manufacture enough points to win.

4. Don't let the defense of Battier and Ariza frustrate you. Just work around them. Score from other positions first and then when they run to help set your shooting guards and small forwards loose. The one danger in this game is that you simply try to butt heads with the Rockets, grinding out a one-on-one offense that's not likely to score any more points than theirs does. Move the ball, make them chase it and deal with mismatches elsewhere, then once they're scrambling take them out.

5. They're not deep, so pound, run, scratch, and move them around. They'll get rebounds but make sure they're hard-fought. Push the ball up and make them run with you even if you don't have a fast break. Substitute enough to keep you fresh while they tire. Watch the fun commence as the second half progresses.

6. Greg Oden ANGRY NOW! SMASH EVERYONE GOOOOOD!!!!!!!

Final Thoughts

Since we're going with the semi-serious preview for Game 1 anyway we might as well open up the joviality in the comments. In addition to speculating about tonight's game share with us your favorite pre-game, in-game, or beginning-of-season superstitions and rituals. What do you do to bring the Blazers good mojo? What kind of welcome do you have planned for the season? Where, how, and with what bells and whistles will you be viewing the game tonight?

Be extra sure to check out the always-excellent TheDreamShake. Seriously, these guys put up one of my favorite sites ever. It has literally everything: analysis, emotion, goofiness, and sometimes flat-out jaw-dropping cantankerousness. Plus they're going to be angry about that nursing home potluck reference. "Who lost their partial in the mashed potatoes? Mr. Kamenski, that is NOT a serving spoon! Yes Mrs. Peters, I'll try your special recipe bean casserole. But you didn't have any beans or seasoning? You improvised? Oh...and that's not cream of mushroom soup either? Oy veh."

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

Spoiler Alert: Me and My Memphis Grizzlies

djturtleface — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:38:16 -0000

More photos » by Steve Helber - AP

Memphians are flocking to see their new but injured superstar Allen Iverson, but as long as they temper their expectations they should see a whole lot more than A.I. from this young team. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

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The Memphis Grizzlies were supposed to be the final 'Spoiler Alert' -- saving best for last or something like that. But they've ended up right here, pretty much smack dab in the middle of the lineup. I'd like to note that I'm still very much committed to finishing the series, problem is that I won't be around to do it. Learn why and read the longest freaking Memphis Grizzlies preview on the internets over the jump.

On Thursday your favorite Grizzlies blogger will be on a long flight to the Balkans for an in-semester college study abroad. That's why I'll be doing the Grizzlies preview early, I don't want to just leave all my small but hardy fanbase out in the cold. And I should still be around on occasion, posting periodically, albeit likely in brief spurts. The reality of the matter, however, is that the bulk of content will be either automated or run by written by a new partner.

Said new partner isn't written in stone, but it should be someone that you all are now somewhat familiar with from past posts. He'll do a great job, and should be around even after my return, which will be November 5th -- just five games into the season and one day before a contest against the NBA Champion Lakers.

Glad to have that out of the way. Now let's get down to business -- here is your 2009-2010 Memphis Grizzlies preview in extended 'Spoiler Alert' format.

Preview

The funny thing about a stick of dynamite is that it pretty much always looks like it's ready to explode. Keep that bit of advice in mind as you continue to read.

The Memphis Grizzlies made two different types of additions this season. First, the rookies. The Grizzlies drafted Hasheem Thabeet, who I've openly lamented and insulted in the past and warmed up to in the now, second overall, then went on to take forwards DeMarre Carroll and Sam Young with their next two picks. I believe the draft was one of the best in the NBA despite a pretty weak class, and the Carroll-Young combo has the potential to be the Grizzlies defense-offense bench of the future.

The second set of acquisitions were a tad bit more controversial, and by a tad bit I mean they were damn near as controversial as it gets in the NBA. First the Grizzlies traded Darko Milicic for Quentin Richardson, who then went on a merry-go-round through the NBA, for Zach Randolph. And we all know Zach Randolph. Then the Grizzlies signed walking media magnet Allen Iverson, who's been dancing between wise veteran, distraction, and too hurt to know what the hell he actually is.

Playing with Zach Randolph is a tad bit like playing with a safety valve that's a tiny bit too wide -- as in it sucks everything in and spits it straight back out. You could feed Randolph with every possession and he would use every single one if you wanted him too, and he'd probably shoot about 45% from the field while doing it. Problem is you can't really win many basketball games that way.

And we have no idea what playing with Allen Iverson is like. It used to be pretty cool if you were Eric Snow and hated shooting. Chances are that it's not so cool if you're O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay, or Zach Randolph, who all like to get involved in the offense, which means shoot the ball every chance they get. Last season it was a little more like playing with an angry wasp with no stinger. He still looked menacing, but was more of an annoyance then a legitimate threat.

As far as losses go, the Memphis Grizzlies gave away one of their best players in terms of PER in Hakim Warrick. This was a stupid loss. There were no minutes around for Warrick, but he is a talent with legitimate value. You have to hold onto him and make a trade. Otherwise there were no other losses of great importance -- Quinton Ross, Darius Miles, and Greg Buckner all made ignominious exits, thanks for nothing ya'll.

Fantasy Preview

Breakout- Nobody- With Zach Randolph stealing rebounds from Marc Gasol, and Hasheem Thabeet stealing some time, I don't see a second year breakout. With Iverson stealing isolation looks from O.J. and Rudy, I don't see either meaningfully increasing their statistics. And with both A.I. and O.J. clamoring to bring it up the floor because they too are "point guards," I don't see Mike Conley being much better than an end of the roster contributor.

Bust- Rudy Gay, Allen Iverson- Don't let anyone fool you, I don't see either of these players putting up significantly better stats than they did last season, but both will get drafted ahead of their position on the player rater at the end of the season. The Grizzlies just might boast five fantasy worthy guys, but none of them look to be better than a top 40 player, which isn't good news for owners.

Useful- O.J. Mayo, Zach Randolph, and Mike Conley- Again don't look for a breakout. If Randolph is healthy he could, theoretically, break the top 50, and he's usually great trade bait for less wise fantasy players who salivate over the 20-10 points and rebounds. That makes him draftable, but not a real target. Look for O.J. Mayo to basically duplicate his rookie season stats in a per 36 sense, with a potential boost in assists and field goal percentage. The problem is that fantasy stats aren't calculated by per 36, which means that a minutes drop will offset any gains and might actually reduce his value. Finally Mike Conley seemed poised to break out this season, but Iverson is almost undoubtedly going to depress his value.

Offensively

The Grizzlies are stacked with weapons on offense. The problem is that none of them are standouts. Allen Iverson used to be, Rudy Gay was supposed to be, Zach Randolph thinks he is, and O.J. Mayo isn't there yet. So while the Grizzlies have a whole bunch of scorer, they also have a whole bunch of players who are probably better suited to be second or third options, or a spark-plug off the bench.

Now this approach has worked in the past, for instance on the Pistons of yore. With Rip Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, and Tayshaun Prince (in order of offensive importance) the Pistons rode a bunch of solid offensive players to dominating the Eastern Conference during the pre-James to early-James era. The difference is that the Pistons were expertly coached and had a near legendary floor general in Billups.

Mike Conley might be a better passer than Billups, but he's certainly not better at commanding the game. For this approach to be successful somebody is going to have to assert themselves as the player who decides who shoots. Allen Iverson is too prone to calling his own number, O.J. Mayo isn't an NBA point yet, and again Mike Conley won't be in the position to take control.

So despite having a ton of weapons, a realistic take means that the Grizzlies will probably struggle with chemistry on offense all season. I still like them to outplay their offense last season, which was borderline atrocious, but the pundits are probably right in assuming that this team won't maximize their talents. "Skill overlap" is the buzz phrase for this season's Grizzlies, who will commonly have too many isolation players on the floor at any given time during the season.

And this problem might only be compounded by running the fast break offense. This strategy typically requires a steady hand at both point and shooting guard. The Grizzlies have that, but Rudy Gay is really their only finisher. Breaking teams definitely are better off with athleticism at both forward slots, and maybe even with a bit at center for good measure. Running constantly will get the fans out of their seats and get the Grizzlies a bunch more points this season, but I'm not convinced that their efficiency will benefit significantly.

Defensively

This is not an area where the Grizzlies will have to worry about skill overlap. The Grizzlies really have a limited amount of defensive talent, especially in their starting unit. Mike Conley is acceptable, O.J. Mayo is generally considered below average with potential, Rudy Gay is in the same situation, Zach Randolph is known to be especially useless on defense, and Marc Gasol is definitely below average for a starter. This unit is really quite bad defensively, though they should rebound well.

The second unit is better balanced. DeMarre Carroll has shown extreme willingness to play tough as nails, Sam Young is acceptable, Darrell Arthur brings energy but is limited technically, and Hasheem Thabeet somehow became an underrated defender despite being drafted solely as a defensive stopper. Both Iverson and Marcus Williams are question marks, but should be pretty decent. Unlike the first team, this unit has capable stoppers, but will struggle on the boards.

But the funny thing about this defense is that it could go both ways, particularly if the Grizzlies stick to their plan of running the floor. If you think back to the 'We Believe' Golden State Warriors, they similarly had a team of sub-par defenders who oftentimes looked lost and helpless. But counter-intuitively they were really a decent defensive team, mainly because they rebounded and gambled on steals that turned into very, very easy offense. If the Grizzlies follow this model they could be a surprisingly efficient defensive team.

Predictions

ESPN: 25-57, Hollinger 27-55: Are you surprised that ESPN isn't high on this team? They're not exactly the image of stability or reliability. You see experts don't like to take many huge chances -- perhaps rightly so, because they can't really be blamed for it with this Grizzlies team. Yes, yes, they're being particularly harsh, but they do have a point. It isn't often that a bunch of unproven misfits come together and make a big splash in there first season.

Still don't they have to make a bigger splash then this? Thinking back to the dynamite metaphor, by definition an explosion has to create some noise, right? I think so. This team barely lost anything in the offseason -- failing to trade Hakim Warrick was more of a no gain than an actual loss since he would have created a major logjam for Sam Young, Darrell Arthur, and DeMarre Carroll. I mean, really, how could this team have only added between one and three wins?

Sometimes I feel like the experts spend so much time watching the good teams that they lose perspective on just how bad your team needs to be to only win 27 games. Last year the Grizzlies barely had three NBA caliber starters. They had Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry in a platoon, both playing fairly effectively but providing no leadership. They had Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo; these two were starters, but aren't ready to be focal points of an offense, and certainly aren't ready to face consistent double teaming. Darrell Arthur was not a starting caliber player. Marc Gasol was solid on offense and decent rebounding, but useless defensively.

This season Conley, Mayo, Gay, and Gasol have all not only matured but also improved tangibly. Conley clearly shoots better. Mayo is moving the ball more often, though he's turning it over too often. Rudy Gay is stronger and better prepared to drive consistently, which is necessary for a team's best slasher. Marc Gasol dropped weight, presumably to play the pick and roll better.

And as bad as Zach Randolph can be at times, there's no way he's worse than Arthur was on either end of the floor last season, and there is no way he's as physically incapable of defending as Hakim Warrick. He isn't great and his stats are inflated well over his actual value, but he's much better than what the Grizzlies had. Last season the Grizzlies didn't have much in the way of guard play off the bench -- even Marko Jaric had to play. This season A.I. might fill too much need, but at least he's filling needs.

I don't think me or any other Grizzlies fan is asking for the world here; I'm asking for respectability. I don't want to see the other team's scrubs beating our starters at the end of games. I don't want to see decent play for half a game followed by a blowout third and fourth quarter; I want to see a team that is trying to win.

And I think that I'll be rewarded for my dedication. This season's Grizzlies don't even need to climb all the way into the playoffs, but they need to get their foot on the first rung of the ladder. This season's Grizzlies will be a stick of dynamite in both senses. Some nights they'll look god awful, other nights explosive, most nights they'll just look like themselves -- mostly dormant but constantly dangerous.

My Predictions: 34-48

Poll

How many games will the Grizzlies win this season?

Under 20 wins.

13 votes

Between 20 and 27 wins.

24 votes

Between 28 and 34 wins.

40 votes

Between 35 an and 42 wins.

43 votes

Between 42 and 48 wins.

12 votes

Over 48 wins.

9 votes

141 votes | Poll has closed

Hmmm, so maybe this "run and gun" offense might actually work in the NBA?

grungedave — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:49:23 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

2 months ago: San Antonio Spurs' George Hill (3) is defended by Houston Rockets' David Anderson, of Australia, during the fourth quarter of a preseason NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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I have been on record for a few months now in saying that the 2009/10 Rockets will win no more than 35 games this year. And I'm sticking by that statement for the moment. I'm also sticking to my proclaimation that Luis Scola will be a 20/10 player this year and a borderline all-star. For he's a badass, you see. No matter how rough the season might get, I will always have a reason to attend games, watch them on TV and generally root for the Rockets simply because of guys like Scola (and Battier, and Brooks, and Landry and... well... you get the idea). I just don't see how the Rockets will compete for 82 games over a long grueling season without the services of Yao Ming or the 2003 version of McGrady.

Now, in contrast, Lee thinks the Rockets finish 41-41 (which may sneak them into the playoffs in any other year/conference). I just don't see how that will happen given that most of the teams in the West are rather tall in the frontcourt, while we may be starting Chuck freakin' Hayes at center. 6'5" on a good day Chuck Hayes. Same guy. Hey, I like Chuck. He plays hard. I just like winning more -- and by that I mean I wish we had a legit 7' player on our roster to at least be a reasonable facsimile of a center.

Cue David Andersen? He had quite the 12 minutes on the court last night. He could score; he could rebound; he even blocked a shot (though since it was against Candace Parker's husband, I'm not sure that really counts)!

I watched most of the game against the Spurs and some of the fourth quarter last night against the Celtics (hey, South Park was on, leave me alone!) If the Rockets can play a similar up-tempo style, pass the ball well and make open layups - the 41-41 idea may not be so far-fetched. Then again, "making open layups" while a simple concept, has never been a strong suit of any Rockets team for the last 15 years. Or do I need to link to McGrady's attempt in Milwaukee... or Luther Head's inability to make a layup in warmups (true story)... or any Rafer Alston highlight?

So, yes, while it's just pre-season -- the effort and results of the first two pre-season games have been rather inspiring. Jermaine Taylor looks like a legit NBA player. Chase Budinger (however it's pronounced) might be able to fill the Matt Bullard role that Steve Novak never quite got a handle on. Sorry, Tom. Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry remain one hell of a good 1-2 punch at point guard. Lowry can even rebound a little bit, which is going to be HUGE for the Rockets. The team has been one of the league's best defensive rebounding squads in the NBA for years - mostly thanks to JVG - but this year will likely be a struggle there. When your starting frontcourt is 6'9, 6'5" and 6'7" it means the boys will have to get rather creative on the rebounding front.

Bullard and Worrell are right... the Rockets are going to give you hustle and effort and play very, very, very uptempo basketball. They have no other choice. Unless they want to be the Clippers. Fortunately for us, our guys care.

Your 2009-10 Houston Rockets: It's going to be interesting.

The Dream Shake's 2009-2010 Houston Rockets Preview

Tom Martin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:00:25 -0000

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Last year's record: 53-29
Playoffs: Beat Portland 4-2. Lost to Los Angeles Lakers (epically, at that) 4-3.
Key losses: Yao Ming (injury), Ron Artest, Von Wafer, Brent Barry, James White
Key additions: Trevor Ariza, David Andersen, Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger, Pops Mensah-Bonsu

From Lee Grammier:

1. What significant moves were made during the offseason?

Yao Ming's injury status in the offseason was not a "move" made by the Rockets but it clearly qualifies as season altering information. The original prognosis was that he'd be out until training camp, with the revised prognosis being that he will be out for the entire season. In the long run this could turn out to be best for Yao's health. He has a signed NBA contract for his services that the Chinese National government agreed to and based on some of their decision making he has rarely been able to fulfill that contract. In no way do I begrudge Yao for wanting to play in the Olympics for his country, but the other games simply have to stop.

The Trevor Ariza signing was the most significant roster move of the off-season. While I've been on record saying that Trevor Ariza wasn't someone I was interested in, that was prior to the Rockets gaining a second mid level exception. Daryl Morey has not been wrong a single time as general manager of the Houston Rockets, so while this may not be signing Joe Johnson, it was a heck of a pickup. Swapping Artest for Ariza made much more sense given the season the Rockets are going to have to endure, the generally low price tag and Ariza's age.

2. What are the team's biggest strengths?

From a position perspective the team's biggest strength is the power forward slot. Few, if any teams in the NBA can boast a 3 deep rotation of starter quality players at any position. The Rockets have Luis Scola, Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes. Each brings something different to the table with Scola being the most complete player. He is likely to be the Rockets biggest star this season. My prediction is that he will earn a spot on the All Star team this year, but won't actually get in. I also predict that he will be listed as the number one snub by every respectable writer around. If Carl Landry can continue to add some shooting touch from beyond 12 feet he will take a huge step forward in his career. At 26 years old, this is the season where he will define who he is as a player.

From a team perspective defense will keep the Rockets in games that their scoring will say they have no business being in. The carryover from the JVG years that has been the Rockets calling card could be as good as it's ever been this year. While there is no Yao Ming holding down the middle, the rest of the defense should be even better making it a wash. Every player on the team can play defense (contrary to popular belief, Scola is a solid defender) and just about everyone has speed, strength and athleticism. The key question on defense is how with David Andersen plays his part.

3. What are the team's biggest weaknesses?

The Rockets weakest position going into the season is clearly center. Losing the second best center in the league (and the best if health isn't factored in) will do that to a team. Given the Rockets inability to sign a viable back-up in the last two seasons not named Dikembe Mutombo, this was inevitable. Not, mind you, that I blame Daryl Morey, there simply are not many centers out there, and when you have the best, you just have to hope he can stay on the court. The Rockets have not been very lucky in that department. David Andersen and Chuck Hayes will likely vie for the starting position with Landry and Scola getting spot minutes and Joey Dorsey getting left-overs. Regardless, Hayes will play, but not always at center. If Andersen can put something together the Rockets can make the playoffs. Luckily for the Rockets and us as fans, the NBA simply does not have a lot of viable, true centers, so if you are going to have either a weakness or a strength, center is a great place for it.

As a team, Houston is going to struggle scoring. Morey drafted two players explicitly because of their ability to score in Chase Budinger and Jermaine Taylor. They believe Trevor Ariza can step it up, though I am more than a little skeptical about that scenario. The sooner Tracy McGrady comes back from injury, the better. Simply put, the Rockets are desperate for scoring.

In the meantime, Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks will most likely lead the team in scoring. Scola will average 18-20 points a game this season - it's a stone cold lock. He's extremely capable on the offensive end and needs to make sure he doesn't gamble as much on the defensive end. Brooks, like so many other Rockets, has to step his game up as he did at times in the playoffs last year. His size makes him somewhat of a liability on the defensive end, so he needs to use his speed to play the passing lane and create fast break points. The Rockets biggest hope for scoring is the same that will allow them to continue to be great on the defensive end; speed and athleticism. This team will run the fast break like they are the early 90s UNLV Runnin' Rebels. Defense will have to lead to offense - it's as simple as that.

4. What are the goals for this team? What will make this a successful season?

The goals for this team are very straightforward: Develop the young players, play hard every single night, and to do whatever it takes to make the playoffs. The team is not bad en ough to do any worse than the back of the lottery, so with the added revenue of a playoff team, it is a no brainer to take a shot at the playoffs. Night in and night out they will play hard, focused defense. If at any point in the season they are not hustling they will get run off the court. There is not enough scoring on this team to play anything but all out, all the time.

There are two ways to look at the Rockets series versus the Lakers in last year's playoffs:

1. The Rockets are a very good team and are capable of beating anyone on a given night, even without Yao.

2. The Rockets got lucky playing against a lackadaisical Lakers team.

Neither of them is right in full. It was really a combination of the two.

The Rockets are a very well put together team, thanks to Daryl Morey. Not one player, on down to the last guy on the bench, is a quitter. They all work hard during the game, in practice and in the weight room. Every player has at least one extreme strength and, with the exception of Chuck Hayes' offensive game, is capable of every facet of NBA level basketball. And that's not a knock on Hayes, as his defensive skills more than make up for his lack of offense. For anyone thinking this team is a 50 game winner as it stands today, I just don't have that leap of faith ability in me. They will be a good team and no one will want a game against them at any point in time this season. However, they will struggle to score and it will be very ugly at times when they do win. Typically going into a season like this most would think there wasn't a lot to look forward to, but with the Rockets that's not the case. Every game should have someone new step up - that's the great thing about having a true 12 man team.

Three underrated players/stories on this team

1. Luis Scola. He's a one improved season away from becoming one of the top power forwards in this league. It's not just about the box score with Luis - he hustles more than any player I've ever seen.

2. Rick Adelman. It's no accident that our offense often looks smoother without our stars. While it may not work as well in the late game situations, the Rockets always keep themselves in games when undermanned. This is in large part due to Adelman's ability to adapt.

3. Trevor Ariza is an upgrade over Ron Artest...for this team. Yes, we lose a terrific defender in Ron-Ron, but as far as that category goes, Ariza is not too much of a downgrade, and most importantly, his usage rates are far lower. I don't know about you, but I got tired of seeing Artest chunk up horrible shots in the playoffs and waste possessions. The Rockets should be much more efficient with Ariza in the lineup.

Predicted Record: 41-41. It could be lower, but in all honesty, could be higher as well. A good chunk of it depends on Mr. McGrady.

Tom's individual player previews after the jump...

Individual Player Links from 2008-09

From Tom Martin:

Tracy McGrady - SG #3

Strengths: It's obvious: Tracy McGrady is one hell of a basketball player when healthy. While he has lost speed and somewhat regressed athletically over the last few years, he can still drive to the rim effectively, can hit the open jumper (as difficult as he makes it look), and has a knack for hitting clutch shots, assuming he's marginally open. Tracy's most undervalued quality is his ability to pass; when he decides to play unselfishly, he can make looks that few others can. It's always been unclear as to what kind of leader Tracy is. His teammates insist that they like him, and yet, you can sense a lack of team chemistry whenever McGrady struggles. But make no mistake: a healthy McGrady is absolutely an asset.

Weaknesses: He's a nutcase and of little worth when he tries to play through nagging injuries. We saw how it affected the Rockets last year in embarrassing losses to Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Toronto, among others. Tracy would skip the second game of each back to back, which completely threw everyone out of sync. McGrady finally elected to have surgery, and whaddayaknow - we went on a second half tear to make the playoffs quite easily. The sad part is that it's not Tracy's fault that he's constantly injured. He's been in the league for a long time now, and his body has taken a beating. His athleticism has decreased over time, and his presence on the court, at least whenever he's fighting through another injury, has proved to be a handicap.

What to expect in 2009-10: A possible return to form, or something close to it. Reports out of McGrady's rehab camp have been startlingly good. Not to say that we all thought T-Mac was finished, but apparently, his progress has been revolutionary. Nick Freidell of ESPN caught up with Tim Grover and David Reavy, who have been working with Tracy in Chicago. Needless to say, this is some excellent news:

"His whole body was imbalanced from basically his shoulder blades down to his feet," Reavy says. "He was developing a lot of back problems ... He was developing strength in an imbalanced fashion. And what I see in Tracy, in general, he had no core strength, he couldn't hold a plank."

So Reavy and Grover devised a rehab plan that would help bring it all back -- the work is already paying dividends.

"[Tracy] took a hard fall seven years ago in 2002 and he said he was never able to dunk off his left leg [since]. We got him dunking off his left leg four and a half months post micro-fracture, which is basically unheard of," Reavy says. "The results that we get here are basically unprecedented because we take the force off the injured area, we make the body absorb the force equally, so that it can heal properly and faster without the loading that it's constantly getting before."

Anyone else excited? Some media folks have been whispering that McGrady could be back in game-shape by the start of the season. While that would be great, the team doesn't want him to rush it; he won't be playing until the end of November.

Luis Scola - PF #4

Strengths: The Argentinian Slayer caught the public's eye last year with his consistently solid play, earning his hilarious, yet fitting nickname from Superman himself, Dwight Howard. In just a single season, Scola transformed from a hustle/layup machine to an imposing scorer and team MVP. His defense also improved, as evidenced by his fantastic performance against LaMarcus Aldridge in the playoff series against Portland. Scola has developed a mini-arsenal of confusing post moves and bank shots that make you scratch your head for a while. Then you notice how effective they are, and in turn become awed by the Slayer's greatness. He had an extremely productive showing at the FIBA championships for Argentina this summer, leading many to suspect that 2009-10 could be a career-best year for Luis.

Weaknesses: Scola is going to have to adjust to playing without Yao Ming in the lineup. He's going to see more double teams in the post, and when he gets beat on defense, he won't have The Great Wall to protect him. Yes, Scola has had a great offseason and is looking improve his statistics this year, but it may be difficult with all of the attention that he is going to receive from opposing defenses.

What to expect in 2009-10: Something near 18/10. Perhaps even 20/10. If the Rockets manage to shock everyone and remain in the playoff hunt, Scola's name will become even more respected. It would be well-deserved.

Trevor Ariza - G/F #1

Strengths: Air Ariza can fly like few others can. If he's got a path to the rim, look out, because his feet may clip you in the face. Not only can Trevor dunk, but he's got a nifty three-point shot too. He should thrive in the loose, up-tempo offense that the Rockets will run without Yao Ming. His defense is stellar as well, thus making the loss of Ron Artest much more bearable. And by the way, The Dream Shake is currently open to any suggestions for possible nicknames of the new Ariza/Battier defensive duo. It's not going to have the star-power that "White Pills" had, but it should be formidable nonetheless. As far as I know, Ariza's old nickname was "Cobra." I like it. Somebody make it work.

Weaknesses: Can he create his own scoring? Can he be a legitimate threat offensively without a star like Kobe Bryant commanding double-teams? Can he continue to improve like he has in past years? I'm...Ron...Burgundy?

What to expect in 2009: An increase in his offensive statistics, but only because of his surroundings. Ariza is a great fit in Houston, but he's not the explosive wing scorer that the Rockets have been lacking with Tracy McGrady's absence. Fortunately, with an offensive mastermind in Rick Adelman running the show, he shouldn't have to. What should excite Houstonians most about Ariza is that he turned down the chance to play third or fourth fiddle to LeBron in Cleveland in order to make a greater impact on a team. He's a proven winner, but in signing with the Rockets, Ariza challenged himself to become a team leader, as opposed to being just another swingman. That kind of motivation makes me giddy.

Shane Battier - G/F #31

Strengths: A vocal leader, smart defender, and effective three-point shooter, Shane gets it done on a nightly basis without making much of a scene. Ball Don't Lie's Kelly Dwyer summed up Shane's defense nicely when he named him the second best defender of the past decade:

If you watch this guy, on any given possession, you'll understand. Just take your eye off the ball and watch Battier work - the guy acts as if he's in his own reality show, as if the cameras were on him for the entire 24-second turn, even if his man never gets the ball, while appearing deathly allergic to letting people down. Battier just does everything right. It may not mean he'll get the rebound, block or steal - and his guy might still nail the shot - but I've never seen someone pitch as many perfect games defensively.

Battier causes the game's most talented players to falter. His talent does not lie in his physicality, quickness, or quick hands, but instead in his ability to force bad shots. And they aren't just guesses - they are statistically proven to be bad shots. Shane is also a man's man, a true professional. When the team is down, he doesn't panic, at least not to the public. Unlike our old nemesis Rafer Alston.

Unfortunately, Michael Lewis had to go and expose the Battman to the world, so he's no longer our little secret. But he's still really, really, ridiculously good at what he does.

Weaknesses: While his defense is always appreciated, Shane sometimes disappears offensively. It would be nice to see some better offensive production from someone who is on the floor for 35 minutes per game.

What to expect in 2009-10: A return to effective three point shooting. If it wasn't emphasized before, it will be now; Shane has got to make his threes. He did just that over the second half of last season, shooting 40% after opening the year around 36%. In a season in which the Rockets are expected to be shooting even more three pointers than in years past, Shane will be counted on to make his. It's a role that is really his primary purpose on offense, so there's no reason he shouldn't thrive.

Aaron Brooks - PG #0

Strengths: Brooks shocks you with his ability to drive, especially given how midget-ish he is. He's practically addicted to the paint, which in turn makes his three-point shot all the more lethal. If defenders start respecting his outside stroke, Brooks will have no problem throwing up a shot fake en route to becoming a dribble-driving Pinball Wizard.

While Aaron doesn't have a huge assist numbers, he is a reasonably good passer. This bodes well for newly acquired David Andersen, who will be working the pick-and-roll with Brooks whenever possible. Whether it gives Brooks more space to drive, or the Aussie more space to shoot, it's one hell of a pick and pop combination. Aaron's also quite the underrated defender. He shut down Chauncey Billups and Chris Paul last season, holding them well below their averages. And to top it all off, Brooks is able to run that funky in-bounds alley-oop play. It's an automatic 2 points in less than a second.

Weaknesses: Aaron often has trouble finishing against taller defenders. He'll work his magic every once in a while and make a crazy bank shot, but more often than not, he'll have his shot swatted away. This means that Brooks must work on improving his paint vision. Once on the drive, he'll need to be looking for open options either in the corner or on the opposite block.

Brooks also has yet to be a consistent scorer. Some outings will yield 20-30 points, and others will result in single digits. This was especially apparent in the playoffs. Brooks averaged 26.3 points per game in 3 wins against the Lakers, and averaged 11.8 points per game in four losses. Not only does Brooks' production help his own cause, but it plays a significant role in deciding the outcome of the game.

What to expect in 2009-10: Increased scoring production, which will likely lead to a higher turnover rate as well. The presumed other point guard to sport the number zero may have a better 2009-10 than the original Agent himself. In considering Brooks' potential outburst in 2009-10, I can't help but think back to that scene in Spiderman when Uncle Ben tells Peter Parker that, "With great power comes great responsibility." It's the same deal for our lovable Midget.

An explosive playoff campaign put Brooks into the national spotlight, and assured him the starting point guard spot entering this season. Now, with no T-Mac or Yao for presumably the first half of the season, Brooks will be our perimeter threat. Not Trevor Ariza. Not Shane Battier. Brooks is going to have to step up and prove that he can carry the bulk of the scoring. If not, he'll have to show that he can distribute the ball to everyone else instead. My money is on the first option.

Kyle Lowry - PG #7

Strengths: The Bulldog is your prototypical Daryl Morey point guard. Lowry is efficient, loves to get to the free throw line, and can draw a foul at will. He's also a tenacious defender who can body up the bigger point guards that often cause trouble for Aaron Brooks. His finishing ability around the rim, while not automatic, is solid, thus turning many of those fouls into three point plays. While he doesn't shoot the ball particularly well, Lowry still managed to put up a 47.5 FG% last year; in other words, he limits his shot attempts to layups or wide-open looks. If the Rockets intend to run more in 2009-10, like they say they do, Lowry will be one of the biggest beneficiaries.

Weaknesses: Yeah, Lowry knows how to limit his shot selection, but it would be nice if he could extend his range beyond the three-point line, where he has struggled mightily. Against the Los Angeles Lakers in last year's playoffs, Rick Adelman chose to leave Lowry in with Aaron Brooks and Shane Battier. When Brooks or Battier would drive to Lowry's side of the court, the defense would instantly collapse, knowing that Kyle was not a threat to catch and shoot from deep. Our offense sputtered during these periods, since the three point shot was, quite frankly, our only hope against the healthy Lakers at times. Lowry also has a knack for overloading and getting out of control. It's nice to see him draw fouls, but sometimes it's better to work the ball around the perimeter, rather than to drive like there's no tomorrow...again and again and again.

What to expect in 2009-10: Increased assists per game. Now that Lowry has had a full off-season to work with Coach Adelman, he should become more comfortable and assertive on the offensive end. Don't be too quick to confuse "assertive" with "drive-every-single-play-and-try-to-get-fouled." That's not what Adelman wants.

Rather than merely moving the ball to Ron Artest or Von Wafer, Lowry will have a chance to drive and dish in the half court and on the break, thus creating more kick-out assist opportunities, a staple of an Adelman team when in even flow. The Bulldog may not make a name for himself just yet, but he and Brooks should be one of the more competent 1-2 backcourt punches in the entire league.

Carl Landry - PF #14

Strengths: Cuddly Carl becomes a monster of a man upon entering games. His tenacity around the rim, as well as his hunger for lose balls has helped him build up a reputation of being "a guy you want to have on your team." Landry has been able to put up excellent per-minute statistics, and his ability to dunk over, around, and through defenders is well-documented. He's developed a reliable jump shot, and for the most part, he is incredibly consistent. Most impressively, Carl has never complained about his role as a bench player. Though he has been accepting of his place on the team, he'd better not get too comfortable as a mere seventh option. Not with Yao Ming on the sidelines.

Weaknesses: Up to this point in his short career, Carl has been the under-appreciated fan favorite who loves to hustle and get scrappy points. While that's fantastic and all, it's time for Carl becomes a more polished scorer. The most encouraging sign we've seen so far is his relatively new jump shot; as long as he keeps knocking those babies down, he'll be helping himself out immensely. It should draw defenders out towards him more, thus allowing him to shot fake and drive to the rim.

But is Carl consistent on the block? We don't know yet. It remains to be seen if we can toss him the ball, give him space to work, and expect production. He, like in all other areas of his game, sweats beads of potential as a low-post scorer, potential that won't be realized until he consistently performs at a high level.

What to expect in 2009-10: Increased minutes, hopefully increased statistics. There is not a shred of fairness in raising the expectations of Landry. It's nit-picky to demand improvement from a virtually unknown second-round pick who has not only struggled to find significant minutes when he wholeheartedly deserved them, but has also had to deal with the physical and mental effects of a gunshot wound stemming from an early morning incident last season. You'd think a Jazz fan would feel bad for him (well, maybe not). Despite all this, the bar has been raised for 2009-10.

It's Landry's own fault that his leash is getting shorter. If he had not been so impressive during his first two NBA seasons, we would not be having this discussion. But whenever Carl sees action, he makes an impression. Rarely will you find such a reliable big man with youth, explosiveness, and a reasonable price tag. Unfortunately, we never get to see Landry on the floor for more than five or ten minutes at a time. That should change very, very soon.

It's a case of cause and effect. Cause? Yao Ming is out for the year. Effect? Chaos ensues at the center position. While it would be nice for David Andersen to be the de facto starter, we haven't seen him against NBA competition yet, and word on the street is that he doesn't play much defense. This should mean increased minutes for both Landry and Chuck Hayes.

On top of playing an undersized center, Landry will still be called upon to spell Luis Scola at the power forward position. While Landry won't be starting, his minutes should shoot up one way or another. And let's face it: with the Rockets looking for scorers this season, Landry should be comfortably above the Chuckwagon on the depth chart.

The only major question is whether higher usage will translate to lower efficiency. Landry's PER has been among the highest in the NBA over the last two seasons, but if he suddenly sees 25 minutes per game, will he lose that efficiency? I don't think the drop off will be drastic by any means.

Chuck Hayes - PF #44

Strengths: The Chuckwagon is a wall of a defender, and it's really the only reason that he has a contract. Because of this, Hayes puts all of his practice and dedication into his defense. It's what drives him, and it's the kind of mindset that a team welcomes with open arms.

Weaknesses: All elements of offense, aside from reverse layups. I've seen the man make ten straight threes in warmups, but for some reason, his offensive brilliance does not translate well to game speed. Yet, somehow, Chuck will always end up with the ball with three seconds left on the shot clock. It shocks him as much as it shocks you and me. And we won't mention those free throws.

What to expect in 2009-10: More of the same. I can't think of anything Chuck will do differently. Maybe he'll try out one of those three pointers. Hopefully not.

David Andersen - C #13 (Rookie)

Strengths/Weaknesses: I have yet to see Big Dave play basketball, so I'll leave it to Gersson Rosas, who interviewed with Adam Wexler of Sports Radio 610 back when Andersen's rights were acquired.

"Longtime target....one of most accomplished Aussies...impressive background...won championships in Spain and Italy...wins everywhere...special talent...skilled 7 footer, can shoot, moves well, good face up game, good fit for Adelman's offense...could have been a good compliment to Yao, but now can feature him...offenisvely, no question it will be a strong translation...defensively: size, which helps, and can play in our scheme...hasn't been involved in the NBA for a long time becausehe was well-paid in Europe and really had no reason to leave...leaving money on the table to play in the NBA...time was right for him contractually and career-wise...mirrors Pau Gasol's versatily on the high post, in terms of shooting and dribbling...skilled passer on the high post...can play pick-and-pop and space the floor as a 7 footer...a little bit like Bargnani, but not quite as athletic...similar in the type of game and style...not great defensively, but Chuck's presence will help that...smart player...good team defender...physicality is an issue...studied him for past 3-4 years...big credit to Les Alexander for providing resources for the upcoming season..."

In case you didn't feel like reading that, here's my summation. Big Dave...

Can shoot well from anywhere.
Can pass and move, something Rick Adelman values in his big men.
Is a smart player and is a winner.
Is relatively cheap.
Can play team defense and help effectively.

And his cons are that he...

Isn't very physical.
Will struggle with individual post defense.
Doesn't rebound well.
Has yet to face proven NBA competition.

What to expect in 2009-10: Smooth transition to offense, struggles on defense. Just based off of Rosas' analysis, Andersen will have a tough time adjusting to the physicality of the NBA. However, the good news for the Rockets is that Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry are available to step in for defensive purposes in case Andersen falters. Eventually, it would be nice if Andersen could stay on the floor and at least become a competent defender. And even if Big Dave doesn't have a standout year, he'll always have next year, where his expectations will be lowered upon becoming Yao Ming's backup. For now, though, he'll have to amount to much, much more. In Andersen's favor is Rick Adelman, who will find ways to emphasize the stronger elements of Andersen's game.

Jermaine Taylor - SG #5 (Rookie)

Summer League Recap Notes:

I liked what I saw from Jermaine Taylor the minute he touched the ball in his first game. He possesses the ball with strength, and he attacks the basket with the determination of a scorer. From what I've heard, Taylor can shoot it well from deep. He may not have lit the nets up this week, but you can see why the Rockets spent a couple million to get him. He's got plenty of tools to succeed on both the offensive and defensive end. Unfortunately, they didn't translate to points this week, so I'll give him a B. But don't let that discourage you about the talent that Taylor has. He's got just as good of a chance to make the team as anyone else on the summer squad.

What to expect in 2009-10: Not a whole lot...yet. Now that Rashad McCants and Will Conroy have been brought in to scare the living hell out of any over-confident rookies, Taylor will have to work to make the team. Assuming he does, he'll provide good scoring off the bench in the same way that Von Wafer did last season, though with predictably lower outputs. Defensively, he still needs work, but there's no denying that he can put points on the board. His minutes will be low, so he'll have to be money when he does see the floor, but there's a lot to like about Taylor. He's one of the most NBA-ready rookies out there.

Chase Budinger - SG #10 (Rookie)

Summer League Recap Notes:

What was the most impressive aspect of Chase Budinger's Summer League performance? He improved from each game to the next. As his role on the squad became clearer, Chase adjusted swiftly and without any problems. You could tell that Bud Light was much more comfortable with the offense in Game 5 than he was in any other contest. His catch-and-shoot plays were much smoother, and he began to attack the basket with more grit than he had shown earlier in the week (if you didn't see a couple of his dunks, they were really nice).

Chase does need to work on his defense, especially against the drive, but with his athleticism and quickness, it should only be a matter of motivation and committment. That's good news for us, as Budinger, once projected to be a lottery pick, is already playing with a chip on his shoulder. If he can prove to Daryl Morey and the Rockets that he is capable of being a reliable, but not necessarily imposing defender, Budinger should have no problem finding a spot on the active roster.

What to expect in 2009-10: Plenty of jump shots. Chase is a perfect "system" player. He's big, athletic, and can shoot the ball well. If you send him through screens and get him open, he'll knock down the jumper. But Bud Light isn't quite as good on the isolation, as he has a tendency to be a bit soft on the drive. Luckily, Budinger won't be asked to do such things. He'll be fighting to see any minutes, but he picked the right year to be a Rocket - any scoring will be welcome. If he can find a niche on the team, he'll play.

Joey Dorsey - PF #15

Summer League Recap Notes:

It was the perfect week for the Kraken. The brunt of my praise doesn't pertain to the fact that he lead the Summer League in rebounds, blocked shots at will, and showed off his passing touch. Instead, I was overly impressed by how committed Dorsey was to his role on the floor. He didn't try to score against weaker competition; only when he was clearly lined up for a post move did he utilize the spin or the power dribble. Every time Dorsey caught the ball, he would hand it back off to a guard, and immediately find position down low for a rebound or entry pass. He played very maturely and very efficiently, and did what was asked of him: to rebound and play defense. The passing skills were an added bonus. Joey's performance should guarantee him a spot on the opening day roster.

What to expect in 2009-10: It's unclear how much Dorsey will play, and this is assuming he even makes the roster, something I considered to be automatic a month ago. While we'd all love to hear more of his ruminations from the bench, this is the first time that Joey has been healthy, and it would make sense for him to see the floor whenever defense, rebounding, and ferocious gorilla dunks are in high demand. However, the signing of Pops Mensah-Bonsu complicates Dorsey's situation a bit. It's unclear at this point whether or not Pops is a better fit for the Rockets than Dorsey. The former Memphis Tiger brings a tough, physical presence that the Rockets need in the paint, but Pops' athleticism may be too much to ignore. It's going to be an interesting camp battle.

Brian Cook - PF #43

Strengths: Cook's 6'10 frame has absolutely nothing to do with his strengths. He is a shooter - you might as well consider him a guard with extremely delayed reactions. Cook is also an effective contract negotiator and clusterf**k extraordinaire. He exercised his 3.5 million dollar option in the offseason, thus, for lack of a better word, screwing us.

Weaknesses: If you're lucky enough to spot Cook inside the three point line, you won't see him doing much. He'll grab a rebound if it comes to him. He'll block a shot if the ball is hanging in front of his face. Otherwise, Cook is probably one of the more useless big men in the paint.

What to expect in 2009-10: Morey should be feverishly trying to trade Cook throughout the season (consider the following Tweet to be a head start: "Cook: in good shape & shooting well"). If Brian somehow manages to stay in Houston, he'll be sitting on the bench.

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Pops Mensah-Bonsu - PF

From Adam of RaptorsHQ, SB Nation's Toronto Raptors Blog:

Pops was one of the lone bright spots for the team last year. Similar to Jamario Moon the season before, Pops quickly became a fan favourite as a player who came out of no where and provided the team with a lift where it needed it most (on the glass in this case.)

Simply put Mensah-Bonsu is an athlete. He's extremely raw still offensively (although his shot and low-post game have come a ways since his days at George Washington) but he can make plays that many other players in the league can't because of his strength and athletic ability. He's a terrific rebounder, solid shot-blocker, and great addition defensively in help situations. Individually on defense he gets a bit over-anxious at times and tends to foul, but in limited minutes off the bench that shouldn't be too much of an issue.

I really wanted the Raps to hold onto Pops. He's still very young and could turn into a nice 8th or 9th man off the bench for a club. And best of all, unlike many other players in the league, Pops just simply knew his role. When he was out there, you didn't have to worry about him trying to go one-on-one or fire up jump shots unless the clock was winding down. He stuck to his rebounding and defense role, and did an excellent job in limited minutes.

What to expect in 2009-10: A fight for playing time. From what I've read and heard about Pops thus far, he sounds like a perfect fit in Houston. We like athletic guys who "know their role." Unfortunately for Pops, there are two of them who are sitting comfortably on the current depth chart in Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry. Joey Dorsey is also in the running for playing time. While Pops comes off as a fantastic addition, he may have to act like a running back and act fast when something opens up.

Romel Beck - SG

From Wayne Vore of Pounding the Rock, SB Nation's San Antonio Spurs blog:

He's a rail-thin scorer. He has good range on his shot. But he didn't strike me as a spot up shooter so much as a scorer. Meaning I got the impression that he just knows how to get the ball in the hole in a variety of ways. His shot selection was really pretty bad. Even games when he got on fire he would end up 7-15 because he would force a few really bad shots.

I don't think he can play much defense. He's very thin and didn't strike me as extremely quick. A decent handle but definitely not a point guard.

What to expect in 2009-10: After that glowing review, I'm not sure what to think of Beck. Unless Morey is desperate (and I mean really, really desperate) for scoring, I don't see Beck fitting in on our roster. I'd much rather have a big body in Pops as opposed to a scoring guard in Beck. Unless something catastrophic happens during camp, like if Taylor or Budinger were to be cast off despite holding guaranteed contracts, Beck will be playing D-League ball in 2009.

Will Conroy - PG

Summer League Recap Notes:

Will Conroy, aside from piling up a bunch of three point plays, didn't dazzle anyone in Las Vegas. To begin with, there wasn't much hype surrounding Conroy, and for good reason. He, much like our own Kyle Lowry, is hardly noticeable in the boxscore and even on the court at times. But he doesn't do anything wrong. In total, Conroy turned the ball over only six times - Jonny Flynn had seven turnovers in his first game! Conroy ran the offense well and jumped at every chance to drive at the bucket. I don't remember anyone easily beating him off the dribble, and his toughness and dedication to hard-nosed basketball surely impressed the Rockets' front office. I thought he did just enough to earn consideration for a roster spot, and while he may not find any room initially, there is a chance he could receive a call-up or two during the regular season.

What to expect in 2009-10: A call-up later this season. Conroy is certainly worth his non-guaranteed contract, but his likely position on the depth chart (third point guard) isn't going to help his case over shooting guards such as Taylor and Budinger, both of whom received guaranteed contracts. However, at some point, depending on who falls victim to injury, Conroy could see a brief call-up and get some minutes. He's done all that he can at the D-league level.

Garrett Temple - PG (Rookie)

Summer League Recap Notes:

There wasn't a whole lot to expect from Temple in the first place, but with a 6'6 point guard on the market, the Rockets decided to stick him on the SL roster. He's very athletic, very long, and can get to the basket against smaller guards. But Temple didn't look comfortable as a point guard. He only had two assists in the 62 minutes that he played this week, to go along with nine turnovers. He won't be playing for the Rockets this season - his game, at least at the point guard position, isn't ready yet. Yet, I do think he will eventually find a way into The Association. Just not sure when that's going to be.

What to expect in 2009-10: A long season in the D-League.

And there you have it. Go Rockets!!

(photographs courtesy of Yahoo! Sports, NBA.com, and Google.com)

Brian Cook Goes to Practice, Awkward Encounters Ensue

Tom Martin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:38:23 -0000

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(The following may or may not be completely fictional. Like really, really fictional.)

It's the first day of training camp at Toyota Center. Players enter the locker room jubilantly and greet fellow teammates. Aaron Brooks and David Andersen discuss pick and rolls while tying their shoes. Kyle Lowry gives Chuck Hayes a friendly love tap. Jack Sikma shatters a mirror.

Suddenly, everything turns silent. Each player stops what he is doing and looks up as Brian Cook walks into the locker room. He is ten minutes late, and is wearing a shiny new Rolex on his wrist.

"What's up fellas? Good work day, eh guys?" says Cook with a goofy smile on his face. Nobody responds. Cook passes by Joey Dorsey and shoots him a dorky Arthur Fonzarelli smile while nodding his head. Joey flips him the bird and goes back to his Hustler.

Cook, in trying to get to his locker, accidentally knocks over Brent Barry's Scrabble board. "Sorry, bro," he says, and walks off, somehow still smiling. Barry yells, "Drat!" and scrambles to repair the game. And yes, he was playing himself.

Cook takes a seat in front of his locker next to Luis Scola. He looks at Luis with a stupid grin on his face. Scola does not look back.

"Hey Luis - how's it been? Heard you tore it up for Argentina in the FIBA championships recently." He tries to break the ice by giving Scola a polite smack on the shoulder. "That's so tight man, really. Big time stuff, bro."

Scola gets up and leaves, shaking his head and muttering something in Spanish.

"I gotcha, man. Gotta get your head in the game. Game face, bro," says Cook, chunking up a deuce in the process.

Daryl Morey enters the locker room and begins to mingle around with players, simultaneously asking how each is feeling while trying to remember each's SIPP (Successful Inbounds Pass Percentage). He then spies Cook in the corner and walks up to him.

"Hey, Brian - hope the 3.5 mil is treating you well. All ready for basketball season?" he asks. He prevents himself from adding, "Stab any backs lately?" out of general human respect.

"I'm great, Daryl!" says Cook, showing off his Rolex and matching golden slippers. "I'm in good shape and shooting well." Morey immediately whips out his Blackberry and Tweets this, hoping other GM's will take notice.

"Good to hear," says Morey. "Listen, Rick and I have been talking, and we think that, well..."

"What? What is it?" asks Cook, intrigued.

"We think you should step inside the three point line from time to time."

Cook sits silent. He then looks around him in all directions, completely petrified. "Uh...*laughs*....that's a good one, Daryl. Really, great stuff." His palms begin to sweat like giant rainforest leaves.

"I'm serious, Brian. It's time you actually played like you were 6'10 and not 5'10. We think you can be a very *gulp* effective...rebounder."

Cook grabs Morey by the collar, now sweating profusely. He shrieks, "Listen, man, that's not why I took that contract extension. I don't like it in the paint. I just can't go there. It freaking scares me, man. You can't make me go in there. You can't let me! I can't do it!"

The entire locker room goes silent. Morey is shaking in fear, having no idea what the hell could have provoked such a response. He then whispers to Cook, "Look, it's fine. I was kidding. You can ride the bench and chuck up a three pointer every month or so, if you want. It will all be okay. Now, can you let go of me?"

Cook looks Morey dead in the eye, his own eyes slowly watering up. He then loosens his grip, looks down and takes a deep breath, and then looks back up with a hearty smile. "Nothing going on here boys!" he croaks. "Just a little chit-chat."

Everyone else shakes their heads, stands up, and walks out of the locker room to practice. Morey looks at Cook. "You...you are just a sad, strange little man. I am going to trade you. I'll find some genius way, I swear on my brand spankin' new contract I will." He then turns and leaves to go watch practice.

Cook remains on the locker room bench. He then bends over, reaches into his bag, grabs his contract, and gives it a nice smooch. Slowly, he stands up, takes a few warmp-up hops, and jogs out of the locker room, humming "Eye of the Tiger" to himself as if it all actually mattered.