SB Nation - Tracy McGrady

Engaging The Enemy: The Houston Rockets

Phillip Baggett — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:28:33 -0000

More photos » by Mike Fuentes - AP

Well folks it is game night again, and I have had about all I can stand, for this week anyhow, of trying to design a new template for my usual game previews. So what I thought we would do as a simple diversion from the norm, was get with tonight's opponent for a little Q&A.

I reached out to Lee Grammier over at The Dreamshake and he so graciously accepted the invite. Since I am a refugee in Houston from Arlington, Texas I have the privilege of listening to all the Dallas smack talk. Generally speaking people from Houston despise everything in or from Dallas. When ever a Dallas team plays a Houston team it is a big deal around here.

Another blowout of the Rockets tonight would be awesome. Make sure you stop over and pay a visit to those guys, they will be posting my answers to their questions.

So without further delay here are my questions to The Dreamshake, and what they had to say.

Rockets vs Mavericks preview Rockets vs Mavericks coverage

Before the season began, many would have said that this year would be a disaster for the Rockets. So far however, it has been anything but disastrous. Playing without a "superstar" the Rockets have been very cable of holding their own. What do you believe this teams realistic goals are for this season?

I legitimately thought this team would be a few games over .500. Considering they have played the hardest schedule in the league to date and are 3 games over with 2 games they should have won in those losses, I'm very pleased where they are. Christian wrote a good piece about this today: 25 games into the season. The realistic goals for this team are pretty similar to my few games over .500 scenario: A 5-8 seed in the playoffs, and depending on the match-up a potential upset in the first round but likely no chance to get out of the second.

The Mavericks and Rockets play two completely different styles, the Mavs have always been more of a finesse team relying largely on the jump shot skills of Dirk, and Terry. While the Rockets are a much more physical team that plays with a lot of ball movement and unselfishness. There have always been match up issues for both teams, what are some of the more concerning match up problems for this years Rockets when facing the Mavs?

Jason Terry. I'm almost tempted to just leave it at that, but that wouldn't be fair. Terry absolutely torches the Rockets and it's getting to be personal. Dirk is Dirk and there isn't any team in the league that matches up with him. The rest of it? I really don't know. I wish I did, so I could send a note to Rick Adelman so that the Rockets could fix it. Some of it is that the Mavs are more talented at the upper level and when they are one of the few teams in the league willing to match the Rockets intensity level.

In the first two games of the season series, we have seen both teams at different points of the game shoot unbelievably well. Typically one would say that the defensive effort dropped allowing the other team to get clean looks at the basket. In this case though, on many occasions it has been an individual player just getting extremely hot, and most of the time for the Mavericks it has been Jason Terry a.k.a. "The Rocket Killer". Is there anything the Rockets can do to stop this from happening on Friday?

Terry is a defensive match-up nightmare for the Rockets. There has been no one on the team that can really guard him, and that's saying something because Shane Battier can guard just about anyone. The Rockets theory is to make Terry take the ball out of Dirk and Kidd's hands. Frankly I think it is a terrible idea because Terry has proven it as such. Ideally Trevor Ariza guards him and that makes a difference. He has the lateral and overall quickness to keep up with Terry but we'll see if he has the dedication.

On Tuesday Tracy McGrady made his official return from micro fracture surgery against the Pistons, playing 8 minutes. He then played another 8 minutes on Wednesday against the Nuggets. What is the feeling amongst Rocket fans about T-Mac's return? And will the Rockets try to move McGrady before the deadline? Or are they content to just let him walk after the season?

Among "Rockets fans" those that typically just know the superstars I think people are excited he's back overall. Amongst the diehards I think it is split pretty much down the middle. Everyone wants to see him play though, no matter if you are on the "trade him" or "keep him" bandwagon. Otherwise what's the point? Just cut him or put him on injured list. Might as well see if he can 1. Help the team on the court or 2. Help the team via trade and the only way to do that is for him to play. If there is a good trade he'll get traded, if there isn't, he'll be gone after the season. Daryl Morey will not trade him just to do it.

Looking forward to next season when the Rockets are back at full strength, will this team have to change the way it plays with the return of Yao Ming? Or will this team be in a much better position to utilize his skills?

Sure they'll change it a bit, but Yao runs better than anyone will ever give him credit for. His defense is underrated in every way, just look at the Rockets with him and without him. Now maybe everyone will shut up about it and stop proving how little they know about basketball. Yao's presence in the middle is intimidating and he controls the paint. What's kind of funny is that people try and challenge him because of that idiotic idea of him not being great defensively and it plays right into the Rockets hands.

Mavericks Vs Thunder Highlights

Rockets Vs Nuggets Highlights

25 games into the season...

Xiane — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:20:15 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Houston Rockets center "Mad Dave" Andersen of Australia, prepares to hammer Denver Nuggets guard Anthony Carter into the hardwood like the annoying garden gnome he is. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski). This proves Morey is an uber genius.

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We're now 25 games into the 2009-2010 season. The Rockets are 14-11, after playing one of the more difficult, and possibly ludicrous, schedules in the NBA.

We've seen a bit more than 30% of the season completed, and I'd say we're past the "jump to conclusions" portion of the schedule. We're starting to accumulate stats, and form rational impressions, but 70% of the year remains. I think that is an interesting point.

I'm planning on a 1/2 mark capsule on each player, but I'm interested in general impressions you might have of the Rockets season thus far.

Early on I had suggested a series where I gave a perspective based on going to most of the home games. Unfortunately, we've only played 10 games at home, compared to 15 on the road. Only Toronto and NJ have played more road games thus far (one more each). I think this suggests good things to come as the schedule evens out for the Rockets.

I'll look at some broad themes we discussed in the off-season and give my opinion on them after seeing 25 contests.

The Rockets are Too Small.

So far, I'd say not. Its rare that Houston is flat out-rebounded, and we've rarely been exploited by big interior players. We've seen a couple of the best candidates for the role, and they've done ok, but not spectacularly (poor Greg Oden gets another "Incomplete").

Being small and quick has brought other advantages. We're a league leader in fast break points. We're getting a lot of steals, and forcing turnovers. Sadly, though, there's a Yao-sized hole in our vaunted D. For a detailed breakdown on this subject see Kevin Pelton on Basketball Prospectus: The Long and Short of It.

Grungedave has suggested that it's all fine now, but Houston's high-effort lineup will wear down into the spring. It remains to be seen, but I'm inclined to disagree. I think the Houston rotation is deep enough that no one is getting exhausted by their minutes at high effort. Also, the schedule is going to get easier, which might well hide any mild decline in intensity.

The Rockets Lack Talent

I think this canard has been dispatched. The Rockets lack star power, and a certain extreme level of talent and performance that only certain (rare) stars bring, but I'd say Houston has revealed more talent than nearly anyone expected.

The Rockets Offense Will Suffer From Higher Usage aka The Usage Experiment

This is has been covered here before, and was initiated once again by the indispensable Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus. Basically the question for Houston is will its players' effectiveness on offense suffer from more usage, ie shot attempts, than they have previously consumed in past seasons. Read the article here. So far, the answer is generally "no" with the exception being Trevor Ariza, who has seen his usage rise dramatically, and his effectiveness drop about as steeply. This is mainly due to his recently disastrous three-point shooting.

Is Trevor Ariza going to be a star with a complete game?

So far, so "meh". Ariza has been asked to shoot more, and God bless him, he's certainly going at it with gusto. Unfortunately shooting more has mainly translated into "missing more". Ariza is consuming a lot of shots, and he's not making a meal of them, except on rare occasion. It's getting to the point where its possible to wonder if Ariza's going 1-9 or whatever, from 3pt range, isn't outweighing his defensive contribution.

Do we ask him to take the pedal off the metal? Do we give Budinger more minutes? At this point I'd say neither, because I've seen encouraging signs recently. Ariza has actually, to my eyes, improved in areas where improvement is surprising. For instance, his handle going to the basket is more assured, he's given up trying to kiss the ball of the board in close and is just slamming it home more. He's actually starting to fool defenders sometimes. This are good things, and they hold promise for the future (and the future remains very bright overall with Ariza, I think).

On the other hand... The Alston/Ariza stat lines can be painfully similar as Grungedave points out, and the good nights sometimes seem like Rafer's good nights - a cruel way to lure us into thinking he's turned a corner, only to break our hearts with another crap-fest. His 3pt shot can be breaktaking when its going, but it seems to require a pretty big wind-up, and he rushes it if anyone is even nearby. This results, overwhelmingly, in misses. Also, Trevor is becoming less of a black hole on offense, his passing is lacking. He misses guys for easy scores routinely, and can't really dish on the move. Is this fixable? I'm not so sanguine on this point.

And on a third hand... Trevor remains one of the best defenders in the league on tall, quick wings. He brings a different and welcome set of skills from Battier on D.

I honestly think there's time for Ariza to level off his shot attempts and pull it all together. Despite some alarming results I think the long-term outlook for Trevor Ariza - Mostly Complete Player - remains strong.

The Rockets Will Have The Worst Record in the NBA.

Sir Charles, with all due respect, stick to racing 70+ year olds. You're better at it.

Tracy McGrady Will Never Suit Up for Houston Again.

Yes, he will.

Tracy McGrady Will Never Be Good Again.

This remains to be seen. 15 minutes after months off and microfracture surgery IS too small a sample to say anything other than "He looks rusty"

There's more, but I'd like to know how you see the Rockets at this point. Coming soon - questions raised by the season itself.

Poll

The Rockets are:

Wednesday Dream Links: T-Mac Edition!

Only_A_Lad — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:00:35 -0000

More photos » by Bill Baptist - NBAE/Getty Images

6 days ago: HOUSTON - DECEMBER 15: Tracy McGrady #3 of the Houston Rockets drives the ball against the Detroit Pistons on December 15, 2009 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)

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For me, the most grating issue of the nine-month T-Mac Injury Drama were Rockets fans' attempts at medical opinions. As I recall, I accused (in not the nicest way possible) Xiane of trying to be an "internet doctor" back when McGrady was visiting several different doctors in the space of a few weeks.

Honestly, I think that the same thing was going on at an even more egregious level over the past month, as reporters and fans speculated on whether or not the Rockets were keeping a healthy McGrady out of games he could otherwise play. For a variety of reasons, this struck me as even more silly than the "doctor shopping" accusations of March and April.

So it's nice to see Chris Webber share some insights on coming back from microfracture surgery, as well as an experience that almost certainly influenced Adelman's decision to hold Tracy out of games for the past month, and only now play him in very limited minutes.

Why did Adelman wait so long to play McGrady? The fact that Webber may have ruined his career by trying to come back early probably has something to do with it.

Expect this to be the pattern for the next few weeks:

"I really looked at it. Tracy and I have been talking about this for awhile. When he plays it’s going to be very short minutes. With Trevor out tonight, the more I thought about it, it’s a good time to play him. We have four straight back to backs. I think it’s a good time to work him into short minutes. I plan to work him in to see how he feels and see where he is and it gives us a chance to play our regular guys some regular minutes.

"Trevor’s suspension got me thinking. The more I thought about the schedule, we need people." Adelman said.

The Rockets' coach said he would continue to use McGrady for short stints through the next six games, including Tuesday, to continue to gauge McGrady’s progress.

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Dwyer on the game last night, as well as Mac's return:

Tracy McGrady played in the first quarter, oddly looking more out of shape than we saw him a month ago, and lofted a 20-footer that missed and a three-pointer that went in. If he's helping any team this year, it will be because he gets hot on somewhat contested shots from far, far away. He's not going to be getting to the line much, or driving. This isn't something that helps offenses, by the way.

Well, of the two times McGrady showed up in the paint, one resulted in an AB turnover, and the other resulted in two free throws. I wouldn't be too quick to judge him (either way) based off of seven minutes.

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Empty the Bench notes that Budinger stole the show last night:

Making his first NBA start in his first NBA season, the Rockets’ 6-7 second-round pick, acquired in a draft-day deal with these Pistons, was phenomenal. Yes, he’s got a stroke on his jumper that’s sweeter than a baked sweet potato drizzled in butter and brown sugar, but this kid looks to be much more than your standard, run-of-the-mill spot-up shooter from three-point land who contributes little else. He scored, but he also rebounded, ran the floor, dove to the floor to scramble for loose balls, rebounded, passed, flashed surprising athleticism. He played defense! In other words, he fit in just fine with this hard-nosed Rockets team that’s once again doing things few predicted they could.

Oh, and Hardwood Paroxysm called him "Ginger McNasty." I like that so much more than our lame attempts at a nickname.

----

And that's all for today, folks. Sorry. To make it up to you, here's JVG doing his best Jamie Foxx impression:

Houston Rockets Still Ballin'

aramnath — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:56:45 -0000

More photos » by Rick Bowmer - AP

Head coach Rick Adelman's kept his team competitive even with his two best players out with injuries so far this season. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

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It's time to show some love to this year's Houston Rockets. They have been playing without their two superstars, Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, all season and have managed to start out with a 14-10 record. That's good enough for second in the Southwest Division and for fifth in the conference. To put things in perspective, the Rockets have had to replace a combined 35.3 points, 14.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game without both Yao and McGrady.

Most predicted the team would be lucky to be competing for the 8th seed in the conference with a roster full of role players. This team of role players however has thrived utilizing a long lost art previously used in the NBA to great success called sharing the ball. They have been led by point guard Aaron Brooks with valuable contributions from Carl Landry, Luis Scola and a bench that has shown surprising depth particularly rookie Chase Budinger.

Their major free-agent signing Trevor Ariza, has been a disappointment offensively so far, averaging 17.0 points per game while shooting an abysmal 38.3% from the field. To his credit however, Ariza and the No Stats All-Star, Shane Battier, have teamed up to harass opposing teams' wing players to help lead a Rockets defense that has been able to remain effective without their 7'6 Chinaman shot-blocker in the middle.

Special praise is in order for head coach Rick Adelman who has done a phenomenal job calling the shots from the sidelines. I don't think it's much of a debate for who should be Coach of the Year. It would have been easy for this team to simply play out the year listlessly without their two stars, but Adelman has kept them on the winning path and has extracted more from his players than anybody could have expected.

Here's to the Houston Rockets for playing team ball with a bunch of role players and still getting the job done when nobody gave them much of a chance.

Woes Out West: Rockets 107, Pistons 96

Packey — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:24:34 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

I was seen making this same face throughout the course of the Pistons game on Tuesday vs. the Rockets. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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Trips out west have not been kind to the Pistons. After the 11-point loss to the Rockets on Tuesday night, they have now dropped all five away games in the western** part of the country by a combined margin of 59 points. I guess they can't fit 'defense' in their carry on luggage. In four of the five losses, Detroit has allowed 100 or more points.

No matter what the Pistons packed for the trip, you have to give the Rockets credit for coming out guns a blazing in the first quarter, making nearly 70% of their shots and taking a 10-point lead into the second quarter. Luis Scola had 11 of their 29 first quarter points and they were all made with relative ease. He ended the game with a team-high 23 points on 10-16 shooting and eight rebounds.

For the rest of the game, the Rockets never cooled below the still scorching 55% mark shooting (when rounded up) and a lot of it had to do with their 28 team assists (27 points coming on the fast break) . Ten of those assists came from point guard, and Chris Rock look alike, Aaron Brooks. He had a terrific game, also finishing with 23 points.

Detroit's team line didn't look all that awful. They finished with 44 rebounds (the same as Houston), 26 assists, 96 total points, turned it over only nine times, and shot a decent 44%. Unfortunately, you can't win many games when you allow the other team to shoot an easy 55% and score 107 total points. It's science, which Houston has come to learn and love.

Richard Hamilton led the Pistons in scoring after a red-hot start. He finished with 21 points, but cooled off, shot only 10-22 from the field, and tweaked a hammy in the process. His status is uncertain for tomorrow night's game against the Hornets.

More after the jump.

**Yes, I realize Houston isn't really that far west. Just go with it, okay?
Tracy McGrady made a Richard Hamilton surprise return to the lineup, but did not start. He saw seven minutes, hit a three-pointer, and pulled down three rebounds. I'm sure that's encouraging for Rockets fans.
Rodney Stuckey returned to frustrating form after being named Player of the Week. He started the game 1-10, while ill-advisedly forcing shot after shot. He finished with 17 points on 7-24 shooting. I understand the shots will not fall every night, but Stuckey makes his own bed with his shot selection. A majority of his misses tonight were in traffic when he should have passed or never even embarked on an attempt. Disappointing game from the youngster, regardless of his promising month thus far.
Rookie Chase Budinger made the start in place of Trevor Ariza tonight for the Rockets. If you recall, Budinger was drafted by the Pistons in the 2nd round and then traded to the Rockets (nevermind what was agreed to behind closed doors). Budinger lit the Pistons up for 16 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. That's not nearly as disturbing as is his blindingly pale complexion. Someone needs to bring some sunlight into his life.
The Pistons falling behind big allowed fans to see nine quality minutes from Pistons rookie, DaJuan Summers. He knocked down a three and had a driving score in that time. He finished with six points and two rebounds.
Austin Daye also made the most of his minutes. He played 18 minutes, shot 5-8, and finished with 10 points. He also grabbed three rebounds and one block.
Box score
Highlights
The Hornets are 8-3 at home this season and Chris Paul is back and in tip-top game shape. Let's hope Detroit can improve upon their 1-5 record in the second games of back-to-backs.

Recap: It's a Hanukkah miracle! (Not Really)

Only_A_Lad — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:54:34 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

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About an hour before the game started, Jason Friedman tweeted that Tracy McGrady would be playing tonight - limited minutes (no more than seven or eight), and only in the first half.

I admit that I'm a T-Mac fan. Through all of the crap over the past year about Tracy McGrady, I've maintained a pretty consistent belief in his commitment to the team, to his career, and to basketball in general, so forgive me if I view his return through the rosiest of lenses. A little over a month ago, I wrote that the T-Mac injury "saga" felt, if nothing else, like it was coming to a close, and tonight was the beginning of the end, I hope. Even if this was simply a showcase for a trade, and even if McGrady doesn't play significant minutes (or in a significant way) for some time, it just felt good to see the Tracy back on the court. And Rockets fans obviously felt the same way. Yeah, there were a few boos scattered in there, but Tracy got a warm reception from a crowd that - supposedly - had turned on him forever.

In his seven minutes on the court, McGrady played some decent defense, grabbed three rebounds, and hit a line-drive three point shot. He was clearly having trouble running the break, but the important thing is that he can jump. What a change from last February.

So, with all of that said, let's talk about some players who stayed on the court for more than half of a quarter.

The Rockets didn't trail at any point in the game after the first quarter, and they never let the Pistons get closer than eight points after about ten minutes into the game. Given their rebounding problems through much of the game, it's hard to call this performance exactly "dominating," but the Pistons never really threatened. Rip Hamilton - ordinarily a fairly efficient offensive player (and owner of one of the best - if not the best - mid-range games in the league), started off extremely hot, but Battier did what he do: pushed Rip further out and didn't let him come off of picks uncontested.

With Rip neutralized and Stuckey shooting the Pistons out of the game, the Rockets built a lead on a ridiculous free-throw margin. Seriously - the Rockets shot almost three times as many free throws as Detroit. Was that just home cookin'? Doubtful. Stuckey and Hamilton shot from outside, and relatively few came inside. Against this Rockets team, that's a recipe for disaster.

Chase Budinger continues what Lee characterized earlier today as a RotY-deserving season. I wouldn't go that far, but the boy is clearly the real deal. Bud showed off his excellent shooting touch, coming off picks and hitting open jumpshots, but also driving to the hoop - including a very memorable alley-oop (pictured). What most impresses me, though, is everything else he does. Not everyone can be a Ben Gordon-type scorer, but they're damn sure a lot more common than players who contribute in many different ways. Bud was the Rockets' leading rebounder, and he made some good passes for assists. He's contributing in so many ways on both ends of the court, and he rewarded Adelman's (and Morey's) faith in him tonight.

On another note - Chuck totally made two free throws in a row. I know, right?

(In honor of Hanukkah and the win) Five Up:

Chase Budinger - A career night for the rookie out of Arizona.16 pts on 11 shots, 12 rebounds, 5 assists. 'Nuff said.

Aaron Brooks - 23 pts, 10 asts. This is kind of what we're coming to expect, right? Weird...

Luis Scola - Who says the Rockets can't create? 23 points and 8 rebounds, and many of those buckets came on some fairly tough shots.

Chuck Hayes / Shane Battier - These guys continue to be one of the best defensive tandems in the NBA (same goes for Ariza). They kept the Pistons out of the paint and forced them to take bad shots. What more can you ask for?

Tracy McGrady - Hate all you want (and I'm sure you will), but he made his return tonight. Good for him, and good for the Rockets.

One Down:

Carl Landry - I'm nitpicking here, but I need one bad thing. Sure, Landry is arguably the Rockets' best player right now, he showed all of his scoring skills tonight, and his growth as a post player continues to amaze me, but three rebounds, Carl? Get your shit together!

Game 24 Preview: Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons - 7:30PM CST

UofTOrange — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:06:04 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

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This is going to be quick and maybe sweet. I'll be at the game in section 405 tonight with my 3 year old and we plan to have a blast.

Point Guard
Aaron Brooks - Last preview I asked if he is a top 10 PG, I think it is pretty definitive that he is. He's slotted number 9 on my ballot. Can he pick it up even more with Ariza out? Will the Rockets even ask him to?
vs.
Rodney Stuckey - Good player, fun to watch and always plays hard when I see him. He's the future in Detroit, and while he's one of the few bright spots in that future, it's a good start.
Edge: Rockets

Shooting Guard
Shane Battier - It is hard to say anything more about Shane Battier, we are at the saturation point with his awesomeness. Now it's time for Shane to back all that talk up (not his talk obviously) and get his shooting percentages north of Rafer-esque.
vs.
Richard Hamilton - Came back last game from an injury and had a solid game. He's still a really good basketball player but doesn't seem the same without Chauncey Billups. I know he still regrets signing that extension.
Edge: Pistons

Small Forward
Chase Budinger - I can only assume that he's getting the start at small forward to keep Landry doing his work off the bench. Obviously that's open to interpretation. But the future NBA rookie of the year has played well all season and should get this reward.
vs.
Jonas Jerebko - I didn't even know he was an NBA player. What is going on? That's three teams in a row that I honestly didn't know a player. I mean, I vaguely remember him getting drafted in the second round, but that's it.
Edge: Rockets

Power Forward
Luis Scola - There are a few guys in the NBA that I just enjoy watching, and Scola is clearly in my top 5 on that list. He works hard every single possession and much like Battier, you have to work hard to truly quantify his value. I'd love to see him get his scoring up 3-5 points a game, but that's not really in the cards given how strong Landry is with the second team and how the offense runs with the first.
vs.
Jason Maxiell - I expected more of him since Pistons fans have been touting him about as much as Lakers fans tout Andrew Bynum. Instead his production has dropped off pretty much across the board, and it really didn't have a long way to fall.
Edge: Rockets

Center
Chuck Hayes - If you asked me, given how they are paid, and their production, I'd take Chuck 100 times out of 100 over Ben Wallace.
vs.
Ben Wallace - Never have I been a fan of Ben Wallace making more than 5-6MM a year. Not because he hasn't been a hard worker, but because he is an extremely limited player. His rebounding and defense are still strong, but not what they used to be. The only reason the Pistons get the edge is because he is a better rebounder than Hayes because of his size.
Edge: Pistons, but not by very much

Injuries/Suspensions
Houston Rockets
OUT - Trevor Ariza is suspended for tonight's game and Tracy McGrady is still serving his penance.
Detroit Pistons
DTD - Tayshaun Prince looks to be out for tonight's game and half of the team is nursing some ailment or other.

My Prediction: Rockets win by 4

Game 23 Preview: Houston Rockets at Toronto Raptors 11:30AM CST

UofTOrange — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:12:30 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

10 days ago: Philadelphia 76ers' Samuel Dalembert, center, tries to hang onto a loose ball under pressure from Houston Rockets' Carl Landry, left, and Aaron Brooks in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 11, 2009, in Philadelphia. Houston won 96-91. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Point Guard
Aaron Brooks - He's like good and stuff. I wish he would attack the basket with fury every single night, but for a guy his size, not named Iverson, that's probably not as good of an idea as it sounds in my head. Either way, Aaron has taken a huge step forward, he's clearly a top 10 point guard right now, right? Can anyone name 10 better?
vs.
Jarrett Jack - I was surprised to find out that Jack has only been in the league for 4 years. I swear it feels like decades ago that he was with Portland. Good basketball player that really is a 6^th or 7^th man. He has a long career ahead of him in that role. Starting in the NBA is only a stop gap measure for a team though.
Edge: Rockets

Shooting Guard
Trevor Ariza - His shooting has picked up a quite a bit in the last 5 games and shot selection has a lot to do with it. Of course only playing one good defense, and having his worst shooting night of the five against Portland, has helped. Sometimes the NBA is all about momentum and I think this recent stretch can go a long way towards Trevor's confidence.
vs.
DeMar DeRozan - I like this kid. He was a good player at USC and while he's somewhat raw it may be exactly what the Raptors need. He's a strong attacker and finisher and he's energetic. Like most young players his shot leaves a lot to be desired, but that will come if he's willing to work hard.
Edge: Rockets

Small Forward
Shane Battier - Another season, another great season long effort by Battier. Every single team in the NBA would put him in their starting lineup no matter what it meant to other guys they have on the team. I think I can say that with supreme confidence.
vs.
Hedo Turkoglu - For Portland fans I'm ecstatic that this signing didn't work for them. For Raptors fans, I honestly thought it would be working out better right now. Not because Hedo is a superstar, he's simply a really good basketball player, but because there isn't a lot to take away from his taking another step. I don't know what has been happening with him, maybe it's the style of ball they are playing, but that 9MM contract is looking horrible right now
Edge: Rockets - Yes Hedo scores more but Battier's effect on the game is infinitely more.

Power Forward
Luis Scola -
vs.
Chris Bosh - With Calderon out, Bosh is the only guy on the Raptors that has the ability to scare you night in and night out. I am not in any way a fan of the Rockets signing him in the off season. He makes a team better, but not in max dollars ways. And the Rockets have two PFs that could be here for the next 4-5 years together pretty easily. And under no circumstances is Bosh a better center than even a hobbled Yao.
Edge: Raptors

Center
Chuck Hayes - Chuck has done his job for the most part all season. He has defended everyone that he has been asked to with heart and determination. Early in the season he seemed to take on the need for scoring, and has since realized it isn't necessary. Though part of me wishes he would go back to that same effort on the offensive end to score.
vs.
Andrea Bargnani - Shows sparkles all of the time, but never seems to truly break out. For Raptors fans, some of the best, and oddest, in the NBA I wish them more from him. Considering he makes 6.5MM, he's actually a heck of a basketball bargain at 16 and 6 a night.
Edge: Raptors

Injuries/Suspensions
Houston Rockets
OUT - Tracy McGrady
Toronto Raptors
OUT - Jose Calderon

My Prediction: Rockets build a lead early, keep it up most of the game, Raptors go on a run in the late third or early fourth and the Rockets pull back away to win by 8-14

Daily Links 12/12

FLCeltsFan — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:18:20 -0000

Herald    Counter points
Scouting report: Celtics at Bulls
LeBron James scores 33, Cavs trip Trail Blazers
Amare Stoudemire’s big rebound helps Suns beat Magic
Globe   Bulls thumbnails
On guard: Rondo slicing through foes
Vote for Perk    Vote For Perk
SportCenter 5     Vote For Perk!

Celtics Blog   AM Notes: Allen's Last Chance, Lester Helps Rondo
Loscy    The Rondoness of all Rondo Articles: The Mother-load "
HoopsHype    Zebras and lions
NESN    Celtics Seek 10th Straight Win Against Flailing Bulls
Live Blog: Celtics at Bulls
Tony Allen Emerges as Marquis Daniels Hits the Shelf
Paul Pierce, Glen Davis, J.R. Giddens Get in Holiday Spirit With Local Students
Celtics Legends Cedric Maxwell, JoJo White to Distribute Food to Lee Academy
Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis, Lester Hudson to Host Stay In School Assembly
Dueling Couches    Ray Allen's Most Memorible Moments
CelticsLife Shaq Injures Eye, Kobe Breaks Finger, Injuries Reportedly Unrelated
McHale on Lebron's Dancing Nonsense
Today's Video: Ray Allen 20,000 Points NBA Career
LOY's Place    Quote of the Week - Kevin McHale
Red's Army    Rashard Lewis Has No Respect for His Coach
The Big 3 Things of the Week
Your KG Face of the Day
Ray Gets UP!
Your Morning Dump... Where Kevin McHale is still awesome
Celtics Hub   Kentucky-UConn Garden Party—an NBA Fan’s Perspective
Eddie House and 3 Point Attempts
Gratuitous Wolf on Human Violence
Saturday Notebook: Hudson’s Value, Rondo’s J, the Bulls
North Station Sports    More than a feeling: Dwight & Nate, pt. 2
Tony Allen Takes Over For Daniels. Should You Be Scared?
More Thoughts From Egypt: LeBron's Behavior in Question
Celtics Town    Celtics 'define what winning basketball in the NBA is all about'
Ray Allen gives teammates credit for milestone
Joe Johnson wants to come back to Boston?
Ray Allen, named top shooter of the decade, says Dirk is best
Rajon Rondo latest Celtic to deflect praise to teammates
Lex Nihil Novi    Wedman Leads Birdless Celts Over Hawks 83-84
Wedman Adapting to New Role 83-84
Knicks Try to Make it 3 in a Row against C's 83-84
Rondo Gives Jerry West No Respect
Celtics Overcome 12 4th-Quarter TO's to Finally Beat Knicks (83-84)
ESPN   Bulls-Celtics preview
So you're saying there's a chance?
Businesslike Approach Working For Celtics
Legler: Celtics are underrated
Chicago Tribune Chicago Bulls woes tied directly to defense
Chicago Bulls hear strange sound -- cheers during 96-91 overtime victory
Milford Daily News    Celtics: Green streak
Daily Herald    Bulls not responding well to other teams' runs
LA Times   Is this Lakers team the NBA's best ever? Not by a three-pointer
Sporting News   Celtics-Bulls Preview
HoopsAddict    Rajon Rondo: Silent, But Deadly
Washington Post     As the Wizards' big three try to mesh again, past is not present
The Starting Five    Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA
Patriot Ledger     Celtics bid for another double-digit winning streak
Ohio.com    Notebook: Cavs' West earning more time on floor
Mass Live    Celtics buzz: Tony Allen's early returns, Boston's rebounding woes, and appreciating Ray Allen
Truth About It    Inconsistency Is A Muther: Celtics Down Wizards 104-102
4 Sport Boston    3 Things You Didn’t See In The Celtics-Wizards Rumble
Philly.com   Dick Jerardi: Biggest Donaghy question remains: Which games?
Basketbawful    Worst of the Night: December 10, 2009
Hoopsvibe     Tracy McGrady: All-Star Starter?
Dimemag     The Bulls Are Struggling And Vinny Del Negro Will Be The Scapegoat
Rashard Lewis didn’t want to play; Van Gundy says it’s no big deal
CSNNE   Celts, Bulls headed in opposite direction
WEEI    Postgame Guest - Tony Allen on WEEI
Washington Post   Book review: When the Game Was Ours by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson
Seattle Times    LeBron James' dance act wouldn't play well in old-school NBA

Thoughts on Rockets 96 - 76ers 91 (Aka Game Recap)

Xiane — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 05:02:07 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

Houston Rockets' Tracy McGrady is proud to represent the nation of China in the 2009-2010 NBA All-Star Game. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Browse more photos »

This game was viewed through the prism of an ill child (nothing serious), so my thoughts are more fragmented that usual. I'll rely more on that last resort of scoundrels, statistics.

When one looks at the 76er starting lineup, it is pretty impressive:

Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala, Allen Iverson, Samuel Dalembert, Thaddeus Young.

That's a lot of talent, a ton of athletic ability. Elton Brand has in the past, been one of the finest players in the NBA at his position. Iguodala has one of the more well-rounded, athletic and interesting games in the NBA. Iverson, well, he's raging at the dying of the light, at any rate, and he looks to have something left. Yet the Sixers have now lost 12 straight games. Why? I (imagine I) hear you asking. Two words: The Bench.

Players seeing minutes from the Philly bench tonight include: Willie Green (25), Jason Kapono (17), Jrue Holliday (8), Jason Smith (3), Primoz Breszec (5).

Total points in 58 out of 240 possible player minutes? Six. I repeat. S-I-X.

Let's compare that to the Rocket's bench, total points: 46 in 84 player minutes. So Philly's bench scored roughly one point every 9.40 minutes. The Rockets bench scored a point every 1.5 minutes.

This is an object lesson in bench construction (and another reason why "WE © or Ω or √ MOREY" Guess what? No little "heart" thingy.). Houston, with 40% of an NBA payroll, has a bench that, frankly, buried Philly's in this contest.

That is not how the game started. Phily jumped on Houston early, prompting fears of the 76ers once again being a team that's pure poison for the Rockets, no matter how bad they look against the rest of the league. Then the benches matched up, and the Rockets closed a Philly lead that stood at 10 after the first quarter to 3 points at the half.

When outside observers look at the Rockets, I think they often make the mistake of looking at the starting lineup and saying "That's not a high caliber NBA lineup." Well, maybe not (though I disagree). But to understand the Rockets, you have to go 9-10 deep. You could start the Rocket's second unit and give up very little, overall.

The players aren't exactly comparable, with some offering more offense, some defense, so let's look at Win Shares so far in 2009-2010. The typical Rocket starting lineup boasts a 7WS total at this point. The second unit (of 4 players) is contributing 5WS - add an average rating of one starter from the first team and you get a total of 6.4WS for the second unit (as we've yet to see much of Taylor thus far). Point being, the Rockets give up little, or nothing, switching out almost their entire lineup. This, I submit, is a powerful, and under-appreciated, advantage.

Every Philly starter played 34 minutes or more, with the exception of Dalembert, who played 29. Brand logged 43, sitting down 5 minutes of the contest, and Iguodala saw 40. Only Ariza came close to that, going 42.

Notes:

I'm very happy we didn't once again drop a game to the 76ers as we have done so frequently in the past. We need to win every single game against floundering opponents. We're going to struggle to hit .500 against the top teams, so we need to clean up on games against below .500 teams.

Iverson gave young Kyle Lowry and Aaron Brooks a lesson in drawing fouls and shooting FTs. Lowry is good at it, but AI is the past master, and he put on a "weak contact FT shooting" clinic in the 4th.

Carl Landry is one of the most valuable players in the NBA on a salary/production basis. I'm now surprised when a Landry shot doesn't go in, and the reasons why not usually break down to: uncalled foul on Carl, the shot was a bit out of his range. That's it.

Commenting on the Tracy McGrady All-Star Game "controversy": what would happen if TMac's first 2009-2010 game appearance was in the NBA ASG? Could the Rocket's keep him out of it, if he hadn't played for them to that point, but wanted to play in the ASG?

The Lakers are going for their 11^th straight win tonight. Some Laker apologists have made an interesting argument that LA having 17 of 21 appearances at home to start the year isn't much of an advantage. After their recent run, can this assertion be supported? We'll have to see the record they compile when they actually do leave LA for more than 48 hours at a time to know more.

You know, every time I see those weird Charlie Sheen/Michael Jordan "Haynes Undergarments" ads I think a couple of things:

1. These are terrible ads. Are there two more unlikable pitch men than Pathetic Sheen, and Arrogant Michael Jordan, blowing him off? Who would those pitchmen be?

2. I always imagine Charlie Sheen is the head scout, or cap guru, for the Bobcats. He's trying to get Jordan to pay attention to some mundane franchise detail, like player signings, or budget, and MJ just drives away, late to a tee time.

Surprisingly, the Rockets are not playing a back-to-back on the road Saturday night. Next game vs Toronto in that mysterious and far-away land known as Canada.