Seattle Supersonics @ Houston Rockets Preseason Game *@ Laredo,Texas* Monday, October 17, 2005 - 7:30 p.m. CT Local TV: FSN Houston Probable Starting Lineups: Rockets C - Yao Ming PF - Stromile Swift SF - Tracy McGrady SG - Derek Anderson PG - Rafer Alston Sonics C - Danny Fortson PF- Reggie Evans SF - Rashard Lewis SG - Ray Allen PG - Luke Ridnour Coaches: Jeff Van Gundy VS Bob Weiss Advantage:Rockets Centers: Yao Ming VS Danny Fortson or whoever starts Advantage:Rockets Power Forwards: Stromile Swift VS Reggie Evans Advantage:Rockets Small Forwards: Tracy McGrady VS Rashard Lewis Advantage:Rockets Shooting Guards: Derek Anderson VS Ray Allen Advantage:Sonics Point Guards: Rafer Alston VS Luke Ridnour Advantage:Sonics Prediction:I predict the Rockets to get the win. Rockets will get just under 90 pts. and the Sonics will get a little over 80. Sonics will have a slight lead at the half and I think the Rockets will come back and win. Locke's Take: In yet another preseason game of this undeservingly long preseason schedule, both teams will be expected to continue experimenting with lineups and thus, we'll most likely see a high turnover game, and one with bad shooting and "star" performances from normal nobodies in the league. Stromile Swift impressed on Saturday against Tim Duncan and the Spurs, and it will be reasonable that Van Gundy gives him more minutes against a stud defensive player in Reggie Evans. The TMac/Ray Allen duel will once again be exciting to watch. I'm taking the Rockets by 7.
Are you sure fortson is going to start at center? He's undersized for the power forward spot, the sonics would be pushing it too far to put him at the 5.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting christianq3:</div><div class="quote_post">maybe Radmonavic would start?</div> Best way to predict is to look at the starting lineup from the last preseason game the Sonics played in.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting slain:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Swift is going to start at Power Forward, I can't wait to see "MSM"~</div> MSM?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting christianq3:</div><div class="quote_post"> Power Forwards: Juwan Howard VS Reggie Evans Advantage:Rockets </div> Maybe if you are looking at stats alone, but Reggie Evans has twice the impact on a game that Juwan has. Howard was a good power forward in his prime but is really sort of a nonfactor these days. I would take Evans in any line up any day over the old man. That being said, if you start Swift it will be a different story. He may just be the missing piece that gets you guys back to the finals.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting devin:</div><div class="quote_post">MSM?</div> McGrady/Swift/Ming. As for Howard and Evans, it's not really clear. Sure, Evans is a rebounding monster and plays some solid defense, but doesn't give you any scoring. Howard on the other hand is a great scorer, average defender, and a rebounder who won't break any records but can hold his own. On defense, Howard will have a field against Evans who is the fifth option on offense, while Howard will make Evans work defensively.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Locke:</div><div class="quote_post">McGrady/Swift/Ming. As for Howard and Evans, it's not really clear. Sure, Evans is a rebounding monster and plays some solid defense, but doesn't give you any scoring. Howard on the other hand is a great scorer, average defender, and a rebounder who won't break any records but can hold his own. On defense, Howard will have a field against Evans who is the fifth option on offense, while Howard will make Evans work defensively.</div> Reggie Evans is a threat in the paint. Howard seems to play basketball like he's scared of getting injured, he probably won't do anything down low. Juwan Howard is not an average defender. He is a bad defender, and Evans will force him to play some defense - if Howard shies away, Evans becomes even more valuable. Evans is a good defender, and will hold Juwan's scoring down. edit: sorry to any of you who read my original post for all that messy wording
I see Howard getting owned in the match-up as well. Howard isn’t really a good defender and Evans is simply a beast in the paint. I mean this is a player who averages 9.3 rebounds in 23.8 minutes of play. He also is one of the best defensive power forwards in the league. I think the fact Howard is going up against Evans he’ll struggle. Playing someone who ranks 9th in the league amongst power forwards on defense will give Howard a tough time. He also has Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis drawing attention on the perimeter, he’ll have an easier time down low, especially playing against a defender who is less than average.
In addition to all of that, Evans is 25 and is still improving. Howard is 32 and has gotten worse in each of the past three seasons. Most people would easily take Evans over Howard. That's for sure.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Knicks Analyst:</div><div class="quote_post">Reggie Evans is a threat in the paint. Howard seems to play basketball like he's scared of getting injured, he probably won't do anything down low. Juwan Howard is not an average defender. He is a bad defender, and Evans will force him to play some defense - if Howard shies away, Evans becomes even more valuable. Evans is a good defender, and will hold Juwan's scoring down.</div>I'm sorry, but you're calling Reggie Evans, he of career highs of 16 points and 6 made shots, a threat in the paint? What kind of logic is that? A fifth option on offense who will make Howard work? All Juwan Howard will have to do is keep a hand in Evans's face when he does get a shot up. However, there won't even be so many such situations because Evans averaged less than 4 shots in 23 minutes per game. Defensively, I'd see what you mean, but I don't think you meant that. Howard won't need to do anything in the paint on offense. Yao is the staple in there and Howard will do his role as he always has on the Rockets. He is valued for his outside shot which can draw some defenders off of Yao, and really nothing else worth mentioning. We've already been through Howard's defense before. I find his defense at least average, you don't. Even a blind man can see your bolded words. I'm not blind so I don't know why you'd want to bold and italicize some words so often. Too desperate for attention?
I think Juwan used to be a terrible defender but JVG has at least made him below average which is a big step up. All down to the system.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Locke:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm sorry, but you're calling Reggie Evans, he of career highs of 16 points and 6 made shots, a threat in the paint? What kind of logic is that? A fifth option on offense who will make Howard work? All Juwan Howard will have to do is keep a hand in Evans's face when he does get a shot up. However, there won't even be so many such situations because Evans averaged less than 4 shots in 23 minutes per game. Defensively, I'd see what you mean, but I don't think you meant that.</div> He, if left alone, can score. He is a threat in the paint if you leave him alone, that's the kind of thing Juwan Howard would do. I doubt Howard would even be able to get a hand in Evans' face, he'd probably worry about getting another players' sweat on his delicate little hands. Evans is dangerous if you don't tend to him - the same is the case for most physical PF's. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Howard won't need to do anything in the paint on offense. Yao is the staple in there and Howard will do his role as he always has on the Rockets. He is valued for his outside shot which can draw some defenders off of Yao, and really nothing else worth mentioning.</div> Evans won't give Howard much room, Evans is underrated as a defender. Most people only consider him a rebounder. In the games I saw him in he looked really good defensively. There's no way that Evans gives Howard much of a chance to shoot the outside shot. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> We've already been through Howard's defense before. I find his defense at least average, you don't. </div> You and your Rocket fan friends may find him average, but basically everyone else sees him as a real liability on defense. He was statistically [about] the 53rd best defensive PF in the league last year. And that is out of 57 PF's rated. That's pretty awful. Look at Reggie Evans - he was ranked nineth. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Even a blind man can see your bolded words. I'm not blind so I don't know why you'd want to bold and italicize some words so often. Too desperate for attention? </div> I'm so sorry that it is <u>unpleasant </u>to you. But I <u>assure </u>it's <u>not </u>a matter of "wanting attention", I don't need anymore than I have - especially not from you. Thanks for your concern, though. <font size="3">Correction: Juwan Howard is rated the 53rd best defensive PF in the league over the past three years, with 04-05 being weighed the most. Howard was slightly better than 53rd last season. But over the course of the past three seasons he has been ranked as the 53rd bset defensive PF out of 57. Sorry if I was unclear.</font>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Locke:</div><div class="quote_post">Even a blind man can see your bolded words. I'm not blind so I don't know why you'd want to bold and italicize some words so often. Too desperate for attention? </div> I do that sometimes to. Mostly because a lot of people just skim through posts here, and only a handul in each forum read everyone's thoughts word for word. So for the people that do skim, I (he) make(s) sure they at least read the main point of my topic. I also understand you were being somewhat sarcastic (haha) funny, but I just wanted to get that clear.
Fortson and Potapenko are still out injured, so Rob Swift will be starting in the middle, with Collison and Petro backing him up. Mikki Moore missed the last game, but he may be healthy and if so will see time there too. Reggie Evans >>> Juwan Howard.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Knicks Analyst:</div><div class="quote_post">He, if left alone, can score. He is a threat in the paint if you leave him alone, that's the kind of thing Juwan Howard would do. I doubt Howard would even be able to get a hand in Evans' face, he'd probably worry about getting another players' sweat on his delicate little hands. Evans is dangerous if you don't tend to him - the same is the case for most physical PF's.</div>Felton Spencer is a threat in the paint if you leave him alone. No doubt Evans would score if he's open, Sherlock. Haven't you thought about why Howard won't leave Evans alone? You out of all people should know Van Gundy. If Howard leaves Evans wide open for a basket, Van Gundy would pull him, no doubt about that. So even if Evans does get a wide-open basket because of Howard, rest assured he won't get another one, because Howard won't be even on the court. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Evans won't give Howard much room, Evans is underrated as a defender. Most people only consider him a rebounder. In the games I saw him in he looked really good defensively. There's no way that Evans gives Howard much of a chance to shoot the outside shot.</div>Hey, if Evans guards Howard that close on the perimeter, how would that be bad? It draws him away from the basket, so that Yao can have one less tenacious rebounder to compete with on missed shots. I'd be real happy if Howard scores 0 points due to Evans. Yao would have a 20/20 game. (I'm exaggerating, but you get my point) <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">You and your Rocket fan friends may find him average, but basically everyone else sees him as a real liability on defense. He was statistically [about] the 53rd best defensive PF in the league last year. And that is out of 57 PF's rated. That's pretty awful. Look at Reggie Evans - he was ranked nineth.</div>You know I have never paid attention to those rankings. According to that, Yao is a top 10 center defensively, and everyone except for the homeristic Rockets fans knows that's not true.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">Felton Spencer is a threat in the paint if you leave him alone. No doubt Evans would score if he's open, Sherlock. Haven't you thought about why Howard won't leave Evans alone? You out of all people should know Van Gundy. If Howard leaves Evans wide open for a basket, Van Gundy would pull him, no doubt about that. So even if Evans does get a wide-open basket because of Howard, rest assured he won't get another one, because Howard won't be even on the court.</div> Really...so Howard would stand within 5 feet of Evans - that way he can argue he was in the general area. Howard is not going to consistently contest his shots and he surely will not stick right to Evans. Please. And if Howard is pulled, where does the advantage shift to? Clearly Evans is a stronger player - and while Evans won't score 10 points, he has an impact on the offense as a whole. Let's assume Howard does for once play some defense - then Evans creates space on offense because Howard can't leave Evans alone because he is somehow really worried about getting pulled. I doubt JVG would be as harsh about that now anyway, it's the preseason - he wants to see just how many defensive mistakes he should expect from Howard. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Hey, if Evans guards Howard that close on the perimeter, how would that be bad? It draws him away from the basket, so that Yao can have one less tenacious rebounder to compete with on missed shots. I'd be real happy if Howard scores 0 points due to Evans. Yao would have a 20/20 game. (I'm exaggerating, but you get my point)</div> Ha. Evans won't follow him that closely, he'll remain in the general area of the paint - he'll just adjust with Howard getting the ball. Evans is more than capable of moving forward and contesting a jumpshot from old Juwan Howard - I assure he won't have to stick right on him. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">You know I have never paid attention to those rankings. According to that, Yao is a top 10 center defensively, and everyone except for the homeristic Rockets fans knows that's not true.</div> Oh, but they do carry some truth to them. And those stats do not lie, they prove how weak Howard is. The stats are right in front of you. For almost all of his career Howard has been a liability defensively. There really is no arguing it. ____ Sorry about that little quote-joke there, Trip. That was uncalled for.
