# Rosen: Rockets can kiss playoffs good-bye



## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

> Here's what's right and what's wrong with the Rockets. Early on, Yao Ming was doubled-teamed on virtually every post-up catch and was willing and eager to pass the ball. But he was slow in releasing his passes. Also, the Rockets never sent any cutters through the middle to try to take advantage of the Suns' over-reactive rotations.
> 
> While Yao is extremely slow, he ran his hardest to the hoop in an early offensive situation and managed to win the race to the hoop. However, his teammates totally ignored him, and Juwan Howard fired up (and made) a 20-foot jumper.
> 
> ...



http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5338760


Rosen must have wet himself writing this, but atleast he wrote an accurate article this time. There must be ways Houston can get Yao the ball. Tracy has been playing like Kyle Korver lately and unless he plays at an MVP level, this team is not elite.


----------



## CrackerJack (Jul 2, 2005)

the article is very true, houston plain looked like **** against the suns, no energy no passion absolutely no heart


----------



## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Rosen sounds much saner than usual. Apart from when he said that Yao has long arms. And the bit about Juwan Howard only being able to hit baseline jumpers. Oh, and he seems to not realize that with T-Mac playing properly, this is easily a 50+ win team.

He's right about Yao being slow to pass to the perimeter, though. He's also right about T-Mac not playing his best with Yao. No one wants to admit it or even think about it, but it's true. It was like that last season, too, until near the end. I think they need many more games together before any rapport is established.

Another good point is one that some of us have been saying for a while -- against some teams we need to have Yao playing in the high post. When fronted, he's not going to spring up to catch lobs like David Robinson, and he's not going to be able to simply ignore defenders like Shaq. He can overcome fronting if he goes to the high post. He can consistently hit the jumper from there, and he is terrific at passing to cutters. It seems counterintuitive -- almost like surrendering -- but you've got to be creative. As much as everyone wants him to be, Yao is not a classic center.


----------



## kisstherim (Jul 15, 2004)

Hakeem said:


> He's right about Yao being slow to pass to the perimeter, though. He's also right about T-Mac not playing his best with Yao. No one wants to admit it or even think about it, but it's true. It was like that last season, too, until near the end. I think they need many more games together before any rapport is established.
> 
> Another good point is one that some of us have been saying for a while -- against some teams we need to have Yao playing in the high post. When fronted, he's not going to spring up to catch lobs like David Robinson, and he's not going to be able to simply ignore defenders like Shaq. He can overcome fronting if he goes to the high post. He can consistently hit the jumper from there, and he is terrific at passing to cutters. It seems counterintuitive -- almost like surrendering -- but you've got to be creative. As much as everyone wants him to be, Yao is not a classic center.


great post,totally agree


----------



## Pasha The Great (Apr 9, 2005)

Rockets need to spend the next few practices were they just run the entire time. Non stop.


----------



## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

The pick and roll was huge for McGrady and Yao against Dallas. Now the biggest problem is that Yao has to come way too far out on the perimeter and McGrady will almost always settle for that long jumper off a Yao screen.


----------



## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

What's with Yao's inablility to do anything when fronted? Why can't he catch lobs? Do they even teach him? Ewing isn't making him any better. This ship is sunk this year, and maybe the next if something drastic isn't done. I've wanted JVG out since the beginning of the year. His game plan is too inflexible. The role players suck, they don't pass to Yao, and Yao isn't improving.
Alston is not a good playmaker. Good playmakers keep their court vision open while drving, the great ones keep it open all the time. Alston closes his court vision while he drives, and he can't make those last-second passes to Yao. The Rockets need some serious help at PG. Get a real PG, maybe Rondo or Darius Washington Jr.
The role players are crap. Wesley and Barry are shooters that don't make their shots. Howard seems to have taken a vow to never pass the ball to Yao. Stromile Swift was projected to be a bad pickup by anyone other than hardcore Rockets homers, and he is. Bowen should not be playing, he shouldn't even be in uniform. He's one of those players a team puts in the RL with a fake injury.
The team is a ****ing mess, and the worst thing is, unlike the Knicks, they can be fixed in one offseason. GM should be calling other teams 24/7, asking to unload everyone except TMac, Yao, and Head. They're painful to watch, and they're incredibly ancient and unathletic. I hate the management.
I know I'm just saying what you guys already know, but I had to say it anyways.


----------



## tone wone (Jan 30, 2003)

WTChan said:


> What's with Yao's inablility to do anything when fronted? Why can't he catch lobs? Do they even teach him? Ewing isn't making him any better. This ship is sunk this year, and maybe the next if something drastic isn't done. I've wanted JVG out since the beginning of the year. His game plan is too inflexible. The role players suck, they don't pass to Yao, and Yao isn't improving.
> Alston is not a good playmaker. Good playmakers keep their court vision open while drving, the great ones keep it open all the time. Alston closes his court vision while he drives, and he can't make those last-second passes to Yao. The Rockets need some serious help at PG. Get a real PG, maybe Rondo or Darius Washington Jr.
> The role players are crap. Wesley and Barry are shooters that don't make their shots. Howard seems to have taken a vow to never pass the ball to Yao. Stromile Swift was projected to be a bad pickup by anyone other than hardcore Rockets homers, and he is. Bowen should not be playing, he shouldn't even be in uniform. He's one of those players a team puts in the RL with a fake injury.
> The team is a ****ing mess, and the worst thing is, unlike the Knicks, they can be fixed in one offseason. GM should be calling other teams 24/7, asking to unload everyone except TMac, Yao, and Head. They're painful to watch, and they're incredibly ancient and unathletic. I hate the management.
> I know I'm just saying what you guys already know, but I had to say it anyways.


 I think you're overracting.

First, Yao has a short wingspan and mediocre hands...thats not a good combo for catching lobs over the top while being fronted. He isn't nearly quick enough to spine baseline either. So I dont really how you can blame Ewing for that. Yao's a statioary player....he needs space and time to be truely effective. Last night had neither.

Second, Skip might be the best passer on this team. I dont expect nor should he have to be Nash out there. In reguards to last night this is where I wish he was a little more Mike James-like. Houston needed someone to takes shots and force the issue....and we all know Mike aint bashful. But, thats not something Skip has done all season

Lastly, the roleplayers aren't really bad....they just played like it last night. Houston needed to knock down shots last night and they didn't. Hell, they were afraid to take them...but it is what it is. They're a jumpshooting team. They rely on Yao being really good and Tracy being great


----------



## Nikos (Jun 5, 2002)

Hakeem said:


> As much as everyone wants him to be, Yao is not a classic center.


Just curious, but what is your definition of a classic center? And how many players do you consider a classic Center in today, and possibly in the Mid 90s?

Thanks


----------



## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

tone wone said:


> I think you're overracting.
> 
> First, Yao has a short wingspan and mediocre hands...thats not a good combo for catching lobs over the top while being fronted. He isn't nearly quick enough to spine baseline either. So I dont really how you can blame Ewing for that. Yao's a statioary player....he needs space and time to be truely effective. Last night had neither.
> 
> ...


I don't think I'm overreacting. Just look at the record, two superstars should at least get their team to .500.
Skip can make his passes if he sees his target. The biggest problem is, his vision dims as he commits to driving to the hoop. I'm not knocking his passing ability, I'm knocking his vision.
The roleplayers are responsible for the 0-13 record w/o TMac. If they front, double, or zone Yao, the guys better make their shots. They don't.


----------



## Demiloy (Nov 4, 2005)

> What's with Yao's inablility to do anything when fronted? Why can't he catch lobs? Do they even teach him? Ewing isn't making him any better. This ship is sunk this year, and maybe the next if something drastic isn't done. I've wanted JVG out since the beginning of the year. His game plan is too inflexible. The role players suck, they don't pass to Yao, and Yao isn't improving.


How can Yao catch a lob if they don't throw it. In the Suns game, I saw only on lob to Yao, and it resulted in a dunk. And almost everytime I've seen the Rockets lob to Yao, it's been succesful. But they've done it so rarely. 



> I don't think I'm overreacting. Just look at the record, two superstars should at least get their team to .500.


How can they get to .500 if T-Mac missed 13 games, and Yao 21?


----------



## kisstherim (Jul 15, 2004)

WTChan said:


> I don't think I'm overreacting. Just look at the record, two superstars should at least get their team to .500.


they can't help their team on the bench. And TMAC has been struggling with back issues all season. Why do people tend to forget these simple facts when this team lose a game?



WTChan said:


> Skip can make his passes if he sees his target. The biggest problem is, his vision dims as he commits to driving to the hoop. I'm not knocking his passing ability, I'm knocking his vision.
> The roleplayers are responsible for the 0-13 record w/o TMac. If they front, double, or zone Yao, the guys better make their shots. They don't.


I don't think it's so wise to judge a player by one or a couple of games.


----------



## kisstherim (Jul 15, 2004)

Demiloy said:


> How can Yao catch a lob if they don't throw it. In the Suns game, I saw only on lob to Yao, and it resulted in a dunk. And almost everytime I've seen the Rockets lob to Yao, it's been succesful. But they've done it so rarely.


In most times it resulted in a TO.


----------



## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Nikos said:


> Just curious, but what is your definition of a classic center? And how many players do you consider a classic Center in today, and possibly in the Mid 90s?


It was a stupid comment. I'm not sure what a "classic center" is, but what I meant was that Yao isn't a center like Ewing and Olajuwon and Shaq were. You can compare most players with a player from another time. But you can't with Yao. He's so different from every other center who's played that it's often pointless to ask, "X did this, so why shouldn't Yao?"


----------



## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Mr. Roger's Cardigan said:


> The pick and roll was huge for McGrady and Yao against Dallas. Now the biggest problem is that Yao has to come way too far out on the perimeter...


Why did it only really work against Dallas, though, and not before or after? I mean, they sometimes got it going before that series, but not at all consistently.


----------



## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

kisstherim said:


> they can't help their team on the bench. And TMAC has been struggling with back issues all season. Why do people tend to forget these simple facts when this team lose a game?


It's common for role players to step up in the absence of the superstars. They didn't.



> I don't think it's so wise to judge a player by one or a couple of games.


I judge what I see. And I see terrible, terrible things.


----------



## sherwin (Mar 21, 2005)

Nikos said:



> Just curious, but what is your definition of a classic center? And how many players do you consider a classic Center in today, and possibly in the Mid 90s?
> 
> Thanks


 You can't have classic centers anymore cause defense is illegal in the NBA now.


----------



## jworth (Feb 17, 2006)

WTchan defintely has a point. Outside of injuries Houston's biggest problems this season have been with the role players--there has been no consistencey coming from them. The Rockets have the talent to play much better. Stro is good enough to be one of the League's best weakside defenders and second-chance scorers, and then guys like Luther and Skip have the talent to be contributing in better ways. The problem is that JVG's system doesn't utilize players' abilities to their fullest extent because it forces guys to focus in on thin, non-changing strategies that in turn set up low-percentage shot attempts. Outside of last year's team, JVG's teams are generally going to underachieve because he clearly can't coach offense and his players' offensive abilities are never taken advantage of.


----------



## edyzbasketball (Nov 16, 2005)

I'm starting to doubt the capacity of the Rockets to get to the playoffs... Injuries have unofrtunately been a big factor in our insuccess this year.


----------

