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I disagree with the bolded statement. I think Lou Williams is a better player than Eric Gordon. Lou Williams can run the second unit and drive to the lane. Gordon can too, but not as effectively as Lou Williams can. I've always just liked Lou Williams as a player too. They really need another big man that they can shoulder some minutes on. If Dekker can make the leap in the offseason, than it's likely his position to lose. With the broken hand, he was only given garbage time minutes this series.
I honestly don't think anything needs to change with this team. A broken hand in recovery and an injury to Nene was the difference maker of this series going 7 games. Nene playing in Game 5 would have mostly guaranteed a win for Houston. Harden was just gassed having to play out of position the majority of the game.
They need Hakeem to come in and mentor Capella. Athletic and just raw talent is there, but he lacks some basketball IQ. He's a better JaVale McGee with his IQ, but with the right kind of coaching, he could become a valuable piece in this team going forward. Houston was the team I wanted to watch during these playoffs the most. Watching them lay an egg last night was very disappointing. This team is there, just an injury to a key position that hurt their chances. I don't think they would have gotten past the Warriors, but I could have seen that series going 6 games.
I think Williams was a better player this year, but he is ripe for decline and I think Gordon is a better bet moving forward. Either player should be aiming to fill the Jason Terry role for the old Mavericks. You don't need two of those.
I like Dekker as a player. I like him better as a wing than a big.
Nene is pretty much done. An adductor tear at his age? No team can count on him contributing next year. If he doesn't want to retire, some team will certainly pick him up at the vet minimum, but the Rockets need someone to fulfill the role he played this year.
Capella is a useful but limited big. There's nothing wrong with that--the Rockets just can't count on him to be an offensive force.
I disagree with the bolded statement. I think Lou Williams is a better player than Eric Gordon. Lou Williams can run the second unit and drive to the lane. Gordon can too, but not as effectively as Lou Williams can. I've always just liked Lou Williams as a player too. They really need another big man that they can shoulder some minutes on. If Dekker can make the leap in the offseason, than it's likely his position to lose. With the broken hand, he was only given garbage time minutes this series.
I honestly don't think anything needs to change with this team. A broken hand in recovery and an injury to Nene was the difference maker of this series going 7 games. Nene playing in Game 5 would have mostly guaranteed a win for Houston. Harden was just gassed having to play out of position the majority of the game.
They need Hakeem to come in and mentor Capella. Athletic and just raw talent is there, but he lacks some basketball IQ. He's a better JaVale McGee with his IQ, but with the right kind of coaching, he could become a valuable piece in this team going forward. Houston was the team I wanted to watch during these playoffs the most. Watching them lay an egg last night was very disappointing. This team is there, just an injury to a key position that hurt their chances. I don't think they would have gotten past the Warriors, but I could have seen that series going 6 games.
So what you're saying is if nene and dekker were 100% the rockets would have won or at least got to 7 games. Maybe, but then "what if" Parker didn't go down? He's more important to the Spurs than nene or dekker, then kawhi out 4.5 quarters plus an OT.
Plus Aldridge has clear knee issues.
The rockets are flawed, but a huge part is the D'antoni system and lack of defense.
This is problem I find with morey, he can constantly pool talent, but doesn't give a crap about chemistry. He will trade you in an instant if he feels a more talented player is available. Instant gratification is kinda what I liken his style to.
The best teams tend to have chemistry, and stick together for a while.
So what you're saying is if nene and dekker were 100% the rockets would have won or at least got to 7 games. Maybe, but then "what if" Parker didn't go down? He's more important to the Spurs than nene or dekker, then kawhi out 4.5 quarters plus an OT.
Plus Aldridge has clear knee issues.
The rockets are flawed, but a huge part is the D'antoni system and lack of defense.
This is problem I find with morey, he can constantly pool talent, but doesn't give a crap about chemistry. He will trade you in an instant if he feels a more talented player is available. Instant gratification is kinda what I liken his style to.
The best teams tend to have chemistry, and stick together for a while.
I'm stating that Houston likely would have won game 5. In hindsight, the lack of Nene was far more detrimental to Houston than the loss of Parker was for San Antonio. That's coach and chemistry, which Pop has in spades over D'Antoni.
Just look at how gassed Harden was in Game 5. You have a guy having to play inside, which isn't his position. Have Curry do that and see how he fares. To lose such a close game to old man Ginnobli, with contributions from Mills, was pretty defeating. Houston should have never let that game go past regulation and I truly believe Nene would have kept that game in Houston's favor. He played too well not to.
I'm stating that Houston likely would have won game 5. In hindsight, the lack of Nene was far more detrimental to Houston than the loss of Parker was for San Antonio. That's coach and chemistry, which Pop has in spades over D'Antoni.
Just look at how gassed Harden was in Game 5. You have a guy having to play inside, which isn't his position. Have Curry do that and see how he fares. To lose such a close game to old man Ginnobli, with contributions from Mills, was pretty defeating. Houston should have never let that game go past regulation and I truly believe Nene would have kept that game in Houston's favor. He played too well not to.
there is no way to know how much of an impact/ loss parker was compared to nene.
i mean just because the spurs won while nene was out, the rockets won the game he went down in by 21.
the spurs won the game after parker went down by 11.
parker absolutely means more to the spurs than nene did to the rockets.
now did D'antoni kill his team with silly lineups and an unsustainable pace? absolutely. nene or not, the outcome would have been the same.
take into account the spurs lost kawhi for all of game 6, half of the 4th and all of OT in game 5. so by the math youre using, nene and dekker were the difference makers, but leonard and parker are chopped liver since we have pop and chemistry.
there is no way to know how much of an impact/ loss parker was compared to nene.
i mean just because the spurs won while nene was out, the rockets won the game he went down in by 21.
the spurs won the game after parker went down by 11.
parker absolutely means more to the spurs than nene did to the rockets.
now did D'antoni kill his team with silly lineups and an unsustainable pace? absolutely. nene or not, the outcome would have been the same.
take into account the spurs lost kawhi for all of game 6, half of the 4th and all of OT in game 5. so by the math youre using, nene and dekker were the difference makers, but leonard and parker are chopped liver since we have pop and chemistry.
When you're talking about a 3 point game, yes, Nene would have been a difference maker. I also believe Houston would have likely won that game in regulation as well. You have Houston's very best player guarding in the paint. What was Harden supposed to do? Not play any defense to conserve energy for offense and let Aldridge score 60 points. It was a poor scenario to be in, and banging against longer and heavier bodies, is going to expel more energy. It was an obvious mismatch.
Dekker is a question mark. I was just stating since he's still nursing his hand, you're not going to play him heavy minutes or for long stretches. Hence the garbage time.
I'm not discrediting the Spurs on their trip to the WCF, but after game 4 I was almost certain this was going to be a 7 game series. Not a 6 game series with a with a 39 point blowout on your home floor.
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