Does anyone know what the final result for Chuck is?

Is it a permanent restriction on his future play?

..and most importanly, can we resign him now that Sac said bye bye if the condition ends up manageable?

I now Chuck isn't a young potential allstar that we need to spend time developing, but I can't help but think that any future successful Rockets team needs a team full of Chucksters.

If I were a religious person I would send out prayers for Chuck...but instead just holiday good wishes.

Happy Holidays TDS!

May santa or whatever imaginary person you believe in bring you whatever you want...particuarly if it is the GI Joe with the Kung Fu grip!.

Well from what I can tell on this blog, some of you guys are sick of Nate (lord only knows why considering all he has done with a decimated roster) and for some ungodly reason Morey and Lamar Alexander (Rox owner) have decided to get ride of Adelman (lord also only knows why considering all he has done with our decimated roster) so if you guys really want to change things up then I suggest we just switch coaches.

Honestly, I think both coaches are two of the best in the league, up there with Pops and probably Rivers, so there is no reason why not.  Adelman actually "lives" in Portland anyway, when not in Houston, so he may want to come home to coach.  And I would love Nate to coach Houston.

Honestly, Nate is a good D coach...good with using young assets etc...  Adelman is good at creating lots of offense through motion...something you guys seem to need a lot these days.  It would be a half way decent trade.

 

Honestly, though.  I still think you guys are pretty nuts to not like Nate.  The guy is a solid coach....but if not...Adelman isn't bad either.  ...and my guess is that if Adelman is going to coach anywhere it will be with a more championship bound team, like LA or Miami, or at his home, in Portland.

 

Sorry for the end of the season Portland.  We will see you guys next year in the western conference finals.

So there I was on my honeymoon in Thailand in 2008.  Great place, lots of beautiful nature, good food, etc....but it was also in November and there was bball going on.  So then I noticed that they were showing the Rockets - Blazers game the next morning and so I got up at 9 to watch the game.  It went down to the last seconds of the game...and then HE happened.  Brandon Roy gets the throw in from the half court line and makes a huge hail marry shot right in my face. Beating my Rockets. Damn him.  

Well Mr. Roy.....welcome back, or at least welcome to the new, different, but still capable of greatness status.

Well Portland, you evened up the series and rediscovered your old star in the process.  Thank god.  Who the hell else was I going to route for?  ...ok OKC is a good option, but I am so sick of LA and Boston(and hate paul "the greatest basketball player in the world" Pierce), despise the underachieving Orlando and Hawks teams, etc...

So my second favorite team continues...

So LA needs to take it to the hole,...into the lane, draw the fouls on Chandler and Dirk.   You guys just need to have a guy who will be the enforcer...give Dallas a real metaphorical smack in the face.  They are so soft they will just crumble....well all except Butler (injured) and Chandler (defensive badass).

Best wishes to continue beating some Maverick ass.  ...and at the end of the day you can always take pride that you come for a beautiful city that possesses something that lots of Dallas lacks, substance and class.  To those Dallas fans I just offended....so you are saying Cuban is classy?...and Jerry Jones?.....just go ahead and move to LA already.

Go Portland

Blazers Nation: First of all, congrats on last night's win.  Portland won why most teams in the playoffs one: playing unselfish, team bball.

Both teams played well...and all out (which takes a lot for me to say considering my strong strong dislike of almost all things Dallas).  The next game should be a good slug fest...and hopefully the Trailblazing forces for good will defeat the overpaid, soft old dudes in Dallas.

Just thought I would ramble off some thoughts about the game:

Brandon Roy:

Even though he could be a real Rocket's killer, he was always fun to watch play.  Last night you saw almost a new Brandon, which I think was needed for some time.  Roy the almost Kobe or whatever people used to call him, played a ton in the air, around the rim, giving us all sorts of explosive plays.  The Roy last night seemed a little like that but I think he is learning what the new normal is for him...what he can and can't do.  It seems for a while there he was just sad he couldn't play like he used to and it just got him down.  But i think with time, and his high bball IQ and great shot, he can become a still very useful player.  He just needs time to discover and then perfect what his new style of playing will be and it will come.  Lets hope so.  He is too nice of a guy in a league full of douche bags to let go.

 

Tyson Chandler:

This is the only Dallas player I can stand...and mostly cause he isn't soft and plays tough D.  His foul trouble and time riding the pine because of it may have been the difference maker this past game.  I hope for Portland's sake you guys can get him or Dirk in foul trouble and then that could help win the next one.

Batum, Crash, Roy, Aldridge: the blended players

It seems to me you only have two true players in their position: Miller at PG and Camby at Center.  Those guys are pure in what they do.  These other layers are kind of blended players...and you guys have a lot of them.  This really helps you guys a ton getting mismatches and it was pretty effective last night...although Roy may end up being a full time PG due to his knees problem...unfortunately.

L Aldridge

First of all...as my final comment (most of these are so obvious anyway...I hope they add some value to the discussion) I want to make clear that I am a UT Longhorn through and through.  I like all the past longhorn players...mostly, and LA is one of those players.   That being said, I see real problems with his game and I think he really needs to work on parts.  1) He is a 7 footer, with a great shot, like Dirk, but also like Dirk he doesn't rebound nearly enough as he should and doesn't bang inside.  There are other players like that: Pau Gasol comes to mind....but he could truly shoot the jumper as well as seek out contact to play tough paint D and fight for rebounds, he would skyrocket up every All Star ballot.  He is still more comfortable playing a jump shooting SF role than a PF.  He has the natural ability to be a better PF but just hasn't chosen to make it his mission.  While I like LA, these are major weaknesses in his game and Portland would be a much better team if he could become more of a rebounder and paint defender.  Also, dude, get to the line more often.  He avoids contact to have room for his jumper, but if Dirk or Chandler are on you then draw the fouls in the first half the game and earn the points at the line....the value of putting them in foul trouble will be worth it.

 

Sorry for the long post...but with the Dream Shake debating over what horrible ex coach (either Cleveland's or Atlanta's) to hire to replace RA I need to talk about serious basketball.  You guys may have the top two or three coach in bball.  After Pops in SA and maybe Boston or LA's coaches.

Good luck and beat the crap out of prissy dallas.

BE'ers,

I am a Houston guy, and well, we don't like Dallas too much for the most part.  I don't know if it is the big hair and trophy wives (not that Houston doesn't have their fair share), or it is that all of their sports owners are tacky, obnoxious jerks who think that having millions lets them be tacky obnoxious jerks.

But also, I just don't like the Mavericks.  The guys are almost always soft, pushovers in the playoffs.  They think they can win tons of regular season games, when many teams are only going 75%, and then are shocked when people start playing them tough in the playoffs.  This does not earn my respect.

The best memory for me is when Dirk drove the lane on Carl Landry, when he was a Rocket, and smashed his arm into Landry's mouth and took some of Landry's teeth with him.  Dirk fell the floor as if he had been shot or something and wiggled around grasping his arm like a little baby where Landry's teeth were stuck in him.  Landry though calmly walked to the sidelines, waved someone over to help him with his mouth and didn't utter one second of crying.  Dirk is a wimp.

Needless to say, with Crash, Camby and Miller, you have some tough scrappy guys to beat the heck out of the Mavs. 

Good luck doing it...and I hope you win the series in 5 so you can get some rest for whoever you face in the next round.

Go Blazers.

Blazer's Edge,

Here's good luck this coming playoffs from your friends in Houston, at The Dream Shake (or at least some of us).

As a team that has also had to deal with lots of injuries and kept going, we appreicate all you guys have been through, and are still kicking butt.

Picking up Wallace was a great piece to your team, and my fellow Longhorn, Aldridge, is playing very well this season.

Here is hoping Roy gets his confidence and stroke back and you make it at last to the Western Finals.

Yours truly,

John ...and many of us in Rockets Nation

Per Batman's request to my absolutely brilliant writing on another post about the Rocket's "best" player, how about a discussion on who has been the most irreplaceable Rocket on the team.

Now I have a ton of work to do tonight so I won't even try to do this statistically, but my argument is that, hands down, the most irreplaceable Rocket is Chuck Hayes.

To anyone who hasn't been on Mars, under a rock, or cheering for the Jazz this season, with Yao going out and Miller, well frankly sucking it up big time, it is Hayes that game in game out has done whatever he could to get the job done.

His triple double is just one example, granted a big freaking example, of how much value he has been adding to this team all season.  And those are the metrics that are easily recordable.

Now I could even make an argument that if you could assign "points" "scored" by Hayes' efforts playing D, scrapping for the ball, rebounding etc... he could even be our "best" player this season...but lets stick to this question, and let sleeping dogs lie as many here would scream me down for Martin forever.

But one other thing is also for sure.  On a per salary dollar spent, Hayes wins this and probably most awards hands down.

Now many could say Scola, Lowry and Martin could also go for this award.  But to those people I say:

Scola: not great defense and been adequately replaced by P^2 when injured

Lowry: damn good, especially for the last few games, but Brooks was there at the beginning of the season, and Lee can still fill in for him in a pinch and be pretty effective

Martin: great shooter, mediocre to bad D.  Not to say he isn't great at offense but he is a one dimensional player, even if he kicks ass at that dimension. Add to this that Lee does a pretty damn job these days when Martin is out and Martin's down games where he disappears and it shows Hayes' domination of the "irreplaceable" title.

 

As for Hayes: no one on this team has played center as remotely as effective as him.  Miller doesn't even play center...last time I checked, unless you play for Utah, centers don't or shouldn't play on the 3pt line.  (...and we don't want to be like Utah).  I won't even get into Hill's issues...only to say Hayes is much much much better.

So here is to you Chuck Hayes. Congrats on being Mr. Irreplaceable.

(granted this title means probably nothing more than my oh so so humble opinion but there you have it)

Poll

The most irreplaceable player on the Rockets this season is:

19%

Chuck Hayes

22 votes

46%

The Chuckwagon

54 votes

3%

The Chuckster

4 votes

30%

Some other player, who, now that I think about it, still doesn't compare to the Chuckwagon

35 votes

115 votes | Poll has closed

So if the Rockets were in the East, they would have the sixth seed and be facing Atlanta in the playoffs in the first round. We could take them...and considering that they are really tanking these days we could even end up in the 5th seed when it is all said and done.

We also have a better record than the "star-studded" NY Knicks.  Despite my admiration for Chauncey,and the fact that I have come to respect the maturity that Amare has shown since going to NYC, I really despise everything else about that organization.  The owner sucks the most...a true spoiled brat idiot who never had to work for a dollar of the millions his dad made for him.  I despise their non-defense playing coach even more.  Amare and Melo don't really care about winning a championship as they care about being paid big bucks on Broadway.  So I will stop my NYC rant now.  We are just better than their spoiled brat asses.

And here we are today and David West of NO blew out his knee.  That sucks for him...I don't wish that on anyway, but at least it gives us hopefully two teams to gun for in the final games of the season to make the playoffs.  Things may work out after all.

So lets all bury the hatched on TWill's lack of playing time (RA's vendetta against him or maybe he just really sucks), and forget there ever was a debate on Lowry vs AB (we now have what we have...and he's playing fucking awesome), and just cheer for the Rocekts.

Lowry is playing at allstar level, Hayes had a triple double, Bud picked up some minimal defensive skills somewhere, and we may yet suprise people into the playoffs.

I actually hope we face LA and not SA in the first round. We play well against LA...always giving them fits, and I like SA enough to not care if they end up winning it all.  (but i am fucking sick of seeing Derek's Fischer's slow and lame ass getting rings on Kobe and Gasol's back). 

So good luck to all in Rockets Nation and hopefully I can organize some first round watching parties at a sports bar in Austin very soon.

ps...TWill still sucks though.

Just building on the post hours ago in praise of the Chuckwagon.  It is indeed rolling.

 

1) The guy was already cheap for what he provided, quality post D.  But for the past years his offense was pretty bad and his assists were also nothing to talk about.  This has all changed.  I know we need a seven footer in the paint...but the guy is honestly better on D than most 6'10'' guys and is just a great asset to this team (which you all already know for sure otherwise you are living under a bball rock)

2) It is going to be hard to keep Chuck from going to a real contender this offseason due to the fact that he is still relatively cheap and D wins championships.  Don't you think SA or another team with a thin big man bench would not love to sign the Chuck wagon.

3) I am seconding the request for a change in the title line. TWill sucks.  All should just accept it.  He is and maybe even WAS an experiment that never even reacted.  Like adding baking soda to vinegar and getting nothing...or whatever the kid volcano experiment entails.  The guy is still not playing even garbage minutes that my four month old could play in.  His attitude seems to suck and he is a selfish player...the guy belongs playing with Melo, LeDouche or in GS. 

4) the new tag line has to be something regarding Chuckwagon or maybe even Houston's PF's in general.  I would say that Chuckwagon, Scola and PP all need some love...but Chuckwagon is producing way above his level...and by that I mean his height. 

Chuck Hayes for President.

Poll

Well my opinion is...

13%

This is totally redudant of the other fan post but because Chuck is such a badass I have to give him praise anyway.

9 votes

25%

Boston's blog should put "where KG is Chuckwagon's bitch"

17 votes

37%

the NBA slogan should be "where Chuck Hayes makes everyone his bitch happens"

25 votes

22%

TWill sucks ass and Chuckwagon is a 6'6'' post playing ninja

15 votes

66 votes | Poll has closed

Just a quick thought about playing time.

Ok, so in case anyone missed it, we are in complete rebuilding time.

Of our starters, we know what Scola, Hayes and Martin can do.

What we don't know is what PP, Hill, Bud, TWill, etc... can do with extended minutes.

I could even buy that we should continue to give Lowry advanced minutes, to cement his starting PG role.

But I just looked at the box score and saw that the top three players, minutes wise, were Scola, Martin and Hayes, with something like 40 minutes.  The next group played around 28 minutes.

Now I know we want to win games and all...and what coach doesn't want to throw away a game to get some extra minutes for some scrubs, but if we are going to succeed at all with this rebuilding effort we need to be focusing on turning our real young talent, particularly PP, with some serious minutes.

I know teams shouldn't want to tank a season, but wouldn't Scola and Martin even be better off if we end up with a higher lottery pick by really sucking up the rest of the season, then we could get them more help for next season?

Maybe if RA is going to continue this way we may really need a more rebuilding minded coach.  Can't blame RA. I am a huge fan of his and think he has done wonders in the past challenging seasons with what he has to work with, but maybe a new direction is what the team needs.  Just an idea.

 

Aside: saw part of the Spurs-Memphis game tonight and saw Battier out there in Memphis blue.  It makes me sad.  It even makes me more sad that he could have ended up in a real contender with Boston or some other team but intead he is probably on a first round exit yet again.  Maybe not, but I wish he could be championship bound...if not at least deep playoff bound.  Happy trails Shane.

Its not the end of the world but I think that the Rockets need to be able to grab a good center other than him in order to make a trade for Wallace as well.

What good does Wallace really do if we don't also plug our gaping hole in the middle?

He is an improvement....probably, over Battier, assuming Battier's role as mentor/glue guy/captain isn't that big of a loss, but we are then taking on a lot of money for an oldish guy without also addressing our biggest need.

Maybe we grab Wallace while we can and then hope for a good center in the offseason?  Maybe, but with a new CBA lowering the cap then we could be SOL about space to sign a good one and that is where we need a better player, not as SF.

Unless we can trade for Nene, Kaman, Perkins or a combo of Dalembert and Przybilla type move I don't know if we tie up so much salary to grab Wallace (with its probably required grabing of Diaw).

...and no its not that he looks good in tights...

I just saw this post from the main page post to free TWill

 

I honestly don't expect anything to happen

That is the shock I am talking about. DM is not willing to swing for the fences, rather he takes RBI’s and hopes the bases are loaded and we get a couple runs home. I am really getting sick and tired of that shit.

 

I have to get to the point of agreeing if nothing decent happens this week.  We shall all see.  I want to be dazzled, surprised, something...anything...throw us a bone please....otherwise I don't see why people praise him all that much...

Contrary to some of the negative views out there I still think we can make this team competitive this year and next.

Here is my wishlist that I think can make this happen:

1) After Melo bolts for NJ or NY then we get Nene from Denver for a starting center (loose probably Bud and Hill and a draft pick)

2) we trade Brooks for Dalembert for the rest of the season (both K's are up this season) (Jefferies K to match salaries or something like that)

3) We big off an expensive SF contract with either Wallace (or maybe even Iggy) (either loose Lee or PP and Battier to match)

 

Any of these trades could easily involve other players and/or teams to make moves work out etc.... but these trades give us roughly:

 

PG: Lowry
SG: Martin
SF: Wallace or Iggy (playing SF not his usual SG)
PF: Scola
C: Nene

Bench: Dalembert, maybe resigned Battier, Lee or PP, Hayes, Miller,

Our bench and youth takes a major hit but this is how you have to make a run this year.  If something like this size doesn't get done I dont see why we take Nene for a rental if there aren't also other pieces to work in.

In this lineup Scola and Martin are our weakest on D and Lowry is on O (though his shots have been falling this year)...but by keeping a lot of the core group together it seems that we could still work with RA's system in time to make a good run for the playoffs.

The question is can we get all this done?

I really think that getting Nene for a big man is not enough to really be competitive. Hayes and Miller cant do it ...Miller has started looking like the old SG we got a year or two ago who was to be the veteran leader who did nothing...from SA. 

Anyway, if we can't land at least upgrades at C and either SF or maybe PG (Billups or something like that) I don't think it is worth any rentals.

OK, so all these points have been spoken to death but I am taking a break from grading my undergrad papers I am a TA for so I needed a break.  Enjoy the weekend and hopefully fucking amazing trade news come our way.  (that and we have turned Yao into the billion dollar man...we have the technology!!!)

Poll

Opinions

23%

And what exactly was your point of printing this crap yet again...

12 votes

3%

And what exactly was your point of printing this crap yet again...

2 votes

5%

And what exactly was your point of printing this crap yet again...

3 votes

19%

Freakin' genius why didn't the rest of us think of this..oh wait we did...about a billion times.

10 votes

47%

go back to eating paint chips and changing diapers

24 votes

51 votes | Poll has closed

Just a question on the status of Landry.

Haven't seen or heard much from him recently and I know he was bumped out of the starting lineup from Sac, but any news on hm these days?

I know we don't need him as a PF backup these days with PP being so promising/already good, but if we have to trade PP for a center or some other player he may be a good idea to bring back in FA this summer.

Has his bad play in Sac been coaching? personalities? or has he just sucked it up? 

 

I haven't seen but about 5 minutes of Sac games this season so I was just curious.

 

From his current playing time though, the trade of him for Martin was pretty awesome stroke of genius.

Just curious about all you guys and girl out there about your demographics. Seeing as how we spend so much time "talking" to each other, or bitching at each other, I was wondering who you all are. Not actually, cause you know stalkers, annoying people and all but who is everyone as far as age, married or not, race, job, years of rockets fan, living in Houston or elsewhere, etc... If you don't feel comfortable no worries but just curious. Here is my bio stuff Logon: John P Family: Married with a 3 month old (who just slept 10 hours in one night uninterupted!!!) Race: Whiter than the whitest white guy (think steve martin's the jerk meets a lumberjack) Job: Currently getting my MBA and going to work at GE next year Years of rockets fan: big fans in 1992 through 1996 then picked it up again in 2007. Living in Austin but probably moving to connecticut Actual bball skills: virtually none, I suck big time...at closest I am chuck hayes, good on D, posting up on D etc... but suck on offense and pretty much everything else If you want to add anything else feel free. May we get the kick ass center and all star SF we deserve

1) A. Brooks:

Is, without a doubt, a starting quality PG, has major speed and shooting skills to burn opponents, has good clutch moments, and despite his walking out in frustration the other game, he seems to be a pretty classy guy.  He is one of the main reasons why we have continued to be a solid team the last three years,despite all the injuries.  His D sucks, but his O skills make up for that for him to be a starting PG.  This year is a down year.  Lowry is also good and is also good enough to be a starting PG, we just now have a bottle neck at PG and both guys want the job desperately.  If you want to blame anyone for the current issues, blame Manu, who hurt Brook's ankle and knocked him out of his starting job and upset the apple cart.  Honestly, also, who gives a shit who actually starts at PG...its just prideful crap, play who is hot, or who is useful, if both get major minutes than does it really matter.  Back to Manu, he didn't start for years, does anyone really doubt he is a great player anyway? The only way we really mess with having both Brooks and Lowry is if it is to get a top all start player or a top big man.   Otherwise this situation stays as is...with Brooks and Lowry continuing to fight for the top spot.  They are a great combo threat to other teams and actually work well together normally when Brooks isn't having a down year.

2) C Lee

I was a fan of Ariza. I was very skeptical of the Ariza for Lee trade.  I still like Ariza, mainly for his D and stealing skills, but Lee offers us things are many dimensions that we have to have:

a) another PG, particularly if we have to trade Brooks or Lowry for an all star or a great big man.

b) a strong backup SG: Martin is awesome but he can't play forever and could always get injured.  Lee is capable to do this well.

c) perimeter D: this skill, combined with his PG abilities make him really really really valuable.  With a Brooks/Martin lineup we are very very poor on perimeter D.  If you put Lee in for either player then you get a huge improvement.  The only bad part is when Lee plays with Lowry...then our offense suffers more.  

These combo of factors make Lee as or maybe more valuable than trading straight up for Asik.  Its not that we dont desperately need a big man...we do more than anything, but there are some available.  Why trade Lee for Asik when we can maybe sign Pryzbilla, Dalembert, Perkins, etc... instead.

 

3) Melo rental:  This is only going to happen if Melo doesn't get nervous about his money situation and doesn't resign with Denver.  NYC probably knows they can't trade for Melo, because it will gut their fragile team. Houston only does a rental if they get Nene in the process...basically arguing that they are doing Denver a favor by giving them something for Melo instead of getting nothing.  We can offer a couple of picks and young players, while Chicago will probably just give up Asik and Deng.   Nene is really the secret to this puzzle and I just don't see this happening.

 

4) Big Man:  A trade for a Dalembert or Przybilla puts us into the 7th to 8th seed for sure this year.  (assuming we keep lowry, martin, scola in the process). Getting a player like Nene may even put us into the 5th or 6th seed.  This is not enough to be truly competetive for a title but it does a huge job in getting us there.  Maybe we can trade for Nene and Kaman? but that would be a huge salary bump up.   This is really where the actually really matters for this team, but with so many teams trying to compete with LA and Boston's size, I just don't think we are going to get much in the way of youngish vets.  Camby is going to a contender for sure....maybe Orlando? or a team like that.

Hope this wasn't a complete waste of time.

FYI: son is still in the 95th percentile in height...and 26 inches at 3 months of age.  Does anyone know what percentage high 6'9'' is?  I am thinking he could be a shortish PF. His daddy is bolted to the ground via gravity and no jumping ability....but I am planning to send him to the "Scola PF Badass Camp for Kids Who Don't Jump So Good."...which could make all the difference.

Poll

Whats going to happen?

18%

Hakeem actually comes us with Phi Slamma Jamma Pajammas in his new clothing line

11 votes

24%

Your son becomes a Scola model PF badass and defies gravity to jump posterize Blake Griffin

15 votes

8%

The NBA players are going to follow the Egyptian example and throw their shoes as Stern until he actually raises the salary caps on NBA player salaries

5 votes

22%

P Pierce gets crabs in his pubic facial hair, which he has to shave, and the Celtics loose in the first round of the playoffs

14 votes

26%

Headly Lamar Odom and Bynum are as soft as Charmin

16 votes

61 votes | Poll has closed

Here is my completely BS, no factual basis prediction for Rockets trades before or at the deadline.

Trade one: a three way trade that sends Battier to the Lakers, Ron and Bynum to a second team and send some young potential stud to Houston.  It just makes sense for Battier to go to the Lakers to fill Ron's shoes.  He is better D, better O, smarter player, better leader, and honestly, with his contract coming off the books at the end of the season for LA so it ups their chances of making the finals again.

Who we end up with in this trade is anyone's game but it seems to be that of all the teams in the running for the finals, Battier to LA makes the most sense.  Please got don't send us Bynum.  Immature, injury prone bball players are not what we need.

 

Trade two: Aaron Brooks for Dalembert with filler to make up the difference in salaries.  Others people's completely unfounded rumors said that Sac wanted Brooks to pair with their SG and we desparately need good D in the paint.  With Sac having a plethora of pinatas, I mean centers, they can move him for a piece they need more.

 

This is just a guess but that sounds like a good idea for me.

Who wouldn't want C Paul, D Howard or other completely unrealistic players...but sorry guys, to get a player like that would require gutting the team, leaving little for CP3 to pass to or Howard to practice with.

This is just a fun, throw up shit and start a conversation piece.  Please don't attack me with my apparent loathing for Brooks or other stuff.  I love almost all of our players, but Hill and Miller, and don't wish ill or anyone or any thing, except P Pierce, so no need to get all up in my grill, or whatever the kids are saying these days.

Old Van Gundy, one of the most annoying announcers in the NBA in my opinion, made a statement the other day and I think I may agree with it.  To truly be successful in this league you are either a top seeded or have to be at the bottom of the ranks to get a top lottery pick to get a franchise star.  After watching us for the past couple of years I tend to agree with this idea.

We have done really well the past five or so years despite Yao's injuries and TMac's pussy-ness.  Then last season and even this year we have shown lots of heart in games where we are clearly outgunned.  The problem is though, for all our team's valiant efforts, it seems like they haven't had the assets to really make a run since the beginning of the Yao, Artest, TMac trio started their one, ill fated season together. No we are toiling away last season and this one and there is little to show for all of Battier's, Yao's etc... hard work.

Now I know that teams need to have a tradition of winning, good ownership, basic self esteem to truly be competitive, etc...and not become the Clippers (pre Griffin) but I do think it is going to be extremely hard to be competitive only being able to draft end of first round and second round picks.

Exhibit 1: our draft of PP.  The guys is awesome for sure and really has shown great maturity and promise, etc... but for a team that didn't have Tmac or Yao etc... last season we should have been in the running for Favors or Cousins.  The problem is that we are just too good to be in that running.  Now we have a draft coming on this coming year that people say is crap.  And of course, Martin Scola and the gang will continue to do good enough to keep us at the end of the lottery or the higher first round picks.

Now I know this sounds totally defeatist and wining.  I am really not trying to be, but I do think that unless we can pick up a good big man down low, or even two, this season or this coming FA season, then blowing up the vets on the team for what we can get could be in order. 

If Morey is able to bring in a M Gasol or other good center then great....but continue to run a team with Chuck, the bad ass 6'6'' center is just going to frustrate the whole team and the fans over the long run anyway.

Poll

Opinion:

18%

Man you are a downer.

8 votes

16%

Man you are a pussy-galore

7 votes

41%

Your post totally blows dude....but despite that, you very well may be right.

18 votes

23%

BD34's posts are so much better than yours.

10 votes

43 votes | Poll has closed

Not against the trade talk...as I have been a big participant, but as I was thinking last night...waiting for my little cost center pooping machine to go to sleep, ....there are only two possible trades that can/will happen this year or at any time before anything else gets done.

The Rockets have not one but two big holes...which could be filled by the same player.

Role 1: replace Yao/get a big man to play D in the lane (obviously)

Role 2: a franchise player to anchor the team around, who can take over games if need be, etc... (I don't feel that Martin and/or Scola and/or Brooks (for you Batman) qualify as this type of player due to the lack of D and lack of consistent clutch shooting)

 

Now we could fill that with one player, like a Dwight Howard type player or maybe Bogut etc...but this is highly unlikely in any case.

But with these being our obvious holes I got to thinking about what other trades were possible or probable and what could be done with the new CBA coming on.

Thanking of all this I have come to the, maybe totally obvious, conclusion, that no trade of any size/decent cost is going to happen unless it lands us someone to fill these needs.  No Wallace or Iggy trade satisfies these requirements.  Sorry, its true.  For all of their skills, and the fact that they may be potential upgrades from Shane/Bud/Williams, they just don't put us over the hump with a player of that much star quality and they are not centers.

Now with Wallace on the market and rumors of Iggy also out there forever, it would seem that if these were such good ideas for us this would have been done or at least rumored about in the press.  But the fact is both these guys are good enough to be expensive enough to eat up too much cap space to be traded for UNTIL we first fill our two main holes in our lineup.

Small trades for young players like Williams or Lee type players could happen at the margins, but I just don't see us eating up cap space on a player that doesn't improve us that much when the new CBA could lower everyone's price ceilings a ton. We need to save all the YAo, Battier, JEfferies cap space for one or maybe two great players and Iggy and Wallace don't qualify.

Aside: So I have never been a huge Morey is God fan or anything but I have to give him props for one thing with the above facts in mind.  With the new CBA coming on, and our team made up mostly of cheap decent, young players, once the ceiling is lowered, if I understand the process right, all of these teams who have paid tons of money to good but not necessarily great players, will be stuck with little room to maneuver.  They may then be happy to trade away a damn good but highly paid player to us in exchange for two of our decent and cheap players.  It just allows us to potentially be in the driver seat once the new CBA comes into effect.  

So I may be wrong about this and about how the CBA could screw teams like Memphis, Clippers etc... but if I am right, we may have a ton of good news this summer and early next season as the impact of the new CBA comes in.  Fingers crossed, lucky rabbits feat, rubbing my belly and eating my Lucky Charms I am right.

Poll

What do you think of my brain fart?

28%

Dude, like I saw this years ago...I know rocks with higher IQ than you.

13 votes

8%

Great post...wow, if your son is as smart as you his pure intelligence will cause time and space to bend and serve his will

4 votes

33%

stop inhaling all those diaper fumes...that shit will kill you

15 votes

28%

What exactly did Ren mean when he called Stimpy "you bloated sack of protoplasm"?

13 votes

45 votes | Poll has closed

1) so apparently Jordan is willing to trade Wallace these days and the Cavs are in the mix...to help replace LeDouche's SF position.  It seems like he has two years, roughly 20 million left on the contract...but his numbers are down this year.  I for one have argued that to make a run in the next two years (pre-Yao ending the season) that we needed this type of upgrade at SF for offense to pair with good D (Battier is probably better at D but Wallace is good at D and much better at O).

This may be an option for us, in my opinion, if we can also trade for a good center at the same time.  That would make us competitive this year but I still think we will be missing a player to really take us over the top.  Even if we got M Gasol or Nene or a player like that, with Wallace, I still don't think it puts us past maybe the second round.

 

2) Trading Scola.  Just want to put this out there. IF we are rebulding over a 3 year period I think Scola is a good trade option for everyone concerned.  I saw somewhere that maybe due to the contract structure that we couldn't get equal value in a trade...if that is true ignore this.  But if we can get good value for him I think this is hte time to trade him IF we are aiming to take more than a year or two more to rebuild. I just think his value is very high now, and if we can't make a run in the next three years it is better to capitalize on that value now to land a young big man.  Just an idea.  Also, I know of a pretty good, young PF that will be a FA that is pretty damn good on O, who lost some teeth in a German, that we could sign to help fill that gap if we try to do this.

Again, I love Scola.  The guy brings it every single night. He is my favorite Rocket for sure.  But you have to make hard choices that are best for the team.

 

3) I am was just kidding with you guys. I got nothing for a third option.   Just to say my gut tells me we are getting Dalembert or someone like that this season or this summer.  Not the end of the world but still I think we need to upgrade something else along with that in a big way to be competitive.  I still say if we go a Dalembert type route I think we should also try and get another center who plays great D/rebounds.  Pryzbilla, Camby or someone else in that style would be great.  Keep rotating them around and keep the lane locked down.   I just don't have much faith in Miller (sitting at the three point line or driving..for christs sake) or Hill.  Too bad TwoPat is more of a PF than a C.

Just screwing with you guys.  Seriously.  Seriously.  Can't we all just get along.  Well can't we all get along as long as everyone agrees to equally hate Paul Pierce, Amare, and probably some other players I can't think of now.

On other notes can someone explain the following things for me about the techincal aspects of the game (i really just watch the game and don't know all of the trade and stats BS stuff)

1) What exactly goes into the "+/-" calculation? Is this even worth looking at ever?

2) How does the trade exception work? from my knowledge you can only use it paired with one actual player on your roster to trade for another player from another team with a greater salary.  Basicaly pairing Ariza's trade exception and Ish's contract for Melo's contract type thing.  Is this right or am I smoking crack.

3) Is it me or does Scola have the best hair in the NBA since Dennis Rodman?

4) if I see another debate about Lowry vs. Brooks I think I am going back to making posts advocating that Battier should play point guard and leave it at that.

If you couldn't tell, I have an infant at home.  The dude is 7 weeks old, already 23 inches, and is already grown out of 3 month old clothing.  Can anyone say "Lebron can kiss my son's ass that he is or forever will be the "The Chosen One"". Thats what I thought.

All,

Just a humble personal request on proposed trades on blog posts. I realize this is a selfish thing to post but please just let me say my piece.

We all like playing GM, thinking of ideas, being strategic etc... but when you have a suggested trade can you please just write out the trade names of the players in the post and hopefully also the salary numbers that make it work.  The links to the trade machine is kind of sort of ...ok really kind of annoying at times and ideas that are one sided or don't work with the money involved don't add a lot of value to the discussion.

Again, sorry for the selfish request but it just adds so much more to the discussion if all the info on the trade goes along with it....and makes my reading the proposal worth my time.  Clicking on the link that lots of times doesn't work is just frustrating and I end up just never looking at any of them then.

Happy Holidays all.

Poll

What do you think of this post?

19%

you fat bloated idiot, what an idiotic, selfish request

23 votes

37%

god bless you, thanks for saying what needed to be said a long time ago

44 votes

42%

who would win a naked cream corn wrestling match, Rosanne Barr or Charles Barkley (yeah I went there...)

50 votes

117 votes | Poll has closed

We are playing better now and are beating the teams that at least we should beat (Sac and Memphis come to mind).  Some D appears to be played somewhere in Rockets land which is always good to know.  But with Yao gone...most likely for good...or at least we have to assume so....the future is far from certain.  Here is what my (in all likelihood worthless) comments about what we should do etc...

1) Current lineup has the following holes, in order of importance:

a) Center (obviously)

b) Generally backup big men either at the PF or Center spot to bring in to continue to supply good D in the lane (we have no Shaq, Jermaine Oneal, Lamar Odom, Gortat before the trade in Orlando, Pryzbilla, etc...)  Miller does some help on offense but is not the D we need to really be good.

c) All around Defense mentality.  Having both Brooks and Martin on the court is a huge problem but also the hole team forgot Van Gundy days and became Golden State or something in playing defense for a lot of this season.  In partially joking but also partly serious, does anyone think Van Gundy would come back to the Rockets as a D coach?  Granted RA wouldn't want to be second guessed...particuarly by such an annoying personality, but the guy did make our D solid for sure.

d) SF upgrade.  This Williams guy may be good...or he may be Hill, showing some promise but not there (at least not there yet).  Until Williams proves to be as advertised by the optimists I think we continue to look to trade for a SF. Of course Iggy would be great and I don't know why some people are against Wallace either, but I doubt we could get either for a reasonable price.

 

So what do we do about all this.

a) Center: apparently, this coming years draft sucks.  So I guess Morey has the idea of trade now before the draft and get players we know have at least some value.  Also with NYC doing well so far those NYC picks don't look too great now.  So what to do?  I think you go for Marc Gasol and see what gets matched.  Considering their owner/s have been willing to pay mediocre to sub-star players in PG and SF way too much money, my guess is Gasol is getting his too.  But still it doesn't hurt to ask. 

As for Perkins.  Boston looks solid, and with a young Rondo going forward then Perkins is probably just going to resign to keep going to at least the Eastern Finals over the next couple of years.  If we get him great.  Relatively young and plays great D.  A perfect guy to grab.

After those two I think we are just then getting a rental until we can get a Favors/Cousins type big man...so we are talking signing Dalembert, Chandler, etc...maybe Nene, etc....  Solid players...good on D, which is what we need but not as great as Gasol and PErkins.  If we end up in this land then better upgrade at SF even more to make up for the lack of solid all around center.

 

c) as for Defense, I don't know what the hell happened other than Yao going out that caused our early season meltdown on D.  Something still needs to happen to put steel back into our D...and anyone who thinks that going for Melo, Brooks types players is the answer is flat wrong.  We can have an offensive only type player at one, maybe two positions on a squad but that has to be made up for at Center and at one or two other positions to get help defense and/or put good defenders on the best players.  Martin, Brooks, Scola, Miller are all lackluster D players and right now this is the core of our team to a large extent. 

Is there a good assistant out there that is renound for their D?  I know the Chicago coach was the previous D stud.  We need another to really even get into a deep playoff conversation.

 

d)SF upgrade, more or less covered above and in many other posts by many other people.  I just think that if we end up with a mediocre big man this upgrade becomes even more important to balance out the lost Yao offense.

 

Final note, trading Brooks to me seems almost automatic at this point.  Lowry is already paid well and Brooks is due his next year. Both are solid and great playing together but if we can trade either, probably Brooks, for a quality big man than it is the sacrifice we have to do.  I know Ish isn't that great, but Lee is also there and decent backup PG's are easier to get than big men.

IF can could somehow pull of getting an Iggy or Wallace and signing Gasol in RFA this summer I will shave my head and post the picture. Granted I have far less hair than in my 20s but just saying...that dream occurance would never happen but if Santa is listening...its all I really want for Christmas.

Poll

about this post...

20%

...and this was useful how?

5 votes

20%

...you really need to get out, all those diapers and late nights with the little dragon are getting to you

5 votes

33%

...interesting and useful thanks

8 votes

25%

...how is that all you want for christmas, haven't you heard that Elle McPhearson is looking for a new fling

6 votes

24 votes | Poll has closed

This may be totally crazy but what do you guys think of the following:

 

1) we need a good young center.

2) Marc Gasol is a FA at the end of this season.

3) A front court of Gasol, Yao, Miller at center (Assuming we resign Yao for backup money) would be pretty damn good

4) Jefferies and Battier and Yao's current contract are coming off of the books

5) Hopefully we can resign Battier to a lesser 2 to 3 year contract to stay with the Rockets

6) Spend the remaining money on Gasol to come over...but this could be very expensive (Something I know almost everyone in Rockets land hates)

7) If we get the opportunity to trade for any sort of upgrade for Iggy, Wallace or another dream candidate we use some combination of draft picks, Bud, Hill, JT and/or a sign and trade Brooks to get it

8) New Starting Lineup would/could be:

PG: Brooks/Lowry/Ish (or if we trade Brooks then Lowry/Ish/Lee)

SG: Martin, Lee, JT

SF: Battier, Patterson, Lee (or if we trade for an Iggy type player: Iggy/Battier/Patterson

PF: Scola, Hill, Patterson (of after a trade: Scola and Patterson)

C: Gasol, Yao, Miller

 

If you throw in the possibility of signing/trading Brooks for Landry that makes it more fun and shores up PF with the old duo back together.

Dream land I know but just thinking of possibilites.

Happy Holidays all.

Big Little Man (the future Rocket SF is doing nicely...though when he is hungry we call him the Dragon...he goes on a tear until bottle or boob appears).

Poll

What do you think of my lame idea...

3%

Unbelievable work of unspeakable genius.

2 votes

34%

Sounds great...in some purple sky world...no way we could sign Gasol for a reasonable contract

22 votes

6%

Gasol is a punk as bitch and is a waste of Les' money

4 votes

25%

I think we should end up signing Gasol, trading Brooks, Bud and draft picks for Iggy, and signing Landry as a FA and dominating the world.

16 votes

31%

Why can't Santa, instead of being a creapy old fat dude with a big grey beard be a hot red head with big "eyes", fair skin, and who Rockets basketball turns her into a nympho

20 votes

64 votes | Poll has closed

All, I have some great new news on someone new for the Rockets.

His name is Phineas Spenser and he is my new son that was born today, November 24th.

The kid was born 9 pounds 8 ounces and something like 21 inches long (but he did have a cone head so that added some inches)

Granted, his father has less than any real basketball skills, but at the very least we have a new Rockets fan that can scream and yell for the team...when they are worth screaming and yelling for. (When I try to change the kid...trust me, he will have the pipes for cheering).

And maybe with that size at birth, and same DAMN good training growing up, he could play SF for the Rockets if he is lucky.

So there is some good Rockets news for you guys....a silver lining in an otherwise crap pouring cloud of bball depression.

Happy Thanksgiving All.

John P.

Patience.

 

I have been feeling as blue, let down, sad, anxious, etc.. about our lack of D, poor ability to finish out games, etc... as the next guy. I have been making statements on posts about this idea or that etc... Ultimately, though, it will just take time to figure out what configuration works and what doesn't. 

Clearly, Hill and Patterson are not game ready yet.  The fact that they are not playing speaks volumes.  I know some of you don't like RA, but he is a very skilled coach and knows what he is doing (most of the time).

We played damn well against the lakers for most of that game, so it shows what we can do against last season's champs.  There is no reason that we can't figure out the problem/s and make some adjustment and come back to make a good playoff run. 

This sucks a ton. I know. I have a new yorker making fun of us that the Knicks are doing better than us etc...  I just smile and say...you shall see.  I better fucking see!....but for now I argue patience.

Don't bet on Melo or any other blockbuster trade to fix the problem.  It may help but we are a team that is in transition.  We have a ton of new players and new playing requirements when Yao is out there.  It sucks and it may not work with him playing only a set number of minutes, but its what we have.  To save Yao's career in Houston is worth it.  We have to let Yao and Miller get remixed/mixed for the first time into the team. 

Lets just hope we all don't kill ourselves waiting.

 

Patience.

Poll

Your view of having patience...

3%

John P has an incredible mind of unbelievable genius.

2 votes

7%

John P has an incredible mind of unbelievable genius.

4 votes

17%

John P has an incredible mind of unbelievable genius.

10 votes

71%

Stop sniffing the glue and eating paint chips, this is a seriously flawed team and if we don't start kicking ass I will move to Canada and become a communist (which I guess is redundant).

41 votes

57 votes | Poll has closed

I wish this is what our team members were saying.  I think this has to be the key to beating teams....particuarly the run and gun teams like GS or PHX or NYC.  If we can't play D on GS then we are in major trouble.  I agree the were on fire last night and that may be a fluke...and we were without Yao....and we were without Lowry, ...and and and....

At some point you can't keep saying but for this or but for that we would have won etc...  We need the D identity back that we had under Van Gundy.  Its not like we can't rest guys after they play hard out on both sides of the court, diving for balls, scrapping on D etc... Lowry's D and his attitude will definitely help when he comes back, but we need to find that determination to stop every play on D and stick with our men.  No more blown perimeter D.  We have the best shooting back court in the league...or one of them, and we have Yao and Scola's O down low.  This is the missing piece.

 

End of Rant...sorry, but I saw Durant's quote and it just made me sad we don't seem to have the same mentality here.

Two issues:

1) We sucked at times getting rebounds and let Odom and Gasol rule the paint.

2) Blown D perimeter assignments cost us the game...damn it!

1) I found it really frustrating that Gasol and Odom ruled the paint during key parts of last nights game.  Fucking Odom...couldn't even marry the pretty sister. 

Miller and Yao did a good job, but the O did kind of die with Chuck in there.  Where was Hill?  Unless he pissed of RA or something, it is probably then not playing because RA doesn't trust him yet to play in that high a stakes game.  Thats fine, the guy is still realtively young, etc... But we needed help down there big time.  It probably won't matter to let the guy develop until the trade deadline but we need another big guy down low to D up.  We don't even compare to LA or Boston's big man rosters.  Granted many teams down either but we want to win damn it!

Sorry...had to rant there.

One idea I have on this one is the possible taking on of the Brand contract from Philly and therefore helping us land Iggy.  At this point I dont think they are up for trading or anything but that trade does kill two birds with one trade.  I know the contract is huge but just an idea to get iggy and help bang with the bigger teams.

 

2) Bad time to loose your man in the key game.  I dont know what the situation was and why Brown and Blake were open to shoot those threes but it killed us.  Brooks and Martin are unbelievably good being out there at the same time.  They play off each other and light up the basket....but...they have to get better on D.  There is just no excuse and no way we are going to win games without them getting better and not loosing this many D assignments at key points in close games.  We have a great duo...dont want ot break this up but this killed us.


Idea going forward.

So again, this is just an idea that came to me: getting Iggy and then taking on Brand's huge albatross of a contract.  I know this may be contrary to what some people think and it is a huge risk, but maybe worth taking at the trade deadline if we are still well in the running to make a big splash in the playoffs.  Brand or a player of that size and ability playing in the paint last night may have won the game for us by getting more rebounds and just making Odom and Gasol less potent.  Just an idea.

Poll

What do you think?

20%

Stern is a punk as bitch

9 votes

6%

whoever lost their man on perimeter D last night should be flogged

3 votes

40%

whatever moron at TNT who thought we would rather hear some daughter of the Laker's owner hawk her crappy book on television should be shot. Damn that cow was annoying.

18 votes

31%

At least we didn't suck as much as LeDouch and the rest of the Miami team

14 votes

44 votes | Poll has closed

So the LeDouche redemption project continues (see link below)...now with Nike's help.  He makes fun of Barkley, and asks over and over again what should he do...I guess about his "Decision".  They are his friends etc...

 

Dude...you are a grown man. Make the right decisions in life.  It really isn't that hard.  You can't act like an egotistical jerk and expect people to still like you.  Your friends are probably leeching off of you anyway.  Just gain some balls and man up and apologize straight up on ESPN to the people of Cleveland.  Thats it.  Big freaking deal you prideful, arrogant, child.  Didn't his mother teach him to apologize when he hurt someone?

So go Rockets, show this immature fool how proper professional act and lets bring the trophy to Houston in 2011.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Video-LeBron-James-new-Nike-ad?urn=nba-279721

1) Why is Hakeem teaching Howard and Kobe good offensive post moves when Hill, Patterson etc...need that help here in HTown?  Hill in particular could really use Dream's help with his quick feet, hands, etc...he is sort of a mini version of Dream when he was just entering the league.  Why help LA and Orlando when home sweet home needs some lovin'.

 

2) Can anyone put in the info on the League Pass?  Can I for sure see every Houston game on it no matter what?  You pick 7 teams to see all of their games on?  Any and all info would be appreciated.

 

And due to needing to fill the space, I have attached a silly poll for shits and giggles below.  Enjoy.

Poll

What I really care about it:

23%

That Paul Pierce and SVG breed to create the most annoying basketball personality ever.

10 votes

30%

that Melo finally gets his ultimate goal (you know winning is of course everything to this guy) and agrees to be traded to and signs an extension with the Clippers and then continues to uphold the already established culture of winning that has made the C

13 votes

45%

is that LeBron can finally throw off all that racism that clearly has been keeping him from having a successful bball career to date and he can finally stopped being judged as a horrible bball player because he is not a boring white dude like me.

19 votes

42 votes | Poll has closed