SB Nation - Luis Scola

Assessing the Hornets Loss a Little Late

Packey — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:00:23 -0000

Surely, by now you've already read what went down two nights ago. The Pistons scored 55 first half points (28 in the first and 27 in the second) and only scored 32 points in the second half. They led by 13 at the half and were winning by as many as 14-points in the third quarter. Yet somehow they found a way to lose by eight in the end.

So how did it happen?

We can cop out and say that the Pistons simply wore down, which I guess, could have definitely beeen the case. The Pistons have three major players out with injuries (a problem all season) and were playing the second game of a back-to-back on the road. However, I'm not willing to go through an entire season letting them get off the hook on the "injury bug" and "tired (because of the injuries)" excuses when they've proven before that it's not crippling them as much as one might think it should or would. For instance, take a look at that Denver game a week ago. It was the second game of a back-to-back against a Western Conference powerhouse, minus four of the better players on the roster. The Pistons controlled that game and won. This was the same Pistons team that played that night -- plus Will Bynum.

What stood out to me Wednesday was the Pistons lack of ball movement in the fourth quarter. At the three minute mark in the third quarter, Detroit had a remarkable 21 assists. They were well on their way to 28-30 assists, which is unheard of territory for the Pistons this season. Want to know how many assists the Pistons finished with? 22. The Pistons had just six second half assists compared to the (doing the math in my head, uh) 16 assists in the first half. If that's not a glaring statistic, I don't know what is.

And then there is the play of Rodney Stuckey. It has become increasingly clear that the Pistons go as Stuckey goes. When he puts up a solid game shooting and doesn't need roughly 20+ shots to do it, the Pistons tend to do well (Pistons are 7-2 when he shoots 50% or higher on less than 20 attempts from the field. They are 2-5 when he shoots 20+ times at all). It's not some groundbreaking discovery that the Pistons have a better chance of winning when their starting guard plays well. However, critiquing his play continuously resurfaces because he, time and time again, resorts to the style of play that makes him play poorly and in turn, hurts the Pistons.

On Wednesday night, Stuckey took nine shots in the fourth quarter alone (he made three of those). In the final minutes, he forced three (missed) shots and had a bad turnover that led to a Hornets basket, which gave them a four point lead. This isn't a box score statistic, but I cringed all three times Stuckey went up with those final shot attempts.

In Stuckey's defense, the rest of the Pistons weren't really helping. The only source of offense was Charlie Villanueva, and he missed all of his shot attempts (four) in the fourth quarter (which was a double whammy because David West was still scoring on him on the other side). Even if Stuckey was feeling the pressure of needing to carry the offensive load, I still would like to see less painfully obvious, forced shots from him and more dishes after the initial penetration.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the Pistons were presented with serious match up problems the past two games in Luis Scola and David West. Take this bit from Patrick Hayes at MLIVE:

The frontcourt defense is broken. The simple answer is to put Ben Wallace on the opposing team's best big every game, which works great against back-to-the-basket players like Dwight Howard.

Having Ben guard players like West and Scola, however, pulls him out of the paint, takes away the shot-blocking threat and allows guys like Aaron Brooks and Chris Paul to get into the lane at will.

Patrick goes on to add that the "opposing PFs/Cs have shot a combined 42-for-65 (65 percent) against Detroit over the last two games," which has a lot to do with the opposing guards getting into the lane at will and creating easy baskets for their bigs. Scola and West combined for 55 points, more than Villanueva/Wallace combined for in both games (I used CV because he's playing the starter minutes).

The Pistons will finish off this three game road trip with the Thunder before going home to face Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on Sunday. Let's hope we see a steady game this time around and end the road woes. It would certainly help to get some guys back from injuries, but ultimately, this team is capable of winning regardless.

A few thoughts after the jump.

A large chunk of the assists (nine) came from Will Bynum on Wednesday. There's no denying his individual points production is sorely missed, so let's hope those new shoes are starting to feel comfortable.
After seeing what Jonas Jerebko is capable of putting up on offense, it's too bad he only scored six points (on 3-3 shooting) when the Pistons needed someone other than Stuckey & Villanueva to step up. J.J. was also a team-worse negative-16 (by six points), so it could have helped that number, too.
Chris Paul is pretty amazing and fun to watch. Blaha was comparing him to Isiah Thomas during the broadcast, and I couldn't help but feel the same way. He scored 16 points on just nine shots and had 12 assists in what was looking like an off game at the half.
Emeka Okafor is a guy I'd love to see in a Pistons uniform. In my four years of college near Charlotte, North Carolina I saw a lot of his games with the Bobcats and grew to be a big fan of his. He finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.
Austin Daye is earning himself more and more minutes. He saw 25 on Wednesday and scored nine points on 3-8 shooting. He was 2-5 from downtown and had three rebounds, as well. I've said this before, but I wouldn't mind seeing him get more looks.
As it hurt the Hornets in the first half, turnovers played a big role in Detroit's second half collapse, too. They had 16 and a few of them came at crucial points in the fourth quarter.
Highlights:
I apologize for not getting a proper recap up in a more timely fashion. I didn't think I would have been able to post a productive recap on Wednesday night and unexpected things came up on Thursday to prevent me from weighing in. If it's any consolation, I'm pretty sure that's the first time since I've started this blog that I haven't had a (legit) recap posted within 12 hours of the game ending.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you think went wrong on Wednesday or what the Pistons need to do differently on Friday. One thing is for sure -- freaking win !

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.

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

Tip-In: Toronto Raptors Post Game Report - A Little Athleticism Goes a Long Way

Raptors HQ - Vicious D — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:46:47 -0000

More photos » by Ron Turenne - NBAE/Getty Images

The HQ has loved Sonny Weems for a while, and so should you. Here's just one example of why.

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Defeating one of the better teams in the Western Conference, the Toronto Raptors snapped their two game losing streak. Vicious D talks about the win and gives us a look at the game that was.

The fans wanted Jarrett Jack to start. With Jose Calderon out, they got what they wanted.

The fans wanted more athleticism on the floor, especially with regards to Sonny Weems. With fewer options as Jarrett Jack would need to play a lot of minutes at the point, the fans indeed got more Weems as well.

The fans wanted "the Legend" to get some burn. With the Rockets having few lumbering big men, Pops Mensah-Bonsu came into the game and showed the Rockets what they had let go.

Now that's not to say that every single opinion of every fan should be taken as the truth, but there's a reason why the Toronto Raptors took down a very capable Houston Rockets team 101-88 for their first Sunday win of the season. Jay Triano deserves quite a bit of credit for finally giving some burn to players we've clamored for all season, and Triano even went so far to start the second quarter without a single starter on the floor. As a result, the Raps were covering each other on defense, racking up nine blocks for the entire game. It was impressive seeing both Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Amir Johnson help each other out of jams with their tenacious defense. Both energized the crowd throughout the game with their tenacity and grit to get rebounds and to protect the Raptors' paint.

On the other end of the court, Sonny Weems gave the Raptors a fairly impressive boost from the bench. Scoring with drives and his jump shot, Weems managed to put up 11 points off the pine, a nice boost during the times when the Raptors offense stalled. Chris Bosh put in a fairly quiet 27 points leading all scorers, but the best player on the court yesterday had to be Jarrett Jack. Taking the ball inside and out, distributing effectively to his teammates, sticking his nose into the crowd to get rebounds, almost sitting on players in order to "defend" them, and even coming to the defense of teammates, Jack showed the heart that was sorely needed in the absence of Jose Calderon.

Sticking up for DeMar DeRozan after Trevor Ariza took a swing at the rookie, Jarrett Jack immediately stepped into Ariza and proceeded to defend the rook. All over the ACC, everyone was applauding the move as the Raptors have been too soft and too slow in the past to take such actions. It is this kind of heart that Jack has shown that has made him another leader in this team so far in this young season, something again, that this team sorely needs.

On the Rocket's end, you never really felt that the Raptors had complete control of the game as Houston managed to keep hanging around. And a late run brought Toronto's lead down to single digits. However with Ariza away from the game, the Raptors kept defensive pressure on the Rockets perimeter while making some key baskets down the stretch. Carl Landry and Luis Scola were both having their way in the paint, but beyond that, Houston just didn't get that many opportunities, especially on the break. Other than Aaron Brooks, who had 20 points, the rest of the Rockets team couldn't crack the 10 point plateau. The fatigue argument could be made for Houston but you still have to hand it to Toronto's defense on the afternoon.

With the next two games being their annual back-to-back trip to Miami and Orlando, the Dinos will need to sustain the effort that they put into yesterday's game. We've already seen that this Raptors team can overcome their defensive stigma if they only work on it a little and if the right personnel are given a chance. We are almost halfway through December and it's time that Jay Triano sticks with what works. Certain players have consistently shown a propensity to change the tempo of the game even when the starters sometimes have shown a lack of initiative.

So enough with the "set line-ups."

As the team draws near the trimester mark of the season, It's time they go with what works best in terms of playing time, even if this means injuring a few egos along the way.

After all, Bryan Colangelo talked about 50 wins to start the season.

With yesterday being only win number 11, this team still has a long ways to go but provided they can get near that 50 mark, I'm pretty sure both management and the fans won't care what line-ups help reach that plateau.

Raptors Rapid Recap - Toronto 101 - Houston 88

RaptorsHQ - Franchise — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:40:12 -0000

-Best game of the year so far by the Toronto Raptors? It's quite possible as Toronto pulled off a surprising win this afternoon against a tough Houston squad using some smothering defense.

-How good was the D? The Raps held the Rockets to only 88 points on 37 per cent shooting. Houston helped matters by having an atrocious shooting day from downtown (13 per cent) and outside of the interior of Carl Landry and Luis Scola (46 of the team's 88 points), didn't get much of a boost from their perimeter players.

-In fact, in a very strange incident, wing Trevor Ariza was tossed in the third quarter for throwing an elbow at the back of DeMar DeRozan's head. From the replays, it was hard to tell if it was intentional or simply a reactionary play after DeRozan stole the ball from him and started the fast break. It wouldn't be surprising though to see a suspension come from Ariza's actions.

-But back to Toronto here. Chris Bosh led the way again with 27 points but he finally got some great balance on O from the rest of his teammates. Hedo Turkoglu busted out of his slump with 23 points, Andrea Bargnani had an efficient 14 points and 7 rebounds, and Sonny Weems even chipped in 11 off the pine.

-The player of the game though was Jarrett Jack, who was masterful at both ends of the court finishing with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. He led the charge in terms of intensity and gave the team a huge boost of grit and toughness enabling them to hold the lead for the game's duration.

-The other person on the Raps who deserves major recognition is Jay Triano. Triano finally saw the light in regards to playing TO's most effective players and it resulted more minutes for the likes of Weems and Mensah-Bonsu, and less for players like Belinelli and Wright (who didn't get off the pine.)

-We'll break down this win further in the morning but safe to say it was a biggie. Toronto desperately needed to get a W before heading to Miami and Orlando and now have some momentum going into those two tough matches.

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

7 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

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)

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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.

Recap: Rockets keep LeBron, emotions in check to defeat Cavaliers 95-85

Tom Martin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:15:16 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

9 days ago: Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown, center, yells at official Scott Wall, left, after no foul was called as LeBron James (23) drove to the basket against the Houston Rockets during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, in Houston. Brown was ejected from the game. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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First and foremost, I'd like to extend a hand of thanks to Herman Sayger, who originally suggested the idea of implementing the three point shot. Lord knows we needed it tonight against Cleveland. So thanks for that, Herman.

Secondly, I'd like to commend Memphis for taking the Cavs to OT last night. It was evident that Cleveland was tired, especially with all of the open threes that we were getting.

Finally, we address our own performance, which was mostly good, and slightly bad. The good? We kept LeBron in check, and when it comes to defending Cleveland, that's about seventy-five percent of the work. The only Cavaliers to find a rhythm were Delonte West and Big Z. Otherwise, it was the best defensive performance we've seen from the Rockets in this young season.

Aaron Brooks' overall numbers were very good, but most importantly, he was in the lane every other possession. This is key to creating offensive opportunities elsewhere. He also got to the free throw line thirteen, missing only one of those. That's the equivalent of six made jump shots. Sometimes people forget just how valuable free throws are.

If there is anyone to truly commend on our victory, however, it is either Shane Battier or Trevor Ariza. Battier, for his defense and his rare offensive contribution (a Battier three always seems to energize the rest of the guys), and Ariza for his excellent production on offense. It was one of his most efficient outputs as a Rocket.

In a rare turn of events, the Rockets got destroyed on both the offensive and defensive boards. To combat this, the Rockets forced twenty turnovers. Whether it's forcing turnovers or grabbing offensive boards, Houston always finds a way to give themselves extra opportunities to score.

Luis Scola was notably absent, as was Chase Budinger. Sometimes, the shots don't fall. Other times, they are engulfed by a host of defenders, which was indeed the case every time Scola got the ball on the block. Wouldn't you love to, for once, see Luis just throw it down in someone's face?

In a perfect world, the Rockets would have shot better. There were countless possessions in which Houston had open jump shots, and they simply missed them. The Cavs took advantage of this, and stayed alive throughout the game. Cleveland, despite scoring 101 points per game, likes the low-scoring contests, as they are one of the better defensive teams in the league. Tonight, however, they were out-defended by a team that can still put down the clamps when necessary.

Fear The Sword

Game 21 Preview: Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers - 12/09/2009 7:30PM CST

UofTOrange — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:24:59 -0000

Point Guard
Aaron Brooks - A 5 to 3 Assist to Turnover ratio has to be fixed, but that is to be expected when he's being asked to be the team leader for the first time in his career. Brooks had 3 solid games before a tough game against a team he typically torches in Portland. He'll bounce back tonight as Mo Williams isn't big enough to body him off of his shot.
vs.
Mo Williams - Williams is not the assists man that I thought he would become playing with LeBron. A lot of that has to do with James wanting the ball in his hands to create (who could blame him given his results). He's doing everything on the court well, however. Solid shooter (great 3 point shooter), and is automatic from the free throw line. Toss in 1.48 steals a night and you have the makings of a very good point guard for the Cavs.
Edge: Even

Shooting Guard
Trevor Ariza - He's shooting too much, but therein lies the problem, because he's doing exactly what he is being asked by Rick Adelman to do. The Rockets have said all along that they want to see what they have in Ariza so they are going to force this one him. It's a work in progress, but you can see him making a little better decisions with how he sets up for his shot every night. I do wish that he would never, ever shoot a three without being set. I think I've seen exactly one of those go in all season.
vs.
Anthony Parker - In complete honesty I had no idea that Parker was with the Cavs. I've even watched a couple of their games this year. Daniel Gibson is statistically having the best season shooting of his career (save from the free throw line on only 70 attempts), so I guess the Cavs just like having him come off the bench.
Edge: Rockets

Small Forward
Shane Battier - It would be crazy to expect another defensive performance by Shane like he had last year against LeBron, or would it? Did LeBron learn from last year? Because I guarantee you Battier studied the film and saw what he did differently the rest of the season and what he's done different this year.
vs.
LeBron James- When his team has an off night it is rarely due to James not playing well. He's shotting 51% from the field this year, by far a career high. Add that to his career high 8.2 assists per game and 7 rebounds and the man could legitimately challenge the triple double average in another 2 seasons. All in all, I'm finally saying it, he's better than Kobe (but not by very much).
Edge: Cavaliers

Power Forward
Luis Scola - With Carl Landry seemingly scoring 20 a night, it has been lost how good Scola has been on the defensive end as well as fitting in perfectly on the offensive end. He scores when he gets the ball and is averaging 9.2 rebounds a game. If anyone doesn't know why Landry doesn't start, there you go. I've overestimated Scola's scoring this year, but that is more due to the way he is used in the offense. For a guy that shots a lot of elbow jumpers, 51% shooting is exceptionally good.
vs.
JJ Hickson- Hickson was a strong player at NC State and continues to show why the Cavs were high on him. He still has a long way to go, but 56.85 shooting is going to keep him on the court in a starters role.
Edge: Rockets

Center
Chuck Hayes - Chuck has been shooting the ball exceptionally poorly, even for him as of late. The Rockets have to have him hit the majority of his 3-5 shots to beat a team like the Cavs. They simply cannot be wasted possessions. His defense is still very good. There is one problem...
vs.
Shaquille O'Neal - is one of the few players in the league that Chuck simply cannot guard without Shaq having an off game on his own. If O'Neal is being his typical last 2 seasons self, there is nothing Hayes can do. If he is being his 2002 self Shaq could score 100. That's not a knock on Chuck, he's a great defender, not all matchups are going to go his way though.
Edge: Cavaliers

Injuries/Suspensions
Houston Rockets
OUT - Tracy McGrady, well I don't know if he's still hurt, just that he isn't playing
Cleveland Cavaliers
DTD - Jamario Moon

My Prediction: Cavaliers win by 7, the Rockets simply are not the defensive team they were the last two years