<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It's hard to call a trade involving three former All-Stars "overlooked," particularly when it gets bandied about in the press, agreed upon and finally consummated following a month-long process. But lost amid the Shaquille O'Neal trade, the Kobe Bryant trial and the Carlos Boozer free-agent shenanigans this summer, the Houston Rockets traded for Tracy McGrady. This is huge. This is Kobe and Shaq-huge, with even more potential (Yao Ming is taller; McGrady's game is more potent). Also looming large, though, is the fact that the Rockets have gutted their team, while remaining over the salary cap in the process, a scenario that won't allow for much fiscal flexibility any time soon. A crew of older, limited athletes who don't scare anyone will surround Yao and McGrady. But this swings both ways. The supporting cast may be unimpressive on paper, but it's reminiscent of Bryant's and O'Neal's time in the sun, winning titles with Ron Harper, Brian Shaw, Robert Horry, A.C. Green and Horace Grant. After such a radical overhaul, not even the Rockets can begin to anticipate how this will turn out, but they do know this: At their relationship's worst, Yao and McGrady will never develop 1/10th the simmering enmity that Kobe and Shaq shared for each other.</div> Link This is a great article, although it has a hidden sense of humor in it. It breaks our situation down perfectly and should be a good read. Check it out guys. PS: This is the build-up to the Official JBB Rockets Preview, coming out on September 27th, the upcoming Monday. Be sure to check that out too.
I didn't know Bobby Sura is a liability on defense. I thought he was supposed to be a pretty good defender. That's not good news. This is from InsideHoops.com: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Van Gundy Speaks After spending five minutes listening to Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy, I feel like lacing up the high tops and spending a few hours alone in the gym, working on my jumper. The man simply reveres the game. I also like Van Gundy because he isn?t easily excited. Just listen to what he has to say about the Rockets? upcoming season, and new acquisition, All-Star guard Tracy McGrady. ?I don?t believe the hype,? Van Gundy said in Street & Smith?s Pro Basketball Yearbook. ?Everyone wants you to try to win the press conference, to jump up and down, but in the long run, you have to win games.? He also pointed out that while McGrady is truly an amazing scorer, Orlando did lose 19 straight games with him in the lineup last season. ?That should emphasize the fact that it?s still a team game,? Van Gundy said. He concluded that McGrady ?is unselfish and understands that sacrifice is important. He is not going to lead the league in scoring (in Houston).? Finally, Van Gundy compared coaching in New York to coaching in Houston. ?The patience level is higher than it should be here,? he said. ?They?re more patient here, but that means they?re more tolerant of bad play.? </div> I hope Van Gundy can loosen up a bit with his coaching this year. We have a SUPERB offensive player, and last year the team was pretty pitiful offensively. Van Gundy should take advantage of that, and not force him to "sacrifice" to the detriment of the entire team.
Wow that was a great read, I coulnt help laughing at these: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Dikembe Mutombo -- I'm still upset that we were cheated out of a press conference welcoming Cookie Monster -- er, Deke -- to either Chicago or Houston. Vassilis Spanoulis -- I enjoyed a nice glass of Riesling with my Vassilis Spanoulis last week, but they put too many pine nuts in the sauce. Bob Sura -- Single-handedly ruined the raise-the-roof gesture for Caucasians everywhere. Clarence Weatherspoon -- Still works with what little he has. Yeah, 6-7, 270 isn't exactly "little," but you get where I'm coming from. Charlie Ward -- We hear that Internet conversations between a certain "JVGcoach67" and a "HeismanWard1717" sometimes approached the five-hour mark last season. It wasn't pretty. Glad to see that they're back together. </div> This one made me laugh through the whole article: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">This is why Charlie Ward may start at point guard for the Rockets this season and why Francis is in Orlando (except on Feb. 5, 2005, when he'll be in Jacksonville for the Super Bowl). </div> I'm hoping the JBB ROcket's preview is as entertaining as this one..
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I didn't know Bobby Sura is a liability on defense. I thought he was supposed to be a pretty good defender. That's not good news.</div>Nah, Sura's a pretty good defender, people think he can't defend well solely because he's white. How sterotypical. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm hoping the JBB ROcket's preview is as entertaining as this one..</div>I can certainly guarantee you that it won't be as funny as this, but will be more serious. Yours truly wrote it after all.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">Nah, Sura's a pretty good defender, people think he can't defend well solely because he's white. How sterotypical. </div> I disagree. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Baron Davis wanted to go to the hole on the final play, and Chauncey Billups gave him a chance by missing two free throws. Davis' dunk with one second remaining gave the New Orleans Hornets an 81-80 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Billups, a 92 percent foul shooter, missed a pair with seven seconds left. "They both felt great when they left my hand -- it was crazy," he said. "We had every chance in the world to win this game and we let it slip away." Davis, shooting just 6-for-21 to that point, then took a pass from P.J. Brown, went past Ben Wallace and dunked over Bob Sura to win the game.</div> Tho I will admit that Sura is a good rebounder for his size and I'm sure he's able to play average defense, he just has bad luck with being dunked on, ie. BDavis and MJ.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> I disagree.</div>You disagree with me in the sense that I said Sura was a good defender? Or was it that I said it was a stereotype? <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Tho I will admit that Sura is a good rebounder for his size and I'm sure he's able to play average defense, he just has bad luck with being dunked on, ie. BDavis and MJ.</div>Let's talk about why Sura was guarding Jordan or Davis in the first place. Was it because he was a bad defender? Obviously not. Sura was a good perimeter defender, that was why he was on the guys. Larry Brown knew that the ball was going to go to Baron Davis down the stretch, but instead of Billups or Hamilton, he put Sura on him. IMO, the best thing that Sura brings to us is none other than his defense.
This is gonna be a team to watch and I think they're gonna have a great year and make it very far in the playoffs if T-Mac and Yao click.
Yeah, I really thought that Bob Sura was a serious defensive threat, I guess I was wrong. I look for a top 5 finish for the Rockets because of there big two. I think they will be a dominant force in the playoffs, and I think teams won't want to face them in the playoffs.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">You disagree with me in the sense that I said Sura was a good defender? Or was it that I said it was a stereotype? Let's talk about why Sura was guarding Jordan or Davis in the first place. Was it because he was a bad defender? Obviously not. Sura was a good perimeter defender, that was why he was on the guys. Larry Brown knew that the ball was going to go to Baron Davis down the stretch, but instead of Billups or Hamilton, he put Sura on him. IMO, the best thing that Sura brings to us is none other than his defense.</div> I disagree that he's a good defender... not because he's white. Though I see your point about him guarding Davis at the end of the game. I guess I haven't seen enough of his game to be able to judge, I just remember all the times he's gotten posterized
