Ok, we've seen a couple preseason games now. The Rockets have plenty of players who have shown some promise, but realistically there will only be 8 or 9 players who will get regular minutes. If you have to pick a 9-man rotation based on what you've seen so far, what would it be? Here's mine: C - Yao, Hayes PF - Battier, Novak, <font color=""Gray"">Hayes</font> SF - McGrady, <font color=""Gray"">Wells, Battier, Snyder</font> SG - Snyder, Wells, <font color=""Gray"">Head, McGrady</font> PG - Alston, Head We have a ton of depth at SG and SF. I don't like the play of Lucas or Spanoulis very much right now, while Luther has the experience and skill to be a strong bench player for us. I think he'd do a fine job backing up both guard positions. Wells would be our 6th man ... I think Snyder is a slightly better perimeter shooter which will provide more spacing for the starting unit, and Wells will get more opportuniteis to score if he's coming off the bench. The backup C and PF is less clear. I'm a big believer in Hayes, but JVG might be hesitant to use him at PF because of his lack of a jumper. I think he'll be the primary backup center option, but in some situations Van Gundy might elect to go with Mutombo (or even Juwan). Backup PF ... I think JVG likes Novak and his shooting, but his lack of rebounding and defense is a big concern. He gets the nod now, but Howard could take over the spot. I don't see Novak getting much playing time at SF, unless we have injuries to McGrady and/or Wells to deal with.
I like yours. C-Yao/<font color=""darkgray"">Hayes</font> PF-Howard/Battier/Hayes/<font color=""silver"">Novak</font> SF-T-Mac/Bonzi/<font color=""darkgray"">Snyder</font>/<font color=""silver"">Novak</font> SG-Battier/Bonzi/<font color=""darkgray"">Snyder/T-Mac</font>/<font color=""silver"">Head</font> PG-Alston/Head Even though it's not gonna happen. Hayes will never see minutes at C. We are going to need Howard at some point unless we do a trade.
I haven't seen any preseason games yet, but judging by preseason play, here's mine: C: Yao/Mutombo/<font color="gray">Hayes</font> PF: Battier/Howard<font color="gray">Hayes/Novak</font> SF: McGrady/<font color="gray">Novak</font> SG: Wells/Snyder/<font color="gray">Spanouliss</font> PG: Alston/Head/<font color="gray">Lucas</font> With that nine-man rotation, I really like our abundance of guys who won't be in the regular rotation but can still help out if needed, for example VSpan, Hayes, Lucas and Padgett.
Yao/Mutumbo Battier/Howard/Padgett Wells/Snyder/Novak Tmac/Head Alston/John Lucas Notice Hayes isn't on here. The team better get serious about getting an athletic PF. That's the only weakness I see hurting us. Van Gundy might be high on Hayes, but he was also high on Ryan Bowen The team better make cut the guy and get an athletic big before the season starts.
You'd rather have one dimensional players like Padgett and Novak in the rotation than Chuck Hayes who can rebound and defend? Uhm, ok.
<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Yao/Mutumbo Battier/Howard/Padgett Wells/Snyder/Novak Tmac/Head Alston/John Lucas Notice Hayes isn't on here. The team better get serious about getting an athletic PF. That's the only weakness I see hurting us. Van Gundy might be high on Hayes, but he was also high on Ryan Bowen The team better make cut the guy and get an athletic big before the season starts.</div> JVG was high on Ryan Bowen? To my knowledge, JVG only said good things about Bowen's work ethic and hustle. Did he say that Bowen could be a 20/10 player? No. Every coach is going to say good things about hard-working players like Bowen; stop making stuff up to prove your point.
<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"> Notice Hayes isn't on here. The team better get serious about getting an athletic PF.</div> Yeah, that "athletic PF" really worked out well last year. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">That's the only weakness I see hurting us. Van Gundy might be high on Hayes, but he was also high on Ryan Bowen The team better make cut the guy and get an athletic big before the season starts.</div> Hey, Van Gundy is high on Battier, but he's also high on Ryan Bowen. I guess that means Battier sucks like Bowen! Your problem is you place very little value on rebounding, team defense, and offensive efficiency. Any coach will tell you that these are extremely important for role players but apparently they don't enter into the equation at all with you. FYI, Hayes was arguably the most efficienct and best rebounder on the team last year, while Bowen was at the bottom of the league in offensive efficiency and a poor-rebounder as well.
<div class="quote_poster">durvasa Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah, that "athletic PF" really worked out well last year. Hey, Van Gundy is high on Battier, but he's also high on Ryan Bowen. I guess that means Battier sucks like Bowen! Your problem is you place very little value on rebounding, team defense, and offensive efficiency. Any coach will tell you that these are extremely important for role players but apparently they don't enter into the equation at all with you. FYI, Hayes was arguably the most efficienct and best rebounder on the team last year, while Bowen was at the bottom of the league in offensive efficiency and a poor-rebounder as well.</div> Yea. What good is an athetic 4 if he doesn't rebound, play D, or have an offensive game. Plus, whave enough offense coming from T-Mac, Yao, Wells, Battier, and Alston. We don't need our 4 to score. We just need him to do the listed above.
<div class="quote_poster">Locke Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">JVG was high on Ryan Bowen? To my knowledge, JVG only said good things about Bowen's work ethic and hustle. Did he say that Bowen could be a 20/10 player? No. Every coach is going to say good things about hard-working players like Bowen; stop making stuff up to prove your point.</div> "Aslong as Ryan Bowen is playing, he'll ALWAYZ have a spot on this team". That's a direct quote from coach Van Gundy (sad, but true). Now please tell me what part of that did I make up <div class="quote_poster">Bobcats Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">You'd rather have one dimensional players like Padgett and Novak in the rotation than Chuck Hayes who can rebound and defend? Uhm, ok.</div> Padgett is an above average defender, and Novak provides much needed outside shooting. We have rebounding guards who will more than compensate for the lack of rebounding we had last year. <div class="quote_poster">durvasa Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah, that "athletic PF" really worked out well last year. Hey, Van Gundy is high on Battier, but he's also high on Ryan Bowen. I guess that means Battier sucks like Bowen! Your problem is you place very little value on rebounding, team defense, and offensive efficiency. Any coach will tell you that these are extremely important for role players but apparently they don't enter into the equation at all with you. FYI, Hayes was arguably the most efficienct and best rebounder on the team last year, while Bowen was at the bottom of the league in offensive efficiency and a poor-rebounder as well.</div> Look, I know ur a fan favorite of Chuck Hayes. But the fact is, he's just not gonna cut it at center (let alone PF). There is NO WAY in hell he's gonna produce in a 82 game season on a winning team. Ryan Bowen was similar in the fact that he produced good numbers during the regular season, that's UNTIL we got in the playoffs and Dallas exposed him for the scrub he is. There is too many young big men in the world for us to be playing a 6'6 undersized center. San Antonio, Dallas, Miami, Detroit etc....all have talented bigs who can finish above the rim. The Rockets will NOT compete for a championship without a REAL back up for Yao Ming. It WON'T HAPPEN
C - Yao, Howard PF - Battier, Howard, Novak SF - McGrady, Wells, Battier, Novak, Snyder SG - Snyder, Wells, Head, McGrady PG - Alston, Head, McGrady
Skip/L.Head Bonzi/Snyder TMac/ Novak Battier/Juwan Yao/Deke Thats 10 guys that I think will get regular minutes the first couple of games. My toughest decision to round out the 12 man active roster for opening day would be 2 of C.Hayes Padgett and JLIII Padgett gets left off because the talk has been of Hayes playing 3rd C for limited minutes and JLIII gives a third PG. Padgett VSpan can be on the inactive list. Sura too unless he retires or gets bought out. That would leave a spot for that other big. The ability of C.Hayes is like that of Shane's they are momentum changers. They dive on the floor, take charges and always seem to be in the middle of every play good or not. I think he has a spot on this team.
This J-Ho/Hayes debate seems to be taking over in every thread. I was reading one of the other threads and someone said the reason MEM was not successful in the playoffs was because they had a 12 man rotation not built for playoffs. Then said they could not develop team chem because of this. At first I hoped JVG would try something like this, but now I change my mind having read that. Well if we have a nine man rotation, does that mean these 9 players will see the floor for like 230/240 mpg? So that means 6 players are fighting for 3 roster spots with very limited minutes. I really hope JVG does not make Bowen a part of this 9 man rotation. My vote goes: Howard/Novak/JL3 (10, 11, 12) V-Span/Padgett/Jacobsen (injured roster) Damn, this post was all over the place.
<div class="quote_poster">CLos Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Why wouldn't Bonzi Wells start for the Rockets at SG and McGrady at SF with Battier at PF?</div> Wells sees himself as a go to scorer. I think we'd be better served using him as an instant offense type player off the bench. Or maybe not. I could see us going either way with that one. <div class="quote_poster">igotask8board Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">This J-Ho/Hayes debate seems to be taking over in every thread.</div> Yeah, sorry about that. I moved most of the Howard vs. Hayes stuff to the other thread.
